Retention of weighting on an athletic striker

Abstract

Apparatus to add weight to an athletic ball striking bat, having a taper along the bat length, comprising in combination a oleeve sized to extend about the bat at the taper location, the sleeve having associated retention means to engage the bat at a zone along said taper to resist lengthwise removal of the sleeve off the bat during bat swinging, a weight or weights carried by the sleeve.

1 . Apparatus to add weight to an athletic ball striking bat, having a taper along the bat length, comprising in combination; 
 a) a sleeve sized to extend about the bat at the taper location    b) the sleeve having associated retention means to engage the bat at a zone along said taper to resist lengthwise removal of the sleeve off the bat during bat swinging,    c) at least one weight carried by the sleeve.    
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the at least one weight is carried at a location or locations spaced from said zone.  
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the at least one weight comprises a loose or flowable material comprising a granular substance such as metallic steel shot, pebbles, beads, seeds, or sand.  
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the the at least one weight is dispersed over a plurality of regions.  
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein said retention means has an arcuate interior surface to engage said zone at an arcuately spaced location.  
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said retention means comprises a plurality of spaced apart retention members.  
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the support has at least one longitudinally extending expansion slits to accommodate the expansion of the system for different sized implements.  
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 1  including said bat projecting through the sleeve.  
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein said bat has a handle portion that projects from the sleeve, said zone located between said handle portion and said weight or weights.  
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said sleeve is generally cylindrical.  
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 10  wherein said associated means includes an annular retainer at the inner side of the sleeve, and which has an inner surface to engage the bat taper, said inner surface having a configuration which is generally cylindrical and tapered, lengthwise of the sleeve.  
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 11  including at least one pocket carried by the sleeve and receiving said at least one weight.  
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 12  including a first device on the sleeve for pulling the sleeve along the bat during assembly of the sleeve to the bat.  
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 13  including a second device on the sleeve for pulling the sleeve along the bat during disassembly of the sleeve off the bat.  
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 13  wherein said device is a first loop at a location near the sleeve and that faces in the direction of sleeve assembly onto the bat.  
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 13  wherein said second device is a loop at a location near the sleeve end that faces in the direction of sleeve disassembly off the bat.  
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said weight or weights comprises a deformable mass or masses of material.  
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 16  wherein said material is metallic and granular.  
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 16  wherein said at least one pocket is spaced about an axis defined by the sleeve.  
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19  wherein said at least one weight comprises a deformable mass of material.  
     
     
         21 . The combination of  claim 11  wherein said retainer inner surface is conical shape  
     
     
         22 . The combination of  claim 12  wherein said at least one pocket is sewn to a sleeve comprising a flexible material.  
     
     
         23 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve has a resiliently expansible section to allow sleeve to fit to a bat of larger diameter.  
     
     
         24 . The combination of  claim 1  including an annular insert in the sleeve, at an end of the sleeve, to block inward bunching of the sleeve end, toward a bat zone.  
     
     
         25 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the insert is proximate the retainer, and consists of lightweight material.  
     
     
         26 . The method of affixing a sleeve as defined in  claim 1  that includes the following steps 
 i) relatively advancing the sleeve in a first direction onto said bat to position said associated means at said zone along the bat taper,  
 ii) practice swinging the bat, and  
 iii) and subsequently relatively retracting the sleeve off the bat in second direction opposite the first direction.  
 
     
     
         27 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve includes inner and outer sleeves, the inner sleeve having a wall that acts as a protector, for the bat.  
     
     
         28 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the retention means includes a retainer carried by the sleeve  
     
     
         29 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the retention means includes a retainer carried by a pocket on the sleeve  
     
     
         30 . The combination of  claim 1  including a frame carried by the sleeve, the weight or weights carried by the frame.  
     
     
         31 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve has end portion defined by flaps which are edge connected to form a reduced diameter sleeve section to closely fit about a bat narrowed sections.  
     
     
         32 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve has two sections, one of larger diameter or diameters than the other.  
     
     
         33 . The combination of  claim 1  including additional means associated with the weight or weights to enable selective weight removal or detachment from the sleeve.  
     
     
         34 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve has inner and outer sections, the sleeve inner section being semi-rigid.  
     
     
         35 . A weighting device for use on an athletic ball striker as during swinging of the striker, and including the striker in the form of a baseball bat having a ball striking portion and handle, comprising in combination: 
 a) an elongated receptable having an opening via which the striker ball striking portion is received into the receptacle, with the handle projecting from the receptacle,    b) a retainer carried on the receptacle for retaining the receptacle in generally enclosing relation to the striker,    c) there being weight material disposed at annular locations about an axis defined by the striker, and structure disposed about the striker holding said weight material in position relative to the striker.    
     
     
         36 . The combination of  claim 35  wherein said structure includes a pocket or pockets spaced about the bat and in which said weight material is held at said annularly spaced locations.  
     
     
         37 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said at least one weight is disposed at an annular location about an axis defined by the bat, there being holder structure disposed about the bat holding said weight material in position relative to the bat.  
     
     
         38 . A method for fabricating a swinging sport weighted implement practice comprising the following steps: 
 (a) sewing an inner wall comprising a fabric layer;    (b) inserting a bag of a weighted material into the fabric.    (c) applying a rubber coated retainer;    (d) applying a layer of a foam;    (e) attaching a plurality of cross straps over the foam for added support; and    (f) applying at least one additional outer layer comprising a fabric.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising the step of applying an additional layer of a foam.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising the step of applying an additional fabric layer.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  comprising the step of applying an additional plastic shield.  
     
     
         42 . A weighting device for use on an athletic striker comprising a donut shaped member having an outer fabric casing, an inner fabric casing and being filled with a flowable material.