Strike zone trainer for hitting a baseball

• US 5,435,545 A
• Filed: 09/20/1993
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sam A. Marotta
• Original Assignee: Sam A. Marotta
• Inventors: Marotta, Sam A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Theatrice
• Application Number:
  US08/123,669
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 273/26 R, 273/26 A, 273/29 A
• US Class Current: 473/417
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0075 Means for releasably holding a ball in position prior to kicking, striking or the like golf tees A63B57/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0091 Balls fixed to a movable, tiltable or flexible arm

Abstract

A trainer for hitting a baseball comprises a cylindrical pole extending upwardly from a base member placed in front of home plate and toward the half opposite from where the batter using the trainer stands so the upright cylindrical pole is substantially in line with the outside edge of home plate, a lower strike zone indicating shaft extends laterally from the pole at the level of the lower edge of the strike zone upper strike zone indicating shaft extends laterally from the pole at the level of the upper edge of the strike zone, and a ball positioning shaft with a ball tee at one end and a simulated baseball at its opposite end extends laterally from the pole at any selected level between the upper and lower strike zone indicating shafts. The ball positioning shaft is slidably mounted on a rotatable swivel block whereby it can rotate about the pole to position either the ball tee at one end or simulated baseball at the opposite end at any selected position between the inner and outer edges of the strike zone. The outer end of the lower strike zone indicating shaft terminates in line with the inner edge of the strike zone. The outer end of the upper strike zone indicating shaft terminates in line with the longitudinal mid-line of home plate.

Claims

1. A trainer for hitting a baseball, comprising a strike zone indicating assembly including first strike zone indicating means to indicate the lower edge of the strike zone, second strike zone indicating means to indicate the upper edge of the strike zone, third strike zone indicating means to indicate a first side edge of the strike zone, fourth strike zone indicating means to indicate a second opposite side edge of the strike zone, support means to support said strike zone indicating assembly at a location relative to a baseball plate to define the strike zone over said plate, and ball positioning means to position a ball for a batter to swing at and hit anywhere within said strike zone defined by said first, second, third and fourth strike zone indicating means of said strike zone indicating assembly, including unobstructed entrance means along only one of said first and second side edges of said strike zone for a bat when swung to enter said strike zone from said one of said first and second side edges, said unobstructed entrance means extending from said first strike zone indicating means which indicates the lower edge of the strike zone up to said second strike zone indicating means which indicates the upper edge of the strike zone, said third strike zone indicating means which indicates a first side edge of the strike zone and said fourth strike zone indicating means which indicates said second side edge of the strike zone both remaining in place.

2. A trainer for hitting a baseball comprising a strike zone indicating assembly including first strike zone indicating means to indicate the lower edge of the strike zone, second strike zone indicating means to indicate the upper edge of the strike zone, third strike zone indicating means to indicate a first side edge of the strike zone, fourth strike zone indicating means to indicate a second opposite side edge of the strike zone, support means to support said strike zone indicating assembly at a location relative to a baseball plate to define the strike zone over said plate, and ball positioning means to position a ball for a batter to swing at and hit within said strike zone defined by said first, second, third and fourth strike zone indicating means of said strike zone indicating assembly, wherein said ball positioning means includes a vertically extending pole, fully rotatable pivot means on said pole to rotate fully around said pole in a circular path, an elongated ball positioning member extending from said rotatable pivot means in a direction substantially normal to said vertically extending pole, said elongated ball positioning member terminating outwardly from said pole in an outer end, ball supporting means on said outer end to hold and position a ball thereon, said rotatable pivot means including a body portion having a longitudinally extending bore through which said pole extends, said longitudinally extending bore and said pole being coaxial when said elongated ball positioning member is in its position substantially normal to said pole as it and said rotatable pivot means are rotated around said pole after a said ball on said ball supporting means has been hit by a proper level swing of the bat in an arc whose plane is substantially horizontal and normal to the longitudinal axis of said vertically extending pole, said longitudinally extending bore being divertable from its said coaxial relationship to said pole whereby its longitudinal axis is diverted to a slight angle to the longitudinal axis of said pole causing said rotatable pivot means to bind as it rotates on said pole and thus rotate less freely for fewer revolutions after a ball on said ball supporting means has been hit by an improper swing of the bat in an arc whose plane is at a diagonal to the longitudinal axis of said vertically extending pole.

3. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 2, wherein said elongated ball positioning member comprises an elongated shaft having said ball supporting means on said outer end thereof, said elongated shaft having an opposite end, a ball tee member on said opposite end having an upwardly facing surface and a concave recess therein to receive a ball for hitting off of said tee, said body portion of said rotatable pivot means including a laterally extending bore, said elongated shaft being received through said bore and slidable therein to vary the distance each of said ends of said shaft and said ball held on one end and said ball tee on said other end extend outwardly from said vertically extending pole.

4. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 3, wherein said vertically extending pole is made of nylon, said body portion of said rotatable pivot means is made of high density polyethylene, said elongated shaft is made of nylon, and said ball tee member is made of high density polyethylene.

