Exposed edge stitched ballglove

Abstract

A ball glove engineered with exposed edge stitching, as opposed to turned leather, whereby the front (palm) and back are joined with one another in the same orientation as they are die cut. The resulting mating of front and back without welting exposes the edge of the leather (or other material) constituting the ball glove. Without turning the ball glove, other improvements may be seen such as the use of painted edge, exotic material types, and hard embellishments.

Claims

1. An exposed edge stitched ball glove comprising: a) an outer shell, said outer shell comprising a front surface and a back surface shaped to form a finger portion, a thumb portion, and a palm portion, said outer shell having an opening below said palm portion created by an unjoined region of said front surface and said back surface; b) a web portion located between said finger portion and said thumb portion; c) wherein the outer shell front surface and back surface are joined without an exterior surface of each of the front and back surface exposed, with stitching placed around edges about the finger portion of the joined front and back surface; wherein the edges are exposed on an exterior surface of the ball glove.

2. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ball glove further comprises hard embellishments set on the exterior surface of at least one of said front surface and said back surface.

3. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein the palm comprises organic material derived from a reptile and/or fish.

4. The ball glove as set forth in claim 3 wherein the palm comprises scales of a stingray.

5. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1 further comprising paint set over said edges along the exterior surface.

6. A method of manufacturing a ball glove, said method comprising the steps of: a. die-cutting exterior pieces, including the palm and back; b. stitching of the exterior pieces about the finger portion to one another to form a shell; c. further stitching additional pieces to form a liner, d. inserting the liner into the shell; e. securing the liner to the shell with an adhesive; f. binding the liner and shell together; g. adding jelly between the palm and palm liner, and h. lacing the glove top fingers, and webbing.

7. The ball glove as set forth in claim 6 further comprising the step of hot stamping flat pieces after the step of die cutting.

8. The ball glove as set forth in claim 6 further comprising the step of embossing indicia on the flat pieces after the step of die cutting.

9. The ball glove as set forth in claim 6 further comprising the step of embellishing flat portions of the shell with a plate of metal after the step of die cutting prior to said step of stitching.

10. The ball glove as set forth in claim 6 further comprising the step of painting edges exposed after said step of stitching.

11. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of comprises exposed stitching about the thumb portion.

12. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of comprises exposed stitching about the palm portion.

13. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein the back portion of the outer shell comprises organic material derived from a reptile and/or fish.

14. The ball glove as set forth in claim 13 wherein the back portion of the outer shell comprises scales of a stingray.

15. The ball glove as set forth in claim 13 wherein the back portion of the outer shell comprises snake.

16. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein the palm comprises organic material derived from elephant.

17. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein the back portion of the outer shell comprises organic material derived from elephant.

18. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein the palm comprises organic material derived from kangaroo.

19. The ball glove as set forth in claim 1 wherein the back portion of the outer shell comprises organic material derived from kangaroo.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a back view of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a thumb-side view of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a toe-side view of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a close-up view of the rear tips of fingers of a back view of an embodiment of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(9) FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of the pocket of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(10) FIG. 9 illustrates a rear view of the heel and hand entry point of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(11) FIG. 10 illustrates a front view of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

(12) FIG. 11 illustrates a deconstructed view of parts of a glove embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(13) Baseball gloves are normally stitched inside-out and then turned prior to lacing and forming. Gloves are sewn in the traditional way with welting/piping & turning. In order to turn them without tearing seams, when the leather is stitched together, welting is sewn in-between the leather components to make the seams stronger. This method of stitching requires a significant amount of skill and results in the need to perform significant shaping and forming after the glove is turned as a result of the leather being “disrupted” during turning. It also limits the type of leathers that are used in baseball gloves (normally softer chrome-tanned tanned leathers vs. more structured/stiffer veg-tanned leathers) or delicate/exotic leathers because they are not possible to turn or turning results in excessive creasing and damage to the leathers. Turning also hides the stitching or seams, which is common amongst glove-makers for many decades.

(14) Baseball gloves can now be made without welting/piping and without turning so that edges and stitching are exposed and unique leathers can be employed. Some unique leather beyond bovine and kangaroo include, but are not limited to elephant, stingray, alligator/crocodile, snake, or any other material known in the art both organic and synthetic. As the glove does not have to be turned, the material does not need to withstand the turning process. Baseball gloves produced with outside stitching and without the need for turning, eliminate the need for welting and the difficulty associated with training operators to acquire the necessary skill to stitch baseball gloves. This method of construction reduces the amount of disruption/creasing to the leather and the amount of forming and shaping required. It also allows for use of leathers otherwise not possible in baseball gloves, such as veg-tanned, exotic and delicate leathers. This construction method results in unique opportunities in glove design, highlighted stitching that was previously not visible or highlighting edges created by exposing color on the back-side of leather or through edge painting. The edges may be painted to emphasize the look and to otherwise protect the exposed untanned internal leather.

