US3570466A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for ejecting balls
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-08-15
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Granted: 1971-03-16
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Expires: 1988-08-15
Abstract
Abstract A sports apparatus for ejecting balls, such as tennis, cricket, baseball and similar balls, to provide a service of balls for training practice or for playing a game. The apparatus comprises a framework, a hammer with a striking face and which is mounted for continuous rotational movement about a shaft mounted on the framework so that the striking face describes a circular path of movement, and a feeder device comprised of a pair of spaced feeder plates positioned so that the striking face of the hammer will pass between them and adapted to feed successive balls to be positioned in the path of movement of the striking face.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian G C White
- 👤 Derek W Schroeder
- 👤 Donald C Logan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:53
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
Apparatus for ejecting balls, which comprises a framework, a first shaft mounted on the framework, a hammer having a stem mounted on the first shaft and a striking face mounted on the stem and adapted to perform continuous circulatory movement about the first shaft, drive means mounted on the framework for causing the circulatory movement of the striking gace, and a feeder device mounted on the framework above the first shaft for feeding a plurality of balls into the path of the striking face, said feeding device comprising an open bottom receptacle mounted on the framework, a second shaft mounted on the framework below the receptacle and a pair of plates of circular shape mounted on the second shaft for circulatory movement and spaaced apart to permit passage of the striking face of the hammer between them during rotation thereof, the said plates having peripheral cut out portions to define engagement hooks for engaging a ball between the plates in the cutout portions, drive means for causing circulatory movement of the plates and synchronization means for causing a ball to be positioned between the said plates in the path of the striking face after at least two full circulations of the hammer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
Apparatus for ejecting balls, which comprises a framework, a first shaft mounted on the framework, a hammer having a stem mounted on the first shaft and a striking face mounted on the stem and adapted to perform continuous circulatory movement about the first shaft, drive means mounted on the framework for causing the circulatory movement of the striking gace, and a feeder device mounted on the framework above the first shaft for feeding a plurality of balls into the path of the striking face, said feeding device comprising an open bottom receptacle mounted on the framework, a second shaft mounted on the framework below the receptacle and a pair of plates of circular shape mounted on the second shaft for circulatory movement and spaaced apart to permit passage of the striking face of the hammer between them during rotation thereof, the said plates having peripheral cut out portions to define engagement hooks for engaging a ball between the plates in the cutout portions, drive means for causing circulatory movement of the plates and synchronization means for causing a ball to be positioned between the said plates in the path of the striking face after at least two full circulations of the hammer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the receptacle for the balls is positioned immediately above the rotating plates, the receptacle having a discharge opening to permit balls to fall under gravity onto the rotating plates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the receptacle comprises an elongated narrow chute arranged at an inclination to ensure regular gravity feeding of the balls, and having outlet at its lower end for releasing successive balls to the feeder device one at a time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the feeder device contains a removable blocking means adapted to block the feed of balls to the pair of plates when in the blocking positon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which a third shaft is mounted on the framework with said first, second and third shafts parallel to each other, and in which the drive means for causing circulatory movement of the plates and to of the striking face of the hammer comprises chain drives from the sprockets on the first and second shafts to the sprockets on the third shaft, actuating means being provided for driving the third shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
138 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, in which a ball-feed blocking means is provided adjacent of the feeder device, said blocking means being adapted to block the balls being fed to a ball striking position, the blocking means comprising a pair of cooperating driving and driven sprockets, the driving sprocket being fixed on the said third shaft and the driven sprocket being journaled on the said second shaft with the driven sprocket a having a at least one cam formation thereon a blocking element normally positioned to block the feed of balls and displaceable into an open position to permit the feed of balls, the blocking element being actuated by the cam formation to be displaced into the open position, and the ration between the sprockets being selected to effect acutation of the blocking element at a desired rate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
AU2310029A
Cited
US2057599A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-15 | 1974-09-14 | 1975-03-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-15 | 1978-09-14 | 1979-03-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-15 | 1982-09-14 | 1983-03-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |