Baseball-batting cage

Claim 2

In a sport practice cage of the type including a roof panel, a pair of side panels, a rear panel, and means for supporting said panel, the improvement comprising a plurality of front panels, at least partially transparent for observing without passing sport balls therethrough, and means at the top and bottom of said front panels for slidably supporting independent of each other and vertically holding said front panels between said side panels for defining different obstructed and unobstructed vertical areas in the front of the practice cage respectively for obstructing and unobstructing passage of a sport ball therethrough.

Claim 3

The sport practice cage in accordance with claim 1 wherein the total width of all of said front panels is substantially equal to the width between said pair of side panels.

Claim 4

The sport practice cage of claim 1 including a front top flap of a length to extend from said roof panel down over only a portion of the top of said front panel and means for mounting said front top flap at the top front of the cage foldable aT least partially over the roof panel of the cage.

Claim 5

The sport practice cage of claim 3 wherein said front top flap when fully extended downwardly extends down over said front panels to a height above the bottom of the front panels approximating the height of a strike zone. 5. The sport practice cage of claim 1 wherein said supporting means includes cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel, edge cords defining the edges of said roof panel and diagonal cross cords extending between corners of said top panel to adjacent the tops of said cornerposts and support cords extending from adjacent the post tops diagonally to the ground.

Claim 6

In a sport practice cage of the type including a roof panel, a pair of side panels, a rear panel, and means for supporting said panels, the improvement comprising a plurality of front panels, at least partially transparent for observing without passing sport balls therethrough, and means for slidably supporting said front panels between said side panels for defining different obstructed and unobstructed areas in the front of the practice cage respectively for obstructing and unobstructing passage of a sport ball therethrough, said supporting means including cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel, edge cords defining the edges of said roof panel, diagonal cross cords extending between corners of said top panel to adjacent the tops of said cornerposts and support cords extending from adjacent the post tops diagonally to the ground, and a tension-adjusting cord between said support cord and substantially the midportion of said cornerposts for adjusting the supporting tension on said cross cords and said roof panel.

Claim 7

In a sport practice cage of the type including a roof panel, a pair of side panels, a rear panel, and means for supporting said panels, the improvement comprising a plurality of front panels, at least partially transparent for observing without passing sport balls therethrough, and means for slidably supporting said front panels between said side panels for defining different obstructed and unobstructed areas in the front of the practice cage respectively for obstructing and unobstructing passage of a sport ball therethrough, said supporting means including cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel, edge cords defining the edges of said roof panel, diagonal cross cords extending between corners of said top panel to adjacent the tops of said cornerposts and support cords extending from adjacent the post tops diagonally to the ground, and a tension-adjusting cord between said support cord and substantially the midportion of said cornerposts for adjusting the supporting tension on said cross cords and said roof panel.

Claim 8

The sport practice cage of claim 6 wherein said supporting means further includes a corner member at each corner of said cage and comprising a main body including three arms projecting therefrom when in flattened position in a plane with the axis of each arm oriented at an angle of substantially 270* with respect to the axis of the other two arms and with each arm including at least a pair of spaced-apart apertures therein for receiving an edge support cord and means connected to said main body for connecting said main body to a cornerpost, said main body portion being flexible such that said arms can be deformed to align with three mutually perpendicular axes.

Claim 9

The sport practice cage of claim 7 including a fourth arm portion projecting from said main body portion of said corner member between a pair of said arms and including at least one aperture therein for receiving a cross-tensioning cord.

Claim 10

A sport practice cage comprising a plurality of wall panels for preventing passage of a sports ball therefrom in certain directions, means for supporting said wall panels, a plurality of front panels at least partially transparent for observing without passing sport balls therethrough and means at the top and bottom of said front panels for slidably supporting and vertically holding said front panels for defining different obstructed and unobstructed areas in the front of said cage respectively for obstructing and unobstructing passage of a sport ball therethrough.

Claim 11

A sport practice cage comprising a plurality of wall panels for preventing passage of a sports ball therefrom in certain directions, means for supporting said wall panels, a plurality of front panels at least partially transparent for observing without passing sport balls therethrough and means at the top and bottom of said front panels for slidably supporting and vertically holding said front panels for defining different obstructed and unobstructed areas in the front of said cage respectively for obstructing and unobstructing passage of a sport ball therethrough.

Claim 12

A sport practice cage comprising a roof panel, first and second side panels connected to opposite sides of said roof panel for depending downwardly from said roof panel when said roof panel is located in an elevated position, a back panel connected to said roof panel adapted for depending downwardly therefrom between said side panels, a plurality of front panels at least partially transparent for the observing without passing sport balls therethrough and the total width of which is substantially the width of said roof panel between said side panels and means at the top and bottom of said front panels for slidably supporting and vertically holding said front panels when said roof panel is in elevated position for defining obstructed and unobstructed regions in the front of said cage below said roof panel and between said side panels when iN an elevated position, cornerposts for erection at the corners of said roof panel for supporting said cage, edge support cords extending along the margins of said roof panel and connected thereto for supporting said cage between the corners of said roof panel, cross support cords connected to and extending diagonally across said roof panel between the corners thereof, means for connecting said edge cords and said cross cords to said cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel and support cords for connecting the tops of said support posts diagonally to the ground.

