GB2500792A - Wooden bat with metal hitting face - Google Patents

Wooden bat with metal hitting face Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2500792A
GB2500792A GB1304116.5A GB201304116A GB2500792A GB 2500792 A GB2500792 A GB 2500792A GB 201304116 A GB201304116 A GB 201304116A GB 2500792 A GB2500792 A GB 2500792A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
bat
metal
hitting portion
tube
wood
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1304116.5A
Other versions
GB201304116D0 (en
Inventor
Ragunath Rana
John Charles Wilkinson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Wilkinson Sports & Leisure Ltd
Original Assignee
Wilkinson Sports & Leisure Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Wilkinson Sports & Leisure Ltd filed Critical Wilkinson Sports & Leisure Ltd
Publication of GB201304116D0 publication Critical patent/GB201304116D0/en
Publication of GB2500792A publication Critical patent/GB2500792A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B59/00—Bats, rackets, or the like, not covered by groups A63B49/00 - A63B57/00
    • A63B59/50—Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B59/00—Bats, rackets, or the like, not covered by groups A63B49/00 - A63B57/00
    • A63B59/50—Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
    • A63B59/52—Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball made of wood or bamboo
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
    • A63B2102/18—Baseball, rounders or similar games
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
    • A63B2102/20—Cricket
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B59/00—Bats, rackets, or the like, not covered by groups A63B49/00 - A63B57/00
    • A63B59/50—Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
    • A63B59/51—Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball made of metal
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
    • A63B2102/18—Baseball, rounders or similar games
    • A63B2102/182—Softball
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
    • A63B2102/18—Baseball, rounders or similar games
    • A63B2102/184—Rounders
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B2209/00—Characteristics of used materials
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B59/00—Bats, rackets, or the like, not covered by groups A63B49/00 - A63B57/00
    • A63B59/50—Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
    • A63B59/55—Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball with non-circular cross-section

Abstract

A ball-game bat includes a body with a handle portion and a hitting portion. At least part of the hitting portion has an external face formed of a metal or metal alloy such that the metal or alloy forms the striking surface which contacts the ball, and at least part of the body of the bat is formed of wood. The bat is preferably a baseball, softball or cricket bat. In a preferred embodiment the bat comprises a handle 10, core 12 and cap 8 of wood, with tubular sleeve 22 of metal or metal alloy disposed within recess 20 formed around the core and held in place by wooden cap 8. Cap 8 may alternatively be formed of metal or alloy. The bat may comprise a number of metal or alloy tubes (26, 28, fig. 5) provided at spaced intervals along the hitting portion. The handle may include parts formed of metal or alloy. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the handle and cap are formed from wood, and the hitting portion comprises a solid metal or alloy cylinder joined at respective ends to the handle and cap. A method of forming a bat is also claimed. 

Description

improvements to a bat The invention to which this invention relates is to a bat of a type which is used in the playing of a ball game and particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, a ball game in the form of rounders or baseball in which the bat is held in the hand with the aim being to hit a ball which is thrown towards the person when holding the bat and for the ball to be hit via the bat to score runs. -The use of bats of this type is well known and typically, the bat comprises a handle portion which extends into a hitting portion, both of which are substantially round in cross-section, with the handle portion having a smaller diameter than the hitting p or tio n.
In order to allow the same to he used, the bat is typically required to be relatively light in terms of weight in order to allow the same to be held, for example, by one hand, yet, at the same time, the density is sufficient in order to provide a spring effect such that the ball, when hit with the bat, is propelled as great a distance as possible in order to allow as many runs as possible to be obtained.
Conventionally, there are two forms of bats which are used. A first form of bat is formed typically of one piece of wood with the wood being machined to form the external shape and surface finish comprising the handle portion and the hilLing portion.
In the second conventional form, the bat is formed of a shaped metal or metal alloy. The traditional approach is to use a wooden bat, while it is believed in certain instances that the provision of a metal alloy bat allows the propulsion of a ball, when hit with the bat, a greater distance than is possible when using a wooden bat. As such, sales of metal alloy bats have increased in recent years although a disadvantage of the same is that the cost of the material tends to be greater than the wood used to form the bat.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved form of bat which allows increased distance to be achieved when die ball is hit by the bat whilst allowing the bat to be balanced and rhcreforc attractive 10 use and also to provide the same in a manner which allows these advantages to be obtained while maintaining or reducing the cost of manufacture and hence cost of the bat with improved characteristics.
In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a bat, said bat including a body with a handle portion and a hitting portion, and wherein at least part of the hitting portion has an external face formed of a mei.aE or metal alloy and at least part of the body of the bat is formed of wood.
In one. embodiment, the body of the bat is formed of wood and, ai least said part of the hitting portion, there is provided a tube of metal or metal alloy which is motinicci with respect to the body so as to form an external face of said part of the hitting portion.
In one embodiment the tube is formed without a join or alternatively the tube is formed by wrapping a sheet material around tile body. In another embodiment the tube may be hollow and is fixed at one end to a first po.i.tion of wood and at the opposing end to a second portion of wood such that in this embodiment the wood does not pass through the centre of the metal or metal alloy portion. In another embodiment the metal or metal alloy portion is solid and attached to wooden portions at opposing ends to form the bat.
In one embodiment, said metal tube extends substantially along the hitting portion of the bat.
In one embodiment, the body is formed of two components, a first componcn t in which the handle portion and at least part of tile core of the bitting portion is formcd and a second part which forms the remainder of the core and the end of the bat at the opposite end to the handle portion.
typically, the two parts of the body are connected together by adhesive or mechanical engagement means once the tube of metal alloy is in position.
In one embodiment, the said first part of the body forms substantially all of the core of the hitting portion and the second part acLs as an end stop.
In one embodiment, the said part acts to retain the said tube in position on the body.
Tn a fui-ther aspect of the. invention, there is provided a mcihod of forming a bat for use in a ball game, said method comprising; forming a first body part from a first material, forming in said first body part a recess area along at least part of the hitting portion of the bat, locating in said recess area, a second material different to the first in order to form the external face of said of the hitting portion from said second material.
TI) one embodiment, there is provided a second body pa.'-t and engaging the second body part with he first hod)' par so as Lo secure the said second material in location in the recess portion of the body.
In one embodiment, the said first material is wood and said second material is a metal or metal alloy.
In one embodiment, the said second material is provided in the form a tube so as to form the extet-nal surface of said at least part of the hitting of I he ha (.
There is therefore provided in accordance with the invention a bat for use in playing of a ball game and which bat is formed of Lwo materials, with the second material forming an external surface of at least part of the hitting portion of the bat. lt is found that the selective use of the said second material provides improved characteristics in terms of the range of distance from which the ball can be hit when hit via said second material portion.. .I.h.us, these advantages can he obtained whilst allowing thc hat to he partially formed of the cheaper first material.
It should also he notcd that although it is believed that the Invention is of particular use with roundcrs and baseball bats the invention may also be use.d to advantage with other hats which arc non circular in cross section such as cricket hats and the features described herein may be incorporated in this form of bat.
Specific embodiments of die invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings; wherein Figure 1 illustrates a bat in accordance with a conventional fo ml.
Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment of a bat in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 illustrates the bat of Figure 2 in end elevation.
Figure 4 illustrates a cross-section through the line AA of the bat of Figures 2 and 3; and Figure 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a bat in accordance with the invention in elevation.
Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is illustrated a bat (A) iii accordance with a conventional form. The bat is formed of a single material which can be typically either of wood or a metal or a metal alloy. The bai comprises a hitting portion (B) and a handle portion (C) and it will be seen how the handle portion has a smaller diameter than the hand]c portion. Thc relative length of the handle and hitting portion can he adjusi:ed to Suit specific requirements and/or ganie playing rules.
Typically, the aim of t]ie use of the hat is to hold the same in one or two hands and swing the same at a hail which is thrown towards the holder of the bat in order to attempt to hit tile bail in a particular direction and/or a particular distance so as to allow points to be achieved. Different forms of bats are available and typically some bats are more expensive than others depending on ihe features of the same and can also be more expensive due to the material which is used.
Figures 2 4 illustrate a hat in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The bat (2) comprises a body (4) which is formed from t\vo parts, a first part (6) and a second part (8). In the embodiment shown, the first part (6) is formed of a first material such as wood and includes the. .handle portion (10) formed therein and which is formed as part of a core (12) of the hitting portion (14) of the bat. The second part (8) of the body may typically formed of the same material i.e. wood, as the first part but need not necessarily be so. ln any case, the second part is provided to be attached or engaged with the free face (16) of the first body part as shown. Thc first body part, at the location of the core (12) of the hitting portion (14), is provided with a recess (20) formed therein. The recess (20) is provided to receive thereon a tube (22) formed of i metal or metal alloy which is of the same length as the recess so as to allow the tube to be located in position thereon when the bat is formed. The metal or metal alloy tube is therefore provided in a form and location such that the same forms tile external surface (24) of at least part of the hitting portion (14) so that the ball contacts with the metal or metal alloy rather then the wood material when the ball is hit with the bat. It is found that the contact of the ball with the metal or metal alloy external surface (24) allows the ball to he hit a further distance and with greater spring effect as if the bat was wholly formed of the metal or metal alloy and than would be the case if the wood material was contacted by the hal].
However, by providing the metal or metal alloy tube rather than forming the entire bat of a metal or metal alloy, the cost of manufacture and hence retail cost of the bat which is formed in accordance with the invention can be reduced.
H should be appreciated that the provision of the metal or metal alloy tuhe can he selected to he of a length as required to suit a specific hat design and indeed, as illustrated in Figure 5, a plurality of said metal or metal alloy tubes (26, 28) can he provided at spaced intervals along the length of the hitting portion (14) and, in the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the second part (8) can also be formed of a metal or metal alloy.
It is also possible for one or more parts of the handle portion to be formed in a similar manner to that described with rcgard to the hitting portion so that the handle portion may also be formed of different materials at parts thereof.

