Apparatus and method for training a baseball pitcher

• US 8,672,781 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Sparks
• Original Assignee: Eric Sparks
• Inventors: Sparks, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US13/090,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20120270686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 473/422, 473/451, 473/452, 473/206, 473/207, 473/215, 473/212, 473/218, 482123-124, 482/129, 434/252, 434/257
• US Class Current: 473/451
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/02 using resilient force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a baseball pitcher training apparatus for training a pitcher in controlling his lower and upper body portions in the movement sequence of the human body associated with throwing a baseball during the pitch preparation phase as well as the delivery and follow-through phase to conserve stress or strain in the arm and leg muscles. The apparatus has a frame comprising two vertical post assemblies connected at the top by a horizontal cross beam assembly. Light bag weights are suspended from the cross beam assembly and wires tensioned by circular pulley wheels are attached to the vertical post members. The pitcher learns his body mechanics from pitching with the said wires attached to his body and following a pitching line indicated by the light bag weights and gauging his position by calibration marks on the pitching mound.

Claims

1. A training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher comprising:

a primary frame structure operable between a collapsed condition and a plurality of assembled conditions defined by a plurality of different structural configurations, and said primary frame structure including;

a pair of vertical post;

a horizontal cross member structured for fitted, sliding receipt within said pair of vertical post, said horizontal cross member being disposed along a common longitudinal axis to define a fully assembled length of said horizontal cross member;

a pitching mound, wherein the pitching mound is planar and inclined and wherein the pitching mound is of a predetermined thickness and includes a pitching plate, a landing slope and a backstep slope;

a plurality of pulleys each of which are attached to each of said pair of vertical posts by a fastening element inserted onto each of said pair of vertical posts;

a plurality of wires, wherein one end of each wire is connected to one of the plurality of pulleys, wherein two of the other ends of each of the said wires is connected one to each ankle of a baseball pitcher and the other two ends of each of the said wires are connected one to each wrist of the baseball pitcher by a harness or a strap attached to the said wires and hooked onto clips or straps attached to the wrists and ankles of the baseball pitcher using the training apparatus;

a plurality of accessory components, and adjustment procedures for selectively adjusting an attached position of individual ones of said plurality of accessory components on said primary frame structure.

2. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said pair of vertical posts is comprised of first and second base members, each of said first and second base members having a generally T-shaped configuration defined by a plurality of feet sections, and a post socket extending upwardly from the top side of the base member at a juncture of said plurality of sections extensions;

each of said pair of vertical posts including a lower post member and an upper post member, said lower post member being structured and disposed to accommodate sliding, telescoping receipt of the said upper post member therein;

said lower post members each including a bottom end zone structured and disposed for fitted receipt within said post socket of a respective one of said first and second base members;

said upper post members each including a top end zone having a hollow receptacle formed therethrough;

interlocking of said upper post members to said respective lower post members at a plurality of telescopically adjusted positions in order to selectively adjust the height of said top end zone of said upper post members relative to said first and second base members;

locking of said bottom end zone of said lower post members within said post sockets of said respective base members so that said pair of vertical posts extend vertically upward from said first and second base members; and

a horizontal cross member structured for fitted, sliding receipt within said hollow receptacles of said upper post members, said horizontal cross member including first and second elongate cross member extensions and a central coupling for releasable attachment of said cross member extensions in end to end arrangement so that said cross member extensions are disposed along a common longitudinal axis to define a fully assembled length of said horizontal cross member.

3. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein said plurality of accessory components includes light-weight bags suspended by cords/wires from the horizontal cross member and which are longitudinally aligned in the direction of the horizontal cross member and which can be adjusted for the height at which they are suspended above ground and which are structured and disposed for removable mounting to said horizontal cross member.

4. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 further comprising said wires for exerting pressure or a force in a direction opposite to the direction of intended body movement, having a first end securable to a pulley and a second end securable by a harness or strap.

5. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein each said wire is comprised of an elastic band.

6. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of pulleys is attached by removable bolts or fastening elements inserted into notches to each of the two vertical post members.

7. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of pulleys attached to each of said pair of vertical post member are adjustable for height.

8. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 further comprising calibrated markings on the said pitching mound for indicating position of the said baseball pitcher.

9. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of mirrors each of which is attached to each of the pair of vertical posts and which each face inwards towards the baseball pitcher.

10. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein said primary frame structure is rigid and is comprised of metal.

11. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein said primary frame structure is rigid and is comprised of plastic.

12. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein said primary frame structure is rigid and is comprised of wood.

13. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a baseball pitcher as defined in claim 1 further comprising an electronic measuring device used to record calibrated resistance in the plurality of wires or plurality of elastic bands and to record speed of movement of the baseball pitcher and to provide a display said recorded information to the baseball pitcher.

14. A method of training a baseball pitcher, comprising:

a primary frame structure operable between a collapsed condition and a plurality of assembled conditions defined by a plurality of different structural configurations, and said primary frame structure including;

a pair of vertical posts;

a horizontal cross member structured for fitted, sliding receipt within said pair of vertical posts, said horizontal cross member being disposed along a common longitudinal axis to define a fully assembled length of said horizontal cross member;

a pitching mound, wherein the pitching mound is planar and inclined and wherein the pitching mound is of a predetermined thickness and includes a pitching plate, a landing slope and a backstep slope;

a plurality of pulleys each of which are attached by a fastening element inserted into each of said pair of vertical posts;

a plurality of wires or plurality of elastic bands, wherein one end of each wire or elastic band is connected to one of the plurality of pulleys, wherein two of the other ends of each of the said wires or elastic bands is connected one to each ankle of a baseball pitcher and the other two ends of each of the said wires or elastic bands is connected one to each wrist of the baseball pitcher by a harness or strap attached to the said wires and hooked onto clips or straps attached to the wrists and ankles of the baseball pitcher using the training apparatus;

a plurality of accessory components, and adjustment procedure for selectively adjusting an attached position of individual ones of said plurality of accessory components on said primary frame structure; and

the method comprising;

attaching one end of each of the plurality of wires or plurality of elastic bands one to each ankle and each wrist of a baseball pitcher by a harness or strap that is attached to the said wires or elastic bands and hooked onto clips or straps attached to each wrist and each ankle of the baseball pitcher using the training apparatus and attaching the other end to each of the plurality of wires or plurality of elastic bands one to each of said plurality of pulleys;

suspending a light-weight bag from the horizontal cross member at a point directly above a highest ridge of the pitching mound

positioning the baseball pitcher on the pitching mound, the baseball pitcher making physical contact with his pitching hand with the light-weight bag positioned behind the baseball pitcher'"'"'s throwing direction;

causing the baseball pitcher to execute a throwing motion to pitch a baseball;

causing the baseball pitcher to firstly physically contact both the light-weight bag suspended from the horizontal cross member at a point directly above the highest ridge of the pitching mound and to secondly also physically contact another light-weight bag that is suspended from the cross member directly in front of the baseball pitcher with the baseball pitcher'"'"'s throwing hand and releasing the baseball at the time of contact of the baseball pitcher'"'"'s throwing hand with the light-weight bag suspended directly in front of the baseball pitcher; and

obtaining information, by an electronic measuring device or by the spatial awareness of the baseball pitcher as to his body movement and of the manner of his execution of the baseball pitch so as to enable the baseball pitcher to correct or modify his body mechanics to prevent stress or strain to his muscles, tendons and skeleton.