Mechanical guns and projectors – Centrifugal – Mechanical
Patent
1990-05-21
1992-06-16
Reese, Randolph A.
Mechanical guns and projectors
Centrifugal
Mechanical
124 411, 273 26D, F41B 304
Patent
active
051217350
ABSTRACT:
A pitching machine for simulating the high speed, underhand delivered pitch used in fast pitch softball. An electric motor drives an arm on a 360.degree. vertical path of travel. A lost motion coupling between the motor and the arm permits a spring drive during a portion of each arm revolution. The arm is connected to a torsion spring so that energy stored in the spring drives the arm during a portion of each revolution at a high rate of speed to propel the ball from the pitching unit by centrifugal motion as the arm approaches the bottom of its path of travel. A shroud in the form of a cup-shaped cage open at one end cooperates with a curved member to hold the ball until the release point is reached. An optional spring biased, toothed, pivoted lever adjacent the shroud discharge opening frictionally engages the ball to cause a trajectory altering spin to the ball as it is propelled from the unit. A plunger operated ball supply ramp delivers the balls, one at a time, to a station for automatic pickup by the arm during each machine cycle.
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Reese Randolph A.
Ricci John A.
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