Games using tangible projectile – Playing field or court game; game element or accessory... – Practice or training device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-14
2001-02-20
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...
Practice or training device
C473S422000, C124S078000, C434S247000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190271
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to apparatus for providing an individual with an opportunity to practice receiving an element. For example, the invention relates to apparatus which propels balls toward a batter so that the batter can practice hitting the propelled balls. The invention is particularly advantageous because the batter can control when the ball is propelled toward the hitter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many youngsters are interested in improving their skills in hitting a baseball. Because of this, machines have been provided on a commercial basis for pitching balls to a batter. The batter positions himself or herself in a batting cage and the machine then transmits a plurality of balls in sequence to the batter. The batter pays for this by inserting coins into a coin box or by paying a cashier.
There are at least three (3) problems with the arrangement described in the previous paragraph. One problem is that the batter cannot control when successive balls are propelled to the batter by the pitching machine. Another problem is that the batter has to travel to the site of the pitching machine. This is an inconvenience to the batter. A third disadvantage is that the pitching machines propel the balls at a high velocity toward the batter. This may be advantageous to teenagers and adults but it is not advantageous to pre-teenagers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides an apparatus for overcoming the disadvantages discussed in the previous paragraph. The apparatus of this invention provides for a control by an individual (e.g. a batter) for times when a machine propels an element (e.g. a ball) for operation of a member (e.g. a bat) by the individual (e.g. batter). The apparatus of this invention is portable even by pre-teenagers so that the individual operating the member (e.g. the bat) can practice anywhere including the individual's backyard or a friend's backyard. The apparatus of this invention is especially designed to be used by pre-teenagers.
Although a pitching machine is shown in the drawings to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments are within the scope of the invention. For example, the apparatus of this invention can be adapted to propel hockey pucks to a player holding a hockey stick or to propel lacrosse balls to a player holding a lacrosse stick.
In one embodiment of the invention, a member (e.g. baseball bat) includes a switch manually operable to obtain the transmission of signals from a transmitter in the member to the apparatus which propels for propelling an element (e.g. ball) toward an individual holding the member.
The apparatus includes a receiver for receiving the transmitted signals and includes a housing with a hollow passage. A ramp supported on the housing holds a plurality of the elements for sequential movement into the passage. The element in the passage is supported on one of the fingers of a rotary detainer. The detainer is normally prevented from rotating by a release mechanism coupled to the detainer.
The detainer is rotated by the weight of the element when the release mechanism is decoupled from the detainer upon the reception of the transmitted signals. The element then moves downwardly in the passage to a propulsion mechanism which may comprise a pair of rollers for gripping the opposite ends of the element. The rollers are actuated by motors connected to a circuit with a transportable energy source (e.g. battery) so that the motors are energized only when a ball is disposed on a finger in the detainer, thereby prolonging battery life.
The element is propelled by the propulsion mechanism toward the individual holding the member so that the individual can practice receiving the element (e.g. hitting the ball). The trajectory of the propelled ball can be adjusted by pivoting the housing relative to a base member which supports the housing and which holds the battery.
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Leal Jose E.
Rappaport Mark J.
Aryanpour Mitra
Fulwider Patton Lee & Utecht LLP
Gerrity Stephen F.
Roston Ellsworth R.
Sport Fun, Inc.
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