Baseball tossup device

• US 5,485,994 A
• Filed: 02/16/1994
• Issued: 01/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfred E. Underwood, Dolores M. Underwood
• Original Assignee: Alfred E. Underwood, Dolores M. Underwood
• Inventors: Underwood, Dolores M., Underwood, Alfred E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Theatrice
• Application Number:
  US08/197,307
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 273/26 D, 273/26 A, 273/26 R, 273/29 A, 273/182 R, 273/182 A, 273/181 F, 273/181 R, 273/127 C
• US Class Current: 473/451
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/401 substantially vertically, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/025 Installations continuously collecting balls from the playing areas, e.g. by gravity, with conveyor belts
• 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 69/40 Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies golf cups with ball ejector means A63B57/405; traps for clay-pigeon targets F41J9/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0605 Decision makers and devices using detection means facilitating arbitration

Abstract

This invention relate to a batting practice apparatus wherein a ball toss-up device is positioned remote from a caged target. The ball toss-up device includes a vertically extending cylindrical tube having therein a cylindrical piston for movement along the longitudinal axis thereof. A coil spring is placed between the lower end of the piston and the bottom of the tube for biasing the piston upwards. A pedal arm is extended through a longitudinal slot in the wall of the cylinder and having one end attached to the piston, whereby a player can manually urge the piston downward against the bias of the spring. A releasable latch is provided to hold the piston in the downward position until manually released by a player to cause a ball to be projected into the air to be hit by a player. An inclined trough is provided between the target and the ball toss-up device for automatically guiding balls to the toss-up device after hitting the target.

Claims

1. A batting practice device for tossing a ball vertically into the air, comprising:

A vertically extending tubular member having its lower end resting on a support surface and an upper end;

said tubular member having an a plurality of vertically spaced apertures extending through its wall and a longitudinal slot spaced from said apertures and terminating adjacent said upper and lower ends;

a cylindrical piston positioned within said tubular member for longitudinal movement in said tubular member, said piston having a predetermined length less than the length of said tubular member for allowing longitudinal movement in said tubular member;

a coil spring positioned in said tubular member between said support surface and the lower end of said piston for biasing said piston upwards;

pedal means extending through said slot and attached to said piston for a player to manually urging said piston to a downward position against the force of said coil spring;

a spring biased latch means extending through one of said apertures for releasably latching said piston in said downward position against said bias of said spring;

an annular retaining means in said tubular member adjacent said upper end for stopping upward movement of said piston when said piston is released from said latch means;

said tubular member having an inside diameter slightly less than the diameter of a regulation baseball, whereby a baseball may be seated on said upper end of said tubular member;

said piston further having a centrally located projection on the upper end thereof, said projection defining a shoulder for abutting said annular retaining means and a central portion for contacting a ball when said piston is released from said latch means and thrust upwards by said spring; and

means remote from said ball tossing device for releasing said latch means from said piston when activated by a batter.

2. The batting practice device as defined in claim 1, further comprising, a caged area for changing the direction;

a batted ball propelled thereagainst said caged area being defined by a frame having a rear wall, right and left side walls, a ceiling, an open front side, and a floor;

said floor being slanted downwards from said rear wall towards said open front side;

rail means extending from said side walls to said ball tossing device for guiding balls from said cage to said ball tossing device;

said cage being covered by a netting material and said floor being a canvis material;

said ball tossing device having a height lower than said floor and being positioned a predetermined distance from said cage and on said front side thereof;

said floor extending said predetermined distance to said ball tossing device, whereby a ball hitting said cage walls will fall to said floor and roll by gravity to said ball tossing device and positioned thereon to be tossed upwards to be hit by a batter; and

a target of flexible material extending across said back wall, said target having indicia indicating a triple, double, single, and have run, and an area designated as an "out".