Mechanical guns and projectors – Fluid pressure – With control for discharge of fluid pressure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-06
2001-03-20
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3643)
Mechanical guns and projectors
Fluid pressure
With control for discharge of fluid pressure
C124S073000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202636
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to pitching machines for simulating batting and fielding practice. Particularly, pitching machines that are capable of simulating all types of pitched balls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Virtually every baseball and softball player relies on hitting practice with pitching provided by persons of varied ability or by one of various types of pitching machines. Although some are fortunate to have the pitching of an experienced, capable person, by and large consistent and competitive pitching can only be obtained at the professional level or by the use of pitching machines.
There have been primarily two types of pitching machines developed to pitch baseballs and softballs. First is the catapult type pitching machine. This machine uses an arm that violently rotates about one end to fling a ball at the target just like a catapult. While effective for simulating fastball type pitches these machines cannot impart the spin on the ball to simulate breaking pitches. Also, these machines tend to be bulky which prevents them from being portable, and forces them to be used at a fixed location.
The other type of commonly used pitching machine is the flywheel type pitching machine. These machines use one, two, or three spimning flywheels to propel the ball toward the batter. By pinning one flywheel at a greater speed than the other, spin can be imparted on the ball causing it to ‘break’. This allows the machine to simulate curveballs, sliders, or other breaking pitches. Flywheel type machines are also fairly portable allowing them to be set up wherever required. The flywheel pitching machines do have drawbacks, however. The flywheels themselves lose momentum when ‘pitching’ a ball and can take some time to recover the lost energy. Further, the flywheels themselves must be repositioned to simulate different types of breaking pitches and different handed pitchers. This takes time requiring a trial and error process for aiming, and also tells the batter what type of pitch to expect before the ball is actually pitched.
What is needed is a pitching machine that can pitch at a high velocity, yet still impart enough spin to the ball to simulate breaking pitches. Additionally, the pitching machine should not give visual clues to the batter as to which type of pitch to expect and should not take an inordinate amount of time to prepare for the next pitch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a pitching machine that uses expanding gas, from any of a variety of sources to propel a baseball, or other ball, through a barrel toward the target. The barrel of the pitching machine includes a friction plate, which is used to impart spin to the baseball. The friction plate has multiple settings to allow different amounts of spin to be imparted, and the barrel can be rotated allowing the friction plate to contact any portion of the ball allowing any type of spin to be imparted. The present invention can also include an automatic loader to load balls into the machine for firing without any human intervention.
The features and advantages of the invention will become more readily understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended claims and attached drawing wherein:
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Carone Michael J.
Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP
Nguyen Son T.
The Lobit Partnership
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