Patent US3885790A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3885790A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Pitching machine
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-06-18
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Granted: 1975-05-27
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Expires: 1993-06-18
Abstract
Abstract This invention discloses a fully automatic centrifugal baseball pitching machine which has a main shaft clutch apparatus allowing a tethered ball to be driven in the opposite direction when impacted by the batter, a foot operated brake to create changes in the type of pitch, and a retractor mechanism which automatically takes up slack in the tether line.
Inventors
- 👤 Lee Roy Parr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:51
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/0073; A63B69/0079; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S273/00; Y10S273/21
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A fully automatic centrifugal baseball pitching machine comprising the combination of: a. a base; b. A vertical shaft mounted on said base and having a horizontal arm attached to its upper end, c. a tether line having a baseball attached to one of its ends and having its other end extending through said horizontal arm and vertical shaft, d. a retracting spool mounted to said base; e. said retracting spool engaged with said other end of said line; f. a rotational drive means engaged with said retracting spool to maintain a positive pressure on said line to remove any slack in the line; g. a friction slip clutch mounted between said rotational drive means and said retracting spool to permit the retracting spool to rotate relative to said friction slip clutch when said ball is hit with a predetermined force; h. drive motor mounted to said base and connected to said vertical shaft to impart rotation to said shaft, horizontal arm and baseball.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A fully automatic centrifugal baseball pitching machine comprising the combination of: a. a base; b. A vertical shaft mounted on said base and having a horizontal arm attached to its upper end, c. a tether line having a baseball attached to one of its ends and having its other end extending through said horizontal arm and vertical shaft, d. a retracting spool mounted to said base; e. said retracting spool engaged with said other end of said line; f. a rotational drive means engaged with said retracting spool to maintain a positive pressure on said line to remove any slack in the line; g. a friction slip clutch mounted between said rotational drive means and said retracting spool to permit the retracting spool to rotate relative to said friction slip clutch when said ball is hit with a predetermined force; h. drive motor mounted to said base and connected to said vertical shaft to impart rotation to said shaft, horizontal arm and baseball.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
A fully automatic centrifugal baseball pitching machine described in claim 1 wherein: a. said retracting spool is engaged to said drive motor through said friction slip clutch; b. a second friction slip clutch mounted between said drive motor and said vertical shaft to permit the rotating shaft to be disengaged from the said drive motor when a predetermined pressure has been reached by the ball having been hit by a batter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A fully automatic centrifugal baseball pitching machine as described in claim 2 and including the following additional element: a. a brake means affixed to said vertical shaft permitting the operator to introduce a change in the rotation and thus vary the type of delivery of the baseball.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3540726A
Cited
US3588104A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |