US3042404A

US3042404A - Football practice gear

Info

Publication number: US3042404A
Application number: US105615A
Authority: US
Inventors: George R Masters
Original assignee: LINUS F HARDIN; MARVIN DE WOODY; N H CONDER
Current assignee: LINUS F HARDIN; MARVIN DE WOODY; N H CONDER
Priority date: 1961-04-26
Filing date: 1961-04-26
Publication date: 1962-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 1979-07-03

Description

July 3, 1962 e R MA T 3,042,404

FOOTBALL PRACTICE GEAR Filed April 26, 1961 GEORGE R. MA 5 TE RS IN VENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 3, 1962 3,042,404 FOOTBALL PRACTICE GEAR George R. Masters, 4425 Morris Courts, Fort Worth,

Tex., assignor of one-fourth to Linus F. Hardin, Finis G. Cross, and Marvin De Woody, Houston, and N. H.

Conder, Baytown, Tex.

Filed Apr. 26, 1961, Scr. No. 105,615 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-55) This invention relates to practice gear for athletes and is of the type designed to take the place of other players so that one man can practice independently. More particularly this invention relates to a device by means of which a football player can gain proficiency in various plays important to the game without the necessity of other players taking part in the practice,

It is a primary object of this invention to supply a lone football player with equipment wherewith he can go through several basic playing routines repeatedly without the help of other players, and it is a further object of this invention to speed up these routines in a manner to compress more practice into a given time schedule and also to put a maximum speed requirement on the reflexes and coordination of the player.

By equipping a squad with a number of these devices it is possible to have all the men constructively occupied during the practice period instead of having to wait on the few in active practice.

The versatility and usefulness of this invention will become apparent from the following description which is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general View showing how the invention is worn by the player.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective detail of the headgear.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of how the gear is attached to a football.

FIGURE 4 is a top View of the headgear shown in FIG- URE 2.

The form of the invention herein illustrated consists of an elastic tether or cord attached by a swivel 11 and a snaflle hook 12 to a ring 13 afiixed to an adjustable fabric headband 14. This headband 14 is equipped with a buckle 15 whereby it can be adjusted to fit any player. A strap 16 runs over the top of the head to aid in securing the headband 14 in its correct position, Rings 13! and Br are affixed to headband 14 to provide alternate points of attachment for tether 10 by means of snafiie hook 12.

An additional swivel 17 and snaffle hook 18 serve to connect the other end of the tether 10 to a regulation football 19 which has sewed into one end a leather or plastic loop 20 holding a ring 21 to receive snaflie hook 18. The elastic tether 10 can be made of latex in strap form as shown or can consist of a bundle of elastic cords sheathed in stretchable fabric such as the Bee Gee cords used in the flying services.

The primary purpose of this practice gear is to :give the football player extra training in passing and receiving, but other incidental uses will become apparent. The player dons the headband 14 and buckles it to a snug fit. If he is right handed, he hooks the tether 10' by means of snaffle hook 12 to the ring 131' over his right temple. With the ball 19 attached to the other end of the tether 10,

it is now ready for play. He may throw the ball toward a selected target in any of the usual ways and when the ball reaches the end of the tether 10 and stretches it to the limit of the balls energy, it returns to the player as if passed back by another player, except that it returns more quickly than if caught and thrown back. This puts the player on his mettle to be ready to receive the ball and results in a quicker practice session than if two or more players were taking part. If the player uses the popular spiral throw the swivels 11 and 17 allow the ball to continue its spinning motion even on its return and the player can learn to receive a spiral ball as if it were thrown by another player. The flexibility of the gear also makes it possible for the player to turn and run away from his throw and receive the ball over this shoulder while running as is usually required in receiving forward passes. The tether being attached to the ring 13r over his right temple helps to return the ball to the best position for a good catch.

A left handed player would, of course, attach the tether 10 to the ring 13l over his left temple. The swivels 11 and 17 not only facilitate the practice of spiral throws, but help to keep the gear from ever becoming twisted and tangled. The center ring 13 can be used for practice in drop kicking and in snapping the ball as if from center to one of the backfield. However, in the case of drop kicking the ball returns with such force that it might be preferred to attach the tether to one of the side rings so that the player can receive it off to one side and avoid getting hit in the face.

It can be seen that this practice gear is not only simple and economical, and extremely compact for storage, but that also it can be used in a variety of ways to speed up practice in the basic skill of football handling.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A practice gear for football players comprising:

an adjustable head band,

rings mounted on the front of said head band, one said ring being located in the center thereof and a second said ring to the left and a third said ring to the right thereof,

an elastic tether,

a snafile hook on one end of said tether and adapted to engage one of said rings,

an ellipsoidal football,

a loop of flexible material in one end of said football, the extending ends of said loop being secured inside of the end of said football,

a ring in said loop, and

a swivel connecting the last named ring with the end of said elastic tether opposite said snaflle hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 667,563 Oakley Feb. 5, 1901 1,459,705 Bullock June 19, 1923 1,618,273 Davidson Feb. 22, 1927 1,655,599 Dolan Jan. 10, 1928 1,708,796 Lawrence Apr. 9, 1929 1,941,877 Brazeau Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,042,404 July 3, 1962 George R. Masters It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, lines 1 to 3, for "George R. Masters, of Fort Worth, Texas, assignor of one-fourth to Linus F. Hardin,

' Finis G. Cross, and Marvin De Woody, of Houston, and N. H.

Conder, of Baytown, Texas," read George 11. Masters,

of Fort Worth, Texas, assignor of one-fourth each to Linus F. Hardin, Finis G. Cross, and Marvin De Woody, of Houston, and N. H. Conder, of Baytown, Texas, lines 12 and 13, for "George R. Masters, Linus F. Hardin, Finis G. Cross, Marvin De Woody, and N. H. Conder, their heirs" read Linus f F. Hardin, Finis G. Cross, Marvin De Woody, and N. H. Conder, 5 their heirs in the heading to the printed, specification, lines 3 to 6, for "George R. Masters, 4425 Morris Courts, Fort Worth, Tex. assignor of one-fourth to Linus F. Hardin, Finis G. Cross, and Marvin De Woody, Houston, and N. H. Conder, Baytown, Tex." read George 11. Masters, Fort Worth, Tex. assignor of one-fourth each to Linus F. Hardin, Finis G. Cross, and Marvin De Woody, Houston, and N. H. Conder, Baytown, Tex.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of December 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents