2

3 THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

4 _c This invention is a toy with which people of many ages can

6 Play-

_ The toy comprises a ball and a loop attached to a ball.

A baby learning to grasp an object can grasp the loop and o

9 can try and grasp the ball.

10 A child can hold the ball and throw the ball or can hold the

U handle and throw the ball and the handle. 2 Young people in an open area can play catch with the toy and 3 can throw it back and forth to each other. Also/ they can use the 4 toy like a slingshot by holding onto the ball and pulling the ball 5 to stretch the loop or the handle. Upon letting go of the ball the 6 loop or handle will pull the ball forward so as to fly through the 7 air.

An adult and a young child can play with the toy by tossing it 8 back and forth. 9 0 1 2 3 THE GENERAL DISCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The ball is made of a soft material. The handle is also made of a soft material and is formed in the configuration of a loop. The handle and the ball are united to each other and are made integr The toy upon hitting another person or striking another person will not hurt as the ball is soft and yeilds and also the handle is soft and flexible and yeilds.

1 THE DRAWINGS

2

3 In the drawings it is seen: FIGURE 1 is an illustration of the toy comprising a mass of

5 material in the configuration of a ball and a handle in the con- figuration of a loop; η FIGURE 2 is a first end view of the toy showing the mass of _o material and part of the handle in the mass of material; _n FIGURE 3 is a second end view of the toy and shows the loop

- _n portion of the handle against the background of the material;

11 FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the mass of material and the

12 handle in the configuration of a loop;

13 FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of the handle in the configuration

14 of the loop and a first keeper;

15 FIGURE 6 is a view showing the combination of the handle in the

16 configuration of a loop and the first keeper with the first keeper

17 forcing together the loop near the first end and the second end of

18 the flexible handle and with the ends of the flexible handle pointin ig upward;

20 FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the completed handle 2i with the ends of the loop pointed downwardly and also the handle „2 looping back on the end portions and directed towards the loop portion and illustrating the first keeper at the ends of the

23 downwardly directed handle and a second keeper below the first 24 keeper and on the looped part of the handle; 25

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ball showing the 26 recess for receiving the united end of the flexible handle; and 27

28 FIGURE 9 shows the toy as a combination of the mass of material

29 in the configuration of a spheroid and a flexible handle with the

30 end of the handle in the recess of the ball and also the loop

31 portion of the handle extending through the ball and on the outside

1 THE SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

2

3 In the drawings it is seen that there is a toy 10 comprising

4 a combination of a mass of material 12 in the configuration of a ball or a spheroid and a flexible handle 14. Said mass 12 is of g a soft plastic such as rubber, polyurethane _* polyvinyl chloride η and the like. It is resilient/ resistant to abrasion and yielding

8 upon striking an object. The handle 14 is also of a soft plastic g such as rubber, polyurethane/ polyvinyle chloride and is resilient/

10 resistant to abrasion/ flexible and yeilding. The handle 14 may

21 be of tubular material or may be of a solid material. The handle

12 is of such a quality that upon striking a person it will not hurt

23 the person and upon striking an object it will yeild.

14 In Figures 5/6 and 7 there is illustrated the construction of

15 the flexible handle 14. The handle 14 is made of a length 16 of

16 flexible material. The length 16 has a first end 18 and a second

17 end 20. In Figure 5 it is seen that the first end 18 has a first

18 outer surface 22 and a second inner surface 24. The second end 20 ig and the length 16 has a third inner surface 26 and a fourth outer 2o surface 28. There is a first keeper 30. In Figure 5 the length 2i 16 and the keeper 30 are separated.

22 In Figure 6 the keeper 30 is positioned over the ends 18 and

23 20 of the length 16. The keeper 30 can be of a plastic such as

24 rubber or polyurethane or other suitable plastic which can be

25 expanded upon stretching. The keeper 30 is in the configuration 25 of a short tube or an 0-ring. The keeper 30 can be expanded and

27 positioned over the ends 18 and 20 of the length 16. Upon con-

28 tracting the keeper 30 will force together the second inner surface 2g 24 of the first end 18 and the third inner surface 26 of the second -_ end 20 as illustrated in Figure 6.

3 In Figure 7 there is illustrated the folding back of the ends

32 upon the adjacent part of the length 16 to form the united end 22.

