US2798223A

US2798223A - Ball glove or mitt

Info

Publication number: US2798223A
Application number: US450170A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clive A Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-08-16
Filing date: 1954-08-16
Publication date: 1957-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 1974-07-09

Description

T Filed Aug. 16, 1954 1 July 9, 1957 c; sMlTH 2,798,223

BALL GLOVE OR MITT 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. CLIVE! A. SMITH AYYIRWE:

July 9, 1957 c. A. SMITH 2,798,223 BALL GLOVE OR MITT Filed Aug. 16, 1954 2 Sheets-$heet 2 mmvroa CLIVE A. SMITH AWIWH/VEY 2,798,223 BALL GLOVE R MITT Clive A. Smith, Des Moines, Iowa Application August 16, 1954, Serial No. 450,170 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-19) This invention relates to baseball mitts or gloves, and more particularly, to a generally improved construction for an article of this type, which will facilitate the catching of a ball.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a glove which can be used either for hard ball or softball, but which is particularly adapted for the playing of softball.

Another object of importance is to provide a glove construction wherein the fingers are of claw-like form, so as to cause the fingers to coact in defining a ball-receiving pocket that will measurably aid in the catching and retention of the ball.

Another object of importance is to provide, in said claw-like fingers, rubber inserts in the ends of the fingers adapted to maintain the ends of the fingers in a predetermined, relatively stilf condition, even if the glove should become wet during use, the stiffened formation of the finger ends being such as to cause the several fingers to present to the ball relatively inflexible portions disposed edgewise to the path taken by the ball when the ball is moving into the glove, said relatively stiff finger portions being adapted to take the impact of the ball striking the glove, to permit a minimum of padding to be placed within the fingers. Ordinarily, fingers of baseball mitts and gloves are padded, in a manner that detracts from the efliciency thereof in the catching of the ball, and this deficiency in conventional glove construction is obviated by the present invention.

Another object of importance is to provide a baseball mitt or glove wherein the thumb and little finger will have curved ball-engaging edges, which form a natural grip upon the ball when the thumb and little finger are tightened about the ball.

A further object of importance is to provide a glove which can be used not only for catching, but also for throwing of a ball, thus to permit use of the article by a one-armed person.

Yet another object is to provide a glove as stated which will include a specially designed padding member in the palm of the glove, having relatively thick portions at the locations of the several fingers of the glove, and also at the heel of the glove, said relatively thick portions alternating with thin or relatively unpadded portions, the alternating unpadded and thickened portions being disposed about a center opening formed in the padding element at the location of the ball glove pocket.

Still another object is to provide a glove as stated which, despite its increased efliciency in use and its measurably increased durability as compared to conventional gloves, will still be capable of manufacture at a cost as low as or lower than that required in the manufacture of conventional gloves.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a glove formed in accordance with the present invention.

{ trite States Patent Oflice 2,798,223 Patented July 9, 1957 Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the glove as seen from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, in which the glove is shown as it appears when a ball is caught therein.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through one of the finger parts.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank used in forming the back portion of the glove.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the padding element, the glove being illustrated in dotted lines.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the modified rubber insert in the finger part.

The reference numeral 10 has been applied generally to a baseball mitt or glove formed in accordance with the present invention. Glove 10 includes a back portion 12 formed from a single piece of comparatively stiff leather of substantially rectangular form. In blank or panel form, the back portion appears as in Fig. 7, and includes a back thumb part 14, and

back finger parts

16, 18, 20, 22. The finger part 22 is used in forming the little finger.

The several finger parts and the thumb part are folded upon themselves along fold lines shown in dotted outline in Fig. 7, said fold lines extending longitudinally and centrally of the respective finger parts of the blank. In the end of each finger part there is formed a V- shaped notch. Thus, the'finger part 20, which is typical, has a V-shaped notch 24, and the provision of said notch defines at opposite sides of the longitudinally and centrally disposed fold line triangular or pointed portions 26.

As a result, when each finger part is folded along its fold line, the pointed portions 26 are disposed in side by side relation with their top and front edges in registration. The front edges of said pointed portions have been designated at 28, and as will be noted from Fig. 4, are at acute angles to the top edges of the finger parts. Furthermore, the front edges 28 are inclined obliquely to the path taken by the ball when the ball is moving into the glove. The result is, when all the finger parts have been formed, that the finger parts and thumb part of the glove are of pointed, claw-like shape (see Fig. 2), with front edges disposed obliquely to the path of movement of the ball, said front edges slanting inwardly in the direction of the pocket or palm of the glove. Thus, when the ball strikes the glove, it will strike the stiff front edges of the finger parts and thumb still further enlarged,

part, and will be guided thereby into the pocket of the glove as shown in Fig. 3. At the moment of impact of the ball, the player tightens the finger parts and thumb part of the glove about the ball, causing the clawlike ends of the finger parts and thumb part to hold the ball in the pocket as shown in Fig. 3, to securely retain the ball within the glove.

A measurably improved catching action results from the particular construction, in that the finger parts and thumb part, instead of having flattened portions presented to the ball, have quite stiff front edges disposed edgewise to the path of ball movement, with the stilf edge portions leading into a pocket, said stiff edge portions merging at the outer ends of the finger parts and thumb part into claw-like terminal parts that are adapted to engage about the ball to hold the same within the glove.

