Abstract: A member (e.g. baseball bat) including a switch manually operable to obtain the transmission of signals by a transmitter in the member to an apparatus for propelling an element (e.g. ball) toward an individual holding the member. The element is propelled by a propulsion mechanism in the apparatus toward the individual holding the member so that the individual can practice receiving the element (e.g. hitting the ball). The apparatus propels the element upon the receipt of the transmitted signals and prepares for the next element in the apparatus to be propelled upon a receipt of subsequent signals from the transmitter.

Abstract: A member (e.g. baseball bat) includes a switch manually operable to obtain the transmission of signals by a transmitter in the member to an apparatus for propelling an element (e.g. ball) toward an individual holding the member. The apparatus includes a receiver for receiving the transmitted signals and includes a housing with a hollow passage. A ramp supported on the housing holds a plurality of the elements for sequential movement into the passage. The element in the passage is supported on one of the fingers of a rotary detainer. The detainer is normally prevented from rotating by a release mechanism coupled to the detainer. The detainer is rotated by the weight of the element when the release mechanism is decoupled from the detainer upon the reception of the transmitted signals. The element then moves downwardly in the passage to a propulsion mechanism which may comprise a pair of rollers for gripping the opposite ends of the element.

Abstract: A lightweight bat with a pressurized striking portion and a separate handle portion.

Abstract: A throwing toy is provided that is configured to be held in a user's hand and thrown by the user with the user's hand imparting to the toy during release a spin about the toy's axis. The toy has a head portion and a tail portion adjacent the rear end of the head portion. The tail is configured to be selectively changeable by the user between an extended position wherein at least a part of the tail extends rearward of the head portion along the axis for a tail length and a retracted position wherein the tail length is reduced. The toy has a coupling connected to the head portion which includes a tail control mechanism supporting the tail portion. The control mechanism is configured to allow the user to change the tail between the extended and the retracted positions. The tail control mechanism includes a cylinder installed in the head portion and a piston movable in the cylinder.

Abstract: A throwing toy is provided which is adapted to be thrown by a user for a flight through the air along a flight path. The toy includes a football-shaped head portion, generally centered about a longitudinal axis, an elongate tail portion extending axially rearward the head portion along the longitudinal axis, and a coupling, which interconnects the head and tail portions and allows the portions to be movable relative to each other, particularly to be rotatably movable about the longitudinal axis. Because the head portion and tail portion can rotate relative to each other, the user can hold the head portion in the hand and throw the toy through the air, imparting a spin to head portion causing it to rotate about its longitudinal axis throughout the flight. At the same time, the tail portion remains substantially fixed throughout the flight with respect to the longitudinal axis because the spin imparted to the head portion is substantially isolated from the tail portion by the rotatable coupling.

Abstract: A truncated unitary plastic cone shaped plug is provided with a tie line, the ends of which protrude from the minor base of the plug and are tied together around the deltoid ligament after insertion of the plug into the sinus tarsus or opening of the subtalar joint of a person in a subtalar arthroereisis operation to correct pes plano valgus.