In Figure 7 it is seen that the ends 18 and 20 are directed to the loop 36 of the flexible handle 14 or the ends 18 and 20 are directed downwardly. The second inner surface 24 and the third inner surface 26 are adjacent to each other and on the upper part become an outer surface and then fold back and are directed downwardly so that the former first outer surface 22 is adjacent to and bearing against the outside of the first keeper 30 and the former fourth outer surface 28 is adjacent to and bearing against the outer surface of the first keeper 30. Then/ the second keeper 34 is expanded. The second keeper 34 can be of plastic such as rubber or polyurethan or other suitable plastic and is in the configuration of a short tube or an O-ring. The second keeper 34 can be expanded and passed over the first keeper 30 and on the outside of the second inner surface 24 and the third inner surface 26 and then allowed to contract so as to force together/ below the first keeper 30/ the length 16 of flexible material. At this position the former first outer surface 22 and the former fourth outer surface 28 are bearing against each other. The length 16 has now been formed into a loop

36 as illustrated in Figure 7. The second keeper 34 is positioned between the first keeper 30 and the loop 36.

In Figure 8 there is a cross sectional view of the mass 12 in the configuration of a spheriod and there is illustrated a recess 38 in the mass 12. In Figure 9 there is illustrated a toy 10 comprising a combinat of the mass 12 and the handle 14. The united end 32 with the handle 14 is positioned in the recess 38 of the mass 12. The loop 36 of the handle 14 has been forced through the majority of the mass 12 as illustrated in Figure 9. The second keeper 34/ the first keeper 30 and the ends 18 and 20 are positioned in the recess 38 in the mass 12. With the toy 10 a person can hold onto the flexible handle and throw the toy. The person can see how far the toy can be thrown.

1 Also, there may be another person to try and catch the toy by

2 either by the handle 14 or the mass 12.

3 The toy 10 can be used like a slingshot. A person can hold

4 the flexible handle in one hand and pull on the ball with the other

5 hand. Then, the person can let go of the ball and see how far the

6 toy 10 will travel through the air. A contest can be made to see

7 how far the person can make the ball travel through the air with

8 this slingshot effect.

9 The mass 12 and the flexible handle 14 are soft and nonabrasive 0 and/ if a person is hit with the toy 10/ the person will not be hurt. This is important from the stand point of a little child whos

22 coordination may not be sufficiently good to catch the toy 10 as it

13 is traveling through the air. If the toy hits the child on the head

14 or the body the child will not be hurt. 5 Another feature is that the mass 12 is of sufficiently large 15 diameter that a baby or a child can not put the mass 12 inside the 7 mouth and possibly be hurt. _jo The loop 36 is a flexible handle 12 and has a sufficiently small

2 _Q opening that it cannot be placed over the head of a baby or a child

„_ so as to possibly hurt the baby or the child.

21 In the preparation of this patent application a patent search 2 was not made. The inventor knows that there have been combinations 3 of balls and handles. The inventor does not know of a combination 4 of a ball and a handle made according to this invention. 5 35 U.S.C 101: INVENTIONS PATENTABLE states; "Whoever invents 6 or discovers any new and useful process/ machine/ manufacture/ or 7 composition of matter/ or any new and useful improvement thereof/ 8 m y obtain a patent therefor/ subject to the conditions and require- g ments of the title. July 19, 1952, c. 950, U.S.C. 1, 66 Stat. 797." ₀ 35 U.S.C. 103: CONDITIONS FOR PATENTABILITY; NON-OBVIOUS SUBJECT 1 MATTER states; "A patent may not be obtained though the invention is 2 not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102

1 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter

2 sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject

3 matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention

4 was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said

5 subject matter pertains.

5 Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which η the invention was made. Subject matter developed by another person,

_P which qualifies as prior art only under subsection (f) or (g) of o section 102 of the title, shall not preclude patentability under

- _n this section where the subject matter and the claimed invention were, at the time the invention was made, owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person."

The applicant considers this invention to be new and unobvious 13

14 because of the construction of the handle in the configuration of

15 the loop with the first keeper 30 and the second keeper 34. The applicant does not know of a handle constructed according to the 7 handle of this invention. Also/ the recess 38 in the mass 12 8 while receiving the end of the handle and the first keeper 30 and 9 the second keeper 34 is new and unobvious to the extent of the 0 inventor knowledge and information. i The invention is useful as people of various ages can use the 2 toy 10 for play. The various people can throw the toy back and 3 forth to each other so as to be caught. Also/ a game can be perfected with this toy to see how far a person can throw the toy ₅ or how far a person can shoot the toy in a slingshot effect. 6 7 8 9 0 1 2

1 INSERT A:

2 From the foregoing it is seen that I have provided a combina

3 of a mass and a handle with said handle being in the configuration . of a loop; part of said handle being in said mass; said handle comprising a length of material having a first end and a second end; said first end and said second end being juxtapositioned; said firs

_ end and said second end having a first outer surface and a second inner surface; said second end having a third inner surface and a 8

- fourth outer surface; a first keeper encircling said first end and said second end and being on the outside of said first surface and 10 said second surface; said first end/ said second end/ said first keeper and said length of material forming said loop; said first end and said second end being directed toward said loop; said first

14 end folding back on itself with said first surface adjacent to said

15 first keeper; said second end folding back on to itself with said

1 first surface adjacent to said first keeper; a second keeper encircl 2 ₇ said length of material near said first keeper and between said _._ first keeper and said loop; said second keeper being on the outside ._ of said second surface and said third surface with said first surfac and said fourth surface being juxtapositioned;said first end/ said second end/ said first keeper, said second keeper and part of the

22 lenghth of the material being in said mass and said length being

„, ouside of said mass; said mass being flexible and having a yeilding

_. quality so that upon striking an object the mass yeilds; said handle

__ of a flexible/ yeilding and stretchable material so that upon strik

ZΪ3

-- an object the handle yeilds/said mass being in the configuration ___o of a spheroid; said mass having a recess for receiving part of said handle; said first end/ said second end/ said first keeper and said second keeper being in said recess; and/ said mass and said handle- 9 0 being of plastic. 1 Also/ I have provided a method for making a combination of a 2 mass and a handle/ said method comprising selecting said handle of

1 a length of material having a first end and a second end; juxtapositio

2 ing said first end and said second end with said first end having

3 a first outer surface and a second inner surface and said second

4 end having a third inner surface and afourth outer surface;

5 positioning a first keeper to encircle said first end and said second

6 end on the outside of said first surface and said fourth surface

7 to form with said length of material a loop; directing said first

8 end and said second end toward said loop; folding said first end

9 back on itself with said fourth surface being adjacent to said first 20 keeper; positioning a second keeper to encircle said length of

11 material near said first keeoer and between said first keeper and

12 said lccp vith said third surface with said first surface and said 23 fourth surface baing juxtapositioned; positioning substantially all . . of said first end/ said second end, said first keeper and said secon 2 keeper and part of the length of said material in said mass said

- _g material outside of said mass; said mass being flexible and having

.. a yeilding quality so that upon striking an object the mass yeilds;

18 said handle being of a flexible/ yeilding and stretchable material

19 so that upon striking an object the handle yeilds; selecting said 0 mass in the configuration of a spheriod; forming a recess in said 1 mass for receiving part of said handle; positioning substantially 2 all of said first end/ said second end/ said first keeper and said 3 second keeper in said recess; positioning the majority of said lengt 4 of material of said handle outside of said mass; and said mass and 5 said handle being of plastic. 6 Further/ it is seen that I have provided a combination of a 7 mass and a handle made by a method comprising selecting said handle 8 of length of material having a first end and a second end; 9 juxtapositioning said first end and said second end with said first Q end having a first outer surface and a second innner surface and 1 a said second end having a third inner surface and a fourth outer 2 surface; positioning a first keeper to encircle said first end and

1 said second end on the outside of said first surface and said

2 fourth surface to form with said length of material a loop;

3 directing said first end and said second end toward said loop;

4 folding said first end back on itself with said first surface

5 being adjacent to said first keeper; folding said second end back 5 on itself with said fourth surface being adjacent to said first

₇ keeper; positioning a second keeper to encircle said length of mate

_ near said first keeper and between said first keeper and said loop o

_ with said second keeper being on the outside of said second surface and said third surface with said first surface and said fourth surf 0 being juxapositioned; positioning substantially all of said first end/ said second end/ said first keeper and said second keeper and part of the length of said material of said material in said mass and part of the length of said material outside of said mass;

selecting said mass in the configuration of a spheroid; forming a recess in said mass for receiving part of said handle; positioning substantially all of said first end, said second end/ said first keeper and said second keeper in said recess; postioning the majorit of said length of material of said handle outside of said mass; and/ said mass and said handle being of plastic. It is seen in the foregoing disclosure that I have provided a toy comprising a ball and _? handle; a method for making said toy; and, a toy made by the method.