Baseball catching and throwing system

• US 20070142131A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Francis Mullenbach, Kevin McBride
• Original Assignee: Francis Mullenbach, Kevin McBride
• Inventors: McBride, Kevin, Mullenbach, Francis
• Granted Patent: US 7,278,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/451
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0011 Catching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/406 with rotating discs, wheels or pulleys gripping and propelling the balls or bodies by friction

Abstract

A baseball training device includes a target net from which balls will be fed to a unit that will throw the balls back to a player. The unit can be set to throw the balls in the air or on the ground so a variety of situations can be practiced.

Claims

1. A baseball training device comprising:

A) a base unit which includes

(1) a first end,

(2) a second end,

(3) two sides which connect the first end to the second end, and

(4) a cross bar extending between the two sides;

B) a net unit mounted on the base unit and which includes

(1) a frame having a first end which is a top end when the frame is in a use orientation, two sides which extend between the first end of the net unit and the cross bar of the base unit, the cross bar of the base unit forming one end of the net unit, and

(2) a target net mounted in the frame;

C) a ball return unit which is mounted on the base unit and which includes

(1) a ball chute unit which has a V-shaped frame located adjacent to the target net near the base unit, the ball chute unit further including two troughs which are angled toward each other and each of which has a first and second end with the first end of each trough being located higher than the second end of the same trough when the ball return unit is mounted on the base unit, the second ends of the troughs being located adjacent to each other, and

(2) a ball ejecting unit which includes

(a) a housing having a first surface which is a top surface when the housing is in use, a second surface which is a bottom surface when the housing is in use, a first end, a second end, an interior volume, an entrance port defined through the first surface adjacent to the second ends of the troughs, and an exit port defined through the first end of the housing,

(b) a ball ejecting tube mounted on the first end of the housing of the ball ejecting unit, the ball ejecting tube having an inlet end in communication with the interior volume of the housing and an exit end,

(c) first and second belt units in the interior volume of the housing, each belt unit including a drive element and each belt unit being mounted to extend in a horizontal direction when the ball ejecting unit is in a use orientation, the first belt unit being located above the second belt unit when the ball ejecting unit is in the use orientation so a gap is defined between the first and second belt units, the gap having an entrance location adjacent to the entrance port and an exit location adjacent to the inlet end of the ball ejecting tube, the belts moving in opposite directions to have a portion thereof moving from the entrance location of the gap toward the exit location of the gap,

(d) a guide plate mounted on the housing in the interior volume of the housing and extending from the entrance port defined in the housing of the ball ejecting unit to the second belt adjacent to the entrance location of the gap, and

(e) a drive unit mounted on the housing and drivingly connected to the drive elements of the belts;

D) a height adjustment element mounted on the housing adjacent to the first end of the housing; and

F) a platform on the base unit adjacent to the first end of the base unit and located to support the height adjustment element on the base unit.

2. A baseball training device comprising:

A) a base unit;

B) a net unit mounted on the base unit; and

C) a ball return unit which is mounted on the base unit and which includes

(1) a ball chute unit which has a V-shaped frame located adjacent to the net unit such that when a baseball thrown by a thrower hits the net unit, the baseball falls into the ball chute unit, and

(2) a ball ejecting unit that ejects the baseball to throw the baseball back to the thrower.