Aligning tool for strings of racket

Claim 1

In combination a string racket and string aligning tool therefor, said racket having a head bounded by a rim having oppositely facing generally planar surfaces and with a network of criss crossed strings arranged in a central plane between the rim surfaces which strings span the rim in a normal spaced relation with respect to one another defining parallel rows and right angularly arranged parallel defining columns of normal size open areas of common size between adjacent pairs of opposing parallel strings, said aligning tool comprising a device for realigning the strings in the central zone of the network to normal spaced relations after misalignment of them in use, said tool including: a base with a plurality of extending truncated rigid four-sided right pyramidal projections of common size and shape arranged in rows and columns; the cross sectional area of the terminal ends of each of said projections being less than the one of said normal size open areas between pairs of opposed parallel strings and the cross sectional area at the base of each projection being at least as great as said normal size open area defining a transverse aligning plane in each projection adjacent the base which is of an area equal to said area of one of said normal size open area between parallel strings, whereby the strings are adapted to be aligned and equispaced when the projections of the tool are inserted into the network, the base having a main surface with said projections extending therefrom and a peripheral gripping surface, said base being generally configured and sized to be held in the grip of a user between the base of the hand adjacent the wrist and the finger and thumb tips; and the number of projections in each row and in each column being at least three in number, the string engaging side surfaces of each of the projections being smooth and the juncture of the side surfaces of each projection being smooth so as not to present sharp edges to the strings of the racket.