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.

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.