Claims for Patent: 7,841,372

Summary for Patent: 7,841,372

Title:	Apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat
Abstract:	An apparatus for hardening the hitting head area of a wooden baseball bat by compressing of the wooden fibers on the surface thereof which includes a base housing assembly with a track and a carriage assembly with a rail member. The rail member and the track are engageable together to facilitate movement of the carriage assembly with respect to the base housing assembly. A compression roller is mounted to the housing and a bat is retained to the carriage adjacent the roller. The roller is biased into abutment with the bat for compressing the wooden fibers of hitting surface to increase the hitting power thereof as the carriage with the bat mounted thereof is manually powered for abutting movement along the adjacent compressing roller. The bat can be selectively mounted in a bat receiving zone defined by a plurality of U-shaped retaining brackets mounted to the carriage assembly.
Inventor(s):	Gill; William H. (Lambertville, NJ)
Assignee:
Application Number:	12/152,476
Patent Claims:	1. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat having a handle area for gripping thereof and a head area for hitting a baseball therewith, said apparatus comprising: A. a carriage assembly defining a bat receiving zone therealong for detachably retaining a wooden baseball bat therewithin to be movable therewith, said carriage assembly including; (1) a carriage platform member; (2) a bat retainer to receive and detachably retain a wooden baseball bat with respect to said carriage platform member to be movable therewith, said bat retainer including: a. a bat handle retaining bracket attached to said carriage platform member and adapted to receive and detachably retain the handle area of a baseball bat with respect to said carriage platform member; b. a bat head retaining bracket mounted on said carriage platform member at a position thereon spatially disposed from said bat handle retaining bracket, said bat head retaining bracket being adapted to receive and detachably retain the head area of a wooden baseball bat with respect to said carriage platform member, said bat receiving zone being defined extending between said bat handle retaining bracket and said bat head retaining bracket, said bat handle retaining bracket being adjustably positionable with respect to said carriage platform member to provide adjustability in the distance between said bat handle retaining bracket and said bat head retaining bracket to facilitate secure positioning of wooden baseball bats of various different lengths within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly; (3) a carriage rail secured to said carriage platform member and extending outwardly therefrom to facilitate movement of said carriage assembly; B. a base housing assembly including: (1) a base member; (2) a track secured to said base member and extending longitudinally therealong, said track being engageable with respect to said carriage rail of said carriage assembly to facilitate longitudinal movement of said carriage assembly and a wooden baseball bat retained within said bat receiving zone defined thereon with respect to said base housing assembly; (3) a housing mounted upon said base member and extending outwardly therefrom around said track; (4) a compression roller attached with respect to said housing at a position extending toward said track for facilitating direct abutment thereof with respect to the head area of a bat retained within said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly positioned with said carriage rail thereof in moveable engagement with respect to said track; and (5) a flexibly resilient biasing mechanism attached with respect to said compression roller for urging thereof into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball base located within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly for compressing the surface of the head area of a wooden baseball bat responsive to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof. 2. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said base housing assembly further includes a compression arm moveably attached to said housing at a position adjacent to said track, said compression roller being attached with respect to said compression arm to be moveably therewith, said flexibly resilient biasing mechanism being attached to said compression arm for facilitating urging of said compression roller into biased abutment with respect to a wooden baseball bat thereadjacent, said compression roller being attached to said compression arm extending toward said track for facilitating direct abutment thereof with respect to the head area of a bat retained within said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly positioned with said carriage rail thereof in moveable engagement with respect to said track. 3. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexibly resilient biasing mechanism comprises at least one spring mechanism. 4. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 2 wherein said flexibly resilient biasing mechanism comprises: A. a first pair of spring members attachable to said base member and attachable with respect to said compression arm for exerting a force urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat positioned in said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly for compressing the surface area thereof responsible to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof; B. a second pair of spring members attachable to said base member and attachable with respect to said compression arm for selectively further exerting a force urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat positioned in said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly for compressing the surface area thereof responsible to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof; C. a third pair of spring members attachable to said base member and attachable with respect to said compression arm for further selectively exerting a force urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat positioned in said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly for compressing the surface area thereof responsible to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof; and D. a fourth pair of spring members attachable to said base member and attachable with respect to said compression arm for further selectively increasing the force urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat located within said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly for compressing the surface area thereof responsible to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof. 5. