Baseball pitch stop with ball return

• US 8,016,699 B1
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rodney Swartzendruber
• Original Assignee: Rodney Swartzendruber
• Inventors: Swartzendruber, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour; Mitra
• Application Number:
  US12/653,246
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 473/431, 473/451, 473/432, 473/460, 473/436, D21/698
• US Class Current: 473/431
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• 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 71/022 Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls

Abstract

An air driven ball return pitching apparatus that is unique in that the motor, when activated creates a vacuum zone on part of the system and a pressurized zone on the remainder of the system. The motor housing is equipped with a blower that acts upon the system through a Y connection in the pipe. When activated the blower forces air into the pressurized zone and creates the vacuum in that zone. The ball is pitched at the target of the back stop; the ball falls to the bottom which is graded to direct the ball to the return system. The vacuum acts upon the ball causing it to enter the return system and travel to the motor housing where it switches zones into the pressurized zone returning the ball to the pitching position for reuse.

Claims

1. An air driven ball return pitching apparatus comprising in combination:

i. a support apparatus, said support apparatus having a top bar, a bottom bar and two side supports that are all attached to each other to form a self-standing frame;

ii. a receiving net suspended within and affixed to the self standing frame;

iii. a receiver box having a front wall, two end walls and a bottom, said bottom being compiled from at least a front section and a back section having a lower edge and an upper edge, both having outside edges and inside edges;

the inside edges interfacing each other and being lower relative to the outside edges;

the back section having an opening therein extending from near the lower edge to near the upper edge;

located in said opening, a receiver pipe for balls, said receiver pipe being comprised of pipe sections aligned with each other to form an incipient continuous pipe that exits the bottom and attached thereto, a 90°

angled pipe, and a second straight pipe that exceeds one-half the width of the support apparatus in length, said second pipe is connected to a second 90°

angled pipe and a said second straight pipe that is coupled to a Y-pipe;

the Y-pipe being connected to a predetermined length of a third straight pipe having a distal end;

which third straight pipe culminates at an elevated level at the distal end;

the Y of the Y-pipe being fitted with a motor capable of being powered which is positioned in the Y of the Y-pipe to advance pressured air, when operating, towards the distal end of the third straight pipe and simultaneously creates a vacuum on the incipient continuous pipe, such that balls pitched into the receiving net, that are collected by the bottom are returned to the distal end of the third straight pipe.

2. An air driven ball return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the apparatus is configured to return softballs.

3. An air driven ball return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the apparatus is configured to return tennis balls.

4. An air driven ball return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the apparatus is configured to return golf balls.

5. An air driven ball return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the apparatus is configured to return soccer balls.

6. An air driven ball return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, all pipe in the apparatus is constructed of polyvinylchloride.

7. An air driven ball return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the receiving net is constructed of polyvinylchloride.

8. An air driven ball return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the length of said receiver pipe, said second straight pipe, said Y-pipe and said third straight pipe is adjustable.

9. An air driven ball return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein diameter of said receiver pipe, said second straight pipe, said Y-pipe and said third straight pipe is predetermined by the diameter of the ball used in the apparatus.