GB2103096A

GB2103096A - Handles for rackets, cricket bats, sticks, and the like for sports

Info

Publication number: GB2103096A
Application number: GB08220934A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Leonard Newbury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-07-21
Filing date: 1982-07-20
Publication date: 1983-02-16
Also published as: GB2103096B

Abstract

A stiff but resiliently bendable core receives thereon a handle sleeve of a resiliently compressible material. The sleeve may be formed separately from the core, or mould and thereon in a mould cavity receiving part of the core. Keying may be provided between the core and handle, and the sleeve may be formed with a grip- enhancing pattern, an end cap or knob, and shoulders conforming to a cricket bat blade. For modifying the weighting and/or weight distribution of a cricket bat or other sports racket, stick, club or the like, recessing is provided in the blade to the rear of its striking face and is at least partially filled with a filler material of suitable relative density.

Description

SPECIFICATION Rackets, bats, sticks, and the like for sports This invention relates to the art of rackets, bats, sticks, clubs and the like for sports purposes, its broad object being to provide improvements in the formation and attachment of handle portions thereof, and the weighting and balancing of blade portions thereof.

In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of formation of a handle for a cricket bat, and a handle formed by that method.

In the conventional cricket bat construction, the handle is made up of pieces or liminations of canes or the like which are machined and glued together to make a relatively solid but bendable core, and then bound in tape or whipped with string, and finally a grip is placed over the wrapping. The core has to be shaped to provide a comfortable grip, and this entails subsequently removing core material to provide a thinner zone intermediate the ends of the handle, and also forming a knob or end cap at the free end. Finally, the handle portion is usually cut at the other end to a "V" shape for insertion into the splice of the blade of the bat.This entails a great deal of skilled hand labour, and the method of the present invention eliminates substantially all hand labour to provide a handle, and optionally also a manner of attachment to the blade, which require little or no hand working and which thus enables a bat to be manufactured much more cheaply whilst still resulting in a satisfactory article.

According to the present invention a method of forming a handle for a bat, racket, stick, club or the like comprises the steps of providing an elongated core which is stiff but resiliently bendable along its length dimension, placing at least part of the core in a mould having its cavity shaped to correspond to a desired external contour of a handgrip portion of the handle, carrying out a moulding step comprising inserting into the mould about the core a settable material which when set is resiliently compressible, and causing or allowing the settable material to set to provide a handle sleeve.

Further according to the present invention a method of forming a handle for a bat, racket, stick, club or the like comprises the steps of moulding, from a resiliently compressible material, a handle sleeve having a desired external contour of a handgrip portion of the handle, providing an elongated core which is stiff but resiliently bendable along its length dimension, and applying said sleeve onto said core so as to enclose at least part of said core.

The resiliently compressible material may be of a spongy nature, e.g. foamed polyurethane.

The sleeve may be secured permanently or releasably on the core by friction resulting from resilient deformation of the sleeve, or the interengagement of keying means provided on the sleeve and on the core, or by the user of adhesive, or any combination of these means. Where keying means are used, they may include, for example, a crosspiece, dovetail or fishtail enlargement of the core.

Advantageously, the cavity of the mould is shaped as, during the moulding step, to impart to the external surface of the handle sleeve a gripenhancing relief pattern or patterns of any desired nature adapted to enhance the grip of the hands on the handle, e.g. knurled, dimpled, crosshatched or other surface patterning.

The shaping of the cavity of the mould may also be such as to provide, on the handle sleeve, an end cap or knob, for the free end of the handle, formed integrally with the remainder of the handle sleeve.

The core may have a smooth cylindrical outer surface, onto which the coating material is moulded, or it may be provided with a relief pattern or lugs, cavities, tenons etc. to key the coating material firmly into place on the core.

Where the handle is to be engaged into the usual splice of a cricket bat blade, the cavity of the mould may be so shaped as to provide, on the handle sleeve, a V-shaped formation suitable therefor. Alternatively, the core may project from that end of the handle, and be inserted in the blade of a cricket bat, e.g. into a suitable longitudinal hole bored in the blade.

The transverse cross-section of the finished handle, i.e. of its coating, need not necessarily be circular, and any convenient non-circular crosssection of the outer surface can be provided by suitable shaping of the mould cavity.

Where the finished handle is to be fitted to a blade portion, e.g. of a cricket bat, by using the core as a means of attachment to the blade, the core may be engaged into or onto the blade portion prior to or after placing the core into the cavity of the mould and carrying out the moulding step.

The cavity of the mould may also be shaped to provide on the handle sleeve the usual "shoulders" for the blade portion of a cricket bat, as an extension of the handle proper. Where the handle is to be attached to the blade by insertion of the core into a bore of the blade, the adjacent portion of the blade itself may form a boundary of the moulding cavity.

In accordance with a further proposal, the core can be provided with a cross-piece or dovetail or fishtail enlargement about which a handgrip is securely keyed onto the core. The core may itself constitute the shaft of a racket, bat, club, stick or the like, especially for badminton rackets and the like.

