US20020137581A1

US20020137581A1 - Bat with a ball ejection device received therein

Info

Publication number: US20020137581A1
Application number: US09/812,844
Authority: US
Inventors: Cheng-Liang Wang
Original assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
Current assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
Priority date: 2001-03-21
Filing date: 2001-03-21
Publication date: 2002-09-26

Abstract

A baseball bat includes a hollow bat and an aperture is defined in an end of a barrel of the bat. A flange extends radially inward from an inner periphery of the bat and a rod movably extends through the flange. A spring is mounted to the rod and biased between the flange and a skirt on the rod. A hook is pivotally connected to the inner periphery of the bat and engaged with a groove defined in an outside of the skirt. A rope extends from the hook and passes from a hole defined through the bat. A trigger is connected to the rope so that when pulling the rope, the hook is disengaged from the groove and the rod jumps to throw a ball in the aperture from the end of the barrel.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a baseball bat that has a ball ejection device received therein so as to eject a ball to be hit from a top end of the bat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A baseball game includes at least one pitcher and a hitter who tries to hit the ball threw by the pitcher. In other words, the baseball game requires at least two players, one throws balls and the other one hits the balls. However, if only one person who wants to practice hit, he/she can throw a ball upward with one hand and hold a bat with the other hand. This requires experiences and skills, and the player seldom hits the ball because it is difficult to throw the ball properly. The other way is to prepare a hit practice means which is a cone connected on a base, and a ball is put on the top of the cone, the hitter can hit the ball. Nevertheless, the height of the cone cannot be adjusted and the cone occupies a large space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a baseball bat and comprises a hollow bat having an aperture defined in an end of the barrel of the bat. A flange extends radially inward from an inner periphery of the bat and a rod movably extends through the flange. A skirt extends radially outward from the rod and a spring is mounted to the rod and biased between the flange and a skirt on the rod. The skirt has a groove defined in an outer periphery thereof and a hook is pivotally connected to the inner periphery of the bat and engaged with the groove. A spring is biased between the hook and the inner periphery of the bat. A rope is connected to the hook and extends from a hole defined through the bat.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a baseball bat that has a ball ejection means received therein so as to eject a ball from an open end of the barrel of the bat for the player to hit the ball.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, two preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view to show the baseball bat of the present invention; [0006]
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view to show a ball is ejected from an end of the baseball bat of the present invention; [0007]
FIG. 3 is an illustrative view to show a player using the baseball bat of the present invention, and [0008]
FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the baseball bat of the present invention.[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, the baseball bat of the present invention comprises a [0010] hollow bat 1 having a handle and a barrel. An aperture 10 is defined in an end of the barrel. A flange 2 extends radially inward from an inner periphery of the bat 1 and a passage 21 is defined through the flange 2. An annular wall 22 extends from the flange 2 and encloses the passage 21. A rod 3 movably extends through the passage 21 of the flange 2 and has an enlarged end 31 so that the rod 3 will not escape from the passage 21 when the rod 3 moves toward the aperture 10. A skirt 33 extends radially outward from the rod 3 on the other end opposite to the enlarged end 31. A spring 4 is mounted to the rod 3 and biased between the flange 2 and the skirt 33. Two ends of the spring 4 are retained by the skirt 22 and the annular wall 22. The skirt 33 has a groove 331 defined in an outer periphery thereof.
A [0011] hook 50 is pivotally connected to the inner periphery of the bat 1 and engaged with the groove 331. A spring 51 is biased between the hook 50 and the inner periphery of the bat 1 so as to keep the hook 50 to be engaged with the groove 331. A rope 52 is connected to the hook 50 and extends from a hole 11 defined through the handle of the bat 1. The rope 52 is connected to a trigger 53 which extends from the hole 11. The rod 3 has a recess 32 defined in an end thereof which communicating with the aperture 10 so that a ball is received in the aperture 10 and recess 32.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when pulling the [0012] trigger 53 to pull the rope 52, the hook 50 is disengaged from the groove 331 and the rod 3 jumps toward the aperture 10 by the spring 4 to eject the ball from the aperture 10. The player then can hit the ball.
FIG. 4 shows that a [0013] hole 12 is defined through a knob 13 on the handle of the bat 1 and the rope 52 is connected to a ring 53′ which extends from the hole 12 in the knob 13.
The baseball bat of the present invention can be used by the player himself or herself and no skill is required. The [0014] rod 3 is pushed to compress the spring 4 till the hook 50 is engaged with the groove 331 again to position the rod 3 and the ball can be put in the aperture 10 again.
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. [0015]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A baseball bat comprising:

a hollow bat having a handle and a barrel, an aperture defined in an end of said barrel;

a flange extending radially inward from an inner periphery of said bat and a passage defined through said flange;

a rod movably extending through said passage of said flange and a skirt extending radially outward from said rod, a spring mounted to said rod and biased between said flange and said skirt, said skirt having a groove defined in an outer periphery thereof, and

a hook pivotally connected to said inner periphery of said bat and engaged with said groove, a spring biased between said hook and said inner periphery of said bat, a rope connected to said hook and extending from a hole defined through said bat.

2. The baseball bat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rod has a recess defined in an end thereof which communicating with said aperture.

3. The baseball bat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bat has a hole defined through said handle of said bat and said rope is connected to a trigger which extends from said hole.

4. The baseball bat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bat has a hole defined through a knob on said handle of said bat and said rope is connected to a ring which extends from said hole in said knob.