Mechanical pass receiver

Claim 2

A motor-driven football pass receiver comprising: a motordriven steerable vehicle, means to drive the vehicle and control its steering direction, a simulated football player mounted on said vehicle having a simulated torso rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, said simulated torso being provided with simulated arms pivotable on opposite sides of said torso, a target means attached to said arms, and means rotating said torso and pivoting said arms on the simulated player in accordance with the steering direction of the vehicle.

Claim 3

The practice football pass receiver of claim 1, and wherein said target means is attached between the simulated arms.

Claim 4

The practice football pass receiver of claim 2, and wherein said target means includes a rigid ring member pivotally connected at diametrically opposite portions thereof to the free end portions of the simulated arms.

Claim 5

The practice football pass receiver of claim 3, and a flexible receptacle attached to said rigid ring member.

Claim 6

The practice football pass receiver of claim 4, and wherein the simulated player is provided with a sun gear mounted on a vertical axis and the simulated torso is pivoted to rotate around said vertical axis, said rotating means comprising a planetary gear journaled to the simulated torso and meshing with said sun gear, and means to rotate said planetary gear.

Claim 7

The practice football pass receiver of claim 5, and wherein the means to rotate said planetary gear comprises a motor mounted on the simulated torso and means drivingly coupling said motor to said planetary gear.

Claim 8

The practice football pass receiver of claim 6, and means to rotate said simulated arms in opposite directions simultaneously with the rotation of the simulated torso around said vertical axis.

Claim 9

The practice football pass receiver of claim 7, and wherein one simulated arm rises while the other simulated arm descends, responsive to the rotation of the simulated torso around said vertical axis.

Claim 10

The practice football pass receiver of claim 8, and wherein said simulated arms are pivotally mounted on substantially aligned horizontal axes.

Claim 11

The practice football pass receiver of claim 9, and 1, the means to rotate the steering arms comprises a beveled gear journaled on said simulated torso to rotate on said vertical axis, means drivingly coupling said motor to said beveled gear, and respective pinion gears connected with the simulated arms on said substantially aligned horizontal axes and meshing with said beveled gear.

Claim 12

The practice football pass receiver of claim 1, and means to control the steering direction of the vehicle and concurrent rotation of said pivoted body portion, in accordance with respective radio control signals.

Claim 13

The practice football pass receiver of claim 11, and means to control the speed of movement and concurrent rotation of said pivoted body portion in accordance with a further radio signal.

Claim 14

The practice football pass receiver of claim 12, and wherein the vehicle is provided with electric driving motor means, and at least two driving batteries, and wherein the speed-controlling means comprises circuit means selectively connecting either a single driving battery or a series connection of the driving batteries to said driving motor means in accordance with the reception of said further radio signals.

Claim 15

The practice football pass receiver of claim 11, and wherein said pivoted body portion comprises a simulated torso provided with simulated arms pivoted to opposite sides of said simulated torso, said target means comprising a receptacle attached between said arms, motor means drivingly connected between the torso and the simulated player, means drivingly connecting said simulated arms to said motor means, circuit means to energize said motor means simultaneously with steering movements of the vehicle, and means to open said circuit means at a predetermined limiting position of at least one of said simulated arms, whereby to deenergize said motor means.

Claim 16

The practice football pass receiver of claim 14, and wherein said means to open said circuit means comprises a normally closed limit switch on the simulated torso included in said circuit means, and means connected to and moving with at least one of the simulated arms located so as to engage and open said limit switch when said one of the simulated arms reaches said predetermined limiting position.