Throwing device

Abstract

A throwing device having a body, and a tail portion which extends away from one end of the body. The tail portion generally includes at least one fin, and the tail portion is configured such that the fin may be selectively oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body so that the fin will tend to impart either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation to the device during flight, as selected by the user.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A throwing device, comprising: 
 (a) a body having a longitudinal axis; and    (b) a tail portion extending away from one end of said body, said tail portion comprising at least one fin, said tail portion configured such that said fin may be selectively oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body so that the fin will tend to impart either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation to the device during flight, as selected by the user.    
     
     
         2 . The throwing device of  claim 1 , wherein said tail portion further comprises a shaft extending away from said one end of said body, and wherein said at least one fin extends radially away from said shaft.  
     
     
         3 . The throwing device of  claim 1 , wherein said body is substantially prolate in shape.  
     
     
         4 . The throwing device of  claim 2 , wherein said shaft is rotationally fixed with respect to said body, and at least a portion of said at least one fin is rotatable about said shaft.  
     
     
         5 . The throwing device of  claim 4 , wherein said at least one fin is configured such that said fin may be helically angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body by rotating a portion of said fin about said shaft while another portion of said fin is rotationally fixed with respect to said shaft.  
     
     
         6 . The throwing device of  claim 2 , further comprising a passageway aligned with the longitudinal axis of the body, wherein said at least one fin extends radially away from said passageway and wherein said shaft extends through at least a portion of said passageway.  
     
     
         7 . The throwing device of  claim 6 , wherein said fin and said passageway are provided by a first fin layer and a second fin layer, wherein a portion of a surface of said first layer is secured to a portion of a surface of said second layer such that said passageway is located between the portions of said surfaces which are not secured to one another.  
     
     
         8 . The throwing device of  claim 7 , wherein said shaft extends through at least a portion of said passageway such that said first and second fin layers may be rotated about said shaft both clockwise and counter-clockwise in order to select the angle of said at least one fin with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body.  
     
     
         9 . The throwing device of  claim 7 , wherein said first and second fin layers each comprise a sheet of polymeric foam.  
     
     
         10 . The throwing device of  claim 4 , further comprising a support member attached to said one end of said body, wherein said shaft is secured to said support member and said support member is configured to prevent the rotation of an end of said at least one fin which is adjacent said body.  
     
     
         11 . The throwing device of  claim 10 , wherein said support member includes a protrusion which is secured within said body.  
     
     
         12 . The throwing device of  claim 10 , wherein said support member further includes a slot, and wherein the end of said at least one fin which is adjacent said body is positioned within said slot.  
     
     
         13 . A throwing device, comprising: 
 (a) a body having a longitudinal axis;    (b) a shaft extending away from one end of said body; and    (c) at least one fin extending radially away from said shaft, wherein said fin is configured such that a portion of said fin may be rotated about said longitudinal axis and another portion of said fin is rotationally fixed with respect to said longitudinal axis so that said fin may be helically angled with respect to said longitudinal axis.    
     
     
         14 . A finned football, comprising: 
 (a) a football-shaped body having distal and proximal ends and a longitudinal axis;    (b) at least one fin extending away from the distal end of said body, wherein said fin is configured such that a first portion of said fin may be rotated about the longitudinal axis of said body and a second portion of said fin is rotationally fixed with respect to said longitudinal axis.