US2662768A

US2662768A - Pitcher's rubber

Info

Publication number: US2662768A
Application number: US53197A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul S Madsen
Original assignee: Seamless Rubber Co
Current assignee: Seamless Rubber Co
Priority date: 1948-10-07
Filing date: 1948-10-07
Publication date: 1953-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1970-12-15

Description

Dec. 15, 1953 p, Q MADSEN 2,662,768

PITCHERS RUBBER Filed Oct. '7, 1948 Patented Dec. 15, 1953 PITCHERS RUBBER Paul S'..:Madsen, Bethany, Conn.,. assignor to The Seamless'llubber Company, NewjHaven, Conn; a corporation of Connecticut f Application October `'7, 1948', Serial No`.`53,197'

scams.. (o1. 27s-.25)

'I'his invention relates to pitchers rubbersor platesA used in playing the game of baseball. f

The ordinary pitchers rubber vor plate in use at the present time consists of a slab or matof elastic-material, such as rubber, that is relatively thin and requires securing ymeans engaging the" same. andthe underlying earth for holdingitin place. There are various objections tov `this -form of slablike` rubber, among` whichy are the I difficulty of providing satisfactoryanchoring means, andv the fact that the slab does` not remain level but is likely toA project upwardly atone or more edges owing to the action of dirt whichl worksin under the margins of the slab.

Gne of the objects of the presentinvention is tov overcome these drawbacks.

Another object is` to improve the anchoringof the pitchers rubber, and-provide a rubberfwhich stays flat and level.

Another object is to-provide a pitchersrubber which is more durable than -previous'articles of this type, andr in ,which` the life of thefarticle` is very notably extended owing to the 'fact that, by changing the position of th'evrubberin'v the ground, new surfaces can be presented'- after the surfacesinitially used become worn by the spikes of the playersV shoes.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of afpitc'hers rubber embodying my improvements, showing it embedded in the ground and ready for use;

Fig. 2' is an enlargedV section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the article as it appears prior to installation;

Fig. 4. is a section on lined-4 of Fig. 3.; n

Fig. 5 is a side View of a modied formon a smaller scale; and

Fig. 6 is a section on lineG-G of Fig. 5.

In its general nature the rubber-illustrated: in the drawing, instead of being in` the form oi` a slab, has what might be termed a` block shape` or billet shape. The block is elongated and` hollow, having a bore extending lengthwise from end to end, and the cross section of the block is square, so that there is created an article having four elongated at faces each of which has dimensions corresponding to the upper face dimensions of the ordinary pitchers slab. This article is preferably made of rubber, although the term rubber is used in a broad rather than in a restricted sense. The block is embedded in the earth so that in the installed position one of the elongated faces is flush, or substantially flush, with the surrounding earth.

In the drawing-the .rubberv issindicated generally'atl IIL-and inFigs; 1 and 2" its installed'posi'-l tionris shown. Thesurrounding earth isfindi-` cated at Il, and at l2 is indicated the longitu dinal openingor bore of round cross section. -In the `formtshown in Figs.- 1 to 4, inclusive; thisboreis provided within: a reinforcing sleeve I-3., which is snugly received Within a rubber' body MA that constitutesthe body of the block. It islpreferable to continue the rubber of body I'4 across each end of the sleeve or liner'fI-3 so as toconceallthe' endofthe sleeve.` Th-isfextended. or continued' partv of the rubber endl'face is indicated ast-1B, and Athis extension is slightly lappedover theI interior of the sleeve,as=indicated at I6l in Fig. 4, the effect being that the end face of the block! is planar throughout, and thatltheeI-id edge of theslee'vevv is received and held in an yannular groovepro'.`

vided in the rubber material. 1 Y

The purpose of thezsleeve is to increase: the.

stiiness of the structure. rIihe sleeveiillustrated ismade of a mixture of asbestos fibers and a suitable-binder, moldedI in' tubular form and having considerable stiffness'.v It may, however,v be madeof other materiaLsuchasmetal, for example.

When the block is embedded' inthe manner.;l shown in Figs. 1 land 2, a certain. amount ofthe surrounding earth or soil will enter the. borev ofv the block, and! this isi indicated in Fig.` 2,

The rubber :block of' square-.cross section provided inun'cured condition. The reinforcing.

sleeve is then introduced: into the bore, andthe" article/'isthen vulcanizedli'n'` any appropriate way. However-,fthe particular procedure in'v manufacturing canfbevaried as conditions may require.

In the form shown infFigs. 5 and 6,'the1 reinforcing sleeve or liner is omitted'. Here the rub"- ber block 'ily has' a round borek I8 within which",

isfpl'aced' a reinforcing plug 191` This reinforcing plugmay be of any suitablexnaterial; in the form'.` shown it isA made of concrete. It? will be noted. that the plug fis shown asl having end portions, which projectsubstantially beyond the, end` faces oftherubberbod-y; This article isfembedded inA the` earth,v and when so embedded the body por' asse/76e inches, it will be seen that the provision of the bore considerably lessens the weight of the block as compared to a solid block, without making it too light for purposes of stability. On the other hand, the weight is considerably increased in comparison to the slab form of plate or rubber, so as to overcome the need of fastening the article in place by underlying securing devices such as nails, screws and the like.

The present article is much more securely anchored than previously used articles, and the rubber remains flat and level, which is very desirable. The weight of the block is quite sufficient to prevent teetering, although, on the other hand, the weight is not greater than is required for the purpose of rm, satisfactory anchoring. Making the longitudinal opening of round cross section obviously makes the article highly resistant to compressive forces, but openings of other proles can be used if desired,

The ground around the block should be well tamped down, and this, in connection with the weight of the block, obviates the need for underlying securing means.

In the use of pitchers rubbers the longitudinal edges presented to the feet of the pitcher are worn down by the spikes on the pitchers shoes. When the edges of a plate of slab form become badly worn, replacement is necessary, it being` then required that the securing devices be removed and a new slab installed. With the present form of rubber, the durability and longevity are much greater by reason of the better anchoring and also because of the fact that, to compensate for wear, the block can be turned on its longitudinal axis to present new corners or edges to the feet of the pitcher. Supposing, for example, that in use the pitchers feet unduly wear down the forward edge or corner of the block, in other words, that edge or corner disposed toward the home plate, the necessary adjustment can be made by giving the block a quarter turn, so as to embed the worn edge and present a new edge. This quarter-turn rotation can then be repeated at least twice for the purpose of providing fresh new edges at the front of the block. The rear edge, of course, is subject to Wear, but in any case it will be obvious that the permissible adjustment of the block by turning on its axis greatly increases the scope and longevity of the article in comparison to the forms of plate or rubber previously used.

Referring, for example, to Fig. 2 of the drawing, it Will be apparent that the elongated member adapted to be embedded in the ground has a fiat upper surface adapted to be positioned substantially flush with the ground, said member having adjacent at least one of the lateral margins of said surface a part or element projecting downwardly to a substantial extent to prevent dirt from working in under said member adjacent said margin, the member being of closed cross-sectional form, and said downwardly projecting part or element presenting a second flat surface of the same area as said upper surface.

When the block is placed in cavity of the pitchers mound in the manner shown in Fig. 2, each of the additional playing faces of the same area as the upper playing face is disposable in said cavity substantially flush with the ground upon lifting the block from the cavity, giving it the required turn about its longitudinal axis, and then lowering it.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated, but it will be apparent that additional modifications and changes in the details may be made without departing from the principles of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A pitchers mound having a ground cavity, and a pitchers rubber of solid block formation received in said cavity and having a fiat playing face substantially flush with the ground and also having at least one additional playing face below the ground level, said rubber having a through longitudinal opening therein to receive a lsubstantial amount of the surrounding earth or other material for properly anchoring said rubber within the ground.

2. A pitchers mound having a ground cavity, and a pitchers rubber of square cross section and with a continuous wall having four playing faces, said rubber received in said cavity with any one of said playing faces exposed and positioned substantially flush with the ground, and said rubber having a through longitudinal opening therein to receive a substantial amount of the surrounding earth or other material for anchoring said rubber within the ground.

3. The subject-matter of claim 1 wherein the material received within said longitudinal opening is in the form of a reinforcing plug or core of concrete or other material to provide added weight for purposes of stability.

4. The subject-matter of claim 1 wherein the material received within said longitudinal opening is in the form of a reinforcing plug or core with its end portions projecting from said block and extending into the surrounding earth to serve as anchoring members for said block.

5. rIhe subject-matter of claim 1 wherein the through longitudinal opening for receiving a certain amount of earth or other material is reinforced by a stiffening sleeve member.

PAUL S. MADSEN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 340,153 Pimm Apr, 20, 1886 357,675 Keating Feb. 15, 1887 853,034 Ruff May 7, 1907 890,011 Anderson June 9, 1908 1,478,995 Underwood Dec. 25, 1923 1,504,313 Barns Aug. 12, 1924 1,689,415 Wallace Oct. 30, 1928 2,189,428 Love Feb. 6, 1940 2,225,496 Gethin et al. Dec. 17, 1940