In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of modifying the weighting and/or the weight distribution of a blade of a bat, racket, stick, club or the like for sports purposes, and articles made in accordance with the method. A conventional method of varying the striking weight of a cricket bat, for example, is to provide a lesser or greater amount of wood behind the striking face layer of the blade.

Similarly, for balancing the weight distribution of the blade, it was necessary to vary the shaping of the wood behind the face layer of the blade. This means that, in the practical manufacture of such bats, very many different shapes have to be resorted to, with consequent non-standardisation and considerable use of skilled labour for individual hand-crafting of each bat. The object of this aspect of the invention is to provide a method of manufacture whereby a single standard blade, or at most a few standard blades of different sizes and/or balance, need to be produced as starting material, and the standard blade is then adjusted as to weighting and balance in a relatively very simple manner.

According to said further aspect of the invention a method of modifying the weighting and/or weight distribution of the blade of a bat, racket, stick, club or the like for sports purposes, comprises providing recessing in the blade to the rear of a striking face thereof, and at least partially filling said recessing with a filler material having a preselected relative density compared with the density of that portion of the blade, e.g. the remainder of the blade, or a weighting portion of the blade to the rear of its striking face.

In a preferred form, the recessing is formed in a weighting portion of the blade situated to the rear of the striking face of the blade and itself having a density which is different from that of the remainder of the blade.

Further in accordance with the invention, a method of manufacturing a bat, racket, stick, club or the like, for sports purposes, comprises the steps of: (i) manufacturing at least the blade of the bat or the like, (ii) during the manufacture of step (i) or subsequently thereto providing one or more recesses in the blade to the rear of its intended striking face, (iii) inserting into the or each recess an at least partial filling of a filler material having a preselected density relative to the density of the remainder of the blade, or of a weighting portion situated to the rear of the striking face and in which the or each recess is made, the weighting portion itself having a density which is different from that of the remainder of the blade.

By way of example, material of greater density may be inserted to increase weighting, or for balance purposes, or material of lesser density may be inserted to decrease weighting, or for balance purposes.

In a preferred embodiment, one or more recesses are provided, to the rear of the striking face, at positions selected along the length of the blade, to suit the weight and balance desired by a particular user of the bat or the like.

Advantageously, the or each recess is a hole of circular section which is bored in the material of the blade or the weighting portion, e.g. after manufacture of a standard blade. Alternatively, the blade portion may be manufactured by moulding or casting, with the or each recess produced in situ.

The method of the second aspect may be combined with that of the first aspect, e.g. to provide a cricket bat in which a standard blade portion is formed and has a handle core inserted in it and a handle formed thereon, whilst the blade portion is recessed and filled to suit the weight and balance desired.

The filler inserts may be made readily removable and replaceable and particularly by the provision of screw-threading for engagement of the filler or filler retainer in the blade recess, or by provision of screw-threading in the insert for engagement of a loading weight.

In order that the nature of the invention may be readily ascertained, some embodiments in accordance therewith are hereinafter particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a first form of moulded handle before applying it to a blade, e.g.

of a cricket bat; Fig. 2 is a sectional form of another form of moulded handle, before applying it to a blade, e.g.

of a cricket bat; Fig. 3 is an elevation of a cricket bat blade having a core secured to it, prior to forming of a handle thereon; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the bat of Fig. 3 after moulding the handle on it; Fig. 5 is a partial section of a first form of handle formed on a shaft of a badminton racket; Fig. 6 is a partial section of a second form of handle formed on a shaft of a badminton racket; Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of a cricket bat having a blade portion weighted and balanced in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, and a handle portion manufactured in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a handle 1 for a cricket bat is formed from a stiff, but bendable, core 2 such as a metal rod or tube, onto which is moulded a preformed and preshaped grip portion 3 having the usual shaping curvature at 4, and an end knob or cap 5. Fig. 2 then shows the same handle 1 after one end has been shaped to provide the conventional "V" shape, at 6, for engagement into the splice of a conventional cricket bat blade.

Fig. 3 shows how the core 2 can be inserted preliminary in the blade 7, whereafter the moulding operation is carried out to add a handgrip 3 as seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a bat produced in accordance with Figs. 1 and 2, or Fig. 3, and with the addition of shoulders 7a formed from the same material as the handgrip 3 during the same moulding operation.

Fig. 5 shows a construction of handle and shaft for a badminton racket, wherein a core 8, consisting of a metal tube for example, is provided with a T-piece 9, which may be a linear crosspiece or a circular radial flange on the tube, and a handgrip 10 which is moulded onto the core 8 and the T-piece, the handgrip being provided with a suitable surface pattern or relief to enhance grip.

Fig. 6 shows another version wherein the I-piece of Fig. 5 is replaced by a fishtail widening of the core 11, as at 12, for the better retention of a moulded-on handgrip 13, again having surface pattern or relief.

