Portable pitching mound

• US 6,843,739 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephen P. Putnam
• Original Assignee: Stephen P. Putnam
• Inventors: Putnam, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US10/155,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 473/497, 473499-501, 473/451, 473/150, 473/218, 473/270, 473/225, 473/414
• US Class Current: 473/497
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball

Abstract

An apparatus includes a base unit having a top surface, a collapsible ramp connected to the base unit movable between an extended orientation sloping from the base unit to a playing surface and a storage orientation and indicia for designating a player'"'"'s location on the top surface of the base unit.

Claims

1. A portable pitching mound comprising:

a base including an upper surface;

a handle connected to said base;

a ramp removably associated with the base, the ramp configured to establish an angled surface between base and a playing surface in a first position, and the ramp configured to change the angled surface to a covering for the base in a second position;

a pitching rubber connected to said upper surface; and

a measuring device which measures a distance from said pitching rubber to a location on said playing surface.

2. The portable pitching mound as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a height adjusting mechanism connected to said base.

3. The portable pitching mound as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ramp is collapsible.

4. The portable pitching mound as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a movement inhibitor connected to said height adjusting mechanism.

5. The portable pitching mound as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a movement inhibitor associated with the base.

6. The portable pitching mound as set forth in claim 5, wherein said movement inhibitor comprises a non-slip pad.

7. A device comprising:

a platform;

a collapsible ramp removably connected to one side of said platform, said collapsible ramp forming a top to the platform when the device is in a stored configuration;

a pitching rubber connected to said platform;

a target removably attached to said platform opposite the collapsible ramp;

a measuring device connected to the platform capable of measuring a distance between said pitching rubber and said target when the device is deployed on a playing surface; and

means for reducing slippage

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said measuring device comprises a distance marked tape.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein said means for reducing slippage comprises a spike.

10. The device of claim 7 further comprising a carrying mechanism incorporated into the device.