Method of making a hockey stick

Claim 1

A method of making a handle component for the construction of hockey sticks, comprising the steps of making at least one shallow groove of constant depth in each wide side surface of an elongated piece of hardwood of predetermined constant rectangular cross-section whose four corners are defined by non-squared surfaces with the adjacent surfaces, the arrangement of at least one groove in each wide side surface being located centrally of the associated wide side surface and each groove extending throughout the length of said piece of hardwood, inserting into each of said grooves a preformed strip of resin impregnated undirectional continuous fiber material whose dimensions closely conform to those of said grooves, providing a coating of a suitable adhesive to at least some of the mating groove and strip surfaces, inwardly pressing said strips into their respective grooves and maintaining the pressure until substantial curing of said adhesive, and wherein during the curing step a plurality of stick handles are disposed parallel to one another over a table on one of their narrow sides and pressed together between two inwardly urging side members.

Claim 2

A method of making a handle component for the construction of hockey sticks, comprising the steps of making at least one shallow groove of constant depth in each wide side surface of an elongated piece of hardwood of predetermined constant rectangular cross-section whose four corners are defined by non-squared surfaces with the adjacent surfaces, the arrangement of at least one groove in each wide side surface being located centrally of the associated wide side surface and each groove extending throughout the length of said piece of hardwood, inserting into each of said grooves a preformed strip of resin impregnated undirectional continuous fiber material whose dimensions closely conform to those of said grooves, providing a coating of a suitable adhesive to at least some of the mating groove and strip surfaces, inwardly pressing said strips into their respective grooves and maintaining the pressure until substantial curing of said adhesive, and wherein during the curing step a plurality of stick handles are disposed parallel to one another over a table on one of their narrow sides and pressed together between two inwardly urging side members.

Claim 3

A method of making a hockey stick having a handle, a blade and a shank extending from said handle for connecting said blade to said handle, said handle and said shank being integrally formed and defining a handle component, and the lower region of said shank defining the heel portion of said hockey stick, said method comprising: as a first step, preparing a constant cross-section reinforced handle component by making at least one shallow groove of constant depth in each wide side surface of an elongated piece of hardwood of predetermined constant rectangular cross-section whose four corners are defined by non-squared surfaces joining adjacent surfaces, the arrangement of at least one groove in each wide side surface being located centrally of the associated wide side surface and each groove extending throughout the length of said piece of hardwood, inserting into each of said grooves a preformed strip of resin impregnated unidirectional continuous fiber material whose dimensions closely conform to those of said grooves, and adhering said strips to said grooves, as a second step, forming and permanently securing to the handle component a lower part out of which the blade is to be formed, as a third step cutting the assembly comprising said handle and said lower part to the approximate profile desired, and as a fourth step sanding the lower portion of said assembly for reducing the thickness of the blade to about 1/4 of an inch and to taper inwardly the lower portion of said handle component and lower part to define said shank which gradually tapers inwardly from said handle to said heel portion, said sanding step being accurately controlled to progressively remove material from the lower end of said preformed strips to also taper said strips inwardly corresponding to the taper applied to that portion of the shank.

Claim 4

A method of making a hockey stick having a handle, a blade and a shank extending from said handle for connecting said blade to said handle, said handle and said shank being integrally formed and defining a handle component, and the lower region of said shank defining the heel portion of said hockey stick, said method comprising: as a first step, preparing a constant cross-section reinforced handle component by making at least one shallow groove of constant depth in each wide side surface of an elongated piece of hardwood of predetermined constant rectangular cross-section whose four corners are defined by non-squared surfaces joining adjacent surfaces, the arrangement of at least one groove in each wide side surface being located centrally of the associated wide side surface and each groove extending throughout the length of said piece of hardwood, inserting into each of said grooves a preformed strip of resin impregnated unidirectional continuous fiber material whose dimensions closely conform to those of said grooves, and adhering said strips to said grooves, as a second step, forming and permanently securing to the handle component a lower part out of which the blade is to be formed, as a third step cutting the assembly comprising said handle and said lower part to the approximate profile desired, and as a fourth step sanding the lower portion of said assembly for reducing the thickness of the blade to about 1/4 of an inch and to taper inwardly the lower portion of said handle component and lower part to define said shank which gradually tapers inwardly from said handle to said heel portion, said sanding step being accurately controlled to progressively remove material from the lower end of said preformed strips to also taper said strips inwardly corresponding to the taper applied to that portion of the shank.