Mechanical guns and projectors – Fluid pressure – Provided by movement of user-actuated – projector-mounted...
Utility Patent
1999-01-19
2001-01-02
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3643)
Mechanical guns and projectors
Fluid pressure
Provided by movement of user-actuated, projector-mounted...
C024S056000, C024S060000, C024S063000, C024S065000
Utility Patent
active
06167878
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tossing device for objects such as balls used in games and athletic sports. The device of the present invention is particularly adapted to sports or games where a moving airborne object such as a ball must be struck in the air. Such a device has particular application to practice for ball sports such as baseball, softball and tennis where repeated swinging is desirable in order for a player to develop a consistent, controlled and accurate swinging style and coordination.
The present invention provides a propulsion means for successively launching (i.e. pitching or tossing) objects such as baseballs to a consistent height and position suitable for enabling a player to practice the appropriate swing. Furthermore, the device includes a magazine and feeder for holding multiple balls and timing means for sequential timed launching of each ball. As well, the invention permits variation of the trajectory of the tossed ball, both in angle and height.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many sports, most notably baseball, softball and tennis, involve the striking of a ball in the air. In order for the participant to gain appropriate skill it is necessary to achieve the needed biomechanics. It has long been recognized by players and their coaches that practice is required in order to fully develop the skills of the participant. This is achieved by repetition of the physical motions required. Pitching machines and the like offer the improvement of reaction time but lack the ability to allow the athlete to perfect the physical motion at a comfortable speed.
In baseball and softball a player typically only bats three or four times in a game and may swing only two or three times at bat. Clearly this is insufficient to provide much training, but when at bat it is crucial that the player hit the ball. There is also the lack of a convenient way to “warm up” the swing before or during a game.
The baseball or softball swing contains the same basic elements of a golf swing except the backstroke. There is an initiation of the swing, a power phase and a follow through. The swing starts with the weight on the rear foot (power leg) with the belt buckle at 90 degrees to the direction to the pitched ball and then moves through a rotation of the hips and ends with a follow through. At the end of the swing the belt buckle faces where the pitcher would be. A pitched ball (either from a pitcher or a pitching machine) comes so fast that the batter must react too quickly to develop proper mechanics. Ideally the batter would apply the same swing principles to both low and high pitches. Common problems are high front shoulder causing other body adjustments in order to acquire a level swing, improper weigh transfer and faulty follow through. The answer to the coaching problem is to slow the movements to the point where concentration can be on proper technique and not simply being able to contact the ball. This gives the players an incentive to apply the proper swing mechanics.
The usual method of addressing this coaching problem is by the use of a batting tee. Such a device simply holds a ball in a fixed position and the player swings through to hit the ball. Most players find this boring. Additionally, the necessity of having to manually place the next ball on the tee is tedious and distracts the batter from concentration on the swing.
A common alternate exercise is to have another person toss the ball to the batter or player. In minor leagues, the person tossing the ball will normally kneel to one side of and facing the batter (i.e. 90 degrees to the direction of a pitched ball) and gently toss the ball to a position where the batter can strike the ball easily. This requires two people and is uninteresting for the person tossing the ball. Often the person tossing is the coach who is then not in an optimal position to see what corrections need to be made in the motion of the player and this activity is time consuming for the coach. The other disadvantage is that the throws are inconsistent when tossed by a human being.
Professional level baseball players use the batting tee and perform a practice similar to the tossing exercise described both at practices and before games. In that case the toss originates 15 to 20 feet in front of the batter along a line from the pitchers mound to home plate.
PRIOR ART
Prior devices have long sought to provide the opportunity of batting practice. Batting tees are well known and sold by many manufacturers. Additionally, mechanical devices, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,848 to Kulesza et al. provide a spring loaded, dampened, lever actuated striker which is capable of impacting generally centrally on a ball to impel it to a height imparted by the particular spring tension. However, this device must be actuated individually for each ball tossed. The device cannot vary the height, or angle of toss in a consistent manner, but does lid produce a somewhat erratic angle of toss depending upon the point of contact of the striker against the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,109 to Meade discloses an electric solenoid driven device, including a feeder for multiple balls. Although capable of relatively consistent height of toss, this is not capable of angular variation. Further, it requires a separate electric power source for its timing circuit.
The device of the present invention provides a ball tossing apparatus which overcomes the limitations of these prior devices. The present device provides a light, portable, easily operated pneumatic machine which is capable of consistent and repeated tossing, in sequence, of a series of balls, to the same selected height and angle of offset. The self-timing features of the device permit a single player to maintain position and attitude toward the device, and thereby ensuring greater control of repetition and consistency in the practice swing, and also avoiding the loss of concentration which results when individual actuation of each ball tossing cycle is required. Further, in the present device a feeder and magazine is capable of sequentially feeding a series of balls, in a selectively timed sequence, to the tossing mechanism which controls both power and angle of thrust such that repeated positioning of sequential balls in the same trajectory is obtained.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The desirable features of the pneumatic ball tossing device of the present invention result from the following components. The launch mechanism is angularly adjustable through a vertical angle of 45°, permitting variation from a vertical toss to lit more lateral toss. A gravity fed tube or rack is capable of feeding a series of balls sequentially to the carrier portion of a launch mechanism. The launch mechanism comprises pneumatic cylinder and piston with a ball carrier on top. The piston is operated by a source of compressed air, such as a self contained compressed air tank or “air pig”, or alternatively a portable compressor. Regulated, pressurized air is controlled by a timer and fed through a valve to the launch cylinder. When the timer opens the valve, air pressure propels the piston and the carrier with a ball upwardly to launch the ball. The selected inclination of the launch cylinder and the selected air pressure determine the height and distance of the toss.
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Cottreau Blair
Ellis Stanley
Nickerson Andrew S.
Saulnier Frank
Beitey Daniel
Carone Michael J.
Nickerson Andrew S.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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