Ball pitching machine with recoil cushioning brake means

Claim 1

A PITCHING DEVICE OF A THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A DRIVE SAHFT AND AN IDLER SHAFT, EACH INDEPENDENTLY ROTATABLE AND DISPOSED GENERALLY END TO END IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT; A TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED PITCHING ARM FIXEDLY CARRIED BY SAID IDLER SHAFT, SAID ARM HAVING A GENERALLY OUTWARDLY TERMINAL BALL CRADLE, WHICH IDLER SHAFT ALSO CARRIES A RADIALLY DISPOSED DETENT SURFACE; MEANS ADAPTED FOR EFFECTING CONTINUOUS ROTATION OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT; A COIL SPRING DISPOSED GENERALLY COAXIAL WITH SAID SHAFTS AND HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS SECURED RESPECTIVELY TO THE IDLER SHAFT AND TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT, WHEREBY ROTATION OF THE LATTER ACTS TO TENSION SAID SPRING WHEN THE IDLER SHAFT IS HELD STATIONARY; TRIGGER MEANS HAVING A SLIDECONTACT SURFACE DISPOSED FOR YEIELDING FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DETENT SURFACE, WHEREBY THE IDLER SHAFT MAY BE HELD AGAINST ROTATION WHILE THE COIL SPRING IS TIGHTENED UNTIL IT OVERCOMES THE ENGAGING FORCE OF SAID SLIDE-CONTACT SURFACE AND THEREBY EFFECTS SUDDEN ROTATION OF THE IDLER SHAFT AND ATTACHED PITCHING ARM; AND ROTARY BRAKE MEANS ADAPTED TO CUSHION RECOIL FROM THE SUDDENLY RELEASED COIL SPRING, SAID BRAKE MEANS COMPRISING ENGAGEMENT SHOE DISPOSED FOR SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOSU ENGAGEMENT