Plastic Cesta

This invention relates generally to hand held devices for throwing or projecting a small hard ball such as a pilota of the type commonly used in JAI LAI Frontons. More particularly, the plastic cesta is integrally molded from a one-piece polystyrene material and provided with a unique shape so as to withstand the considerable force exerted upon it in throwing or catching the pilota or other ball with which the cesta is used.

In carrying out the present invention the plastic cesta is preferably molded to have a body portion which defines a chute having a generally straight launching surface segment adjacent its outer end and integrally connected arcuate inner end surface tangentially arranged such that the arcuate surface has a radius of curvature which decreases in magnitude along the inwardly curved ramp surface of the chute. The innermost end of the body portion also defines a generally straight segment connected to the inner end of the arcuate ramp surface by a reversely curved portion and these straight inner and outer segments are generally perpendicular to one another. The body portion and more particularly the chute defining portion thereof also has generally parallel cresent shaped sides also integrally connected to the ramp surface and so defining the U-shaped chute that a pocket is provided in the area of sharpest curvature to receive the pilota and to retain it for throwing. A flexible member is attached to the surface of the flat inner segment of the cesta, generally opposite the ramp or launching surface thereof, and this flexible member is preferably formed from two layers of resilient material stitched at appropriate areas to define a glove for the users hand. Means is provided for winding a strap or cestus around the glove-like portion and around a pin slidably received in a metal bracket located at the innermost end of the plastic cesta.

Whereas prior art devices for use in JAI ALAI frontons have been fabricated from a wicker material and have been very expensive to produce due to the extensive labor required, the plastic cesta described herein provides many advantages over this conventional cesta construction. First, a high degree of consistency can be obtained in the manufacturing process, and secondly the resulting product is considerably less expensive than the hand made cesta.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plastic cesta constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the cesta shown in FIG. 1 lashed to the hand of the user.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the plastic cesta shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally on the line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view illustrating the portion of the cesta to which the glove defining element is attached and also illustrating the hand of the user to a slightly larger scale than shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the inner hand held end of the plastic cesta as shown by the lines 6--6 on FIG. 5.

Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, FIG. 1 shows a cesta molded from a single sheet of thermo-plastic material, such as polystyrene, and to which plastic cesta a glove like element is added for convenience in gripping the inner or lower end portion thereof. The plastic cesta comprises a one-piece molded portion which defines a chute as illustrated in FIG. 4, the chute having side walls 10 and 12 integrally connected to one another by a ramp surface 14 which ramp surface is curved throughout the major portion of its length but has a straight outer end portion 14a for launching the pilota (not shown). The arcuate inner ramp surface is connected to, and tangent to the straight surface 14a, and as best shown in FIG. 2 has a radius of curvature which decreases in magnitude along the direction of the arrow 16 so that the innermost end of this arcuate ramp portion of decreasing radius defines a pocket 14b. The pocket permits the pilota to be conveniently caught, or held preparatory to throwing it during the contest. As best shown in FIG. 5 the inner ramp surface of the cesta also has a straight segment 14c connected to the inner end of said decreasing radius portion by a reversely curved portion best shown at 14d in FIG. 2. The inner straight segment is generally perpendicular to the outer launching surface 14a and the sides of the cesta are generally crescent shaped, and integrally connected to the ramp surface, to define a U-shaped chute having the above described pocket in the area of sharpest curvature, and all of these portions of the cesta are formed integrally with one another in a single molding step preferably in a vacuum forming process starting with a sheet of polystyrene material, or the equivalent, of approximately one-eighth of an inch in thickness. The crescent shaped sides of the cesta body portion are preferably turned outwardly to form flanges, as best shown in FIG. 4, and also in the area of the cesta to which the glove like element is attached as best shown in FIG. 6. These outwardly turned flanged portions of the crescent shaped sides 10 and 12 are fitted with U-shaped protective strips of vinyl material or the equivalent. These strips preferably extend from a point adjacent the inner end of the cesta to a point adjacent to the outer end of the cesta and may be cemented in place in order to avoid the sharp edges otherwise encountered as a result of the outwardly turned flanges on the crescent shaped sides of the polystyrene cesta itself.

The glove defining element is shown at 22 in FIG. 1 and preferably comprises a vinyl covered cloth material folded back upon itself to provide two layers which are riveted or otherwise attached to the plastic cesta as shown at 24, that is along the lateral edges thereof. The outer layer is preferably somewhat longer than the inner layer, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, with the outer layer also defining a loop 26 in order to receive a cord or cestus for convenience in strapping the cesta to the hand of the wearer as best shown in FIG. 2. The two layers of the glove defining element are preferably stitched in selected areas, as best shown in FIG. 3 at 28, in order to provide openings, best shown in FIG. 6, for receiving the fingers of the wearer. A metal bracket is preferably riveted to the inner end of the ramp surface adjacent to the this glove defining element as best shown in FIG. 5 in order to define an opening or bore for receiving a rod 30 such that the cord or cestus can be conveniently wound around this rod and around the wearer's wrist over the flap portion 22a in the process of securing the cesta to the wearer's arm or wrist. The metal bracket element 30 is preferably riveted as shown in FIG. 5 at 32 and formed from an initially flat stock which is bent to define the opening for receiving the rod or cylinder 30.