SPORTING APPARATUSThis invention relates to sporting apparatus having a handle andstriking face for striking an object such as a ball, shuttlecock or puck.
Such apparatus includes cricket bats, golf clubs, tennis, squash andbadminton racquets, baseball bats and hockey and ice hockey sficks and will be referred to hereinafter collectively as "sporting apparatus of the type specified". More especially, the invention relates to shaped handles for such sporting apparatus which assist the user to ensure that the striking face of the bat, club or racquet is correctly aligned with respect to the ball, shuttlecock or puck to be struck.
The invention has especial relevance in the context of cricket bats and will be described with reference thereto.
Conventionally, cricket bat handles are generally circular in crosssection along their entire lengths. A batsman is, therefore, unable to detect other than by looking whether the bat's face is correctly aligned when awaiting a delivery from a bowler. Also, there is often a nervous tendency for a batsman to move his upper hand about and along his bat's handle while awaiting a delivery thereby moving the bat from its correct alignment determined by sight before the approach of a bowler to the wicket. It is also the case that the alignment of a bat can change as a ball is played.
All of the foregoing leads to strokes which lack control.
Cricket bat handles are known in which the lower length of a handle is generally oval or rectangular in cross-section, the upper handle length being generally round in cross-section. This does not obviate the problems referred to above because it is always a batsman's upper hand which controls the swing and direction of his bat.
The present invention sets out to overcome, or at least alleviate, the problems discussed above.
According to the present invention in one aspect there is provided sporting apparatus of the type specified whose handle is generally of oval or rectangular cross-section along its upper section, the major axis of said oval or rectangle lying generally normal to the plane of the striking face of the apparatus.
The handle may be generally of oval or rectangular section along its entire length and may be of constant or tapering cross-section.
The sporting apparatus may comprise a cricket bat.
The ratio of major to minor axis is typically of the order of 8:7.
Other ratios may however be employed.
In another aspect, the invention provides sporting apparatus of the type specified having a handle whose axis in a first direction transverse to the handle length is longer than its axis in a second direction normal to said first axis in a direction transverse to the handle length, the larger axis lying in a plane which is generally normal to the plane of the striking face of the apparatus.
Typically, the major axis of the bat handle approximates to 40mm and the minor axis approximates to 35mm.
The handle may be sheathed in one or more elasticated removable grips. Typically the grips are of a rubber-type material.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings1 in which: Figures 1 and 2 are respectively side and front views of a cricket bat in accordance with the invention;Figure 3 is a section taken along line III-III of Figure 1; andFigures 4 to 7 are isometric views of handles of alternative cricket bats in accordance with the invention.
The cricket bat illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings includes a handle 1 joined to a blade 2 at a shoulder 3. Conventionally the handle includes a wedge end which locates in a suitably shaped recess in the blade and is glued in place. Springs extend through the full length of the handle to enable it to flex to reduce impact forces which would otherwise be transferred directly to the hands of the batsman.
Conventionally a cricket bat handle is round in cross-secfion over its entire length or is round at its upper end and oval or generally rectangular towards its lower end. As will be seen from the drawings, a bat in accordance with the present invention has a handle which is generally oval throughout its entire length. Thus, the major axis 4 of the handle is longer than the minor axis 5 normal to the major axis. Typically, the ratio of major axis to minor axis is of the order of 8:7. Curvilinear ribs 6 project from the longer sides of the handle 1. As will also be seen from the drawings, the major axis 4 of the handle lies generally normal to the plane of the striking face 7 of the blade.
In use, the oval shaping of the handle ensures that the batsman's grip correctly locks into place around the handle and prevents subsequent hand movements during stroke play. Additionally, the present invention enables a batsman to be sure that the striking face of his bat is correctly aligned without the need to physically inspect the bat. Controlled strokes can therefore consistently be achieved.
Other suitable handle cross-sections can be seen from Figures 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings. Thus the cross-secfion of the handle may be truly oval as shown in Figure 4, may have stepped sides to define a generally diamond cross-section as shown in Figure 5, may have ridges as shown in Figure 6 or may have flat sides as shown in Figure 7.
It will be appreciated that whereas the invention as it is described especially with reference to the handle of a cricket bat, it also has application to other sporting apparatus.
It will also be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of sporting apparatus in accordance with the invention and that various modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention.