Reinforced baseball bat and process for forming

Abstract

A reinforced baseball bat and method of forming including providing a pair of elongated billets, drilling a semi-circular cross sectional recess in a lengthwise direction from a butt end in and along each of the billets, providing an elongated rod having a length and diameter matching the semi-circular recesses, applying an adhesive to each of opposing faces of the billets and within the mating recesses, installing the elongated rod within the semi-circular recess of a selected billet and sandwiching the billets so that the rod seats within the semi-circular recess of the other selected billet. Additional steps should include clamping the billets to allow the adhesive to set turning the billet to form the bat shape in which the steel tube extends from the knob end to establish a composite one-piece interface, to resist shattering of the bat including detachment of the barrel end from the handle.

1 . A method for forming a reinforced baseball bat, comprising the steps of:
 providing a pair of elongated billets constructed from a first material;   drilling a semi-circular cross sectional recess in a lengthwise direction from a butt end along an open face of each of the billets;   providing an elongated rod constructed from a second material having a length and diameter matching the semi-circular recesses;   applying an adhesive to each of opposing faces of the billets and within the mating recesses;   installing the elongated rod within the semi-circular recess of a selected billet and sandwiching the billets so that the rod seats within the semi-circular recess of the other selected billet;   clamping the billets together to sandwich the rod therebetween to allow the adhesive to set; and   turning the billet to form the bat shape in which the rod extends from a knob end to establish a composite one piece interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a single billet and sectioning lengthwise to provide the pair of elongated billets. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , the step of drilling the semi-circular recess in a lengthwise direction from a butt end in each of the billets further comprising the step of drilling to an interior location extending beyond a handle and approaching a barrel end of the bat formed from the billet. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , the step of drilling the semi-circular recess in a lengthwise direction from a butt end in each of the billets further comprising the step of drilling to a barrel end of the bat formed from the billet. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , the step of drilling the semi-circular recess in a lengthwise direction from a butt end in each of the billets further comprising the step of drilling 0.375 inches in diameter by 24 inches in length. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , the step of providing an elongated rod further comprising providing the rod with exterior threads. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , the step of clamping the billets together to sandwich the rod therebetween further comprising imparting grooves from the exterior threads into opposing semi-circular edges defining the lengthwise recesses in the billets. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , the step of providing a pair of elongated billets further comprising providing billets having a rectangular three dimensional shape. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , the step of providing the pair of elongated billets further comprising providing wooden billets. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , the step of providing an elongated rod further comprising providing a steel rod or steel interiorly hollowed tube. 
     
     
         11 . A method for forming a reinforced baseball bat, comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated billet constructed from a first material;   drilling a recess in a lengthwise direction from a butt end of the billet;   providing an elongated rod constructed from a second material;   installing the elongated rod within the recess; and   turning the billet to form the bat shape in which the rod extends from a knob end to establish a composite one piece interface.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , the step of providing an elongated rod further comprising providing the rod with exterior threads. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim, 11 , the step of inserting the elongated rod within the recess further comprising the rod being axially driven into the recess without rotation. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , the step of inserting the elongated and exteriorly threaded rod within the recess further comprising exerting a combined linear and rotational driving of the rod within a recess of smaller diameter in order to form grooves into an inner perimeter wall defining the recess. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , the step of providing the billet further comprising providing a billet having a rectangular three dimensional shape. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of applying an adhesive within the recess prior to axially inserting the elongated rod.