Abstract:
A glove principally for use as a catching glove by a hockey goalkeeper has the usual finger pocket with an outer side for overlying the goalkeeper&#39;s knuckles, and further comprises a hockey stick retainer which overlies a portion of the outer side of the finger pocket and is connected to a control mechanism for controlling movement away from this outer side portion. The retainer has a stiffness such that, with the control mechanism acting on the retainer, a hockey stick can be held firmly between the outer side portion and the retainer while all the goalkeeper&#39;s fingers remain in the finger pocket means. The glove can hold a hockey stick or like article without requiring any use of the thumb, and can also be used in other sports, and in other situations, where a player or a user does not have an operative thumb.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a glove or mitt principally for use as a catching glove by goalkeepers in games such as ice hockey. For convenience, the term “glove” will be used herein, as it is common parlance, even though such gloves may only have one pocket for the player&#39;s four fingers. 
     The glove of this invention allows a sports implement such as a hockey stick, or the handle of other sports implements, such as a tennis racquet, or of a tool, to be held without the player using his thumb, and accordingly it may also be useful for players of various games, and for workers, needing to hold such handles when a thumb is missing or disabled. 
     2. Prior Art 
     In the game of ice hockey, goalkeeper&#39;s hands require considerable protection since it is necessary for these to catch or deflect hard pucks which travel very fast. For the catching hand, which may be the right or left hand, gloves have been used which are basically similar to those used in baseball, having a padded finger pocket or pockets and a padded thumb pocket connected by webbing which spans the gap between these pockets, and which is used to catch a puck. However, unlike with baseball gloves, hockey goalkeeper&#39;s catching gloves also have to allow the goalkeeper to hold and manipulate a hockey stick, and in the known construction the gloves often have too much padding and are too stiff to allow good stick handling, especially if the goalkeeper does not have strong hands. 
     There have been a number of past attempts to improve on the ability of a hockey goalkeeper&#39;s catching glove properly to grasp his hockey stick. These efforts all have one or more critical drawbacks, such as compromising the glove or goalkeeper&#39;s catching ability, adding too much weight, being too complicated with too many moving parts increasing the likelihood of breakdown, or failing to provide a quick and sure grasp and release of the stick. 
     Specific prior art designs are described in the following U.S. patents: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,418 to Marcotte, issued Nov. 6, 1990; and 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,008 to Shane, issued Jul. 25, 1995. 
     Marcotte describes a glove having thumb and finger pockets of generally conventional type, but having, on the outer or back side of the finger pocket, an additional part for gripping the stick. This is a so-called “gripping pocket”, which is a flexible pocket into which the fingers can be inserted. An opening is provided connecting the usual finger pocket to the gripping pocket, so that when the goalkeeper wishes to grip the stick he can move his fingers from the finger pocket to the gripping pocket and then use the fingers to hold the stick between the inside of the gripping pocket and an outer side portion of the collapsed finger pocket which is held against the stick by the thumb. The drawback of this is that the goalkeeper may need to move his fingers quickly from the gripping pocket to the finger pocket in order to make a save, and this may be awkward with this construction. 
     In Shane, the stick is held in the normal way, between the finger pocket and the thumb pocket, but means are provided to improve the grip on the stick. The means shown by Shane are believed to add undesirable weight and restrict the catching ability. 
     In both these prior patents, the thumb is needed to apply holding forces to one side of the hockey stick, and accordingly these constructions do not offer any solution to a player of ice hockey, or of any other game, where the player has a missing or disabled thumb. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, like that of Marcotte, provides an additional part at the outside of the finger pocket or pockets (hereinafter the “finger pocket means”) which can be used to hold a stick against the outside of that pocket means. However, with the present invention, the player&#39;s fingers stay in the usual finger pocket portion of the glove, whether he is making a save or handling the stick. The glove of this invention allows the user to quickly and surely grip and release the shaft of a hockey stick without compromising the glove&#39;s ability to catch a puck, and without adding much weight. It also allows the goalkeeper to shoot forehand, backhand, and to “stickhandle”, and even execute the “slapshot”, all with the same proficiency as a forward position player. 
