Patent US3855988A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3855988A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ball throwing machine
Assignee: Prince Manufacturing Inc
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Filing: 1973-04-13
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Granted: 1974-12-24
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Expires: 1993-04-13
Abstract
Abstract A ball throwing device is provided with a base having an air box therein. A barrel is movable to various selected positions with respect to the base and connected to the air box by a flexible duct through which balls pass to the barrel. The balls to be thrown are introduced successively from a rotary ball feed assembly into the air box and barrel and are held within the barrel by a ball-stop detent until sufficient air pressure has built up behind the ball to move it past the ball-stop detent and out of the barrel in a desired trajectory and at a desired speed.
Inventors
- 👤 D Sweeton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:29
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/40; A63B69/409
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
320 words
A ball throwing device comprising a base embodying a stationary air box with an exterior open top portion defining a ball receiving tray, said tray having an inclined ball receiving floor with upstanding side and end walls circumscribing and extending above said floor, a support frame including a portion extending above said tray, a ball projection barrel supported on said frame, said barrel having an outer end through which the balls are projected and an inner end connected to one end of a flexible conduit with the other end of said flexible conduit being connected to said air box, a ball feed assembly including a plurality of cylindrical containers arranged in an annular sideby-side pattern each having an open top at the level of the floor of said tray for receiving a ball from said tray, wall means at the bottom of said cylindrical containers for supporting the balls in said containers except in an area adjacent the connection of said air box to said flexible conduit, a horizontal panel pivotally located below said area and being displaceable downwardly by the weight of a ball thereabove and being urged upwardly by the pressure of air in the air box to close the bottom of said cylindrical containers, said panel being releasable downwardly when a ball is in the cylindrical container to deposit each ball in succession into the air box directly adjacent the connection to said flexible conduit, means for rotating said ball feed assembly to feed balls in succession from said tray into said air box, fan means for pressurizing said air box, said conduit and said barrel to feed balls from said air box through said conduit to said barrel, and releasable detent means in said barrel for blocking the movement of the ball through said barrel until a predetermined air pressure is built up behind said ball to release the ball for projection out of said barrel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
320 words
A ball throwing device comprising a base embodying a stationary air box with an exterior open top portion defining a ball receiving tray, said tray having an inclined ball receiving floor with upstanding side and end walls circumscribing and extending above said floor, a support frame including a portion extending above said tray, a ball projection barrel supported on said frame, said barrel having an outer end through which the balls are projected and an inner end connected to one end of a flexible conduit with the other end of said flexible conduit being connected to said air box, a ball feed assembly including a plurality of cylindrical containers arranged in an annular sideby-side pattern each having an open top at the level of the floor of said tray for receiving a ball from said tray, wall means at the bottom of said cylindrical containers for supporting the balls in said containers except in an area adjacent the connection of said air box to said flexible conduit, a horizontal panel pivotally located below said area and being displaceable downwardly by the weight of a ball thereabove and being urged upwardly by the pressure of air in the air box to close the bottom of said cylindrical containers, said panel being releasable downwardly when a ball is in the cylindrical container to deposit each ball in succession into the air box directly adjacent the connection to said flexible conduit, means for rotating said ball feed assembly to feed balls in succession from said tray into said air box, fan means for pressurizing said air box, said conduit and said barrel to feed balls from said air box through said conduit to said barrel, and releasable detent means in said barrel for blocking the movement of the ball through said barrel until a predetermined air pressure is built up behind said ball to release the ball for projection out of said barrel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A ball throwing device as described in claim 1 wherein a means is provided for operator control of the pressure of air in said duct which shall cause the release of said detent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A ball throwing device as described in claim 2 wherein said means provided for operator control of the pressure in said duct shall be a spring attached to and exerting pressure upon said detent, the tension of said spring being manually adjustable by the operator of said machine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A ball throwing device as described in claim 1 wherein a means is provided for operator control of the volume of air the expansion of which in said barrel shall cause said ball to be accelerated within and ejected from the muzzle of said barrel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
97 words
A ball throwing device as described in claim 4 wherein said means provided for operator control of said volume of air shall be a plurality of perforations in said barrel, said perforations being exposed by the manual positioning of a cylindrical sleeve fitted to the outside of said barrel, the exposure of said perforations thereby permitting the escape from said barrel of a portion of the air compressed in and confined to said barrel, the expansion of which in said barrel shall cause said ball to be accelerated within and ejected from the muzzle of said barrel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A ball throwing device as described in claim 1 wherein said means for the supply of air under pressure to said chamber shall be an electric motor driven blower.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A ball throwing device as described in claim 1 wherein said barrel is movably mounted on said frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
311 words
A ball throwing device comprising a base embodying a stationary air box with an exterior open top portion defining a ball receiving tray, said tray having an inclined ball receiving floor with upstanding side and end walls circumscribing and extending above said floor, a ball projection barrel movably supported above said tray, said barrel having an outer end through which the balls are projected and an inner end connected to one end of a flexible conduit with the other end of said flexible conduit being connected to said air box, a ball feed assembly including a plurality of cylindrical containers arranged in an annular side-by-side pattern each having an open top at the level of the floor of said tray for receiving a ball from said tray, walls means at the bottom of said cylindrical containers for supporting the balls in said containers except in an area adjacent the connection of said air box to said flexible conduit, a horizontal panel pivotally located below said area and being displaceable downwardly by the weight of a ball thereabove and being urged upwardly by the pressure of air in the air box to close the bottom of said cylindrical containers, said panel being releasable downwardly when a ball is in the cylindrical container to deposit each ball in succession into the air box directly adjacent the connection to said flexible conduit, means for rotating said ball feed assembly to feed balls in succession from said tray into said air box, fan means for pressurizing said air box, said conduit and said barrel to feed balls from said air box through said conduit to said barrel, and releasable detent means in said barrel for blocking the movement of the ball through said barrel until a predetermined air pressure is built up behind said ball to release the ball for projection out of said barrel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
311 words
A ball throwing device comprising a base embodying a stationary air box with an exterior open top portion defining a ball receiving tray, said tray having an inclined ball receiving floor with upstanding side and end walls circumscribing and extending above said floor, a ball projection barrel movably supported above said tray, said barrel having an outer end through which the balls are projected and an inner end connected to one end of a flexible conduit with the other end of said flexible conduit being connected to said air box, a ball feed assembly including a plurality of cylindrical containers arranged in an annular side-by-side pattern each having an open top at the level of the floor of said tray for receiving a ball from said tray, walls means at the bottom of said cylindrical containers for supporting the balls in said containers except in an area adjacent the connection of said air box to said flexible conduit, a horizontal panel pivotally located below said area and being displaceable downwardly by the weight of a ball thereabove and being urged upwardly by the pressure of air in the air box to close the bottom of said cylindrical containers, said panel being releasable downwardly when a ball is in the cylindrical container to deposit each ball in succession into the air box directly adjacent the connection to said flexible conduit, means for rotating said ball feed assembly to feed balls in succession from said tray into said air box, fan means for pressurizing said air box, said conduit and said barrel to feed balls from said air box through said conduit to said barrel, and releasable detent means in said barrel for blocking the movement of the ball through said barrel until a predetermined air pressure is built up behind said ball to release the ball for projection out of said barrel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-23 | 1978-06-24 | 1978-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-23 | 1982-06-24 | 1982-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-23 | 1986-06-24 | 1986-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |