Umpire tool

Abstract

The novel umpire tool generally comprises a plate of durable material, the plate defining a hole therethrough. The umpire tool can be used for determining a bat's diameter in relation to an upper limit, typically set by a governing association or rule promulgator. Therefore the diameter of the hole defined within the durable plate is closely sized to the upper limit. A plate brush may be integrally provided so that the umpire tool can also be used to clean home plate. Similarly, a scraper may be integrally provided to clean mud and the like from home plate. Further, an insert may be provided for reducing the diameter of the hole and for measuring a bat's diameter in relation to a second different upper limit.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An umpire tool comprising: 
 a main body defining a hole therein, the hole sized to gauge bat sizes; and    a brush having bristles connected to the main body and projecting outwardly therefrom.    
     
     
         2 . The umpire tool of    claim 1   , wherein the main body includes an inner wall defining the hole and an outer peripheral wall, the brush projecting from a portion of the outer wall.  
     
     
         3 . The umpire tool of    claim 2   , wherein the inner wall defines inner edges, the inner edges being rounded.  
     
     
         4 . The umpire tool of    claim 1   , wherein the main body is a generally rectangular plate having two longitudinal sides separating two lateral sides, and wherein the brush projects from a first longitudinal side.  
     
     
         5 . The umpire tool of    claim 4   , further comprising a scraper disposed proximate a lateral side of the plate.  
     
     
         6 . The umpire tool of    claim 5   , wherein the scraper is integrally provided in the plate, a beveled lateral side of the plate defining a scraper edge.  
     
     
         7 . The umpire tool of    claim 4   , further comprising a bell-shaped handle formed in a second longitudinal side opposite the first longitudinal side.  
     
     
         8 . The umpire tool of    claim 1   , wherein the main body is generally planar in shape having a thickness of about 0.2 to 1.0 inches.  
     
     
         9 . An umpire tool comprising: 
 a main body defining a hole therein, the hole sized to gauge bat sizes; and    a scraper disposed proximate an outer side of the main body for removing debris.    
     
     
         10 . The umpire tool of    claim 9   , wherein the scraper is integrally formed with the main body.  
     
     
         11 . The umpire tool of    claim 10   , wherein the outer side of the main body defines a scraper edge.  
     
     
         12 . The umpire tool of    claim 11   , wherein the outer side is beveled to define the scraper edge.  
     
     
         13 . The umpire tool of    claim 9   , wherein the scraper comprises a blade attached to the outer side of the main body.  
     
     
         14 . The umpire tool of    claim 9   , wherein the scraper is disposed at about the midpoint of the thickness of the main body.  
     
     
         15 . The umpire tool of    claim 9   , further comprising a brush having bristles connected to the outer side of the main body.  
     
     
         16 . The umpire tool of    claim 9   , further comprising a bell-shaped handle defined by an outer wall portion having a curved bell-shape, the curve of the outer wall aligned with the curvature of the hole.  
     
     
         17 . The umpire tool of    claim 9   , further comprising an insert sized to be received within the first hole, the insert defining a second hole sized to gauge a second bat size smaller than the first bat size.  
     
     
         18 . An umpire tool comprising: 
 a main body having an inner wall defining a first hole, the first hole sized to gauge a first bat size; and    an insert sized to be received within the first hole, the insert defining a second hole sized to gauge a second bat size smaller than the first bat size.    
     
     
         19 . The umpire tool of    claim 18   , wherein the insert is selectively retained by the main body via a latch.  
     
     
         20 . The umpire tool of    claim 19   , wherein the latch comprises at least one deformable tab positioned on an outer surface of the insert and at least one notch correspondingly positioned on the inner wall of the main body, the at least one deformable tab selectively engaging the at least one notch.  
     
     
         21 . An umpire tool comprising: 
 means for gauging a bat diameter; and    means for cleaning debris.    
     
     
         22 . The umpire tool of    claim 21    wherein the gauging means comprises a main body defining a hole therein, the hole sized to gauge bat sizes.  
     
     
         23 . The umpire tool of    claim 21    wherein the means for cleaning debris includes means for cleaning light debris and means for cleaning heavier debris.  
     
     
         24 . The umpire tool of    claim 23    wherein the means for cleaning light debris comprises a brush having bristles connected to the gauging means and projecting outwardly therefrom.  
     
     
         25 . The umpire tool of    claim 23    wherein the means for cleaning heavy debris comprises a scraper disposed connected to the gauging means for removing heavier debris.