Amusement devices: games – Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor... – Target
Patent
1982-02-23
1985-06-04
Pinkham, Richard C.
Amusement devices: games
Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor...
Target
A63B 6100
Patent
active
045210160
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improvements to ball game apparatus and more particularly to apparatus suitable for practising tennis and other ball games.
Basically, tennis practice away from a tennis court is carried out at present by the use of a practice ball anchored to the ground adjacent the player by an elastic cord or by a player hitting a ball against a practice wall. While the latter provides a return shot which closely simulates actual play, it requires a relatively large area and thus it is impractical for most applications. On the other hand, the practice ball does not provide a return simulating actual play as the speed and rate of play of return shots is too high when the ball is hit with a full swing of the racquet. The ball may be slowed down by hitting it upwards, however, in such a case authentic simulation of flight of the tennis ball is not achieved. Various other arrangements are available for practising tennis such as one wherein the ball is suspended by an elastic cord extending between a pair of poles, but such arrangements are not capable of providing practice for all shots which would be encountered in actual play. Furthermore, such known arrangements tend to become uninteresting and boring in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been devised to overcome the above disadvantages by providing an improved ball game apparatus which is suitable for practising various ball games and sports such as tennis and which may be adapted for use in a confined area, indoors or outdoors. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.
With the above and other objects in view, this invention resides broadly in apparatus for practising ball games or sports, said apparatus including elastic cord means adapted to be connected to a ball, said cord means being elastically stretched subsequent to striking of said ball whereby to cause return of said ball, slack net means disposed forwardly of said ball to dissipate the stored energy of said ball and in the path of movement thereof, and wherein said ball, on striking said slack net means loses most of its stored energy prior to its return.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:
FIG. 1 illustrates ball game apparatus according to the present invention as applied for tennis practice indoors;
FIGS. 2(a) and (b), 3(a) and (b) and FIG. 4 illustrate various components of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 illustrates ball game apparatus according to the present invention as applied for tennis practice outdoors;
FIG. 6 illustrates a detachable connection arrangement for use in the support braces of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5; and
FIGS. 7(a) and (b) illustrate alternative arrangements for anchoring the ball to the support poles.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated ball game apparatus 10 according to the present invention which is adapted in particular for practising tennis indoors. To this end, the apparatus includes a tennis ball 11 supported between a pair of upright poles 12 which extend between a ceiling 13 and floor 14 of a room and a slack net 15 which is supported within a rectangular framework 16 and arranged forwardly of the ball 11 and in the path of flight thereof. Each post 12 comprises upper and lower sections 17 and 18 which are releasably interconnected to each other. For this purpose, the lower end of the section 17 is formed as a socket and the upper end of the section 18 as a complimentary spigot to be engageable with the socket. The upper and lower sections 17 and 18 are maintained in an operative attitude by respective spring loaded pins 19 fitted in the lower section 18 which engage in apertures in the upper section. The upper and lower sections 17 and 18 may be simply detached by
REFERENCES:
patent: 1142184 (1915-06-01), Lawrence
patent: 1907412 (1933-05-01), Zimmer
patent: 2839300 (1958-06-01), Blaha et al.
patent: 3110306 (1967-03-01), Burt
patent: 3442510 (1969-06-01), Sorenson
patent: 3593998 (1971-07-01), Patlyn
patent: 3804409 (1974-04-01), Schachner
patent: 3856301 (1947-12-01), Davidson
patent: 3994494 (1974-11-01), Kelley
patent: 4068846 (1978-01-01), Forrest
Consumer Bulletin, Dec. 1962, p. 23.
Brown T.
Pinkham Richard C.
LandOfFree
Ball game apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Ball game apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ball game apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-825300