Rotating grip for a baseball bat

A rotating grip comprising a non-slip outer surface and a high slip inner surface and which can be installed on the handle of a baseball bat to enhance the user thereof, is described. The grip can be covered by a conventional sleeve-type grip and has a novel notching means to hold the rotating grip in place. When used, the rotating grip enables the proper alignment of the hands to occur automatically and thus create a level and smooth swing. This swing will insure more direct hits on the baseball.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Cross-Reference to Related Applications 
This application is related to my co-pending application, U.S. Ser. No. 
07/093,243, filed in the U.S. Patent Office on Sept. 4, 1987, now 
abandoned, and is an improvement thereover. 
2. Field of the Invention 
This application is related to the game of baseball and more particularly, 
this application is related to the baseball bat used therein. Still more 
particularly, this invention is related to the grip of said baseball bat. 
Even more particularly, this invention is related to a method for 
improving the swing of the user thereof thus producing a more efficient 
swing. 
3. Discussion of the Prior Art 
There are a host of prior art references which describe various forms of 
games in which a ball is struck by some sort of instrument. Most of these 
instruments have some sort of gripping arrangement in order to improve the 
grip of the user thereof. For example, tennis racquets and golf clubs are 
all instruments which are designed to strike a ball during the playing 
thereof. These instruments all have some sort of grip arrangement located 
on the handle in order to improve the grip and the swing during use. 
Baseball is a game that is also played with an instrument to strike a 
ball. This instrument called a baseball bat, has a large end which strikes 
the ball during use and a smaller end that is gripped by the user. Various 
prior art references describe the use of gripping aids on baseball bats. 
These may be in the form of tape or the like or some sort of rubber sleeve 
that is slipped on over the gripping area to improve the grip of the user, 
for example. It is important in baseball to maintain a steady, level swing 
when using this bat. Since the grip on the handle of the baseball bat is 
achieved using both hands, and since the swing of the bat is from the 
shoulders in a motion essentially parallel with the ground or playing 
surface, it is vital that this grip be positioned correctly to maintain 
the requisite level, even swing. To achieve this correct grip, the player 
normally will insure that the finger knuckles of both hands are in 
alignment with each other so that the swing may be accomplished with the 
full extension of the elbows, for example. In my previously filed 
application, I described an element which could be applied to the gripping 
end of the baseball bat under a standard grip and at a predetermined 
distance from the end of the grip. This device is properly located for one 
of the players hands and rotates during the swing of the bat to provide 
the requisite alignment of the hands. 
However, all of these prior art references suffer from some sort of 
deficiency. A standard grip only improves the overall grip of the user and 
does nothing to insure proper alignment of the hands. The device described 
in U.S. Ser. No. 7/093,243 tends to slip during use and move up or down 
the bat handle thus preventing the proper use thereof. This slipping 
motion is undesirable since the grip must be placed in proper position at 
almost every use. Thus, there are no prior art elements which can be used 
to improve the grip on a baseball bat and at the same time improve the 
swing of the user thus resulting in more and better hits on the ball. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved gripping member 
for the handle of a baseball bat. It is yet another object to provide an 
improved, rotating gripping member which can be easily installed and will 
not slip up or down during use. These and yet other objects are achieved 
by providing a thin, flexible, flat gripping element comprising two layers 
the first layer comprising an outer, gripping, non-slip surface and the 
second layer comprising an inner facing having a high slip surface, said 
element having a notching means at the ends thereof so that when said 
element is wrapped around the handle of a baseball bat with said inner 
facing on said handle with said gripping, non-slip surface supra thereto, 
and a cover applied thereon, said element will remain on said handle when 
force is applied thereto.

DETAILS OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now specifically to the drawings which particularly exemplify the 
essence of what I have discovered, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the 
thin, flexible, flat gripping element of my invention 1 wherein 2 is the 
outer layer which provides a gripping, non-slip surface and 3 is the inner 
facing having a high slip surface associated therewith. In this view, the 
notching means are shown as 4 and 5. This thin, flexible, flat gripping 
element is ready to be wrapped around the handle of a baseball bat and 
positioned properly for the hand of the user thereof. When so wrapped, the 
notching means engage which prevents the entire element from twisting and 
slipping down out of position. 
FIG. 2 shows the element of FIG. 1 installed over the handle of a baseball 
bat. In this view, the thin, flexible, flat gripping element 1 with the 
notching means 4 and 5 properly mated, is shown on the handle 7 of a 
baseball bat 6. In this figure, 8 is a conventional baseball bat handle 
cover or sleeve which is placed over the gripping element of my invention 
and 9 is the conventional enlarged end of the baseball bat. This enlarged 
end is placed to properly hold the hands of the user from disengaging 
therefrom. 
