Flexi-Bat
OwnerChelsi Hanleyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible bat for attachment to a pottery wheel. The flexible bat containing a pre-engraved design impresses texts, patterns, or designs onto the bottom surface of clay workpieces as they are simultaneously molded on the pottery wheel. These simultaneous steps save time and eliminate the additional steps of impressing these designs to the bottom of pliant clay pieces after molding is completed on the pottery wheel.
Claims14
A flexible bat for removeable attachment to a wheel head of a pottery wheel for securely holding a clay workpiece during rotation of the wheel head, the flexible bat comprising:
- a flexible body comprising a substantially planar bottom surface to engage at least a portion of a top surface of the wheel head, and a substantially planar top surface defining a working surface for acceptance of the workpiece thereon, wherein the body comprises a single piece;
- at least two apertures on the flexible body extending from the bottom surface towards the top surface, the at least two apertures being shaped and sized to at least partially receive a bat pin of the wheel head therein;
- a raised surface on the top surface of the flexible body, the raised surface comprising an engraved design;
- wherein a bottom surface of the clay workpiece is impressed with an inverse texture of the engraved design while the clay workpiece is securely held on the flexible bat and wheel head during rotation;
- and
- further wherein the clay workplace is removable from the raised surface of the flexible bat such that the inverse texture of the engraved design remains impressed on the bottom surface of the clay workpiece after removal.
A flexible bat for removeable attachment to a wheel head of a pottery wheel for securely holding a clay workpiece during rotation of the wheel head, the flexible bat comprising:
- a flexible body comprising a substantially planar bottom surface to engage at least a portion of a top surface of the wheel head, and a substantially planar top surface defining a working surface for acceptance of the workpiece thereon, wherein the body comprises a single piece;
- at least two apertures on the flexible body extending from the bottom surface towards the top surface, the at least two apertures being shaped and sized to at least partially receive a bat pin of the wheel head therein;
- an engraved design on the top surface of the flexible body;
- wherein a bottom surface of the clay workpiece is impressed with an inverse texture of the engraved design while the clay workpiece is securely held on the flexible bat and wheel head during rotation;
- further wherein the clay workplace is removable from the top surface of the flexible bat such that the inverse texture of the engraved design remains impressed on the bottom surface of the clay workpiece after removal.
A method for impressing a design onto a bottom surface of a clay workpiece that is simultaneously secured to a wheel head of a pottery wheel, the method comprising:
- (a) creating the design for impression onto the bottom surface of the workpiece;
- (b) creating an inverse image of the design;
- (c) engraving the inverse image of the design into a substantially planar top surface of a flexible bat, wherein the bat comprises a single piece flexible body;
- (d) attaching a substantially planar bottom surface of the flexible bat to a top surface of the wheel head, wherein the bottom surface engages at least a portion of the top surface of the wheel head;
- (e) securing the flexible bat to the wheel head with at least two apertures extending from the bottom surface of the bat towards the top surface of the bat, wherein the two apertures are shaped and sized to at least partially receive a bat pin of the wheel head;
- (f) securing the workpiece to the top surface of flexible bat, wherein the bottom surface of the workpiece is placed over the engraved inverse image of the design on the bat;
- (g) impressing the bottom surface of the workpiece with the engraved inverse image of the design while simultaneously working on the workpiece on the wheel head of the pottery wheel;
- and
- (h) removing the workpiece from the flexible bat such that the engraved inverse image of the design remains impressed on the bottom surface of the workpiece after removal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.