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 4 wherein said flexibly resilient biasing mechanism further comprises: A. a first spring pin extending through said compression arm and including two first pin ends extending oppositely outwardly from said compression arm to be adapted to receive said first pair of spring members secured respectively thereto to facilitate attachment thereof to said compression arm for facilitating the applying of compressing force by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden bat positioned in abutment therewith; B. a second spring pin extending through said compression arm and including two second pin ends extending oppositely outwardly from said compression arm to be adapted to receive said second pair of spring members secured respectively thereto to facilitate attachment thereof to said compression arm for facilitating the applying of additional compressing force by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden bat positioned in abutment therewith; C. a third spring pin extending through said compression arm and including two third pin ends extending oppositely outwardly from said compression arm to be adapted to receive said third pair of spring members secured respectively thereto to facilitate attachment thereof to said compression arm for facilitating the applying of additional compressing force by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden bat positioned in abutment therewith; and D. a fourth spring pin extending through said compression arm and including two fourth pin ends extending oppositely outwardly from said compression arm to be adapted to receive said fourth pair of spring members secured respectively thereto to facilitate attachment thereof to said compression arm for facilitating the applying of additional compressing force by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden bat positioned in abutment therewith. 6. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said track of said base housing assembly includes a first roller and a second roller, adjacent said track thereof, engageable with respect to said carriage rail of said carriage assembly to facilitate pivotal movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly, said second roller being spatially disposed from said first roller to facilitate movement of said carriage assembly when positioned with said carriage rail thereof in engagement with said track of said base housing assembly. 7. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said bat handle retaining bracket defines an adjustment slot therewithin and also includes a threaded fastening mechanism extending through said carriage platform member and into and through said adjustment slot to be capable of being tightened after adjusting the position of said bat handle retaining bracket with respect to said bat head retaining bracket to facilitate placing wooden baseball bats of various different lengths within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly. 8. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 further comprising an intermediate bat supporting bracket mounted upon said carriage platform member and positioned between said bat handle retaining bracket and said bat head retaining bracket to further facilitate support of a bat held within said bat receiving zone. 9. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 8 wherein said bat handle retaining bracket and said intermediate bat supporting bracket and said bat head retaining bracket are each generally U-shaped to facilitate receiving and selectively retaining a wooden baseball bat therewithin and wherein said bat handle retaining bracket includes a first leather cover extending thereover to facilitate retaining of a wooden bat in engagement therewith out damaging thereof and wherein said intermediate bat supporting bracket includes a second leather cover extending thereover to facilitate retaining of a wooden bat in engagement therewith out damaging thereof and wherein said bat head retaining bracket includes a third leather cover extending thereover to facilitate retaining of a wooden bat in engagement therewith out damaging thereof. 10. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexibly resilient biasing mechanism is adjustable to vary the force of compression exerted by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden baseball bat retained within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly. 11. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage assembly further includes a bat head stop block positioned immediately adjacent said bat head retaining bracket to facilitate positioning of the head area of a wooden baseball bat in abutment therewith to facilitate adjustable positioning of said bat handle retaining bracket for enhancing selective secure retaining of a bat within said bat receiving zone. 12. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage assembly further includes a grasping mechanism fixedly secured to said carriage platform member thereof to facilitate manual powering of longitudinal movement of a wooden bat retained within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly with respect to said compression roller of said base housing assembly. 13. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 2 wherein said compression roller is rotatably moveably mounted with respect to said compression arm to facilitate maintaining of abutment thereof with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat positioned within said bat receiving zone. 14. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage rail of said carriage assembly includes plastic liner sections extending therealong which are adapted to directly abut said track of said base housing assembly to facilitate ease of relative movement therebetween and to minimize maintenance requirements result from wear of said carriage rails. 15. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage rail of said carriage assembly includes ball roller members mounted therein extending outwardly laterally therefrom which are adapted to abut said track of said base housing assembly to further facilitate ease of movement and alignment of said carriage assembly with respect to said track of said base housing assembly. 16. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said track of said base housing assembly includes metal runners extending therealong to facilitate maintaining of alignment and engagement between said carriage rail of said carriage assembly and said track of said base housing assembly during movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly. 17. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said track of said base housing assembly includes a first end stop member and a second end stop member with said carriage rail of said carriage assembly being moveable while engaged with respect to said track of said base housing assembly between a first position in abutment with said first end stop member and a second position in abutment with said second end stop member, movement of said carriage assembly between said first position and said second position being facilitating abutting contact of said compression roller along the entire length of the head area of a wooden baseball bat retained within said bat receiving zone for hardening the surface thereof. 18. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat having a handle area for gripping thereof and a head area for hitting a baseball therewith, said apparatus comprising: A. a carriage assembly defining a bat receiving zone therealong for detachably retaining a wooden baseball bat therewithin to be movable therewith, said carriage assembly including; (1) a carriage platform member; (2) a bat handle retaining bracket attached to said carriage platform member and adapted to receive and detachably retain the handle area of a baseball bat with respect to said carriage platform member; (3) a bat head retaining bracket mounted on said carriage platform member at a position thereon spatially disposed from said bat handle retaining bracket, said bat head retaining bracket being adapted to receive and detachably retain the head area of a wooden baseball bat with respect to said carriage platform member, said bat receiving zone being defined between said bat handle retaining bracket and said bat head retaining bracket, said bat handle retaining bracket defining an adjustment slot therewithin and also includes a threaded fastening mechanism extending through said carriage platform member and into and through said adjustment slot to be capable of being tightened after adjusting the position of said bat handle retaining bracket with respect to said bat head retaining bracket to facilitate placing wooden baseball bats of various different lengths within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly; (4) an intermediate bat supporting bracket mounted upon said carriage platform member and positioned between said bat handle retaining bracket and said bat head retaining bracket to further facilitate support of a bat held within said bat receiving zone; (5) a carriage rail secured to said carriage platform member and extending outwardly therefrom to facilitate movement of said carriage assembly; (6) a grasping mechanism fixedly secured to said carriage platform member thereof to facilitate manual powering of longitudinal movement of said carriage assembly with a wooden bat retained within said bat receiving zone thereof; (7) a bat head stop block positioned immediately adjacent said bat head retaining bracket to facilitate positioning of the head area of a wooden baseball bat in abutment therewith to facilitate adjustable positioning of said bat handle retaining bracket for enhancing selective retaining of a bat within said bat receiving zone securely; B. a base housing assembly including: (1) a base member; (2) a track secured to said base member and extending longitudinally therealong, said track being engageable with respect to said carriage rail of said carriage assembly to facilitate longitudinal movement of said carriage assembly and a wooden baseball bat retained within said bat receiving zone defined thereon with respect to said base housing assembly, said track further including a first roller and a second roller, adjacent said track thereof, engageable with respect to said carriage rail of said carriage assembly to facilitate pivotal movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly, said second roller being spatially disposed from said first roller to facilitate movement of said carriage assembly when positioned with said carriage rail thereof in engagement with said track of base housing assembly, said track further including a first end stop member and a second end stop member with said carriage rail of said carriage assembly being moveable while engaged with respect to said track of said base housing assembly between a first position in abutment with said first end stop member and a second position in abutment with said second end stop member, movement of said carriage assembly between said first position and said second position being adapted to allow contact of said compression roller along the entire length of the head area of a wooden baseball bat retained within said bat receiving zone for facilitating hardening thereof; (3) a housing mounted upon said base member and extending outwardly therefrom around said track; (4) a compression arm pivotally attached to said housing at a position adjacent to said track; (5) a compression roller attached with respect to said compression arm at a position adjacent said track for facilitating direct abutment thereof with respect to the head area of a bat retained within said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly positioned with said carriage rail thereof in moveable engagement with respect to said track; (6) a flexibly resilient biasing mechanism attached to said base member and attached with respect to said compression arm for urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball base located within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly for compressing the surface of the head area of a wooden baseball bat responsive to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof and responsive to rotation of the wooden bat within said bat receiving zone, said flexibly resilient biasing mechanism being adjustable to vary the force of compression exerted by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden baseball bat retained within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly, said flexibly resilient biasing mechanism further comprising: a. a first pair of spring members attachable to said base member and attachable with respect to said compression arm for exerting a force urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat positioned in said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly for compressing the surface area thereof responsible to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof; b. a second pair of spring members attachable to said base member and attachable with respect to said compression arm for selectively further exerting a force urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat positioned in said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly for compressing the surface area thereof responsible to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof; c. a third pair of spring members attachable to said base member and attachable with respect to said compression arm for further selectively exerting a force urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat positioned in said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly for compressing the surface area thereof responsible to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof; d. a fourth pair of spring members attachable to said base member and attachable with respect to said compression arm for further selectively increasing the force urging said compression roller into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball bat located within said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly for compressing the surface area thereof responsible to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof; e. a first spring pin extending through said compression arm and including two first pin ends extending oppositely outwardly from said compression arm to be adapted to receive said first pair of spring members secured respectively thereto to facilitate attachment thereof to said compression arm for facilitating the applying of compressing force by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden bat positioned in abutment therewith; f. a second spring pin extending through said compression arm and including two second pin ends extending oppositely outwardly from said compression arm to be adapted to receive said second pair of spring members secured respectively thereto to facilitate attachment thereof to said compression arm for facilitating the applying of additional compressing force by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden bat positioned in abutment therewith; g. a third spring pin extending through said compression arm and including two third pin ends extending oppositely outwardly from said compression arm to be adapted to receive said third pair of spring members secured respectively thereto to facilitate attachment thereof to said compression arm for facilitating the applying of additional compressing force by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden bat positioned in abutment therewith; and h. a fourth spring pin extending through said compression arm and including two fourth pin ends extending oppositely outwardly from said compression arm to be adapted to receive said fourth pair of spring members secured respectively thereto to facilitate attachment thereof to said compression arm for facilitating the applying of additional compressing force by said compression roller against the head area of a wooden bat positioned in abutment therewith. 19. An apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat having a handle area for gripping thereof and a head area for hitting a baseball therewith, said apparatus comprising: A. a carriage assembly defining a bat receiving zone therealong for detachably retaining a wooden baseball bat therewithin to be movable therewith, said carriage assembly including; (1) a carriage platform member; (2) a bat retainer to receive and detachably retain a wooden baseball bat with respect to said carriage platform member to be movable therewith; (3) a carriage rail secured to said carriage platform member and extending outwardly therefrom to facilitate movement of said carriage assembly; B. a base housing assembly including: (1) a base member; (2) a track secured to said base member and extending longitudinally therealong, said track being engagable with respect to said carriage rail of said carriage assembly to facilitate longitudinal movement of said carriage assembly and a wooden baseball bat retained within said bat receiving zone defined thereon with respect to said base housing assembly, said track including a first roller and a second roller engagable with respect to said carriage rail of said carriage assembly to facilitate pivotal movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly, said second roller being spatially disposed from said first roller to facilitate movement of said carriage assembly when positioned with said carriage rail thereof in engagement with said track of said base housing assembly; (3) a housing mounted upon said base member and extending outwardly therefrom around said track; (4) a compression roller attached with respect to said housing at a position extending toward said track for facilitating direct abutment thereof with respect to the head area of a bat retained within said bat receiving zone of a carriage assembly positioned with said carriage rail thereof in moveable engagement with respect to said track; and (5) a flexibly resilient biasing mechanism attached with respect to said compression roller for urging thereof into compressing abutment with respect to the head area of a wooden baseball base located within said bat receiving zone of said carriage assembly for compressing the surface of the head area of a wooden baseball bat responsive to movement of said carriage assembly with respect to said base housing assembly along said track thereof.

Details for Patent 7,841,372

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Emergent Biosolutions Canada Inc.	BAT	botulism antitoxin heptavalent (a, b, c, d, e, f, g) - (equine)	Solution	125462	03/22/2013		2027-06-15