     In accordance with the one aspect of the present invention, a glove for use by a hockey goalkeeper, of the type having finger pocket means and a thumb pocket and in which the finger pocket means forms part of the glove body having an outer side or back positioned to overlie the goalkeeper&#39;s knuckles and having an inner or palm side, further comprises a hockey stick retainer which overlies a portion of the said outer side, the stick retainer being connected to control means for controlling movement of the retainer away from the outer side portion and having a stiffness such that, with the control means acting on the retainer, a hockey stick can be held firmly between the outer side portion and the retainer while all the goalkeeper&#39;s fingers remain in the finger pocket means. 
     The glove of this invention effectively holds the stick against the back of the catching hand, and does not require use of the thumb for holding the stick. This feature makes the glove suitable for players of other sports in which an implement handle may need to be held without the use of a thumb, and also for users of other implements or tools who lack a usable thumb. More generally, therefore, in accordance with this broader aspect of the invention, a glove for holding the handle portion of a sports implement such as a tennis or badminton racquet, or of a hockey stick or lacrosse stick, or of a tool, and having finger pocket means with an outer side overlying the user&#39;s fingers, also has a handle retainer which overlies a portion of the outer side of the finger pocket means, and is connected to control means as described above. 
     The control means may include spring means acting to pull the retainer towards the outer side portion. The spring means may be constituted by the resilience of the retainer, which may be in the form of a resilient gripping plate. 
     Preferably, the control means include a stop member which limits the movement of the retainer relative to a stiff plate located at the inner or palm side of the finger pocket means, and the finger pocket back or outer side is flexible to allow the player&#39;s fingers to be bent so that the fingertips press against the stiff plate while outwards movement of the finger knuckles causes the outer side portion of the finger pocket means to firmly grasp the stick or handle between itself and the retainer. The stiff plate “located at” the inner or palm side of the finger pocket means may be inside or outside the finger pocket means. The control means may include a hollow chamber attached to the stiff plate, and a stop member having an inner end mounted for limited movement in the chamber and having an outer end restricting movement of the retainer away from the stiff plate. 
     Preferably, the control means are located in an outer finger area between the second knuckles and finger tips of fingers placed within the finger pocket means, and the retainer has an additional connection to an outer end portion of the glove outwardly beyond the finger tip position. The stiff plate may be part of a palm plate forming the inner side or front of the body of the glove and of the finger pocket means. The retainer may have two spaced connections to the body of the glove both located near the outer edges of the palm plate and outwardly beyond the finger tip position. The control means may be associated with a divider between two finger pockets each of which accommodates two of a player&#39;s fingers. 
     Unlike with Marcotte, the finger pocket means has no aperture allowing the fingers to be moved out of the normal catching position. Also, while in Marcotte the stick is inserted under the fingertip end of the “gripping pocket”, in the present invention the entry of the stick into the retainer is from the knuckle or wrist end of the hand. 
