Apparatus and method for training a baseball pitcher

• US 9,227,124 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2014
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sparks, Eric
• Original Assignee: Sparks, Eric
• Inventors: Sparks, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US14/542,556
• Time in Patent Office: 416 Days
• Field of Search: 473/422, 473/451, 473/452, 473/206, 473/207, 473/215, 473/212, 473/218, 473/415, 473/468, 482123-124, 482/129, 434/252, 434/257
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/10 Games with thread-suspended or swingably-mounted bodies, e.g. balls, pointed bodies shaped as birds, animals, or the like, for aiming at and hitting targets games using a bat with a ball tethered thereto A63B67/20, pin games with tethered balls A63D7/00 ; Games using tethered bodies, e.g. balls, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/023 Supports, e.g. poles

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 pitching mound and a frame structure 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. The pitcher learns his body mechanics from 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 assemblies;

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

a pitching mound containing a pitching plate which is planar and parallel with the surface upon which it is placed and a landing slope which is an inclined plane that is contiguous to the said pitching plate and wherein the pitching mound is of a predetermined thickness and wherein a means to secure the pitching mound to the ground is provided and wherein the pitching plate and the pitching mound both have calibrations or calibrated notches on a recessed track or rail or other mechanism along which an adjustable sliding position marker is moved traversing the entire length of the pitching plate and landing slope of the pitching mound for indicating distance traveled by the pitcher in the pitching sequence, position of the pitcher'"'"'s feet placement and indicating the end point of the movement sequence;

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.

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

each said vertical post assembly including a lower post member and an upper post member, said lower post member being structured and disposed to accommodate sliding, telescoping receipt of 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 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 vertical post assemblies extend vertically upward from said base members; and

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

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

4. A baseball pitcher'"'"'s training apparatus to train a pitcher as defined in claim 1 wherein said horizontal cross beam assembly has a distance marker calibration throughout the entire length of the said horizontal cross beam assembly.

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

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

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

8. 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 post assemblies;

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

a pitching mound containing a pitching plate which is planar and parallel with the surface upon which it is placed and wherein the pitching plate is of a predetermined thickness and wherein a means to secure the pitching mound to the ground is provided and said pitching mound includes a pitching plate and a landing slope and wherein the pitching plate and the pitching mound both have calibrations or calibrated notches on a recessed track or rail or other mechanism along which an adjustable sliding position marker is moved traversing the entire length of the pitching plate and landing slope of the pitching mound for indicating distance traveled by the pitcher in the pitching sequence, position of the pitcher'"'"'s feet placement and indicating the end point of the movement sequence;

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;

the pitcher standing on the pitching plate and contacting the light bag weight behind the pitcher'"'"'s direction of throwing with the pitcher'"'"'s throwing hand;

the pitcher executing a winding throwing motion to pitch a baseball;

the pitcher contacting the light bag weight above the landing slope of the pitching mound and in front of the pitcher with the pitcher'"'"'s throwing hand and releasing the baseball at that point of contact;

the pitcher continuing with the baseball pitching body movement sequence onto the landing slope of the pitching mound.