Spring-type ball pitching machine

• US 4,524,749 A
• Filed: 11/08/1982
• Issued: 06/25/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Master Pitching Machine Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Master Pitching Machine Incorporated
• Inventors: Giovagnoli, Paul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Browne, William R.
• Application Number:
  US06/439,932
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 124/6, 124/7, 124/41 R, 124/8, 124/9, 124/4, 124/29, 273/26 D
• US Class Current: 124/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/408 with rotating propelling arm

Abstract

An improved ball pitching machine is described which can be easily adjusted so as to vary the trajectory of pitched balls, while at the same time affording maximum protection to by-standers by virtue of a selectively openable housing having an adjustable ball-clearing outlet. In preferred forms, the machine includes an elongated, rotatable ball pitching arm having a concave ball-receiving hand adjacent the outer end thereof; the hand is adjustably secured to the arm in a manner permitting variance of the angle of inclination of the hand relative to the arm, thus allowing the machine to deliver lob-type or essentially straight pitches as desired. The housing has an adjustable cover for varying the effective dimensions of the ball-clearing outlet, so that the outlet size can be correlated to a desired adjustment of the pitching hand.

Claims

1. A ball pitching machine comprising:

an elongated pitching arm;

a ball-receiving hand secured to said arm;

mechanism for rotating said arm about an axis;

means for successively feeding respective balls to said hand for pitching thereof;

housing structure disposed about said arm, hand and mechanism, including structure defining a ball outlet located to permit pitched balls to pass out of said housing structure,

said housing structure including--

a pair of upright, opposed, spaced apart sidewalls each having a rectangular lower portion and a trapezoidal upper portion, with the upper portions each presenting a pair of inclined, converging end margins and a horizontal top margin,

a pair of upright, opposed, spaced apart, end walls joining said sidewall portions, and

a top wall including an inclined section joining one opposed pair of said converging end margins, and a horizontal wall section of lesser length than the length of the opposed top margins, said top wall section extending from the adjacent end of said inclined section and along said top margins for a portion of the length thereof;

cover means for substantially covering said ball outlet when said machine is not in use,

said cover means including--

an elongated planar, intermediate connection section situated between and extending along the length of said opposed top margins,

a second section including an inclined portion configured to be complemental with the pair of inclined converging end margins spaced from said one pair thereof, and

a bolt means connecting said intermediate section and said second section for permitting pivoting of the second section about an upright axis; and

means mounting said cover on said housing structure, including means for adjusting the position of the cover to vary the effective dimensions of said ball outlet, having--

releasable means coupling said intermediate section to said top wall section, including structure for permitting shifting of the intermediate section relative to said top wall portion.

2. The ball pitching machine as set forth in claim 1, there being means mounting said hand to said arm including structure for selective adjustment of the angle of inclination of said hand relative to said arm.

3. The ball pitching machine as set forth in claim 2, said adjustment structure comprising means defining an elongated adjustment slot in said hand, and bolt means extending through said slot and coupled to said arm.