(15) As shown in FIGS. 1-10, a fielder's glove 10, as those familiar with gloves will recognize based on its size and shape, fielder's glove 10 is a standard fielder's glove. Fielder's glove 10 has an outer shell 16 composed of a front surface, or palm 12, and a back surface 14. Outer shell 16 has an opening 25 at the lower portion of fielder's glove 10 to receive a hand. Front surface 12 and back surface 14 are joined together at various parts by stitch 44, to form a glove with exposed edges. Glove 10 is not turned and allows for the edges 40 of the glove to be exposed as they are when the die is cut to expose the interior material of the leather used. Outer shell 16 is shaped to form a pocket 30, fingers 20, and thumb 22. A web region 28 is located between finger portion 20 and thumb portion 22. Glove is made of a palm 12 as die cut that is sewn together with back 14 to form a shell. A liner 18 is set within the shell to provide for contact with the worn hand. Heel 24 of glove 10 is preferably laced with lacing 26, while the remainder of the perimeter of the shell is stitched with edges exposed. Hinge 32 is set between thumb and fingers aside the heel. Joints 42 similarly includes exposed edges of the leather material.

(16) As shown in FIG. 11, the die cut pieces of the shell 16 and liner 18 include edges that have stitch holes 50 set therein and lace holes 52, each to receive a stitch or lace. No welts are required in the combination of the unturned glove, leading to a lower overall weight removed from the fulcrum (wrist) of the user, the lighter weight accommodates easier lifting and gripping/closing of glove. No piping or other treatment is required to reinforce and/or provide ornamentation over the turned edges.

(17) Exposed edges manufacturing does not require glove turning which eliminates a step in the process and process, reduces the need for shaping and forming that normally takes place to offset the effects of turning. Eliminating the step of turning, eliminates the need for stitching leather welt or piping into the seams, which is normally needed to maintain the strength of the seams during turning. Not only does this eliminate the need of a raw material (welt or piping), stitching without welting requires less skill. This reduces the amount of training required, especially in the process of “closing” the glove where the palm is stitched to the back components.

(18) The most difficult part of stitching a baseball glove is closing and the most difficult part of closing it stitching the crotch of the fingers. Stitching the crotches without welting allows for increasing the distance or space from one side of the crotch (one side of the finger) to the other (opposite side of the finger). This is not possible with wetted gloves because the space between the fingers after turning becomes too great, risking a ball going through the glove (fingers) or requiring additional lacing to prevent that from happening. Stitching with exposed edges results in a greater surface area of leather being exposed to the ball and therefore allows for narrowing of the fingers or increasing the gap in the crotch to make it easier to stitch in the crotch area.

(19) Stitching with welting or piping requires the gloves to be stitched inside-out and then turned, which makes it difficult for the stitching operator to detect stitching mistakes until after the glove is turned. When stitching mistakes are found at this point, the glove needs to be turned back and the correction made before re-turning again. With edge-exposed stitching, the stitching operator gets immediate feedback, can correct in the final form.

(20) Stitching with exposed edges also allows the detection of “flanky” or poor quality leather earlier on in the process, whereas with welt-stitching flanky leather in the palm is often only identified after the glove is turned, again resulting in the glove having to be turned back and all the stitching taken out in order to replace the leather palm and stitch and turn again. This is both a cost and quality issue.

(21) In terms of improvements to the final product, because turning is not required when exposing the edges, the gloves result in more consistent shape and size from one glove to the next. With welt stitching, the glove size and shape is more greatly impacted by the thickness/bulkiness of the welt after turning.

(22) Further, by avoiding turning, the leather is disturbed significantly less, resulting in smoother leather with fewer creases. Leather components can be trimmed less, so less material is needed for seam margin as is required when the gloves are turned. This results in less bulky and more streamlined seams and gloves for any given size.

(23) As the leather is disturbed significantly less, alternative leathers, typically not possible as a result of turning can be used. This applies to a wide range of exotic and specialty or delicate leathers as well as highly structured leathers that are very difficult to turn. These exotic materials may be used to comprise the entire palm to provide a one or two-toned theme wherein the palm and back are of different leather/material types.

(24) There is also ornamental value in exposed edges that create a unique look with options to: (1) expose raw edges: (2) color or paint them as an added design feature; (3) highlight them with contrasting stitching that is also exposed; and (4) expose color that goes through the leather and is visible through the exposed edge that is normally not visible with welt stitching.

(25) Exposed edge construction results in lighter weight gloves (which is considered a performance benefit) because welting is eliminated as well as less leather being used as a result of the ability to trim the components compared to a glove with welt construction for any given size glove.

(26) Exposed edges on the ends of the fingers are less rigid and allow for easier “scooping” or fielding of ground balls compared to finger tips made with welt construction that are more rigid and can cause a ball to hit and bounce off the end of a finger more easily.

(27) As for manufacture, there are a number of steps in the manufacture of gloves. Often these steps are sequential, meaning they have to be performed in a specific order. The prior art method of manufacture is amended as follows: 1. During stitching the liner and shell, welting is no longer required. No spine is needed in the stitches or joints. The shell can be constructed by joining the palm piece and back piece(s) without welts. 2. While malleting and aligning the pieces is a painstaking, and difficult process requiring strength, without turning the pieces are easier to align with proper die cuts. 3. Finally, the glove layoff is minimized as the leather can be set in a appropriate relative orientation when stitching and requires less forming/shaping. Similarly, the finally break-in process of beating the palm is significantly reduced as the shape of the die cut can include features that will manifest in three dimensional form (e.g. more palm leather near where the thumb meets fingers under the webbing) so the final product is manufactured in a broken-in form, as is known in the art.

(28) Finally, there is another benefit to not turning the gloves when it comes to personalization (which has become a significant trend in recent years)—adding hard embellishments (e.g., metal) is not feasible when turning the gloves without causing damage to the leather. Stitching with exposed edges allows for easy addition of hard embellishments to be sewn on the glove as personalization or design. The hard embellishments may be added before or after die cutting, and prior to stitching.