Toy-snap-back ball.

Application filed January 9,1903. Serial No. 138,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, John Baillie Cook, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at No. 384 Sackville street, in the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Toy SnapBack Balls; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same.

The invention relates to a very simple yet efficient toy snap-back ball to be thrown and caught onthe.rebound that is simple and easy for children to operate, is always in control, and will afford amusement, as well as exercise, and train the eye and hands in the act of catching a ball.

Reference being made to the accompanying drawing, it will be Been that the device consists of the combination of a ball A, which has an opening in it, and a cord c, inserted through the hole and each end attached to a swivel d, forming a triangular loop. At the other end of the said swivel d is affixed a retaining-cord <?, which may be about nine or ten feet long, (more or less,) to the extreme end of which is affixed an elastic band f to encircle the wrist of the operator and which may be made of any elastic material.

The ball is operated as follows: The operator first passes his hand through the elastic band /, which clasps his wrist, while he holds the ball A in his hand and throws it so as to strike the floor or ground at an angle about the length of the cord e from him, and a slight pressure of the hand backward, with the aid of the elastic wristband /, causes the ball to rebound and return to the position from whence it came and be caught by one or both hands.

It requires a little practice and dexterity to catch the ball on every return, and thus forms a very efficient youthful practice in ball-catching preparatory to any game where a ball is used.

Although my device is principally intended for outdoor practice by the youth of both sexes, it is equally adapted as a convenient means of exercise by adults out of doors or in a room that is large enough and particularly advantageous to those of sedentary employments who may require a few moments occasionally for exercise to remedy the tedium of too close confinement at an office-desk.

The swivel prevents the cord from knotting, and the cord could be secured to the cover of the ball without passing through it, and the swivel could be omitted; but the cord would knot itself, which is objectionable.