J. A.

, HITLERICH,
BAT,
APPLICATION FILED AUG, 21, 1913,
1,110,487. e- Patented Sept, 15, 1914.

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 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
JOHN A. HILLERICH, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO J. F. HILLERICH &
SON COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.
B.A.

1,110,487. specification of Letters Patent, Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed August 21, 1913. Serial No.786,010.
To all whom it may concern: to the contour of the handle, so that when
Be it known that I, JoHN A. HILLERICH, it is applied around the handle in proper
a citizen of the United States, residing at position its said longitudinal edges will not
Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and
5 State of Kentucky, have invented certain. quite meet. This sheet of cork is preferably
new and useful Improvements in Bats, of abouta one-sixteenth
and convenient
of an inch
length for
in
the
thickness,
same is 60
which the following is a specification. about fifteen inches. . . ...
The present improvement relates to han In applying the cork sheet to the bat han
dles for bats, and consists in a bat the handle dle I first give to both the cork and the
of which is covered with a layer of cork handle a coating of waterproof fish glue
applied and maintained under tension. The cement and then curl the sheet around the
cork is applied to the extreme exterior pe handle. Then a thread or cord 4 is wound
riphery or surface of the handle without the around the cork sheet in such manner as to
cutting into or removal of any portion of
5 the handle. compress the same and increase its width,
Where cork has been applied to serve as and this compression is continued until the 70
a handle covering for various implements, edges of the cork sheet are brought firmly
portions of the material of the handle have together. The cement is then allowed to
been removed, so as to materially weaken become thoroughly dry and the cord 4 is
20 the bat or other implement; also the cork removed. The inner surface or skin of the
cork, sheet is then coincident with and prac
has not been applied under tension with the tically
result that it becomes loose and more or less integral with the extreme exterior
detached from the substance of the handle Surfaceportions
of the bat handle, and the outer
of the cork are in a state of tension,
So as to be inefficient for the purpose of af
25 fording a strong and firm grip of the bat. which gives great firmness to the handle and
These difficulties are overcome by my said at prevents the sheet from becoming detached 80
improvements, and for the purposes of mak of any the
point from the handle. The tension
cork sheet is evenly distributed from
ing the invention more clearly understood
have shown in the accompanying drawings
I end to end of the same, by reason of the
30 means for carrying the same into practical preliminary shaping of the sheet and the
effect. manner in which it was applied to the bat 85
In the said drawings:-Figure 1 is a side cork sheetThe
handle. longitudinal edges 5 of the
view of a base ball bat embodying the in joint, as indicatedbe atshaped
may
6 in
to form a butt
Fig. 5; or they
vention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of
35 the same on line II-II, Fig. 1, on a larger may be shaped to form a lap joint as indi
scale. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sheet or cated The
at 7 in Figs. 6 and 7.
thread or cord 4 is applied by a wind
90
layer of cork before it is applied to the bat
handle. Fig. 4 is a cross section, of full ing cork
machine, while the operator holds the
sheet in proper position curled around
size, of the bat handle, illustrating
40 ner of applying the cork thereto under ten
the man the bat handle, proper tension being main
sion. Fig. 5 is a similar view after the or stretch thethecork
tained upon cord to flatten out or spread 95
thread or cord which has been used for giv make a perfect jointasand may be necessary to
ing tension to the cork has been removed. its final stretched condition leave the cork in
after it has dried
Fig. 6 is a cross section on an exaggerated
45 scale showing the layer of cork as shaped to and the cord has been removed.
form a lap-joint, and before such joint has in Base ball bat handles vary considerably 100
diameter and contour, according to the
had its parts brought together by the ten models preferred
sion-applying thread or cord. Fig. 7 is a yet an exact joint by different players, and
along the edges 5 of the
similar view showing the joint completed. cork must be formed in order
50 Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the may be durable. The difficultiesthat the bat
incident to 05
body of a base ball bat, and 2 the handle securing this result are overcome by my im
thereof. provements, and any tearing or splitting of
3 is a sheet or layer of cork of sufficient the cork is avoided. The cork sheet is origi
length to form the necessary grip, and nally of sufficient thickness to allow of its
shaped at its longitudinal edges, according being spread and thinned until the required O
 2 1,110,487
joint has been made, and after drying every the said edges are caused to be tapered down
part of the cork is so fixedly and perma-
nently united with the bat handle surface
that the tension set up in the cork can not
cause any tearing or splitting after the cord
4 has been removed. After the cork has
been applied as described, and the bat dried,
the bat is put in a lathe and the end edges
of the cork sheet are finished to a feather
0 edge, as indicated at 8 in Fig. 2, so as to
prevent any pushing up and roughening or
loosening of the cork at these points. As a
result of the described improvements all of
the advantages of cork in giving a good
5 grip, absorbing shock, etc., are made avail
able in practical and durable form; also the
bat is strengthened in its weakest part by the
application of the cork to the extreme pe
riphery of the handle, instead of cutting
20 away any part of the latter. If the cork
should become Wet from rain or perspiration
its swelling may for the time being relieve
the said tension, but cannot cause the cork
to Wrinkle up or become detached. By the
said finishing of the end edges of the cork
entirely to the surface of the handle, so that
they cannot be struck or engaged by any
object or loosened from the handle.
I am aware of the British patent granted 30
to Dark, for cricket bats, May 6, 1891, No.
7,842, and I do not wish to be understood as
claiming anything disclosed therein.
What is claimed is:
1. A bat having its handle covered with 35
cork under tension and applied on the ex
terior of the full circumference of the han
dle, substantially as set forth.
2. A bat having applied to the exterior
of the full circumference of the handle cork 40
under tension, the end edges of which are
tapered to the surface of the handle, sub
stantially as set forth.
In testimony whereof I affix my signature
in presence of two witnesses.
JOHN A. HILLERICH.
Witnesses:
F. W. BRADSBY,
J. J. HAYES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the “Commissioner of Patents,
Washington, D.C.'