Claim 13

A sport practice cage comprising a roof panel, first and second side panels connected to opposite sides of said roof panel for depending downwardly from said roof panel when said roof panel is located in an elevated position, a back panel connected to said roof panel adapted for depending downwardly therefrom between said side panels, a plurality of front panels at least partially transparent for the observing without passing sport balls therethrough and the total width of which is substantially the width of said roof panel between said side panels and means at the top and bottom of said front panels for slidably supporting and vertically holding said front panels when said roof panel is in elevated position for defining obstructed and unobstructed regions in the front of said cage below said roof panel and between said side panels when iN an elevated position, cornerposts for erection at the corners of said roof panel for supporting said cage, edge support cords extending along the margins of said roof panel and connected thereto for supporting said cage between the corners of said roof panel, cross support cords connected to and extending diagonally across said roof panel between the corners thereof, means for connecting said edge cords and said cross cords to said cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel and support cords for connecting the tops of said support posts diagonally to the ground.

Claim 14

The cage structure of claim 10 including a front top flap of a length when fully extended downwardly from the top of the cage extends down over said front panel to a height above the bottom of the front panel approximately the height of a strike zone and means for mounting said front top flap at top front of the cage foldable at least partially over the roof panel of the cage.

Claim 15

A sport practice cage comprising a roof panel, first and second side panels connected to opposite sides of said roof panel for depending downwardly from said roof panel when said roof panel is located in an elevated position, a back panel connected to said roof panel adapted for depending downwardly therefrom between said side panels, and front panel means for defining obstructed and unobstructed regions in the front of said cage below said roof panel and between said side panels when in an elevated position, cornerposts for erection at the corners of said roof panel for supporting said cage, edge support cords extending along the margins of said roof panel and connected thereto for supporting said cage between the corners of said roof panel, cross support cords connected to and extending diagonally across said roof panel between the corners thereof, means for connecting said edge cords and said cross cords to said cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel and support cords for connecting the tops of said support posts diagonally to the ground, said connecting means including a corner member at each corner of said cage and comprising a main body including three arms projecting therefrom when in flattened position in a plane with the axis of each arm oriented at an angle of substantially 270* with respect to the axis of the two arms and with each arm including at least a pair of spaced-apart apertures therein for receiving an edge support cord and means connected to said main body for connecting said main body to a cornerpost, said main body portion being flexible such that said arms can be deformed to align with three mutually perpendicular axes.

Claim 16

A sport practice cage comprising a roof panel, first and second side panels connected to opposite sides of said roof panel for depending downwardly from said roof panel when said roof panel is located in an elevated position, a back panel connected to said roof panel adapted for depending downwardly therefrom between said side panels, and front panel means for defining obstructed and unobstructed regions in the front of said cage below said roof panel and between said side panels when in an elevated position, cornerposts for erection at the corners of said roof panel for supporting said cage, edge support cords extending along the margins of said roof panel and connected thereto for supporting said cage between the corners of said roof panel, cross support cords connected to and extending diagonally across said roof panel between the corners thereof, means for connecting said edge cords and said cross cords to said cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel and support cords for connecting the tops of said support posts diagonally to the ground, said connecting means including a corner member at each corner of said cage and comprising a main body including three arms projecting therefrom when in flattened position in a plane with the axis of each arm oriented at an angle of substantially 270* with respect to the axis of the two arms and with each arm including at least a pair of spaced-apart apertures therein for receiving an edge support cord and means connected to said main body for connecting said main body to a cornerpost, said main body portion being flexible such that said arms can be deformed to align with three mutually perpendicular axes.

Claim 17

A sport practice cage comprising a roof panel, first and second side panels connected to opposite sides of said roof panel for depending downwardly from said roof panel when said roof panel is located in an elevated position, a back panel connected to said roof panel adapted for depending downwardly therefrom between said side panels, and front panel means for defining obstructed and unobstructed regions in the front of said cage below said roof panel and between said side panels when in an elevated position, cornerposts for erection at the corner of said roof panel for supporting said cage, edge support cords extending along the margins of said roof panel and connected thereto for supporting said cage between the corners of said roof panel, cross support cords connected to and extending diagonally across said roof panel between the corners thereof, means for connecting said edge cords and said cross cords to said cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel, support cords for connecting the tops of said support posts diagonally to the ground, and a tension-adjusting cord between the diagonal connecting support cords and substantially the midportion of said cornerposts for adjusting the supporting tension on said cords and said roof panel.

Claim 18

A sport practice cage comprising a roof panel, first and second side panels connected to opposite sides of said roof panel for depending downwardly from said roof panel when said roof panel is located in an elevated position, a back panel connected to said roof panel adapted for depending downwardly therefrom between said side panels, and front panel means for defining obstructed and unobstructed regions in the front of said cage below said roof panel and between said side panels when in an elevated position, cornerposts for erection at the corner of said roof panel for supporting said cage, edge support cords extending along the margins of said roof panel and connected thereto for supporting said cage between the corners of said roof panel, cross support cords connected to and extending diagonally across said roof panel between the corners thereof, means for connecting said edge cords and said cross cords to said cornerposts at the corners of said roof panel, support cords for connecting the tops of said support posts diagonally to the ground, and a tension-adjusting cord between the diagonal connecting support cords and substantially the midportion of said cornerposts for adjusting the supporting tension on said cords and said roof panel.