     The outer side portion of the finger pocket means may include a rigid member, which acts as a stabilizer, a part of which is a pressure member which projects through the outer side of the finger pocket means, and a part of which is a plate inside the finger pocket means and contactable by the knuckle areas of a user&#39;s fingers, these parts being arranged so that the pressure member can be caused to press against an inner side of the handle by flexing of the fingers. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a hockey goalkeeper assuming a shooting posture while grasping the shaft of his stick by a right hand glove incorporating this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the glove showing the relationship to the stick; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but in which the stick retainer or “gripping plate” has been partly cut away; 
     FIG. 4 is a generally horizontal section of the glove of this invention, used on a player&#39;s right hand, and looking down the axis of the stick; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partly sectional view of the side of control means of the gripping plate which limit outward movement of the gripping plate away from the finger pocket, the control means being shown extended; 
     FIG. 6 is a further view of the control means in a retracted position, viewed parallel to the finger direction: 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a hollow chamber part of the control means, 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom end view of the same part; 
     FIG. 9 is an inside view of the gripping plate; 
     FIGS. 10 to  12  are views similar to FIG. 4, showing successive positions of the hockey stick as it is inserted into the retainer or gripping plate of the glove; 
     FIG. 13 shows an alternative embodiment of gripping plate; 
     FIG. 14 shows an alternative palm plate for attachment to the inner surface of a glove body; 
     FIGS. 13A and 14A are fragmentary, partly sectioned views of portions of the gripping plate and parts of the control means connected thereto; 
     FIG. 15 is a fragmentary view of part of what is shown in FIG. 4, but with an alternative arrangement of control means; 
     FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 10 of a modified glove having a rigid or stabilizer member; 
     FIGS. 17 and 18 are partially cut-away views of the FIG. 16 embodiment; 
     FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the rigid stabilizer member; 
     FIG. 20 is a side view of the stabilizer member; 
     FIGS. 21 and 22 are disassembled views of the stabilizer member; 
     FIG. 23 is a sectional view through the finger pocket means of the glove showing the stabilizer; 
     FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the hollow base part of the control means of FIG. 16; 
     FIG. 25 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the palm plate holding the hollow base part of the control means of FIG. 24; 
     FIG. 26 is view similar to FIG. 15 of another modified glove; 
     FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a modified form of the hollow base part of the control means; 
     FIG. 28 is a plan view of a modified stabilizer; 
     FIG. 29 is a top view of part of another stabilizer; 
     FIG. 30 is a view similar to FIG. 23 of the stabilizer of FIG. 29, with a dotted outline of an optional narrow plate connected to the control means, over which the fingers lie; 
     FIG. 31 is a view of a modified palm plate; 
     FIG. 32 is a perspective view of another form of the hollow base of control means; 
     FIG. 33 is a plan view of another form of palm plate; 
     FIG. 34 shows how the FIG. 32 hollow base part connected to the FIG. 33 palm plate; 
     FIG. 35 shows a further modified stabilizer; 
     FIG. 36 shows a view similar to FIG. 15 of a further modified glove; 
     FIG. 37 is a view of the glove of FIG. 16 showing the gripping plate of FIG. 16; and 
     FIGS. 38 and 39 are similar views of gloves having modified gripping plates. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a goalkeeper using a catching glove indicated at  10  on his right hand to hold the shaft or handle  12  of a hockey stick, the stick being held onto the back or outside of the finger portion of the glove by a retainer or gripping plate  14 . 
     As shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, a main part of the glove is conventional in having a cuff  15 , and is similar to a baseball mitt in having a finger pocket means  16  and a thumb pocket  17 . These finger and thumb pockets are connected by webbing  18  which allows the user to catch a puck. The finger pocket means  16  has two pockets each accommodating two of the player&#39;s fingers, the finger pockets forming a part of the glove body  16 ′. This glove body has lacing  19  at an outer rim and additional lacing  20  along an inner seam roughly parallel to and spaced within the outer rim. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the inner side or front of the finger pocket means  16  and glove body  16 ′, facing the thumb pocket  17 , is covered with a protective palm plate  22 . This extends out beyond the ends of a player&#39;s fingers F by an amount slightly greater than a finger length, to the outer edge of the glove body. The inner side of the thumb pocket has a thumb plate  23  facing the palm plate  22 ; these plates provide additional protection when the player is catching a puck. All these areas of the glove are covered by padding  24 , which itself is covered by a leather outer covering  25 . 
     FIGS. 2 to  9  show details of the hockey stick retainer, and control means for the retainer, in accordance with the invention. 
     The stick retainer is in the form of a “gripping plate”  14  of shatter proof plastic having a shape shown in FIGS. 2 to  4  and  9 . The plate has a narrow end portion  14   a  which is tightly secured to the outer side of the glove body  16 ′ by parts  19 ′ and  20 ′ of the lines of stitching or lacing  19  and  20 , at fixed locations respectively near the curved outer rim of the palm plate and spaced within this rim, so that the secured end of the gripping plate is substantially rigid with the palm plate. 
     As seen in edgewise view, for example in FIG. 4, when the gripping plate  14  is deployed to hold the stick handle  12 , the narrow portion  14   a  on the knuckle side of the fixed locations  19 ′ and  20 ′ is bowed outwardly from the glove body to leave a clearance space at the outer side of the finger pocket means  16 . As seen in front view, FIG. 2, plate  14  also broadens laterally into portion  14   b,  and this portion retains the stick  12  at about its longitudinal center. On the fingertip side of this center is an aperture which receives the outer end of a stop member  36  which is part of control means  31  shown best in FIGS. 4 to  8  and described below. As seen in FIG. 4, just to the finger tip side of the stop member  36  the gripping plate portion  14   b  is slightly bent inwardly so that, when the plate is separated by stick  12  from the outer side portion  16   a  of the finger pocket means it is roughly parallel to this outer side portion. The inner surface of the gripping plate portion  14   b,  as shown in FIG. 9, has a high friction, rubberized area shown at  29  which is opposite the outer side portion  16   a  of the finger pocket means. The outer side portion  16   a  and area  29  between them constitute a gripping zone  30 . This glove outer side portion may have a rubberized area for better holding of the stick. 
     The gripping plate  14  is resilient, and when unstressed lies close to the outer surface of the glove body  16 ′, as indicated in FIG.  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 to  8  showing the control means  31 , these include a hollow base part  32  which passes through an aperture in the palm plate  22  and terminates in a flange  33  attached to the outside of this palm plate. This base part  32  is oval in cross-section, as shown in FIG. 8, being elongated in the direction of a user&#39;s fingers so as to be accommodated within a divider which separates the two pockets of the finger pocket means  16 , and which fits between the middle and ring fingers of the player, usually at a location between the second and third knuckles of the fingers. Base part  32  has an elongated chamber in which is slidable the enlarged inner end  34  portion of a bushing  35  forming part of the movable stop member  36 . Bushing  35  has a narrow outer portion which can slide through an outer end aperture  32   a  in the housing until the inner end portion  34  meets the inside top of the chamber. The bushing  35  houses a threaded portion of an adjustable screw  38  which passes through the gripping plate portion  14   b  and terminates in a head  38   a  on the outside of the gripping plate, this plate being held between the head  38   a  and a nut  39  inside the plate. The parts  35 ,  38  and  38   a  form parts of the movable stop member  36 . Instead of the nut  39 , a snap washer may be used. 
     As will be apparent from FIG. 4, the arrangement is such that when the user&#39;s fingers are bent, with his finger tips pushing against the rigid palm plate  22  (through the intermediary of the inside of the finger pocket means), the outwards movement of the knuckles pushes out the outer side portion  16   a  of the finger pocket  16 , and traps the hockey stick  12  between this outer side portion and the high friction surface  29  of the gripping plate, the outwards movement of which is limited by the head  38   a  of the stop member  36 . The screw  38  can be adjusted in the bushing  35  to suit different player&#39;s hands. 
     FIGS. 10 to  12  show stages in the insertion of the stick into the gripping zone  30  under the gripping plate  14 . In FIG. 10, the gripping plate is resting against the outer surface of the finger pocket  16  means, with the stick  12  being inserted under the free edge of the gripping plate which provides an insertion area. Immediately upon contact with the stick  12  the plate  14  rises to accept the stick. FIG. 11 shows the next stage, where the stick is being slid between the pocket outer surface and the gripping plate, into the gripping zone  30 . FIG. 12 shows the final position, in which the fingers are slightly bent so that the knuckles push out the outer surface portion  16   a  while the high friction surface  29  of the gripping plate is pulled against the stick, holding it firmly. 
