Abstract:
A device for shaping the mesh of a lacrosse stick head includes a ball similar in size to a lacrosse ball and carried by an elongated handle. A positioning rod is detachably connected to the handle and adapted to extend transverse to the plane of the head and serve as a fulcrum for pivoting the handle away from the head and driving the ball into the mesh of the head to stretch the mesh and form a pocket in it.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   This invention relates to a device for stretching and forming a pocket in the mesh of a lacrosse stick head. There are presently available two types of devices used for this general purpose. One such device marketed under the name Warrior Pocket Pounder comprises a ball carried on a handle, and it is used to repeatedly strike the mesh in a hammer-like motion so as to break in the mesh. The other known available type device serves to stretch the mesh and thereby form the pocket. In the latter device, a hemispherically shaped ball is carried by a threaded shaft that is in turn assembled on the head of the stick with the shaft disposed essentially perpendicular to the plane of the face of the head, and the shaft is rotated to force the ball into the mesh. The present invention is capable of performing both the pounding and stretching functions and further is easier to mount on the stick head for performing the stretching function. 
   2. Discussion of Related Art 
   This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 60/582,162 entitled LACROSSE STICK POCKET CREATOR filed Jun. 23, 2004, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The present invention includes a ball essentially equal in size to a regulation lacrosse ball, mounted on the end of an elongated handle that may be tubular in form, and typically molded of a rigid plastic material although it may also be made of wood, metal or other comparable material. The handle may be either solid or hollow and may be made in a wide variety of cross-sectional shapes. A positioning rod is adjustably attached to the handle adjacent the end carrying the ball and the rod extends generally perpendicular to the handle. The positioning rod in use supports the device on the head frame and forms a fulcrum about which the handle is pivoted so as to force the ball into the mesh of the head. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a number of alternative position are formed in the handle adjacent the end carrying the ball so as to effectively enable the user to change the length of the lever arm for forcing the ball into the mesh and to change the depth of peneteration of the ball into the mesh. The positioning rod is also of a length that exceeds the maximum width of the lacrosse stick head so that it can engage both sides thereof. When the positioning rod is removed, the handle and ball may be used to freely hammer against the mesh so as to break in the material. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the lacrosse stick head shaper constructed in accordance with this invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the device shown in  FIG. 1  disposed on the head of a lacrosse stick; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the device positioned in the head of the lacrosse stick as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a top view similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing the positioning rod assembled to the device so as to locate the shaper ball in the pocket of the mesh of the head; and 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the device and lacrosse stick head shown in  FIG. 4  and also showing the manner in which the device is operated to stretch the mesh and form the pocket. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. 
   In  FIG. 1  the ball  10  and handle  12  of the shaper are shown assembled together. The ball may actually be a lacrosse ball, typically solid and made of a hard rubber or a plastic material. The ball preferably has a diameter of approximately 2 inches. The ball may be made of other materials and need not be a regulation lacrosse ball, although its size should be substantially that of the regulation ball. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , a hole  14  is formed in the ball and extends approximately to the ball center. The handle  12  may be tubular or of solid configuration, but must have substantial strength so as not to crack or split, even under the very substantial bending moments that are imposed on it when the device is used to stretch the mesh and form a pocket in the lacrosse stick head. To provide an adequate lever arm when used for stretching the mesh of the lacrosse stick head, the handle preferably is at least 10 inches long from the center of the ball to the opposite free end of the handle. The handle obviously may be made of different lengths so long as it provides adequate leverage for the user. 
   In  FIGS. 2-5 , the manner in which the device is used is illustrated. In these drawings, a typical lacrosse stick  30  is shown. It includes a head  32  having a generally bell-shaped frame  34 , a mesh  36  that shapes the pocket P, and a handle  38 . The frame  34  typically is molded of a strong, rigid plastic material that fully encircles the mesh  36  and from which the mesh is suspended. The frame  34  shown is generally bell-shaped, although different lacrosse stick manufacturers employ somewhat different shapes, and the present invention is applicable for preparing the mesh of any lacrosse stick. The sides  40  of the frame of the particular lacrosse stick illustrated have upper and lower segments  42  and  44  joined together by cross-pieces  46  to enhance the strength of the frame. The lower segments  44  on both sides have openings  50  for attachment to the mesh as described below. The outer end  48  of the frame in the lacrosse stick shown is not bifurcated, but rather has one section across that end of the head and is also provided with openings  50  by means of which the mesh is connected to it. The heel  52  of the head is similarly provided with openings  50  for attachment of the mesh. In the lacrosse stick shown, the mesh is attached by means of a cord  56  that is interwoven with the mesh and the openings  50  to hold it in place. The cord is knotted as shown at  58  and enables the slack in the mesh to be reduced when the size of the pocket P formed in the mesh exceeds the maximum pocket size imposed under lacrosse rules. As is shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 , the mesh is looser at the heel end  52  of the head so as to form the pocket P. In accordance with the rules of the game, the depth of the pocket P below the bottom sides  44  of the frame cannot exceed the ball diameter, that is, when a ball is placed in the pocket, its upper surface must not lie below the plane of the lower sides  44  of the frame. 
   When a new mesh  36  is attached to the lacrosse stick by means of the cord  56  which is interwoven with the mesh and the openings  50  in the lower side segments  44 , outer end  48  and heel  52  of the frame, the mesh must be broken in so as to form the pocket, and this may be performed by the pounding action described above. That is, the mesh is simply struck by the ball  10  a number of times so as to contour the mesh into the pocket that holds the lacrosse ball. That action may conveniently be performed by the configuration of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1  composed simply of the ball  10  and handle  12 . In addition, or as an alternative to the pounding of the mesh to form the pocket, the ball and handle in combination with the positioning rod  64  can stretch the mesh to form the pocket. This is achieved by inserting the rod  64  through one side  40  of the frame  34 , through one of the holes  35  in the handle  12  and thereafter inserting the end of the rod through the opposite side  40  of the frame, all as suggested in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Ideally the frame has openings in its sides to capture the positioning rod while at the same time the central portion of the rod between the sides  40  of the frame is disposed above the mesh so as not to interfere with the stretching of the mesh in a downwardly direction by means of the ball  10 . 
   In  FIG. 4  the assembly is shown mounted as described above, and to stretch the mesh to form the pocket, the handle is pivoted upwardly toward a position essentially perpendicular to the plane of the frame as suggested by the arrows  60  and radial lines  62  extending from the axis of the positioning rod provided in  FIG. 5 . In the embodiment shown, two through-holes are provided in the handle  12  spaced at different distances from the ball  10 . Obviously, different numbers of holes may be provided and the rod connection to the handle may take other forms such as a bracket slidable on the handle etc. By passing the positioning rod through the hole further away from the ball, the depth of the pocket will be increased during stretching. Initially the hole in the handle nearer the head is used so as to maximize the length of the lever formed by the handle  12 , and thereafter the rod may be transferred to the other hole to increase the pocket depth. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the holes  35  may be either parallel to one or at an angle to another depending upon the cross-sectional shape of the handle. It will be appreciated that the tool may remain in the operative position when the lacrosse stick is not in use and serve as a form to maintain the desired pocket shape. 
   Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.