Pneumatic ball ejecting machine

Claim 2

Apparatus for projecting a ball, comprising, balls located at a first level, a magazine located at a second level, means for lifting balls one at a time from said first leveL to said second level, means for loading said lifted ball from said second level into said magazine, means for ejecting said ball from said magazine, said means for lifting balls comprises a hollow vertical section of pipe extending from said first level to said second level, and having an internal diameter slightly greater than the ball to be lifted; and means providing a vacuum at one end of said pipe and a vacuum reducing hole on the side of the opposite end of said pipe whereby when a first ball is lifted past said hole, a second ball will not be lifted into said pipe.

Claim 3

A ball ejecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said magazine is provided with a plurality of chambers each of said chambers being provided with a hole in their respective sides, a vacuum line being in operative relation with said hole in the side of said chamber, each of said chambers having a loading position during its operating cycle, whereby the vacuum in said vacuum line draws said ball from the lifting means into said chamber when said chamber is in the loading position.

Claim 4

A ball ejecting apparatus as defined in claim 2, which is provided with a plurality of barrels each of said barrels being aimed in a slightly different direction, each of said barrels being axially aligned with a respective chamber and means for rotating said barrels in unison with said chambers in said magazine, whereby said balls are ejected through said barrels in a slightly different direction.

Claim 5

A ball ejecting apparatus as defined in claim 2, which is provided with a barrel through which a ball is to be ejected, wherein said barrel is axially aligned with a chamber and said ejecting means.

Claim 6

A ball ejecting apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said barrel is free to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and means for rotating said barrel in operative relationship with said barrel.

Claim 7

Apparatus for ejecting tennis balls, comprising: means for generating air pressure for ejecting tennis balls; means for generating a vacuum; a reservoir for holding a plurality of balls at a first level; means for lifting tennis balls one at a time from said reservoir to a second level regardless of the number of balls present in said reservoir; a magazine containing a chamber having a loading position, said generated vacuum being operatively coupled to said chamber to suck tennis balls into said chamber from said second level when said chamber is in said loading position; means for moving said magazine from said loading position to an ejection position whereby said tennis ball is ejected from said chamber when said chamber reaches the ejecting position.

Claim 8

Apparatus for ejecting tennis balls, comprising: means for generating air pressure for ejecting tennis balls; means for generating a vacuum; a reservoir for holding a plurality of balls at a first level; means for lifting tennis balls one at a time from said reservoir to a second level regardless of the number of balls present in said reservoir; a magazine containing a chamber having a loading position, said generated vacuum being operatively coupled to said chamber to suck tennis balls into said chamber from said second level when said chamber is in said loading position; means for moving said magazine from said loading position to an ejection position whereby said tennis ball is ejected from said chamber when said chamber reaches the ejecting position.

Claim 9

A tennis ball ejecting machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said magazine is provided with a plurality of chambers, a plurality of barrels, each of said barrels being aligned with a respective chamber in said magazine.

Claim 10

A tennis ball ejecting apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said means for lifting tennis balls is provided with a source of vacuum to lift tennis balls, said ball lifting means comprising a vertical hollow pipe with the source of vacuum connected to one end of said hollow pipe, means for preventing more than one ball at a time from being lifted by said vacuum in said vertical hollow pipe, comprising a hole in the side of said hollow pipe, said hole being located at the other end of said hollow pipe.

Claim 11

A tennis ball ejecting apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said means for rotating said magazine comprises a motor driving a friction gear, said friction gear riding in frictional engagement to the periphery of said magazine, and means for electrically controlling the speed of said motor connected to said motor.

Claim 12

An apparatus for ejecting tennis balls as defined in claim 9, but further characterized by having a tennis table, said tennis table being provided with a trough for returning tennis balls to said ball lifting means.

Claim 13

An apparatus for ejecting tennIs balls as defined in claim 10, but further characterized by said ball return means having a jam preventing means, said jam preventing means comprising a trap door which permits balls to enter from one side at a time.

Claim 14

A table tennis ball ejecting machine comprising: a means for creating a source of air pressure; means for generating a source of vacuum; a magazine provided with a plurality of chambers, each of said chambers being provided with a hole in its side; means for lifting one tennis ball at a time; means for rotating said magazine; a table tennis ball loading position for said chambers in said rotating magazine; a vacuum boot having a hole therein through which a suction is supplied to said chamber in said loading position, whereby a tennis ball is sucked into said chamber from said tennis ball lifting means; means for supplying said source of air pressure to said chamber in the ejecting position to eject said table tennis balls; means to seal the holes in the side of said chambers when said chambers are in the ball ejection position; and a plurality of barrels, each of said barrels being provided with a respective chamber, said barrels being rotated in unison with said chamber.

Claim 15

A table tennis ball ejecting machine comprising: a means for creating a source of air pressure; means for generating a source of vacuum; a magazine provided with a plurality of chambers, each of said chambers being provided with a hole in its side; means for lifting one tennis ball at a time; means for rotating said magazine; a table tennis ball loading position for said chambers in said rotating magazine; a vacuum boot having a hole therein through which a suction is supplied to said chamber in said loading position, whereby a tennis ball is sucked into said chamber from said tennis ball lifting means; means for supplying said source of air pressure to said chamber in the ejecting position to eject said table tennis balls; means to seal the holes in the side of said chambers when said chambers are in the ball ejection position; and a plurality of barrels, each of said barrels being provided with a respective chamber, said barrels being rotated in unison with said chamber.

Claim 16

A tennis ball ejecting machine as defined in claim 12, but being further provided with a back cover for said magazine, said back cover having a hole for the loading position for said chambers, and a hole for the ejection position of said chamber.

Claim 17

A tennis ball ejecting machine as defined in claim 13, but being further provided with a front cover for said magazine, said front cover having a hole in the ball ejection position of said chamber.

Claim 18

A table tennis ball ejecting machine as defined in claim 14, but further characterized by having a clutch for disengaging the rotating barrels from the rotating magazine, whereby a single barrel is used for ejecting balls from each of said chambers.

Claim 19

A table tennis ball ejecting machine as defined in claim 15, but further characterized by having means for rotating said barrel about an axis running through the center of said barrel, whereby the rotating barrel adds a rotational component to the ejected table tennis ball.

Claim 20

A table tennis ball ejecting machine as defined in claim 12, but further characterized by having a clutch for disengaging the rotating barrels from the rotating magazine, whereby a single barrel is used for ejecting balls from each of said chambers.

Claim 21

A table tennis ball ejecting machine as defined in claim 17, but further characterized by having means for rotating said barrel about an axis running through the center of said barrel, whereby the rotating barrel adds a rotational component to the ejected table tennis ball.