     The stick is easily released in the follow through of any shooting or stick handling manoeuvre by a slight inward or outward rotation of the wrist. 
     While the control means as described is practical, the invention is not limited to this specific control means. For example, the control means may comprise a simple or composite spring connection between the gripping plate and the palm plate, or a resilient gripping plate having suitable connections to a rigid palm plate, may also be used. 
     In addition, instead of a single control means  31  positioned between the fingers, a pair of control means may be used, each including one of a pair of hollow chambers situated on outer sides of the user&#39;s four fingers. 
     As mentioned above, the basic parts of the invention can be used in many other circumstances where it is required for a hand with a disabled thumb, to hold the handle of a sports implement or a tool. Clearly, in many such cases, the glove will not need any thumb pocket, and the term “glove” should be understood as referring to merely the essential parts of the invention, namely the finger pocket means, handle retainer, and control means acting on the retainer. 
     FIGS. 13,  13 A,  14  and  14 A show alternative means of connecting control means to a gripping plate and palm plate, which allows for adjustment of the connection point. 
     As shown in FIGS. 13 and 13A, a gripping plate  114  has a slot  142  with generally parallel sides, the sides having a series of opposed notches  143 . This slot receives an adapter member  140  which includes a large outer washer portion  144  held by the screw head  38   a.  The adapter member  140  is held between a large diameter nut  139  and the screw head  38   a,  the nut  139  and washer portion  144  being large enough to overlap portions of the gripping plate  114  at the sides of the slot  142 . The member  140  has an inner portion  145  with each of its opposite sides formed with a pair of spaced protrusions  145   a  which fit into selected notches  143 . The portion  145  is short relative to the slot  142  and can be fitted into the slot at different positions along the slot, as required to adjust the parts, for comfort of grip, to different lengths of fingers, being secured by pressure between inner nut  139  and outer washer portion  144  on the inner and outer sides of the gripping plate. 
     FIGS. 14 and 14A show a similar adjustability for the connection between the palm plate  122  and the hollow base part  132  corresponding to part  32  previously described, and which allows the position of the control means to be moved forwardly and rearwardly relative to the user&#39;s hand. As shown, the palm plate has a slot  150  similar to slot  142 , and the base part  132  is formed with protrusions  132   a  which can be fitted into notches  150   a  at the sides of the slot at several different positions of the base part along the slot. The flange  133  at the bottom of the base part is large enough to overlap the sides of the slot  150 , and holds the base part in place. 
     FIG. 15 shows a construction which is similar to that of FIG. 4, but in which the flange  33  of the base part  32 , instead of being mounted on the palm plate  22 , is connected to a stiff plate  22 ′ which is inside the finger pocket means, and not attached to the finger pocket means. This plate has its outer edge under the fingertip portions of the user&#39;s fingers F, and sufficiently far forward to be pressed down when the fingers are bent as shown, so as to pull the stop member  36  inwardly. It will be understood that the term “fingertips” includes these end portions of the fingers. 
     As mentioned earlier, a pair of control means may be used, one control means being situated on each of opposite sides of the user&#39;s fingers, and this is one feature of the embodiment of FIGS. 16 to  25 , where the control means are shown as  231 . Another feature of this embodiment is the use of a rigid member  200 , termed a stabilizer, having a part which may constitute an outer side portion of the finger pocket means which contacts and grips the handle  12 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 16 to  23 , the rigid member or stabilizer  200  has two parallel side plates  202  connected to the flanges  201   c  of a stiff bar or bridging member  201 , described below, which is positioned to fit under the central or knuckle area of a user&#39;s fingers F, inwardly (i.e. rearwardly) of the control means  231 . The stabiliser  200  is held in place by having two apertures  209  at outer, forward areas of the bridging plate  201 , as shown in FIG. 19, each aperture being fitted onto one of the two spaced control means  231 . The side plates  202  each have an outer edge which projects through an associated slit in the covering material  24 ,  25  of the outer side of the finger pocket means, and these outer edges form pressure members which contact the handle, and which may also be each provided with a gripping surface  229   a.    
     The form and positioning of the stabilizer  200  is such that the bridging plate  201  lies under the knuckle area of the fingers F, sufficiently to the rear of the fingertips which hold the control means  231  so that bending of the fingers causes the gripping surfaces  229   a  to increase their pressure on the handle  12 , and these surfaces assist the outer side portion of the glove which overlies the knuckles to hold the handle against the gripping plate  214  and to stabilize the handle when shooting a puck. 
     FIGS. 19 to  23  show details of the stabilizer  200 . FIG. 19 shows the form of the bridging part  201  having a main section  201   a  for underlying the knuckle areas of fingers and rearwardly extending side wings  201   b,  the outer sides of sections  201   a  and  201   b  being bent upwardly to form flanges  201   c.  These flanges hold the adjustable side plates  202  by means of screws  205  which engage in vertically elongated slots  206  in the side flanges and horizontally elongated slots  207  in the side plates, or vice versa, these slots allowing adjustment of the side plates both upwardly and forwardly/rearwardly relative to the part  201 . As shown in FIG. 22, the facing surfaces of the side plates  202  and the flanges  201   c  have interengaging depressions and raised areas to lock the side plates in position relative to the flanges. The gripping surfaces  229   a  are located on ledges  202   a  at the outer edges of the side plates. 
     The rear ends of the outer edges of the side plates  202  are each provided with a raised portion  204 , and these partly define the entrance to the gripping zone  30 , the portions being sloped to allow for easy entrance and exit of the stick handle  12  into the gripping zone while helping to secure the handle in the gripping zone. These cooperate with a raised area  105  on the interior of the gripping plate  214  and having inner and outer sloped ends, as seen in FIG. 16, and which also serves to define the entrance to the gripping zone  30 . The resiliency of the connection between the control means  231  and the palm plate  222  allows the handle  12  to be snapped into the gripping zone  30 . 
     The glove may have either the raised area  204  of the stabilizer or the raised area  105  of the gripping plate, or both. The stabilizer may rest on the inner surface of the padding  24  or may be in direct contact with the palm plate, or may be arranged otherwise as described below. These stabilizer arrangements are all desirable in providing control for shooting the puck. 
     FIGS. 24 and 25 show part of the control means  231  used in this embodiment, namely a base part  232  which is elongated fore-and-aft and has threaded areas  234  on each end, these being the ends which are outermost, towards the finger tips, and innermost towards the palm. These threaded areas accept threaded washer  234   a  which secures hollow base part  232  to the palm plate  222  through aperture  222   a,  as shown in FIG. 25, and could also secure the stabilizer to the palm plate as shown in FIG.  26 . 
     As shown in FIG. 16, the innermost edge  222   b  of the palm plate  222 , nearest the user&#39;s palm, may be curved outwardly away from the palm, and the innermost edge  223   a  of the thumb plate  223 , nearest the user&#39;s palm, may also curve outwardly corresponding with and lying in front of the curved edge of the palm plate  222 . When the glove is closed and the stick  12  is in the gripping zone  30 , the curved edge  222   b  of the palm plate  222  and the edge  223   a  of the thumb plate  223  are in contact, while at the same time the outer edges of these plates, beyond the finger tips, are also pressed close together, lending additional stability to the grip and enhancing the shooting ability of the glove. 
     FIGS. 16,  17  and  18  also show means for adjustment of the stabilizer and gripping plate  214  lengthwise of the fingers. The gripping plate  214  has an elongated slot  220   c  shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, and this can receive a screw part  20   a  shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 at different positions. 