Fig. 7 shows a cricket bat in which the blade 1 4 has, to the rear of its striking face 15, one or more blind recesses 1 6 into which are inserted inserts 1 7 made of or incorporating a material selected for its relative low or high density compared with that of the remainder of the body 1 8.

Advantageously, the recess 1 6 is internally threaded for receipt of a threaded insert 1 7, or the insert may be a plain cylinder which is simply glued into position.

It will be apparent that the first and/or the second aspects of the invention permit the relatively rapid and simple manufacture of a bat, racket, stick, club or the like with subsequent hand operations reduced very much in comparison with traditional methods of manufacture.

Claims

1. A method, of forming a handle for a bat, racket, stick, club or the like, comprising the steps of: (i) providing an elongated core which is stiff but resiliently bendable along its length dimension, (ii) placing at least part of the core in a mould having its cavity shaped te correspond to a desired external contour of a handgrip portion of the handle, (iii) carrying out a moulding step comprising inserting into the mould about the core a settable material which when set is resiliently compressible, and causing or allowing the settable material to set to provide a handle sleeve.

2. A method, of forming a handle for a bat, racket, stick, club or the like, comprising the steps of: (a) moulding, from a resiliently compressible material, a handle sleeve having a desired external contour of a handgrip portion of the handle, (b) providing an elongated core which is stiff but resiliently bendable along its length dimension, and (c) applying said sleeve onto said core so as to enclose at least part of said core.

3. The method claimed in Claim 2 wherein the sleeve is secured permanently or releasably on the core by friction resulting from resilient deformation of the sleeve, or by the interengagement of keying means provided on the sleeve and on the core, or by the use of adhesive, or any combination of these means.

4. The method claimed in Claim 3 wherein the keying means includes a cross-piece, dovetail or fishtail enlargement of the core.

5. The method claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the cavity of the mould is so shaped as, during the moulding step, to impart to the external surface of the handle sleeve a gripenhancing relief pattern.

6. The method claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the cavity of the mould is so shaped as, during the moulding step, to provide on the handle sleeve an end cap or knob formed integrally with the remainder of the handle sleeve.

7. The method claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the cavity of the mould is so shaped as, during the moulding step, to provide on the handle sleeve a V-shaped formation suitable for engagement into the splice of a cricket bat blade.

8. The method claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the cavity of the mould is so shaped as, during the moulding step, to provide on the handle sleeve shoulders for the blade portion of a cricket bat.

9. The method of making a cricket bat which comprises forming a handle in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 8 and, prior to or after the moulding step, engaging the core into a blade portion of the cricket bat.

10. The method claimed in Claim 9 as dependent upon Claim 8 wherein, during the moulding step, an adjacent portion of the blade of the cricket bat forms a boundary of the moulding cavity.

1 The method of forming a handle for a bat, racket, stick, club or the like substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

12. The method of making a cricket bat substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A handle for a bat, racket, stick, club or the like, made in accordance with the method claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8 and 11 herein.

14. A cricket bat made in accordance with the method claimed in any one of Claims 8, 9 and 12 herein.

1 5. A method of modifying the weighting -and/or the weight distribution of a blade of a bat, racket, stick, club or the like, comprising steps of providing recessing in the blade to the rear of a striking face thereof, and at least partially filling said recessing with a filler material having a preselected relative density compared with the density of that portion of the blade in which the recessing is provided.

1 6. The method claimed in Claim 1 5 wherein the recessing is formed in a weighting portion of the blade situated to the rear of the striking face of the blade and itself having a density which different from that of the remainder of the blade.

1 7. A method of manufacturing a bat, racket, stick, club or the like, comprising steps of: (i) manufacturing at least the blade of the bat or the like, (ii) during the manufacture of step (i) or subsequently thereto, providing one or more recesses in the blade to the rear of its intended striking face.

(iii) inserting into the or each recess an at least partial filling of a filler material having a preselected density relative to the density of the remainder of the blade, or of a weighting portion situated to the rear of the striking face and in which the or each recess is made, the weighting portion itself having a density which is different from that of the remainder of the blade.

1 8. The method claimed in any one of Claims 1 5 to 17 wherein the recessing is in the form of a hole or holes of circular section.

19. The method claimed in Claim 18 wherein the hole or holes are formed by boring the material of the blade or weighting portion thereof.

20. The method claimed in Claim 1 7 or in Claim 1 8 as dependent upon Claim 17, wherein the hole or holes are formed during moulding or casting of a blade.

21. The method of modifying the weighting and/or the weight distribution of a blade of a bat, racket, stick, club or the like substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

22. The method of manufacturing a bat, racket stick, club or the like substantially as described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A bat, racket, stick, club or the like having the weighting and/or weight distribution of its blade modified in accordance with the method claimed in any one of Claims 15, 16 or Claims 18 or 19 as dependent upon Claim 15, or Claim 21.

24. A bat, racket, stick, club or the like manufactured in accordance with the method claimed in Claim 17, or in Claims 18 to 20 as dependent upon Claim 17, or in Claim 22.