Ball catching and delivery frame with variable flex

In a lacrosse head of the type having a frame and an associated base, said frame being peripherally extending, generally oval and symmetrically configured with a longitudinal major axis and a transverse minor axis, said frame defining respective forward and aft frame portions with intervening frame side portions, said frame being configured for receiving therein a ball of the type conventionally employed in playing of the game lacrosse, said base being located along an outside aft region of said frame that generally bisects said major axis, and said base including a handle-engagable portion that extends generally outwardly from said frame and lies generally along said major axis, the improvement with comprises:

• incorporating into said base a cartridge-receiving cavity and also a flexible region adjacent to said cavity for bending in a direction generally perpendicular to said major axis of said frame relative to an aft portion of said base whereby said frame has a perpendicular articulation relative to said base;
• providing a compressible, resilient, elastic cartridge for receipt into said cavity, including means for reversibly engaging said cartridge with said cavity;
• and
• including retaining means for limiting lateral movements of said head relative to said base whereby:
• said frame is flexibly moveable perpendicularly relative to said major axis and relative to said base generally about said cartridge, and
• said frame resists lateral side movements in a direction generally coplanar relative to the plane defined by said major axis and said minor axis.

A head of a lacrosse stick comprising:

• a) a frame including a base defining:
• a hollow first socket extending longitudinally through said base and adapted to receive the proximal end of a lacrosse stick handle, and
• a second socket extending though said base in a direction opposite said first socket;
• and
• b) a wedge comprised of a compressible material and adapted to be received in said second socket for allowing said frame to flex about said base.

In a lacrosse stick of the type having a handle with a terminally handle-associated head, the improvement which comprises providing a flexural capability in said head, said improvement being achieved by:

• (A) said head having a peripherally extending, generally oval, symmetrically configured frame with a longitudinal major axis and a transverse minor axis, said frame defining respective upper and lower frame portions with intervening frame side portions, said frame being configured for receiving therein a ball of the type conventionally employed in playing of the game lacrosse;
• (B) said head further having an outwardly extending base that is located along a region of said frame side portions and that generally bisects said major axis, said base including
• a handle-receiving socket that extends generally outwardly from said frame and generally along said major axis for receiving a handle, and
• a cartridge-receiving socket that extends generally perpendicularly relative to said major axis for receiving a cartridge;
• (C) a resilient, compressible cartridge for reversible receipt in said cartridge-receiving socket and including means for reversibly engaging said cartridge with said cartridge-receiving socket;
• (D) structural members extending exteriorly along opposite portions of said base and interconnecting said base with said frame in laterally adjacent relationship to said cartridge-receiving socket for resisting lateral side movements of said frame relative to said base, and permitting downward movement of said lower frame portions relative to said base in the vicinity of said cartridge with said cartridge being in said cartridge-receiving socket in response to downwardly exerted force exerted against said upper frame portions;
• (E) the relationship between said cartridge and said base being such that said cartridge yieldingly biases said base and said frame in a normally major axis alignment wherein said frame resists said downwards movement relative to said base.

In a lacrosse stick of the type comprising:

• a generally bilaterally symmetrical frame defining generally the periphery of the head and including
• a generally broad forward portion,
• a rearward portion that is narrower than said forward portion, and
• a pair of elongated side portions each one located along a different opposite side of said head and interconnecting on one said side one end of said forward portion with a longitudinally spaced adjacent one end of said rearward portion;
• a ball-receiving net structure situated within said frame and having edge portions secured to said frame;
• a base rearwardly extending from fixed association with said rearward portion and defining therein
• a rearwardly opening, longitudinally-extending socket for receiving and holding therein a forward end portion of a handle shaft,
• the improvement which comprises:
• defining in said base at least one generally transversely extending, pocket-like cavity that is longitudinally located between said socket and said rearward portion,
• said base further including regions that permit portions of said base located forward of said pocket-like cavity to deflect downwardly relative to portions of said base located rearwardly of said pocket-like cavity;
• and
• said base still further including lateral portions that retard portions of said frame from deflecting laterally relative to portions of said base;
• and
• a shock-absorbing, resilient, cushioning cartridge for location in said pocket cavity;
• the interrelationship between said frame, said net structure, said base, said pocket-like cavity and said cartridge as located in said pocket-like cavity being such that
• when a ball lands in said net structure, said pocket-like cavity and said cartridge as located in said pocket-like cavity are compressed and said frame is deflected downwardly relative to portions of said base, and
• when a ball in said net structure is impelled out of and away from said net structure through upward movement of said frame, said pocket-like cavity and said cartridge as located in said pocket-like cavity expand approximately to the initial respective configurations.