     FIG. 26 shows a further embodiment of glove with additional features shown in FIGS. 27 and 28. 
     In FIG. 26, a modified stabilizer  300  has adjustable stabilizing side plates  302  shown connected each by a single screw  305  to the side flanges  301   c  of the stabilizer unit and also connected and supported by a base part of the control means  331  via washer  334   a  also shown in FIG.  27 . As shown in the latter Figure, the control means has a hollow base part  332 , threaded from top to bottom, with two threaded washers  334   a  and  334   b.  Washer  334   a  is used to support one end of stabilizing bridging plate part  301   a  shown in FIG. 28. A similar arrangement could be used for the bridging plate parts shown in FIGS. 19 to  35 . 
     FIG. 28 shows the modified stabilizing unit  300  as having elongated apertures  300   a,  which allow the stabilizing unit to be adjusted fore and aft independently of the palm plate  222  and gripping plate  314 . 
     FIGS. 29 and 30 show a further modified form of stabilizing unit  400  in which the pressure member is a stabilizing plate  408  which extends across the upper edges of the side plates  402  and may be provided with a rubberized outer surface  429   a  suitable for gripping the stick  12 , thus expanding the area for gripping as compared to use of the upper surfaces of the side plates previously described. The side plates  402  are connected to the pressure member  408  and the bearing load distributed along the palm plate by flanges  401   c  which may or may not be united by bridging part  401   a.  As shown in FIG. 29, the stabilizing plate  408  has apertures  409  for guiding the stabilizer in the absence of bridging part  401   a.    
     The FIG. 30 embodiment may be modified by eliminating the bridging part, i.e. part  401   a  in FIG. 30, as indicated in broken lines. In this case the side plates  401   c  are connected only by the plate  408 . Alternatively, the side plates may be connected by a narrow plate passing underneath the knuckle area of the fingers. 
     FIG. 31 shows modified palm plate  222 ′, with aperture  20   d  located in the area of the inner lacing  20  of the glove and running perpendicular to aperture  220   c  of gripping plate  214 , as shown in FIG. 18, to alter the angle of the gripping plate corresponding to adjustments made in the position of the control means  231  within the apertures  222 ′ a  of the palm plate  222 ′. 
     FIGS. 32 to  35  show means whereby the palm plate and the stabilizer are adjustable relative to the control means, especially to take account of different finger lengths. 
     FIG. 32 shows a control means with a hollow base part  432  having two ridges  432   a,  and scored on its outer surface to accept threaded washer  434 . These ridges interact with slots  432   b  of the notched apertures  432   d  located at the outer edge of the palm plate  422  shown in FIGS. 33 and 34 to allow adjustability of the control means relative to the palm plate. The manner in which these ridges  432   a  engage in the slots  432   b  is shown in detail in FIG.  34 . 
     FIG. 35 shows that the stabilizing unit  400  may have notched apertures  400   a  at the front of the unit and which may be secured to palm plate  422  by washer  434 , or may sit above this washer, being locked into position by virtue of its notched aperture. The notched apertures  400   a  match the grooves on the outer surface of the hollow base part  432  of the control means allowing for forward and backward adjustment so as to accommodate the varying finger length of the user. 
     FIG. 36 shows a glove generally similar to that of FIG. 16 but in which the stabilizer  200 ′ is formed as a unit with the palm plate  222 . As before, bending of the fingers causes tilting of the stabilizer  200 ′ so that the stabilizer surfaces move outwards, relative to the control means  31  which pulls on the gripping plate  214 , this action assisting the holding action provided by the knuckles acting against an outer portion of the glove. 
     FIG. 37 illustrates the position of the raised area  105  on the underside of a gripping plate  214 . FIGS. 38 and 39 are similar drawings showing modified shapes for these raised areas in gripping plates  314  and  314 ′.