Games using tangible projectile – Playing field or court game; game element or accessory... – Practice or training device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-26
2001-06-05
Chapman, Jeanette (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...
Practice or training device
C473S507000, C473S513000, C124S005000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241629
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The subject invention relates to apparatus and method for use in training baseball and softball players. More particularly, the subject invention relates to apparatus and method for propelling a ball in a preselected direction toward a target.
BACKGROUND ART
In the training of baseball and softball players in the art of hitting and fielding the ball, it is necessary for someone to repeatedly throw a ball for them to hit or catch. As most are aware, development of skill in hitting and fielding requires years of experience and tens of thousands and even millions of balls thrown in the players direction for their gaining of experience in reacting to the flight and speed of the ball. Hand—Eye coordination is a most difficult skill to acquire.
In recent years, automatic pitching machines have been developed which propel a ball in a preselected flight patch toward a target. These are mechanical devices which are complicated and generally require an expenditure that is beyond the average person's available income budget.
It is therefore evident that the sport needs required a relatively inexpensive device that could be easily operated over extended periods of time and which required less energy to operate than that required by the actual throwing of a ball by an individual. It was also desirable to provide an apparatus that could be rapidly loaded with a ball. The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the invention, the training apparatus comprises an elongated tube having a chamber and being open at one of its ends, a handle, a spring connecting the tube to the handle, and means for obstructing the tube chamber at a preselected distance along the tube from a first end of the tube.
In another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for inserting a ball into the chamber of the apparatus, gripping the handle in a prescribed manner, moving the tube to a recommended position, and releasing the tube and thereby propel the ball from the chamber of the apparatus and toward a preselected target.
REFERENCES:
patent: 755117 (1904-03-01), Dunn
patent: 1593577 (1926-07-01), Kaiser
patent: 1865173 (1932-06-01), Dickerman
patent: 3115129 (1963-12-01), Merriman
Aryanpour Mitra
Chapman Jeanette
Hart Frank L.
Sports Vision, Inc.
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