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view cut through 1--1 of FIG. 2. In this 
showing, the solid portion 6 represents the baseball bat 2 and 3 the two 
layers of the gripping element of this invention, and 8 the flexible, 
conventional grip applied supra thereto. 
FIG. 4 is another showing of FIG. 2 wherein the left hand of the user 10 is 
already in place with the knuckles thereof 11 shown in an aligned position 
and the thumb as 12. The digits 13 and thumb 14 of the right hand are 
shown in position to slide over the gripping element of my invention 1 
which has been installed and notched as shown in FIG. 2. If this hand were 
shown already in place, one could not see said gripping element. As this 
hand is positioned by the user, the knuckles may or may not align with the 
knuckles of the left hand, in this showing. But, when the user begins to 
swing the baseball bat, either in warm-up or in actual use, the gripping 
element of my invention will rotate slightly so as to cause the proper 
alignment of both hands. 
In actual use, the gripping element of this invention should be about the 
size of a normal hand. Of course, hands vary in size and thus, the element 
can also vary in size and can be either customed fitted to the hand of the 
user or made an average size, for example. The notching means as shown in 
the drawings are shown as rectangular or square in dimension. This may 
also be semi-circular or "T" shaped, for example. The size and shape of 
the notching means is not important. However, the presence of a notching 
means is vital to prevent the entire gripping element from twisting and 
shifting position on the handle of the baseball bat during use. The 
preferred method is as shown and in this configuration, it has been 
thoroughly tested and found to provide the optimum in gripping ability. 
The first layer 2 of my gripping element is designed to hold firmly in 
place and to provide a secure grip for the user. This layer may be 
comprised any of the conventional, high friction producing materials, such 
as rubbers, both natural and synthetic, for example. It may be comprised 
of the same material used in the flexible sleeve installed over 
conventional baseball bat handles and thus, when this sleeve 8 is in 
contact therewith, a firm, gripping relationship is encountered. 
On the other hand, the second, inner layer 3, which faces the handle of the 
baseball bat 7 itself, must be able to slip or rotate thereon when the 
user makes a swing. The material from which this layer is constructed may 
be conventional, low friction materials such as polytetrafluroethylene or 
even polyethylene, among many others. I prefer the former material since 
it has a low coefficient of friction as measured against the conventional 
baseball bat handle, for example. 
Thus, when the notched element of this invention is installed over the 
handle of a baseball bat as shown in the figures attached hereto, it can 
be positioned for either hand of the user. A flexible, conventional sleeve 
used on the gripping handle of the bat may be installed over the element 
of this invention. This sleeve will hold my rotating grip firmly in place 
for use and is much preferred. However, any means for holding the rotating 
grip in place may also be used. For example, the grip may be taped in 
place or the notching means glued to prevent unraveling, for example. Any 
means to hold the rotating grip in place for the hand of the user may be 
utilized. Naturally, the conventional sleeve or grip of a baseball bat is 
preferred since it also prevents the slipping of the hands during use. 
Additionally, it permits an easier installation of my rotating grip and 
also permits easy change of the position thereof. For example, if the user 
decides to "choke up" on the handle of the bat or to move the position of 
the hands during use, it is a simple matter to roll down the sleeve and 
reposition the rotating grip to accommodate the requisite hand position. 
The use of my rotating grip enhances the playing of the game of baseball 
from the position of the batter. Since the knuckles of both hands will 
align properly, the swing of the bat is even and from the shoulders. A 
user will find that the swing of the bat is more level so that contact 
with the incoming pitched ball is square. This permits more hits of a 
line-drive type and less of the so-called "pop-ups". This effect also 
permits the bat to be in the hitting area or strike zone longer thus 
insuring more hits on the ball. In an actual test thereof, a single user 
hitting with and without the rotary grip of my invention found that the 
ball was struck more often and the ball travelled further on average after 
being hit with the bat containing the rotary grip. In addition, by using 
the rotary grip, a user may be able to enhance their swing more and thus 
be able to hit more effectively using the opposite hand. Thus, a right 
hand hitter may be able to swing from a left handed position and feel more 
comfortable with rotary grip installed than without. This occurs since the 
rotary grip enhances the grip of the user, properly aligning the hands 
thereof. Since this is even harder to do when batting with the opposite 
hand position, the use of the rotary grip will enhance the ability of the 
user to bat from the opposite stance, for example.