US667563A - Practice-ball. - Google Patents

Description

No. 667,563. Pat-shied m. 5, I90l.

F. OAKLEY. PRACTICE BALL.

(Application filed Jan. 15, 19oo.j

(No Model.)

W/TNESSES: INVENTOR s cc. Pnorouma, wAsnINBToN Nrrnn Sra'rns ATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS OAKLEY, OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

PRACTICE-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 667,563, dated February 5,

Application filed January 15, 1900. Serial No. 1,465. (No model.)

To aZZ 1072071 1 it may concern.-

Be' it known that I, FRANCIS OAKLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newport, in the county of Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and Improved Practice-Ball, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a ball designed especially for giving practice to base-ball players; and it therefore comprises a peculiarly-constructed ball externally similar to the ordinary base-ball and provided wit-h an elastic cord which may be attached to the wrist of the user, so that the ball when thrown will be returned toward the person throwing it, who may thereby practice catching and otherwise manipulating the ball.

This specification is the disclosure of one form of the invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure l is a perspective View of the inven-.

tion; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the ball, showing the manner of attaching the cord.

The ball a may, if desired, be constructed as the usual base-ball, excepting that it is formed with a centrally-disposed tapering passage Z) extending through the same from side to side and fitted with a tapering sleeve or ferrule 0, preferably of metal, the ferrule or sleeve being firmly secured in place. In the larger end of the sleeve 0 is secured a stopper (Z, preferably of cork, which is provided at its outer end with a metallic cap e, and to this cap is fastened a rod f, the rod extending inwardly through the cork and being formed with an eye f, to which is connected an elastic cord g, which extends through the sleeve or ferrule 0 out of the small end thereof. This cord g is preferably formed of elastic strands, with a covering of cloth fabric braided suitably to permit expansion and contraction of the cord, as will be understood. The cord 9 may be of any desired length, according to the size of the ball and the use to which it is to be put. I have found it practicable to construct the cord with a length of six or eight feet when contracted, thus enabling the ball to be thrown from twenty to thirty feet. The outer end of the cord g is secured to a ring h, in turn secured to a strip 2', which may be fastened, preferably, to the wrist of the person using the device.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the ball may be used advantageously as explained, especially afiording the best practice to base-ball players. The peculiar means of attaching the elastic cord to the ball enable me to avoid breaking the spherical form of the ball by attaching fastening devices to the surface thereof, which, it is obvious, would greatly interfere with catching and otherwise handling the ball.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of a ball having a passage therein, a stopper secured in one end of the passage, and a cord passed through the passage and having one run connected with the stopper.

2. The combination of a ball having a tapering passage thereinya yielding stopper driven into the tapered passage, and a cord attached to the stopper. v

3. The combination of a ball, having a tapered passage extending through the same, a tapered sleeve or ferrule secured in the passage, a stopper secured in the large end of the sleeve or ferrule, and a cord extended through the small end of the sleeve and connected with the stopper.

a. The combination of a ball having a tapering passage therein, a stopper secured in the large end of the passage, and a cord passed into the small end of the passage and connected with the stopper.

5. The combination of a ball having a passage therein, a sleeve fitted in the passage, a stopper secured in the sleeve, a cap attached to the outer end of the stopper, a rod connected with the cap and extended through the stopper, and a cord passed into the opposite end of the passage and connected with the rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS OAKLEY.

Witnesses:

ANDREW HOWARD SUTHERLAND, MICHAEL JOSEPH DURNAN.

Images