Abstract:
An insertable adapter for use with batting-T&#39;s which is translucent, flexible and designed to more faithfully reflect and promote proper mechanics of swinging a traditional baseball bat, therefore hitting a ball thrown through the air.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This non provisional application is a continuation-in-part of provisional application No. 60/251,767, which was filed Dec. 7, 2000, entitled TURBO BASEBALL BATTING TEE ACCESSORY. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to an insertable adapter for use with batting-T&#39;s, which is translucent, flexible and designed to more faithfully reflect and promote proper mechanics of swinging a traditional baseball bat, and therefore hitting a ball thrown through the air.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Batting-T&#39;s have been widely used and known for many years. They are often necessarily designed to be heavy and rugged in order to withstand the punishing treatment of being hit during normal use. A major drawback of heavily built batting-t&#39;s is that hitting the heavy, rigid and usually rubber or synthetic rubber “pipe”, commonly referred to as the periscope portion, holding the ball sends shock waves back through the bat to the batter. This shockwave is physically and mentally detrimental to the batter who considers the implication of correctly swinging the barrel of the bat to and through the ball in a slightly descending swing, on all future attempts. This has the result of the batter worrying about being “shocked” by impact with the T, instead of concentrating on hitting through the ball. As a result, the batters start to alter their swing, and instead of hitting down and through the ball, they tend swing over the top of the ball or worse, start “picking” the ball with an undesirable upper cut swing.  
           [0004]    Additionally, most batting-T&#39;s are black or some other solid color and do not replicate the action of hitting a ball in clear mid air. Since these batting-T&#39;s do not exactly mimic the reality of hitting a ball in mid air because of this visual difference, the utility of existing batting-T&#39;s as a training tool is diminished. Existing batting-T&#39;s wear out after being struck by bats and the entire unit must be replaced at a large expense.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The instant invention addresses each of the issues with current batting-T&#39;s by providing a flexible, translucent, replaceable batting-T insert.  
         OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    An object of the instant invention is a quick and easy to install batting-T adapter which will mate into the top periscope portion of most existing batting-T bases.  
           [0007]    Another object of the instant invention is a batting-T adapter which is flexible and translucent and is configured to significantly reduce ball friction.  
           [0008]    Another object of the instant invention is a batting-T adapter which is lightweight and durable, yet is also small and portable.  
           [0009]    Another object of the instant invention is a batting-T adapter which prolongs the life of existing and dilapidated batting-T&#39;s. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the batting-T adapter in use inserted in a batting-T.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the batting-T adapter.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]    Detailed embodiments of the instant invention are disclosed herein, however it will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.  
         [0013]    Referring to FIG. 1, the batting-T adapter  2  is shown disposed in the main periscope tube  40  of a standard batting-T  42 .  
         [0014]    Referring to FIG. 2 batting-T  2  has a lower base  4  which has solid core  6 , outer wall  12 , lower end  8  and lower outer edge  10 . The solid core  6  of base  4  helps to keep batting-T  2  solidly supported in main periscope tube  40  of standard T  42  with necessary weight and mass. In addition, the last 0.50″ of solid core just below stop ring  16  increases in dimension from 1.165″ to 1.25″. This added step insures a secure fit.  
         [0015]    Circumfrential stop ring  16  is located at the opposite end of lower base  4  from lower end  8 . Circumfrential stop ring  16  has a lower neck  14 , an upper neck  18  and stop ring extending arm portion  44 . When in use, lower neck  14  of circumstantial stop ring  16  is supported by main tube  40  of standard T  42 .  
         [0016]    Upper support portion  22  is connected to lower base  4 . Depending on the need for height and rigidity, upper base portion  20  may be disposed between lower base  4  and upper support portion  22 . Upper base portion  20  may be configured with the same, narrower or wider dimension as compared to lower base  4 . Solid upper base  20 , which is about one inch in length above circumfrential stop ring  16  is solid to prevent premature tearing from repeated removing and replacing the batting-T adapter  2  from the standard T  42 . The users thumb &amp; index fingers are placed on upper base portion  20  to pull batting-T adapter from standard T  42 .  
         [0017]    Upper support portion  22  has internal aperture  24 , internal walls  26 , outer wall  28  and internal bottom  30 .  
         [0018]    Flared tip portion  32  is connected to the top of upper support portion  22 . Flared tip portion  32  has internal aperture  34 , internal wall  36 , outer wall  38  and outer edge  48 .  
         [0019]    As shown in FIG. 1, in operation, ball  46  is placed on outer edge  48  of flared tip  32 . Ball  46  is held in position of a batter to hit the ball from the outer edge  48 .  
         [0020]    Adapter base T  2  is made from translucent, flexible PVC in order to simulate hitting a ball suspended in air. The translucence helps to isolate the ball  46  from standard T  42 . The material is flexible to avoid contact pressure/shockwave being transferred back to the batter as a result of contact made with adapter base T  2 . In the preferred embodiment, adapter base T  2  is made to be approximately 80% less resistant to impact than material from standard T&#39;s  42  and adapter base T  2  has approximately 20% of the mass of standard T&#39;s  42 . The characteristics of the PVC material should be such as to withstand at least 5,000 contacts without any indication of breakdown. Since the adapter base T  2  is easily replaceable, it makes old and dilapidated standard T&#39;s  42 , which have experienced fraying or splitting at the top, completely functional. Additionally, adapter base T  2  will extend the life of most standard T&#39;s  42  by absorbing the majority of impact hits.  
         [0021]    The diameter of lower base  4  is designed to mate slidably and rigidly with most standard t&#39;s  42 . The lower base  4  diameter should be approximately 1.165 inches and the lower base height should be about 7 inches in length. Circumfrential stop ring  16  should have a diameter of approximately 1.7 inches and an extending arm portion  44  outside lower base outer wall  12  of about 0.25 inches.  
         [0022]    Upper support  22  should be about 3 inches in length and upper flared portion  32  should be about 1.5 inches in length. The flared tip outer wall  38  should be about 0.10 inches in thickness to be relatively thin. The flared tip outer wall  38  has an inward beveled outer edge matching the contour of a baseball and a maximum aperture diameter of about 1.25 inches to keep ball friction to a minimum.  
         [0023]    Adapter base T  2  is designed to be lightweight to be easily carried in travel bags to be installed in main tube  40  of standard T  42  in seconds without tools.  
         [0024]    Additional features and applications of the instant invention can be practiced hereunder without departing from the nature and spirit of the description of the preferred embodiment.