Ball launching racket

Abstract

An improved ball launching racket has a flexible net disposed within a central opening of a racket by a plurality of removable clip and elastomeric band assemblies. The construction of the clip facilitates expedient mounting and removal of the elastomeric bands, thereby allowing a user to expeditiously change the tension in the net, which in turn, changes the launching characteristics of the ball launching racket. The clip construction promotes usage of elastomeric bands that are free from apertures or slits, so that stress concentration points within the elatomeric bands are eliminated, increasing the useful life of each band.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A racket for propelling softballs and baseballs, comprising: 
 a frame having a perimeter which defines a central opening, and a handle extending from an end of said frame;    a detachable net defined by a perimeter, said net disposed within the central opening of said frame;    a plurality of clips spaced about said frame, each of said clips removably attached to said frame;    a plurality of elastomeric bands disposed at spaced intervals about said net perimeter for holding said net in a state of tension within said central opening, each elastomeric band associated with a respective clip, such that all of said elastomeric bands are interconnected between a respective clip and said net,    wherein each of said elastomeric bands has a unitary, continuous construction of constant cross sectional thickness and width, being free of apertures and slits.    
     
     
         2 . The racket of  claim 1 , wherein the net perimeter is delimited by a flexible strand, wherein each elastomeric band is folded about said flexible strand, thereby forming a pair of ends which extend towards said frame and are attached thereto by the same clip.  
     
     
         3 . The racket of  claim 1 , wherein said clip is comprised of a base portion having opposed ends and a top portion integrally formed with said base portion.  
     
     
         4 . The racket of  claim 3 , wherein said top portion includes a pair of spaced opposed arms, a respective arm integrally formed at a respective said end of said base portion.  
     
     
         5 . The racket of  claim 4 , wherein each of said arms receives thereon a respective end of each of said elastomeric bands.  
     
     
         6 . The racket of  claim 5 , wherein each of said arms includes a respective upstanding portion, each upstanding portion terminating in a hand portion.  
     
     
         7 . The racket of  claim 6 , wherein each of said arms are interposed between a respective end of said elastomeric band, said elastomeric band in restrained engagement between said upstanding portions of said clip.  
     
     
         8 . The racket of  claim 7 , wherein said upstanding portions of said clip are adapted to provide a tolerance between said elastomeric band and said frame when said clip and said elastomeric band are secured to said frame.  
     
     
         9 . The racket of  claim 6 , wherein each arm has a terminal end, with each terminal end having a respective hand portion integrally formed thereon, each of said hand portions contacting said outside surface of said frame when said clip is attached to said frame, each of said hand portions preventing said elastomeric band from disengagement with said arms of said clip.  
     
     
         10 . The racket of  claim 1 , wherein said central opening has a configuration that corresponds to one of the configurations selected from the group consisting of a circle, an oval, a rectangle, a square, and a triangle.  
     
     
         11 . The racket of  claim 10 , wherein said net is of a configuration which is substantially the same configuration of said central opening.  
     
     
         12 . The racket of  claim 11 , wherein said perimeter of said net is spaced from said frame when said net is disposed within said central opening.  
     
     
         13 . The racket of  claim 1 , wherein said cross sectional thickness and width of all of said elastomeric bands are the same such that said net tension along the perimeter of the net is equal.  
     
     
         14 . The racket of  claim 1 , wherein said net tension about the perimeter of the net is varied, whereby the cross sectional thickness and width of every other elasotmeric band disposed about the perimeter of the net is the same.  
     
     
         15 . The racket of  claim 14 , wherein the elastomeric bands disposed in between the every other elastomeric bands have the same cross sectional thickness and width, which said cross sectional thickness and width is different from the cross sectional width and thickness from that of the every other elastomeric band.  
     
     
         16 . In combination, a clip and an elastomeric band for securing a netting to a frame, comprising: 
 a clip which has an arcuately shaped base portion and a top portion, said base portion adapted for securement to a frame and having a pair of ends, said top portion having a pair of arms integrally formed with said base portion, each respective arm having a proximate end and a terminal end, said proximate end associated with said base portion, a respective arm formed at a respective end of said base portion, said arms spaced from each other in an opposed relationship and extending away from said base portion in a same direction; and    an elastomeric band having a part of looped end, a first looped end disposed about one of said arms, a second looped end disposed about the other of said arms, said looped ends interposed between a frame and said arms when said clip is secured to a frame.    
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein said clip further includes a pair of hands, a respective hand integrally formed on a respective terminal end of said arm.  
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 17 , further including a respective upstanding portion formed in each respective said arm, said upstanding portion disposed between said ends of each of said arms.  
     
     
         19 . A clip for use in securing a net to a frame of a sports racket, comprising: 
 an arcuately shaped base portion adapted for securement to the racket frame, said base portion having a pair of ends;    a top portion comprised of a pair of arms integrally formed with said base portion, each respective arm having a proximate end and a terminal end, wherein said proximate end is associated with said base portion, a respective arm formed at a respective end of said base portion, said arms spaced from each other in an opposed relationship and extending away from said base portion in a same direction,    wherein said arms are adapted to receive a respective elastomeric band thereabout when said clip is secured to a frame of a racket.