Apparatus and method for repressurizing hollow valveless articles

Claim 2

Apparatus for repressurizing hollow valveless balls and the like comprising needle means for puncturing a ball to be repressurized and having a single passageway therethrough, means for supplying pressurized fluid for repressurizing a ball, means for supplying sealant for sealing a punctured and repressurized ball, and means for alternately establishing operative communication of a selected one of said means for supplying pressurized fluid and said means for supplying sealant with said single passageway of said needle means whereby pressurized fluid and sealant are delivered sequentially and commonly through said single passageway into a ball to be repressurized.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for supplying pressurized fluid comprises manually operable air pump means for pumping air into a punctured ball.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for supplying sealant comprises manually operable expulsion means for expelling sealant through said needle means.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for alternately establishing operative communication comprises slide valve means having a bore operatively communicating with each of said needle means, said means for supplying pressurized fluid and said means for supplying sealant, and a valve member slideably mounted in said bore.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising gauge means operatively communicating with said means for supplying pressurized fluid for indicating pressure conditions within a ball being repressurized.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising ball receiving and guiding means mounted for movement adjacent said needle means and for engaging a ball to be repressurized and guiding an engaged ball in linear movement during penetration thereof by said needle means.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said needle means has a sharpened end portion for puncturing a ball and which extends along a longitudinal axis and further wherein said ball receiving and guide means is mounted relative to said needle means for guiding a ball to be punctured along a line skewed relative to said longitudinal axis during penetration thereof by said needle means.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising releasable means for normally locking said ball receiving and guiding means in a position withdrawn from said needle means, said releasable means being actuable to permit movement of said ball receiving and guiding means relative to said needle means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for repressurizing hollow valveless athletic balls such as tennis balls and the like comprising needle means for puncturing a ball to be repressurized and having a passageway therethrough, ball cup means mounted for movement relative to said needle means for receiving a ball to be repressurized and for guiding a received ball in linear movement toward said needle means, means normally biasing said ball cup means toward a position withdrawn from said needle means, said ball cup means normally shielding said needle means from exposure to undesirable accidental puncture and breakage, means for supplying pressurized air for repressurizing a ball, means for supplying sealant for sealing a punctured and repressurized ball, and means for alternately establishing operative communication of a selected one of said means for supplying air and said means for supplying sealant with said passageway of said needle means whereby pressurized air and sealant are delivered sequentially and commonly through said passageway into a ball to be repressurized.

Claim 11

Apparatus for repressurizing hollow valveless athletic balls such as tennis balls and the like comprising needle means for puncturing a ball to be repressurized and having a passageway therethrough, ball cup means mounted for movement relative to said needle means for receiving a ball to be repressurized and for guiding a received ball in linear movement toward said needle means, means normally biasing said ball cup means toward a position withdrawn from said needle means, said ball cup means normally shielding said needle means from exposure to undesirable accidental puncture and breakage, means for supplying pressurized air for repressurizing a ball, means for supplying sealant for sealing a punctured and repressurized ball, and means for alternately establishing operative communication of a selected one of said means for supplying air and said means for supplying sealant with said passageway of said needle means whereby pressurized air and sealant are delivered sequentially and commonly through said passageway into a ball to be repressurized.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising means for normally locking said ball cup means in said withdrawn position and manually actuable to permit movement of said ball cup means relative to said needle means.

Claim 13

Apparatus for repressurizing hollow valveless articles such as tennis balls and the like comprising body means defining first and second chambers therein and an exit passageway, needle means mounted on said body means for puncturing an article to be repressurized and having a passageway therethrough communicating with said exit passageway of said body means, said needle means having a sharpened end portion which extends along a longitudinal axis, guard means mounted on said body means for normally shielding said needle means from exposure to undesirable accidental puncture and breakage, said guard means being mounted for movement relative to said needle means and engagingly receiving an article to be repressurized, means mounting said guard means for linear movement relative to said needle means and for guiding an engagingly received article along a line skewed relative to said longitudinal axis during puncturing thereof, means cooperating with one of said first and second chambers of said body means for pumping therethrough air for repressurizing a punctured article, means cooperating with the other of said first and second chambers of said body means for expelling therefrom sealant for sealing a punctured repressurizing article, and valve means in said body for selectively establishing operative communication of said chambers with said exit passageway whereby pressurized air and sealant are delivered sequentially and commonly through said passageway into an article to be repressurized.

Claim 14

Apparatus for repressurizing hollow valveless articles such as tennis balls and the like comprising body means defining first and second chambers therein and an exit passageway, needle means mounted on said body means for puncturing an article to be repressurized and having a passageway therethrough communicating with said exit passageway of said body means, said needle means having a sharpened end portion which extends along a longitudinal axis, guard means mounted on said body means for normally shielding said needle means from exposure to undesirable accidental puncture and breakage, said guard means being mounted for movement relative to said needle means and engagingly receiving an article to be repressurized, means mounting said guard means for linear movement relative to said needle means and for guiding an engagingly received article along a line skewed relative to said longitudinal axis during puncturing thereof, means cooperating with one of said first and second chambers of said body means for pumping therethrough air for repressurizing a punctured article, means cooperating with the other of said first and second chambers of said body means for expelling therefrom sealant for sealing a punctured repressurizing article, and valve means in said body for selectively establishing operative communication of said chambers with said exit passageway whereby pressurized air and sealant are delivered sequentially and commonly through said passageway into an article to be repressurized.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 12 wherein the penetrating comprises guiding a ball to be repressurized along a predetermined straight line path while moving the ball relative to the needle.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 13 wherein the penetrating further comprises penetrating the ball to be repressurized along a line skewed relative to the straight line path.