Tennis and baseball dispensing apparatus
First Claim
1. Ball dispensing apparatus comprising a ball retainer for retaining and sequentially delivering balls to one end thereof, said ball retainer gravitationally feeding balls to said one end, said one end having a stop for limiting travel of a ball in said retainer,a rotatably mounted lever mounted on a first shaft at said one end for engaging and lifting a ball from said retainer upon rotation of said lever,actuator means for said rotatably mounted lever for causing said lever to engage, lift, and project a ball from said retainer, said actuator means comprising a motor having a drive shaft, said first shaft being coupled to said drive shaft, and spring means attached to said first shaft for accelerating said lever into engagement with a ball, said spring means being adjustable in tension to vary the projection of a ball by said lever with one end of said spring means being adjustably attached to said ball retainer and the other end of said spring means attached to said first shaft, anda vertically adjustable mount for supporting said ball retainer, said ball retainer being rotatable on said mount whereby direction of balls to a hitter can be varied by swiveling said ball retainer.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Ball dispensing apparatus for hitting practice includes a ball retainer for retaining and sequentially delivering balls to one end thereof, a lever rotatably mounted on a shaft at the one end of the retainer for engaging and lifting a ball from the retainer upon rotation of the lever, and an actuator for the lever for causing the lever to engage, lift, and project a ball from the retainer. A spring is attached to the retainer and to the shaft for accelerating the rotation of the lever into engagement with the ball. The tension of the spring can be varied thereby varying the trajectory of a ball lifted from the retainer.
72 Citations
7 Claims
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1. Ball dispensing apparatus comprising a ball retainer for retaining and sequentially delivering balls to one end thereof, said ball retainer gravitationally feeding balls to said one end, said one end having a stop for limiting travel of a ball in said retainer,
a rotatably mounted lever mounted on a first shaft at said one end for engaging and lifting a ball from said retainer upon rotation of said lever, actuator means for said rotatably mounted lever for causing said lever to engage, lift, and project a ball from said retainer, said actuator means comprising a motor having a drive shaft, said first shaft being coupled to said drive shaft, and spring means attached to said first shaft for accelerating said lever into engagement with a ball, said spring means being adjustable in tension to vary the projection of a ball by said lever with one end of said spring means being adjustably attached to said ball retainer and the other end of said spring means attached to said first shaft, and a vertically adjustable mount for supporting said ball retainer, said ball retainer being rotatable on said mount whereby direction of balls to a hitter can be varied by swiveling said ball retainer.
Specification