A head for a lacrosse stick comprising

• a frame defining generally the periphery of the head and including
• a generally broad forward portion,
• a rearward portion that is narrower than said forward portion, and
• a pair of elongated side portions each one located along a different opposite side of said head and interconnecting on one said side one end of said forward portion with a longitudinally spaced adjacent one end of said rearward portion;
• a ball-receiving net structure situated within said frame and having edge portions secured to said frame;
• a base portion rearwardly extending from fixed association with said rearward portion and defining therein
• a rearwardly opening, longitudinally-extending socket for receiving and holding therein a forward end portion of a handle shaft, and
• at least one generally transversely extending, pocket-like cavity that is longitudinally located between said socket and said rearward portion;
• said base portion further including upper portions that permit portions of said base portion located forward of said pocket-like cavity to deflect downwardly relative to portions of said base portion located rearwardly of said pocket-like cavity;
• and
• said base portion still further including lateral portions that retard portions of said base portion located forwards of said pocket-like cavity from deflecting laterally relative to portions of said base portion located rearwardly of said pocket-like cavity;
• and
• a resilient cartridge for location in said pocket-like cavity;
• the interrelationship between said frame, said net structure, said base portion, said pocket-like cavity and said cartridge as located in said pocket-like cavity being such that
• when a ball lands in said net structure, said pocket-like cavity and said cartridge as located in said pocket-like cavity are compressed and said frame is deflected downwardly relative to upper portions of said base portion, and
• when a ball in said net structure is impelled out of and away from said net structure through upward movement of said frame, said pocket-like cavity and said cartridge as located in said pocket-like cavity expand approximately to their initial respective configurations.

A head for a lacrosse stick comprising

• a frame defining generally the periphery of the head and including
• a generally broad forward portion,
• a rearward portion that is narrower than said forward portion;
• and
• a pair of elongated side portions each one located along a different opposite side of said head and interconnecting on one said side ne end of said forward portion with a longitudinally spaced adjacent one end of said rearward portion;
• a ball-receiving net structure situated within said frame and having edge portions secured to said frame;
• a base rearwardly extending from fixed association with said rearward portion and defining therein;
• a rearwardly opening, longitudinally-extending socket for receiving and holding therein a forward end portion of a handle shaft, and
• at least one generally transversely extending, pocket-like cavity longitudinally located between said socket and said rearward portion;
• a truss member that extends along and is associated with a portion of each lateral side of said base and that is in a fixed association with a longitudinally adjacent side of said base;
• said truss members on each side of said base being interconnected together through said base by a hinge pin adjacent to said aft portion of said base whereby said truss members are articulatable relative to said aft portion of said base and said frame in thus flexibly moveable perpendicularly relative to said major axis and relative to an aft portion of said base generally about said cartridge;
• a shock-absorbing, resilient, cushioning cartridge for location in said pocket-like cavity;
• the interrelationship between said frame, said base portion, said pocket-like cavity, said cartridge, said truss members and said hinge pin being such that
• when a ball lands in said net structure, said pocket-like cavity and said cartridge in said pocket-like cavity are compressed and said head is deflected downwardly relative to portions of said base, and
• when a ball in said net structure is impelled out of and away from said net structure through upward movement of said frame, said pocket-like cavity and said cartridge in said pocket-like cavity expand approximately to their initial respective configurations.