US3731925A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Batting practice device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-05-26
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Granted: 1973-05-08
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Expires: 1991-05-26
Abstract
Abstract A batting practice device for use by a person skilled in the art of coaching and training a youngster how to stand at home plate, how to keep his eyes on a real baseball which is caused to sweep in varying paths (high, low, and otherwise) across the plate, how to time his batting swing and, also how to acquire the feel of batting the ball. It comprises a suitably elongated hollow barrel through which a flexible nylon or similar tethering line is slidingly threaded. This barrel provides a line stabilizing and whirling holder designated as a control stick. A regular baseball is captively mounted on the outward end of the line. A first handgrip is provided on the inward end. A second spring biased handgrip is slidingly mounted on the flanged inner end of the barrel. These handgrips, when properly grasped and used, will enable the user to swing the tethered ball in a circular path and to deliver the ball to the wary but eager batter.
Inventors
- 👤 J Caldwell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:47
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/0073; A63B69/0079; A63B69/0088; A01; A01K; A01K15/00; A01K15/02; A01K15/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
218 words
A batting practice and training device comprising, in combination, an elongated hollow barrel constituting a line holding, handling and controlling stick and having a freely whirlable outward end and a hand-held manipulatable inward end, a captive baseball, a tethering line having an outward end secured to and for suspending and swinging said baseball in a circular path in a plane above the head of the user of said device, a median portion tHreaded and shiftably slidable through the hollow portion of said controlling stick and an inner end portion extending through and beyond the inner end of said stick, a first handgrip carried by the inner end portion of said line and adapted to be grasped and controllably used in one hand of the user, a sleeve surrounding and mounted on an inward portion of said stick, a second handgrip mounted on an inner end portion of said sleeve and adapted to be grasped and controllably held by the other hand of the user, said stick being shiftably slidable in the bore of said sleeve, said sleeve being elongated but of a length appreciably less than the length of said barrel, and resilient cushioning and shock absorbing means operatively mounted on an inner end portion of said barrel and cooperable with an inner end portion of said sleeve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
218 words
A batting practice and training device comprising, in combination, an elongated hollow barrel constituting a line holding, handling and controlling stick and having a freely whirlable outward end and a hand-held manipulatable inward end, a captive baseball, a tethering line having an outward end secured to and for suspending and swinging said baseball in a circular path in a plane above the head of the user of said device, a median portion tHreaded and shiftably slidable through the hollow portion of said controlling stick and an inner end portion extending through and beyond the inner end of said stick, a first handgrip carried by the inner end portion of said line and adapted to be grasped and controllably used in one hand of the user, a sleeve surrounding and mounted on an inward portion of said stick, a second handgrip mounted on an inner end portion of said sleeve and adapted to be grasped and controllably held by the other hand of the user, said stick being shiftably slidable in the bore of said sleeve, said sleeve being elongated but of a length appreciably less than the length of said barrel, and resilient cushioning and shock absorbing means operatively mounted on an inner end portion of said barrel and cooperable with an inner end portion of said sleeve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
89 words
The batting practice device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the inner end portion of said barrel is provided with a flange constituting a first limit stop shoulder, the inner end of said sleeve being likewise provided with a similar flange constituting a second limit stop shoulder, said cushioning and shock absorbing means comprising a coil spring of prescribed tension encircling an inner end portion of said barrel and interposed between and having its endmost coils abutting the respectively cooperable first and second limit stop shoulders.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The batting practice device defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein a median portion of said barrel is provided with longitudinally adjustable abutment means which provides a third limit stop shoulder and with which a forward terminal end of said sleeve is engageable in a manner to check and stop the forward sliding movement of the sleeve relative to said barrel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
The batting practice device defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein the forward terminal end of said barrel is fitted with a cap, said cap having an axial bushing telescoping into the hollow bore of said barrel and providing an anti-chafing and wear resisting guide, and a portion of said line being threaded slidingly through said bushing and the complemental bore of said barrel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The batting practice device defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein said baseball is replaceably mounted on the outward end of said tethering line, and said first handgrip is replaceably mounted on the inner end portion of said tethering line.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
217 words
A batting practice and training device comprising a rigid elongated hollow barrel constituting and usable as a control stick and having an outer end and an inner end, a cap attached to and closing the outer end, said cap being provided with an axial neck, said neck projecting telescopically into the bore of the barrel and providing a guide bushing, said barrel being provided at an inward end with an outstanding lateral flange providing a limit stop shoulder, limit stop means operatively mounted on an intermediate portion of said barrel, a sleeve surrounding and slidable on the barrel between said limit stop means and the aforementioned limit stop shoulder, one end of said sleeve being adapted to abut said limit stop means, a handgrip carried by an inner end portion of and surrounding and affixed to said sleeve, a coil spring encircling and retained on an inner end portion of the barrel, and a flexible tethering line having a forward end portion, a rearward end portion, and a median portion, said median portion being slidable through said bushing and through the bore of said barrel and beyond the inner end of the barrel, a captive baseball fastened on the free outward end of said tethering line, and a handgrip fastened on the inward end of said line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
217 words
A batting practice and training device comprising a rigid elongated hollow barrel constituting and usable as a control stick and having an outer end and an inner end, a cap attached to and closing the outer end, said cap being provided with an axial neck, said neck projecting telescopically into the bore of the barrel and providing a guide bushing, said barrel being provided at an inward end with an outstanding lateral flange providing a limit stop shoulder, limit stop means operatively mounted on an intermediate portion of said barrel, a sleeve surrounding and slidable on the barrel between said limit stop means and the aforementioned limit stop shoulder, one end of said sleeve being adapted to abut said limit stop means, a handgrip carried by an inner end portion of and surrounding and affixed to said sleeve, a coil spring encircling and retained on an inner end portion of the barrel, and a flexible tethering line having a forward end portion, a rearward end portion, and a median portion, said median portion being slidable through said bushing and through the bore of said barrel and beyond the inner end of the barrel, a captive baseball fastened on the free outward end of said tethering line, and a handgrip fastened on the inward end of said line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The batting practice and training device defined in and according to claim 6 and wherein said baseball is detachably and removably mounted on said line, and also wherein the last-named handgrip is also detachably and renewably mounted on the inner end portion of said line.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-07 | 1976-11-06 | 1977-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-07 | 1980-11-06 | 1981-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-07 | 1984-11-06 | 1985-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |