U.S. patent application number 09/751026 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-03 for ball-bat repairing apparatus and method of use.
Invention is credited to Bowling, Wiley L..
Application Number | 20010000564 09/751026 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23578828 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010000564 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bowling, Wiley L. |
May 3, 2001 |
Ball-bat repairing apparatus and method of use
Abstract
The present invention provides a ball-bat repairing apparatus to
repair, for example, softball and baseball bats, in which
particularly aluminum ball-bats which have been deformed from
repeated use are returned to substantially their original diameter
along the longitudinal extent of the ball-bat barrel. The ball-bat
repairing apparatus has a frame which holds a two-piece die
therein. The two-piece die has a top half and a bottom half in
which a pair of semi-cylindrical die inserts are secured. The die
inserts are made of relatively soft materiel, e.g., plastic so as
not to damage the aluminum bat during repair. A compression member
is threadedly received through the frame and is located in
mechanical cooperation with a first of the die halves. When a
ball-bat is placed within the die so that the damaged portion of
the barrel is positioned between the die insert halves, a user
compresses the deformed portion of the ball-bat between the first
and second die inserts to substantially return the ball-bat barrel
to its original diameter.
Inventors: |
Bowling, Wiley L.; (West
Chester, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOOD, HERRON & EVANS, L.L.P.
2700 Carew Tower
Cincinnati
OH
45202
US
|
Family ID: |
23578828 |
Appl. No.: |
09/751026 |
Filed: |
December 28, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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09751026 |
Dec 28, 2000 |
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09399257 |
Sep 20, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
72/416 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/49748 20150115;
B21D 3/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
72/416 |
International
Class: |
B21D 003/16 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A ball-bat repairing apparatus for repairing a ball-bat with an
original external diameter, comprising: a substantially cylindrical
die insert defining first and second semi-cylindrical die insert
halves, said die insert having a diameter at least as large as the
ball-bat original external diameter, wherein said first and second
die inserts are made of resilient material; a die having first and
second die body halves in which said first and second die insert
halves are secured, respectively, said first and second die insert
halves opposing one another; and a compression member having first
and second ends, said second end engaging said die for
reciprocating said first die body half alternatively towards and
away from said second die body half.
2. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 1, comprising a frame
in which said die is housed, said frame having a base, a pair of
opposed side walls each having a bottom and a top, and a bar
defining a vertically oriented threaded aperture, each said side
members being attached at said bottom to said base and at said top
to said bar, wherein said compression member is threadedly received
through said aperture.
3. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 2 comprising at least
one stabilization member to locate said die within said frame.
4. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 1, comprising a vise
block to lock said die within said frame.
5. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 1, comprising a handle
attached to said first end of said compression member for allowing
a user to apply force to said die.
6. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first
and second die body halves are resiliently biased apart, one from
the other.
7. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 1, comprising a
bearing pin located between said second end of said compression
member and said die for preventing said compression member from
bearing directly upon said die.
8. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 1, comprising a
bearing plate located between said compression member and said die
to aid in evenly distributing downwardly directed force applied by
said compression member upon said die.
9. A ball-bat repairing apparatus for repairing a ball-bat with an
original external diameter, comprising: a frame having a base,
opposed edges, a pair of opposed side walls each having a bottom
and top, said bottom of each of said opposed side walls being
attached to said base proximate said opposed edges, and a bar
defining a vertically oriented threaded aperture, said bar being
attached at opposed ends to respective said tops of said opposed
side walls; a die having first and second die body halves housed
within said frame said first and second die body halves defining
respective first and second semi-cylindrical die beds substantially
opposing one another; a substantially cylindrical die insert
defining first and second semi-cylindrical die insert halves, said
first and second semi-cylindrical die insert halves being secured
within said first and second die beds respectively, wherein said
substantially cylindrical die insert has an internal
cross-sectional diameter at least as large as the ball-bat original
external diameter; and a compression member having first and second
ends, said compression member being threadedly received through
said bar threaded aperture, said second end in mechanical
cooperation with said die for reciprocating said first and second
die body halves alternatively towards and away from each other.
10. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 9, wherein said die
insert is made of substantially resilient material.
11. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 9, comprising a
handle attached to said first end of said compression member for
allowing a user to thread said compression member downwardly
through said bar aperture to apply force to said die.
12. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first
and second die body halves are resiliently biased apart, one from
the other.
13. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 9, comprising a
bearing pin located between said second end of said compression
member and said die for preventing said compression member from
bearing directly upon said die.
14. The ball-bat repairing apparatus of claim 9, comprising a
bearing plate located between said compression member and said die
to aid in evenly distributing downwardly directed force applied by
said compression member upon said die.
15. The ball-bat repairing apparatus for repairing a ball-bat with
an original external diameter, comprising: a frame having a base
with opposed edges, a pair of opposed side walls each having a
bottom and a top secured at said bottom to said base proximate
respective said opposed edges, and a bar having opposed ends
defining a vertically oriented threaded aperture, said opposed ends
of said bar being attached to said top of respective said opposed
side walls; a die having first and second die body halves housed
within said frame defining respective opposed first and second
semi-cylindrical die insert beds, said first and second die body
halves being continuously resiliently biased apart; a substantially
cylindrical die insert defining first and second semi-cylindrical
die insert halves made of resilient material, said first and second
die insert halves being secured within respective first and second
die beds, said die insert having a diameter larger than the
ball-bat original external diameter; a compression member having
first and second ends, said second end in mechanical cooperation
with said die for reciprocating said first and second die body
halves alternatively towards and away from each other; a handle
attached to said first end of said compression member for allowing
a user to manually apply force upon said die; a bearing pin located
between said second end of said compression member and said die for
preventing said compression member from bearing directly upon said
die; a bearing plate located between said bearing pin and said die
to aid in evenly distributing downwardly directed force applied by
said compression member upon said die; at least one stabilization
member affixed to said base for resisting torsional movement of
said die relative to said frame caused by said compression member
acting thereupon; and a vise block to fixedly locate said die
within said frame.
16. A method for repairing a damaged ball-bat having a barrel, with
at least one damaged portion with outwardly and inwardly deformed
portions, the damaged ball-bat having an original external diameter
prior to deformation, said method comprising the steps of:
inserting the ball-bat barrel between first and second dies;
positioning the barrel so that the outwardly and inwardly deformed
portions are located between said first and second dies; moving at
least one of said first and second dies towards the other of said
first and second dies; compressing the damaged portion of said
barrel between said first and second dies; and decompressing the
damaged portion of said barrel so that said barrel substantially
conforms with the original external diameter of the ball-bat barrel
prior to deformation.
17. The method of claim 16; comprising the steps of: rotating the
ball-bat about its longitudinal axis after said decompressing step;
and performing said moving, applying and decompressing steps of
claim 16.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the method is performed for
successive ball-bat barrel damaged portions along the longitudinal
extent of the ball-bat barrel.
19. The method of claim 16, comprising the step of positioning the
barrel so that the outwardly deformed portion is vertically
oriented between said first and second dies.
20. A method of repairing a damaged ball-bat having a barrel, with
outwardly and inwardly deformed portions, the damaged ball-bat
having an original external diameter prior to deformation, said
method comprising the steps of: inserting the ball-bat barrel
between at least first and second opposed dies; positioning the
barrel between said first and second dies so that the outwardly
deformed area is vertically oriented with respect to said first and
second dies; moving at least one of said first and second opposed
dies towards the other of said first and second dies; compressing
the deformed portion wherein one of said first and second dies
forces the outwardly deformed area towards the other of said first
and second dies; deforming the damaged portion so that the
outwardly deformed area is compressed inwardly in the barrel
vertical plane so that said barrel achieves a diameter smaller than
said original external diameter; decompressing said damaged area so
that said barrel rebounds to substantially said original diameter;
and rotationally indexing said barrel about the longitudinal axis
of said barrel a desired amount in order to perform the moving,
compressing, deforming, and decompressing steps, as is desired.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the method is performed for
successive damaged portions along the longitudinal extent of the
ball-bat, as is desired.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
1. This invention relates to ball-bats. More specifically, this
invention relates to a ball-bat repairing apparatus and method of
use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
2. Traditionally, sports involving the use of ball-bats, e.g.,
baseball and softball, use wooden bats made of ash or other hard
woods. These wooden bats are expensive, time consuming to
manufacture, and once broken cannot be satisfactorily repaired to
be put back into effective use. So, over time, a metal, and usually
aluminum, ball-bat was introduced into baseball and softball as a
substitute for the traditional wooden bat because it was relatively
inexpensive to manufacture and had a much longer useful life than a
wooden bat. In fact, even when slightly deformed through repeated
impacts with a baseball or softball, an aluminum bat can still be
used. However, even an aluminum bat is generally thought of as
having a finite useful life until the aluminum bat becomes so
deformed, for example, even taking on triangular or square shapes
of deformation, the aluminum bat must be retired. Once an aluminum
becomes deformed to this extent it can simply not be effectively
used to swing at and strike a ball to achieve desired results.
3. Use of aluminum bats reaches from little league softball and
baseball, to collegiate use, to professional softball and to use in
international amateur sporting events. About the only sporting
teams regularly using traditional wooden bats are those playing
professional baseball. So, manufacture, sale and use of aluminum
bats far outpaces wooden bats.
4. Most aluminum bats are generally less expensive use than wooden
bats there are softball and baseball teams that simply cannot
afford to replace deformed aluminum bats as often as needed. Little
league baseball and softball teams in economically disadvantaged
areas often cannot afford to replace old and worn-out equipment,
even equipment as integral to softball and baseball games as the
aluminum bat itself. Furthermore, it has become commonplace for
high school and even collegiate athletic programs that have become
short of funding for their teams to be forced to cut costs by not
only keeping old and deformed aluminum bats in softball and
baseball rotation, but even cutting funding for entire sports
teams.
5. Of course, old aluminum bats that should have been long since
retired from use do not simply represent an economic burden on
those little league, high school, and collegiate teams, et al., who
cannot afford new bats, but also those deformed aluminum bats are
still used by those batters who are waiting for a perfect pitch and
are thus placed at a serious competitive disadvantage when facing
teams with the funding to provide new equipment to its players. In
order to, as nearly as possible, allow equally talented teams
compete on equal footing it would be a great advance to enable all
teams to perform on the playing field with equally sound
equipment.
6. On the other hand, contemporary aluminum bats and bats made of
other non-wood materials can be very expensive and very costly to
replace regardless of who the purchaser may be. One example of such
a contemporary bat is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,610 on a bat
having a rolled sheet of resilient material inserted into the
barrel. This type of bat has a relatively thin metal barrel and,
while the resilient insert is intended to spring the barrel back
after an impact, is more easily deformed by the impacts caused
when, for example, a professional softball player hits a home
run.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
7. Therefore, it is a first objective of the present invention to
provide a ball-bat repairing apparatus which repairs deformed
non-wooden ball-bats.
8. It is another objective of the present invention to provide a
ball-bat repairing apparatus that is relatively inexpensive and of
durable construction.
9. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a
ball-bat repairing apparatus that will return a damaged metal
ball-bat which has been deformed from its original barrel diameter
back to the original barrel diameter without damaging the
ball-bat.
10. It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide
a method of repairing a non-wooden ball-bat having damaged portions
along the longitudinal extent of the ball-bat barrel which deviate
from the ball-bat barrel original diameter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
11. The objectives of the present invention are achieved by
providing a ball-bat repairing apparatus and method of use in which
a ball-bat having damaged portions with outwardly and inwardly
deformed portions along the longitudinal extent of the ball-bat
barrel is inserted into a generally cylindrical die housed within a
frame, the die being compressable around the barrel to repair the
barrel damage. The die is a two-part die with a first body half, a
second body half and having a substantially cylindrical die insert
diametrically cut so that first and second opposed die insert
halves may be secured within respective first and second die body
halves. The die insert is made from relatively soft material, e.g.,
plastic or other suitable material that does not damage the
ball-bat during application of the present inventive method. The
ball-bat repairing apparatus has a manually operable compression
member threadedly received through the housing and received in
mechanical cooperation with one of the die body halves to
reciprocate the body halves together around a ball-bat barrel
inserted within the die. The body halves are resiliently and
continuously biased apart to allow a user to more easily relieve
pressure from the barrel after barrel compression, as discussed
below.
12. In the method of the present invention, a ball-bat barrel with
a damaged portion having inwardly and outwardly deformed portions
is inserted into the repairing apparatus, the damaged portion being
positioned between the first and second insert halves with the
outwardly deformed portion of the ball-bat vertically oriented
within the die. The die insert has a diameter slightly larger than
a ball-bat barrel so that the ball-bat barrel may be over-stressed
during compression, as discussed below. After the damaged portion
of the ball-bat barrel has been positioned between the first and
second insert halves, the user reciprocates the compression member
downwardly so that it exerts downward force upon the die with the
ball-bat barrel positioned therein. The user compresses the die
upon the ball-bat barrel so that the damaged portion of the barrel
is compressed to about the original barrel diameter and then
over-stressed to a diameter generally smaller than the barrel's
original diameter in the vertical plane. Over-stressing the barrel
in the vertical plane in which the outwardly deformed portion is
oriented allows the barrel to slightly flatten within the die in
the vertical plane. The user then decompresses the ball-bat barrel
which rebounds from its over-stressed condition to about the barrel
original diameter and then, as desired, rotationally index the
barrel while maintaining the damaged portion within the die, for
further repair. As desired, the user then recompresses the damaged
area and over-stresses the damaged portion once again, thereafter
decompressing the ball-bat barrel damaged portion.
13. Each time the ball-bat barrel is decompressed the barrel has a
tendency to spring back to substantially the original barrel
diameter from the barrel's over-stressed condition. The user
performs the inventive method upon the ball-bat barrel damaged
portion as many times as is desired in order to substantially
return the damaged portion to the barrel original diameter.
14. As is desired, the user longitudinally indexes the ball-bat
barrel through the die in order to repair other damaged portions
along the ball-bat barrel's longitudinal extent by the inventive
method described above.
15. The features and objectives of the present inventive ball-bat
barrel repairing apparatus will become more readily apparent from
the following Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
16. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present inventive ball-bat
repairing apparatus;
17. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line
2-2;
18. FIG. 3 is a close-up of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2;
19. FIG. 4A is a side schematic view of a ball-bat being inserted
into the present inventive repairing apparatus;
20. FIG. 4B is a similar view to FIG. 4A, with the ball-bat being
repaired by the present inventive method;
21. FIG. 4C is a view similar to FIG. 4A, with the ball-bat being
repaired by the present inventive method;
22. FIG. 4D is a similar view to FIG. 4A, with the ball-bat being
repaired by the present inventive method; and
23. FIG. 5 is view similar to FIG. 3 showing an alternative
embodiment of the repairing apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
24. As is seen generally in FIGS. 1-5, a ball-bat 10, e.g., a
baseball or softball bat, has a handle 12 which a user grips, a
barrel 14 with which the user strikes at a ball and a taper portion
16 generally forming a transition between the handle 12 and the
barrel 14. As is often the case, the ball-bat 10 used by many
sports teams are made of relatively thin walled aluminum or other
deformable material which has a tendency to deform with repeated
use from impacts with a softball or a baseball, resulting in a
deformed ball-bat 10a having at least one damaged portion 11 with
outwardly and inwardly deformed portions 11a, 11b. However, while
the present invention and inventive method is described herein with
reference to an aluminum ball-bat 10, it will be understood that
any non-wood ball-bat may be repaired with the present invention
and method of use. Prior to deformation, a ball-bat 10 has an
original exterior diameter 18a. By way of example only, the
original diameter 18a of a typical softball bat is in the range of
about 2.25 to about 2.28 inches.
25. A first presently preferred embodiment of a ball-bat repairing
apparatus 20 is seen in FIGS. 1-3. The repairing apparatus 20 will
be described herein with reference to repairing an aluminum
softball bat, however, it will be understood that the repairing
apparatus 20 may be used to repair other ball-bats having different
original diameters in the present inventive method, as is further
described below. The repairing apparatus 20 generally has a
compression member 22, a frame 24 and a die 26.
26. The frame 24 houses the die 26 and functions to stabilize the
repairing apparatus 20 during reciprocation of the compression
member 22 against the die 26. The frame 24 has a base 28 with
opposite edges 30a, 30b proximate to which respective support
members 32, 34 are secured by means generally known in the art. The
support members 32, 34 have respective top surfaces 33, 35 upon
which a bar 36 is received, spanning the distance between the
support members 32, 34. The bar 36 has apertures 38, 39 defined
therein, each receiving a nut 40 to be secured within respective
axially aligned apertures (not shown) defined in each of the
respective top surfaces 33, 35.
27. In the present preferred embodiment, each of the base 28,
support members 32, 34, and bar 36, are made from 6061-T6 aluminum.
However, the frame 24 may be made by any suitable material known in
the art.
28. The bar 36 has an insert aperture 42 defined approximately
medially along the longitudinal extent of the bar 36 therein. The
insert aperture 42 is sized to receive a bearing insert 44 having a
body 44a and a crown 44b. In the preferred embodiment, the bearing
insert 44 is made of brass, however, any other suitable material
may be used. The body 44a is received into the insert aperture 42,
the outside diameter of the body 44a being substantially similar to
the cross-sectional diameter of the insert aperture 42. The crown
44b is received against the bar 36. The bearing insert 44 is
secured to the bar 36 with screws 43, however, the bearing insert
44 may be secured to the bar 36 by any other suitable means.
29. The bearing insert 44 defines a threaded aperture 45 which
threadedly receives the compression member 22 therein. In the
presently preferred embodiment, the compression member 22 is a
steel acme threaded screw having a first end 46 and a second end
48. The first end 46 of the compression member 22 threadedly
receives a handle assembly 50 thereon. The handle assembly 50 has a
hub 52 defining a hub aperture 52a to receive the first end 46 of
the compression member 22 therethrough. It will be understood that
the hub 52 may be secured to the first end 46 by any other suitable
means. The handle assembly 50 has a plurality of arms 54 extending
radially from the hub 52 that a user may grasp when using the
repairing apparatus 20 in the present inventive method, as
described further below.
30. The second end 48 of the compression member 22 has a button
aperture 48a defined therein to receive a bearing pin 56 having a
button 57 and a head 58. The button 57 is received within the
aperture 48a without being affixed thereto, to allow the
compression member 22 to rotate upon the head 58 during use. The
head 58 has a head surface 60 which is received against a bearing
plate 61. The bearing plate 61 floats between the bearing pin 56
and the die 26 without being secured to the die 26 to prevent
galling. In the present embodiment, the bearing pin 56 and the
bearing plate 61 are made of bronze or any other suitable material
that will withstand the pressure created by the compression member
22 against the die 26, while not substantially marring the die 26,
as is discussed further below.
31. The die 26 has a die body 62 with first and second die body
halves 64, 66 with respective opposing semi-cylindrical first and
second insert beds 65, 67, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each
insert bed 65, 67 receives a respective semi-cylindrical die insert
half 78, 80 fixedly secured therein. In the present embodiment, the
die insert halves 78, 80 are formed from a single cylindrical die
insert (not shown) made of a relatively soft material, e.g.,
Teflon, Ertylite, Ultra High Molecular Weight thermoplastic
material known in the art, or any other suitable material, which
will not damage a bat barrel 14 when the repairing apparatus 20 is
in use. The die insert has a cylindrical bore with an inner
diameter of about 2.53 inches, which is about 0.03 inches larger
than the bat barrel 14 used to describe the invention herein. The
die insert cylindrical bore inner diameter is varied depending upon
the original diameter 18a of the barrel 14 to be repaired. The die
insert is divided approximately in half with a diametrical cut 77
of about 0.25 inches to form the first and second die insert halves
78, 80. In the preferred embodiment, the diametrical cut 77 made in
the die insert is about 0.25 inches in width so that the first and
second die insert halves 78, 80, when secured in respective first
and second body halves 64, 66 allow a ball-bat 10 to be inserted
therebetween to be compressed vertically smaller than its original
diameter 18a during repair by the method of the present invention
thereby over-stressing the barrel 14, as is further discussed
below.
32. The first die insert half 78 is secured to the first body half
64 with a first lock screw 82. The first lock screw 82 is recieved
into a screw aperture 83 defined in the first body half 64. The
first lock screw 82 has a threaded end 82a which is threadedly
engaged with the first die insert half 78. A cap 81 is placed in
the screw aperture 83 above the screw 82. The second die insert
half 80 is secured within the second body half 66 by a second lock
screw 84 having a threaded end 84a. A cap 87 is placed in a screw
aperture 85 below the screw 84. The threaded end 84a is threadedly
engaged with the second insert half 80.
33. The first body half 64 defines first and second tracks 86a, 88a
which are coaxially aligned with respective first and second tracks
86b, 88b, defined in the second body half 66. The first and second
tracks 86a, 88a define respective bushing seats 90a, 90b in which
respective bushings 91a, 91b are fixed. Track pins 92a, 92b are
fixed by respective bushings 91a, 91b and extend between the first
and second die body halves 64, 66 to maintain the first and second
die body halves 64, 66 within substantially fixed vertical and
horizontal alignment during use. Each track pin 92a, 92b is
surrounded by a resilient member, e.g., coil springs 95a, 95b to
continually urge apart the first and second die body halves 64, 66.
The coil springs 95a, 95b are received within spring seats 96a, 96b
defined in the second die body half 66. The track pins 92a, 92b
allow the first die body half 64 and second die body half 66 to be
vertically reciprocated so that the first and second die insert
halves 78, 80 may be alternatively moved towards and away from one
another to help prevent relative horizontal movement of the first
and second body halves 64, 66 of the repairing apparatus 20 during
use.
34. A pair of stabilization members 100, 102 are attached to the
base 28 in order to locate the die 26 within the frame 24. The
stabilization member 100 is fixed at a ninety degree angle relative
to the stabilization member 102 to locate the die 26 on the
centerline of the frame 24 with respect to the compression member
22. A vise block 103 is fixed to the base 28 and defines a threaded
aperture 108 therethrough to receive a screw 112. The screw 112 has
a die end (not shown) threaded into contact with the second die
body half 66 to keep the die 26 locked in place during use. The
vise block 103 is secured to the base 28 with screws 104.
35. A second preferred embodiment of a repairing apparatus 120, is
seen in FIG. 5. A die 126 has a die body 162 with first and second
die body halves 164, 166. The first body half 164 defines first and
second tracks 186a, 188a which are coaxially aligned with
respective first and second tracks 186b, 188b, defined in the
second body half 166. The first and second tracks 186a, 188a define
respective bushing seats 190a, 190b in which respective bushings
191a, 191b are fixed. Track pins 192a, 192b are affixed to
respective bushings 191a, 191b and extend between the first and
second die body halves 164, 166 to maintain the first and second
die body halves 164, 166 within a constant vertical and horizontal
axial alignment during use. Each track pin 192a, 192b is surrounded
by a respective resilient member, e.g., coil springs 195a, 195b, to
continually urge apart the first and second die body halves 164,
166. The coil springs 195a, 195b are received within spring seats
196a, 196b defined in the first body half 164.
36. In the present inventive method for repairing a ball-bat 10, a
user first inserts the barrel 14 along the ball-bat longitudinal
axis into the repairing apparatus 20 so that the damaged portion of
the barrel 14 is positioned between the first and second die insert
halves 78, 80, as seen in FIG. 4A. The damaged portion 11 of the
barrel 14 generally has outwardly and inwardly deformed areas 11a,
11b, the outwardly deformed area 11a being positioned so that it is
vertically oriented within the die 26 with respect to the first and
second insert halves 78, 80.
37. A user then grasps the arms 54 of the handle 50 and turns the
handle 50 so that the compression member 22 bears down against the
bearing plate 61 (FIG. 2) attached to the die body first half 64.
The movement of the first die body half 64 towards the second die
body half 66 compresses the damaged portion 11 of the barrel 14
(FIG. 4B) under a load of about one to about three tons of
pressure. As a user continues to exert pressure upon the barrel
portion 14, the outwardly deformed portion 11a is forced inwardly
to approach the original diameter 18a. Once the original diameter
18a is achieved, the user continues to apply force to the barrel 14
and deform the outwardly deformed portion 11a inwardly so that the
damaged portion 11 in the vertical plane achieves a diameter
smaller than the original diameter 18a. When the user thereafter
decompresses the barrel 14 (FIGS. 3 and 4C), the damaged area 11
resiliently rebounds to substantially the original diameter
18a.
38. As a user desires, the damaged portion 11 of the barrel 14 is
rotationally indexed (FIG. 4C) along the longitudinal axis of the
barrel 14 a desired amount (about 15 to about 30 degrees in the
present preferred embodiment), and, thereafter, the inventive
method is performed upon the damaged portion 11 again. The present
inventive method is repeated as many times as is desired upon the
damaged portion 11 until a user is satisfied that both the inwardly
and outwardly deformed portions 11a, 11b of the damaged portion 11
have been substantially returned to the original diameter 18a of
the ball-bat 10.
39. Just as there are varying degrees of severity of damage that a
user desires to repair by the present inventive method, the extent
to which the inventive method is applied is entirely discretionary
to a user. Of course, a ball-bat 10 may have more than one damaged
portion 11 along the longitudinal extent of the barrel 14. Then,
the user would longitudinally index (FIG. 4D) the ball-bat 10
through the die 26 and perform the inventive method as described
above for each and every damaged portion 11 desired. The present
inventive method is repeated as desired along the longitudinal
extent of the barrel 14 until the ball-bat 10 substantially
approximates the original diameter 18a of the barrel 14.
40. From the above disclosure of the detailed description of the
present invention and the preceding summary of the preferred
embodiment, those skilled in the art will comprehend the various
modifications to which the present invention is susceptible.
Therefore, I desire to be limited only by the scope of the
following claims and equivalents thereof.
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