Claims (7)

  1. CLAIMS1. A bat, said bat including a body with a handle portion and a hitting portion, and wherein at least part of said hitting portion has an external face formed of a metal or metal alloy and at least part of the body of the bat is formed of wood.
  2. 2. A bat according to claim 1. wherein at least said part of the hitting portion is provided with a tube of metal or metal alloy, mounted with respect to the body so as to form an external face of said part of the hitting portion.
  3. 3. A bat according to claim 2, wherein the tube is formed without a join.
  4. 4. A bat according to claim 2, wherein the tube is formed by wrapping a sheet material around the body.
  5. 5, A bat according to claim 2, wherein the Lube is locatcd at one end with a first portion of wood and at the opposing cnd with a second porlion of wood.
  6. 6. A bat according to claim 5 wherein a wooden core is provided on the first and/or second portions to extend drough at least part of the centre of the metal or metal alloy portion.
  7. 7. A bat according to claim 5 wherein the said metal or metal alloy tube is hollow once located to the wooden portions at opposing ends.
    8 A bat according to claim 2, whei-eiii said metal or mci al a]loy tube extends substantially along the liii tirig of the bat.
    9 A bat according to claim 1, wherein the metal or metal alloy portion is solid and attached to wooden portions at opposing ends to form the bat.A bat according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises at least two components; a first component in which the handle portion and at least part of a core of the hitting portion is formc.d; and a second component which forms the remainder of The core and the. eric] of the bat at the opposite end to the.handle portion.ii A bat according to claim 10, wherein the at least two components of the body are connected together by adhesive or mechanical engagement means.12A bar according to claim 11, whetein the said first component of the body forms substantially the entire core of the hitting portion and the second component acts as an end stop.13 A hat according to claim 10, wherein the second component acts to retain a tube of metal or metal alloy, mounted with respect to the body on at least part of the hitting portion, iii position on the body.14 A method of forming a hal for use in a ball game, said method comprising: forming a first body part from a first material; forming in said first body part a recess area along at least part of a hitting portion of the bat; and locating in said recess area a second material different to the first, in order to form an external face of said part of the hitting portion from said second material.15k method according to claim l4, wherein there is provided a second body part, said second body part engaging the first body part so as to secure die said second material in location in die recess portion of the body.16 A method according to claim 14, wherein the said first material is wood and said second material is a metal or metal a 110)7.17 A method according to claim 14, wherein the said second material is provided in the form a tube so as to form the external surface of said at least part of the hitting portion of the bat.
GB1304116.5A 2012-03-23 2013-03-07 Wooden bat with metal hitting face Withdrawn GB2500792A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB1205124.9A GB201205124D0 (en) 2012-03-23 2012-03-23 Improvements to a bat

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201304116D0 GB201304116D0 (en) 2013-04-24
GB2500792A true GB2500792A (en) 2013-10-02

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GBGB1205124.9A Ceased GB201205124D0 (en) 2012-03-23 2012-03-23 Improvements to a bat
GB1304116.5A Withdrawn GB2500792A (en) 2012-03-23 2013-03-07 Wooden bat with metal hitting face

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GBGB1205124.9A Ceased GB201205124D0 (en) 2012-03-23 2012-03-23 Improvements to a bat

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB201205124D0 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2023073736A1 (en) * 2021-10-29 2023-05-04 Pemmaraju Venkata Parthasaradhi A sports bat

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB191413559A (en) * 1914-06-04 1915-04-01 John Kelk Improvements relating to Cricket Bats.
US4720104A (en) * 1986-09-08 1988-01-19 Disieno Martin Stickball bat construction
US5676609A (en) * 1996-04-16 1997-10-14 Mollebaek; Troels Composite ball bats
US20050070383A1 (en) * 2003-09-26 2005-03-31 Jung-Shih Chang Wood bat internally and externally reinforced with composite material or metal
US20070202973A1 (en) * 2006-02-27 2007-08-30 Thu Van Nguyen Composite bat with metal sleeve

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB191413559A (en) * 1914-06-04 1915-04-01 John Kelk Improvements relating to Cricket Bats.
US4720104A (en) * 1986-09-08 1988-01-19 Disieno Martin Stickball bat construction
US5676609A (en) * 1996-04-16 1997-10-14 Mollebaek; Troels Composite ball bats
US20050070383A1 (en) * 2003-09-26 2005-03-31 Jung-Shih Chang Wood bat internally and externally reinforced with composite material or metal
US20070202973A1 (en) * 2006-02-27 2007-08-30 Thu Van Nguyen Composite bat with metal sleeve

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2023073736A1 (en) * 2021-10-29 2023-05-04 Pemmaraju Venkata Parthasaradhi A sports bat

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201304116D0 (en) 2013-04-24
GB201205124D0 (en) 2012-05-09

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)