Football Practice Apparatus

Abstract

A ball retrieving apparatus used by a player for independently practicing the skills of throwing and catching an American style football. The football contains a modified rubber bladder of reduced size, enabling the ball to achieve a proper and consistent bounce due to the ball's flexible ends. The apparatus comprises a regulation style football pivotally and detachably communing with an elastic shock cord including swivels. The cord is anchored to a band worn on the player's wrist. When the ball is thrown in a forward direction, the cord stretches forward. When the cord reaches its maximum forward displacement, the ball snaps back, bouncing one time as it flies back toward the player. Because of the modified bladder, the ball returns in the air so that after one hop it may be caught by the thrower. The consistent bounce allows the player to independently throw and catch the ball numerous times in rapid succession.

Claims

1. A ball comprising: an outer shell shaped like a football with a first end and a second end; a single bladder positioned within the outer shell, the single bladder being of a different geometric shape than the outer shell; a first empty space positioned between the first end of the outer shell and the single bladder; a plug positioned on an end of a cord, the plug being inserted into a second empty space positioned between the single bladder and the second end of the outer shell, the second end of the outer shell being positioned on an opposite side of the ball fromthe first end of the outer shell, wherein the single bladder does not contact the first end, the first end of the outer shell being a distal end of the ball and the second end of the outer shell being a proximal end of the ball, the proximal end and distal end being positioned on opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the ball.

2. The ball of claim 1, wherein the outer shell includes a first interior layer formed of foam, and a second interior layer formed of rubber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The invention will now further be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrams wherein:

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation view of a tethered football according to the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevation sectional view of the tethered football shown in FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a side elevation view of the football practice apparatus in use.

DRAWINGSREFERENCE NUMERALS

[0022]

TABLE-US-00003 8 American style football 9 exterior layer of football 10 first interior layer of football 11 second interior layer of football 12 laces 14 air valve 16 plug attaching cord to ball 18 swivels 20 modified rubber bladder of reduced size 22L open space in the front end of the ball's interior 22R open space in the rear end of the ball's interior 24 elastic cord 28 wrist band 30 player

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views. FIG. 1 shows the exterior of the American style football 8 including standard laces 12, and standard air valve 14 for inflation of modified bladder. The American style football 8 has a tacky cover made of leather, rubber, composite rubber, or composite leather. A plug 16 is embedded in one end of the football 8 communicating with an elastic shock cord 26 joined in segments by metal spinners 18. FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the apparatus including the football's exterior layer 9, the football's first interior layer comprised of foam 10, the football's second interior layer comprised of butyl rubber 11, standard laces 12, standard air valve 14, plug 16, elastic shock cord 26, spinners 18, a modified rubber bladder of reduced size 20 and empty space 22L & 22R at both ends of the football's interior. The modified rubber bladder of reduced size 20 may be of an increased thickness in order to improve said football's bounce. FIG. 3 shows the American style football 8 wherein a forward pass is being thrown by a player 30. When the football 8 has reached its maximum forward displacement, the football 8 snaps back to the player 30 who may catch the ball 8. The ball attaches to the elastic shock cord 28 joined in segments by spinners 18. The elastic shock cord communicates with a band 28 worn on the player's 30 wrist.

[0024] Since obvious changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described herein, such modifications being within the spirit and scope of the invention claimed, it is indicated that all matter contained herein is intended as illustrative and not as limiting in scope.