5. A trainer for hitting a baseball, comprising a strike zone indicating assembly including first strike zone indicating means to indicate the lower edge of the strike zone, second strike zone indicating means to indicate the upper edge of the strike zone, third strike zone indicating means to indicate a first side edge of the strike zone, fourth strike zone indicating means to indicate a second opposite side edge of the strike zone, support means to support said strike zone indicating assembly at a location relative to a baseball plate to define the strike zone over said plate, and ball positioning means to position a ball for a batter to swing at and hit anywhere within said strike zone defined by said first, second, third and fourth strike zone indicating means of said strike zone indicating assembly, including first strike zone adjusting means to move said first strike zone indicating means upwardly and downwardly to adjust the strike zone for batters of different heights, and second strike zone adjusting means to move said second strike zone indicating means upwardly and downwardly to further adjust the strike zone for batters of different heights.

6. A trainer for hitting a baseball comprising a strike zone indicating assembly including first strike zone indicating means to indicate the lower edge of the strike zone, second strike zone indicating means to indicate the upper edge of the strike zone, third strike zone indicating means to indicate a first side edge of the strike zone, fourth strike zone indicating means to indicate a second opposite side edge of the strike zone, support means to support said strike zone indicating assembly at a location relative to a baseball plate to define the strike zone over said plate, and bali positioning means to position a ball for a batter to swing at and hit within said strike zone defined by said first, second, third and fourth strike zone indicating means of said strike zone indicating assembly, wherein said support means includes a base member and a cylindrical pole extending upwardly therefrom, said first strike zone indicating means includes a first swivel block member having a longitudinal bore to receive said cylindrical pole therethrough, a first strike zone indicating shaft extending laterally from said first swivel block to indicate the lower edge of the strike zone, said second strike zone indicating means includes a second swivel block member having a longitudinal bore to receive said cylindrical pole therethrough, a second strike zone indicating shaft extending laterally from said second swivel block to indicate the upper edge of the strike zone, said second swivel block member and said second strike zone indicating shaft being located on said cylindrical pole at a spaced apart location above said first swivel block member and said first strike zone indicating shaft.

7. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first swivel block member includes a laterally extending recess, one end of said first strike zone indicating shaft being received in said laterally extending recess of said first swivel block member, said second swivel block member includes a laterally extending recess, one end of said second strike zone indicating shaft being received in said laterally extending recess of said second swivel block member.

8. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 7, wherein said third strike zone indicating means includes said upwardly extending cylindrical pole and that part of said first and second swivel block members which begins to extend outwardly from said pole in the direction of said first and second strike zone indicating shafts which extend respectively therefrom.

9. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first strike zone indicating shaft to indicate said lower edge of the strike zone extends from said one end thereof to terminate in an opposite outer end at a distance from said vertically extending pole which corresponds to the width of home plate in the game of baseball.

10. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 9, wherein said opposite outer end of said first strike zone indicating shaft includes an eye-catching member thereon.

11. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 10, wherein said fourth strike zone indicating means includes said outer end of said first strike zone indicating shaft and said eye-catching member thereon.

12. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 10, wherein said eye-catching member on said opposite outer end of said first strike zone indicating shaft includes an enlarged block member made of high density polyethylene.

13. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second strike zone indicating shaft to indicate said upper edge of the strike zone extends from said one end thereof to terminate in an opposite outer end at a distance from said vertically extending pole which corresponds to substantially one-half the width of home plate in the game of baseball.

14. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 13, wherein said opposite outer end of said second strike zone indicating shaft includes an eye-catching member thereon.

15. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 14, wherein said eye-catching member on said opposite outer end of said second strike zone indicating shaft includes an enlarged block member made of high density polyethylene.

16. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 7, wherein said upwardly extending cylindrical pole is made of nylon, said first and second swivel block members are made of high density polyethylene, said first and second strike zone indicating shafts are made of nylon.

17. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 16, wherein said nylon cylindrical pole, said longitudinal bore of said first high density polyethylene swivel block member and said longitudinal bore of said second high density polyethylene swivel block member have substantially equal diameters for a close fit of said nylon cylindrical pole in said longitudinal bores of said second high density polyethylene swivel block members whereby said swivel block members frictionally hold the position to which they are moved on said cylindrical pole and yet are movable by manually sliding on said nylon pole.

18. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 7, wherein said vertically extending cylindrical pole is disconnectable from and connectable to said base member, said first and second swivel block members are slidable on said cylindrical pole, removable therefrom, and re-positionable thereon, said first and second strike zone indicating shafts are disconnectable from and connectable to their respective first and second swivel block members.

19. A trainer for hitting a baseball as set forth in claim 6, wherein said cylindrical pole, said longitudinal bore of said first swivel block member and said longitudinal bore of said second swivel block member have substantially equal diameters for a close fit of said cylindrical pole in said longitudinal bores of said swivel block members whereby said swivel block members frictionally hold the position to which they are moved on said cylindrical pole and yet are movable by manually sliding on said nylon pole.