US2485882A - Baseball baseman's mitt - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25, 1949.

A. HILTON 2,485,882

BASEBALL BASEMANS MITT Filed Aug. 2, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

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ATTOR'N EYS.

Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED BASEBALL BASEMANS. lWITT Albert Hilton, Cincinnati, flhio assignor to Sport Products, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 2, 1946, Serial No. 688,020

1 Claim.

My invention relates to baseball mitts of the type ordinarily worn by a first baseman which is not as padded as a catchers mitt but more padded than the five fingered glove worn by the other basemen and fielders.

It is the object of my invention to provide a glove of the type noted which will effectively block a ball and permit the ball to be retained in a closure quickly formed by bringing the thumb and fingers together, in which the closure is such that it will immediately open up with movement apart of the thumb and fingers thereby releasing the ball for a quick throw of the first baseman.

It is a further object of my invention to simplify previous constructions and render construction of the glove less expensive by deleting a finger for the first finger and constructing the mitt portion of such size and shape as to receive the four fingers of the hand.

The foregoing objects and other objects to which reference will be made in the following description I accomplish by that certain construction and combination of elements of which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the leather piece forming the front of the glove.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the leather piece forming the back of the mitt portion of the glove.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the leather piece forming the back of the thumb portion of the love.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the ball blocking piece which is flexibly supported between adjacent edges of the thumb and mitt portions of the glove.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the glove flattened out with the thong members not yet secured.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the glove shown in Figure 5 from the back.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the glove showing the lobster claw appearance with dotted lines showing the axis of bending pliability.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic section showing the manner in which a ball is caught.

The front surface of the glove is formed preferably from one piece having a Wrist portion I, a thumb portion 2 extending out to the left (as illustrated), and a finger mitt portion 3. The surface area of the thumb portion 2, which is slightly longer and narrower, and the mitt portion, which is broader and of less length, are about equal and if the two parts are folded over along the flexing lines aa each portion will substantially cover the other.

Perforations are provided with eyelets 4 and a flexible binding edging 5 is sewed to the outer edge of the piece. Padding of desirable thickness is secured to the under surface of the cover portion and it is preferably covered with thin, flexible material such as thin leather.

The back of the glove is formed of the pieces 6, l, the piece 6 forming the back cover for the back of the mitt portion and the piece 1 forming the back cover for the thumb portion.

The front and back portions are secured together with thongs 8 which may be of leather. A continuous thong may be employed. By drawing the thong tight, the edges of the front and back portion are secured together.

A flexible ball blocking member 9 is shown mounted in the opening in the glove as indicated with thongs In which may be laced through the loops of the thong 8 to secure the piece Smidway between adjacent edges of the portions 2 and 3.

The thong laced construction, both for securing the front and back of the glove together, and for adjusting. the position of the blocking piece 9, permits adjustment to fit the hand of the wearer.

When the thumb is moved toward the mitt a line of flexing aa forms automatically. The appearance of the glove is like a large lobster claw. To localize this flexing I have mounted two stiffening strips Il', l2 in the padding of the glove as indicated in Figures 5 and '7. These stiffening strips may be of leather, paper or fiber material and their incorporation localizes the flexing along the diagonal line a a. The parts 2 and 3 have a folding together action about the axis aa diagonally arranged with respect to plane of motion of the parts 2 and 3.

In catching the ball the player holds the love so that the ball hits against the blocking piece 9. In some modifications the blocking piece may be eliminated and heavy laces or thongs may be used to block the ball. The ball then drops down into the pocket formed at the juncture of the thumb and first finger where it may be readily and quickly picked out for throwing.

Other features in glove construction common to the art may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A basemans mitt comprising a thinly padded thumb and mitt portion of substantially equal cent edges of the thumb and mitt portion, andmeans for localizing the flexing pliability of the glove, comprising relatively stiff plates mounted within the glove one in the mitt portion and one in the thumb portion.

ALBERT HILTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Latina July 13, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES Sporting Goods Catalog, Rawlings; Sports; Spring-Summer 1941 (pages 17 and 49).

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