When the finger parts have been folded longitudinally and centrally thereof to form the glove fingers, stitching 30 is applied thereto, said stitching extending along the top and front edges, and terminating intermediate the opposite ends of each finger part. In this connection, interposed between the top edge portions of the side-byside walls of the finger parts are relatively thick rubber inserts 32, said inserts being connectedto the adjacent parts of the finger parts 2 by the stitching- 30,as shown in Fig. 4. The inserts 32 serve to increase the stiffness of the outer end portions of the finger parts, and preserve said stiffness even though the' glove should. be-

come wet. V a

In Fig. 9 there is shown a modified form of rubber insert shown at 32 This insert is substantially greater in area than the insert 32, and is mainly distinguished from the insert 32 in that the top edge portion of the insert 32 is projected exteriorly of the upper end'ofthefinger part. Further, the front edge portion of the insert 32" is parallel to the front edge 28. of the finger part, and is projected forwardly beyond said front edge 28. This arrangement, it has been. found, aids materially in the effective catching and retention of the ball.

As will be noted in Fig. 7, the opposite side edges of the thumb part 14 andv the little finger part 22 of the blank are curved inwardly, and as a result, when the thumb and little finger parts are formed by longitudinally and centrally folding the same during, the manufacture of the glove, the front edges of the thumb and littlev finger parts will be inwardly curved, complementarily to the curvature of the ball. This provides an improved ball grip, to further aid in the proper retention of the ball,

since the front edges of the thumb and little finger parts will complement the ball curvature and will be in contact for substantially the full parts of their lengths with the surface of the ball. I

A palm element 34 is formed of a very soft, flexible leather, as distinguished from the stiff back portion 12. The palm element 34 is faced to the outside of the palm, and faced inwardly of the palm is an inner palm element 36, the outer configuration of which is the same as the outer palm element 34. In outer configuration, the palm elements resemble somewhat the blank shown in Fig. 7,

with the exception that the thumb and finger portions of.

the palm elements are pointed, rather than increased in width in the direction of their outer ends.

As a result, when the thumb and finger parts of the back portion 12 are folded upon themselves in the manner hereinbefore described, substantially triangular spaces are defined at the inner end of the same, said triangular spaces being filled by the substantially triangular or pointed finger portions 34' and 36 of the

palm elements

34 and 36, respectively. The stitching terminates at the apex of said pointed parts of the palm elements, and the palm elements are connected together and to the opposite side edges of the associated finger parts by means of stitching 42, the stitching 42 extending along and through a welt edge formed on the palm element 34 and through the adjacent enclosed edge of palm element 36 and through the adjacent pontion of the finger part.

At the bottom of the glove, a reinforcing strip 38, of relatively stiff material such as that used for the back portion 12, is folded longitudinally to receive the lower edge portion of palnrelements, and stitching 40 is extended through the reinforcing strip 38 and through the lower edge portions of the palm elements in the manner shown in Fig. 6.

In the space between the palm elements a padding element 44 is enclosed. This is shaped as shown in Fig. 8, and can be a piece of lambs wool or the like. Element 44 has an approximately elliptical center opening 46, at the pocket of the glove, so as to eliminate the padding of the glove at this location. However, elimination of the padding does not cause the players hand to be stung when the ball is caught, in view of the fact that the impact of the ball is taken by the stiff front edges of the several finger parts and thumb part, in the manner previously described.

The padding element 44 is formed with relatively thick portions 48 alternating with thin or unpadded parts 50 about opening 46. Portions 48 occur at the locations of the several fingers and thumb of the player, and also at the heel of the glove.

Important characteristics of the invention reside, as previously discussed herein, in the increased efficiency thereof so far as catching the ball is concerned. Further, the glove permits one to throw the ball with the glove hand, since the claw-like, stiff finger parts and thumb part provide a full control over the ball.

Further, the inwardly curved thumb and movable finger parts and thumb part complement the curvature of the ball to aid in the throwing action, as well as in the retention of the ball in the pocket. Still further, the stiff, inclined front edges of the finger parts and thumbpart, that take the impact of the ball, eliminate the necessity of padding thefinger parts and thumb part, thereby lightening the glove without sacrifice of comfort and without loss of durability.

Still further, the glove tends to retain. its shape throughout the period of its use, as distinguished from some conventional gloves, wherein the padding tends to shift about or wear thin at particular locations.

While I have illustrated and. described the preferred embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that I, do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. A baseball glove comprising in combination, a palm element, a back element formed from a panel substantially rectangular in configuration, one edge portion of said panel having a plurality of notches formed therein and providing a plurality of triangular projections, a plurality of slots extending inwardly from the apices of said triangular projections and from one of the corners of said panel, said slots extending into said panel below the bot toms of said notches so as to provide a series of back finger parts and a thumb part, said panel having fold lines extending inwardly from the bottoms of said notches, said panel having a fold line extending inwardly from the center of the side edge portion'defining said thumb part, said finger parts and said thumb part being folded along said fold lines, the adjacent edges of the folded triangular portions and the adjacent edges of the thumb part being stitched together and forming the top edges of the finger parts and the said thumb part in the finished glove, the remaining edges of the finger parts and the thumb part constituting the front edges of the finger parts and the thumb part in the finished glove, said front edges and said top edges defining pointed parts, said front edges being at acute angles to the top edges of the finger parts and the thumb part, and said palm element being connected at its side edges to the side edges of the back element.

2. A baseball glove according to claim 1, wherein said palm element comprises spaced inner and outersections, a padding disposed between said sections and being provided with; an elliptical central opening, said stitched finger and thumb parts forming triangular shaped pockets for receiving a baseball, and said padding being thickened adjacent the finger and thumb parts with the center of the palm element being relatively unpadded.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,574,664 Long Feb. 23, 1926 1,974,616 Kirkham Sept. 25, 1934 2,109,974 OHara Mar. 1, 1938 2,231,204 Turner Feb. 11, 1941 2,699,551 Tompkins Jan. 18, 1955