Ball retriever

• US 9,480,885 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert R. Tarwater
• Original Assignee: Robert R. Tarwater
• Inventors: Tarwater, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joerger, Kaitlin
• Application Number:
  US14/226,585
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 414/434
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 47/021 for picking-up automatically, e.g. by apparatus moving over the playing surface

Abstract

The ball retriever includes a collecting deck, a ramp, and a platform. The ball retriever is directed to balls for collection. The balls enter the collecting deck. A ramp is connected to the collecting deck. The collecting deck and the ramp pivot to transfer the balls to the platform. The platform may hold a hopper to contain the balls. The ball retriever provides an easy and fun way to pick up tennis balls, sports balls, and other objects.

Claims

1. An apparatus to collect balls, comprising:

a collecting deck to collect balls;

a ramp;

a frame;

a handle;

a platform, the platform engaged to the frame;

the handle pivots to rotate the collecting deck and the ramp relative to the frame to transfer the balls to the platform; and

,

the collecting deck includes a storage region, and the ramp directs the balls from the storage region to a storage member of the platform.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting deck includes an opening, and one or more fingers are positioned along the opening in a generally vertical manner with respect to the opening, and the one or more fingers pivot towards a rear of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting deck includes an opening in open communication with the storage region of the collecting deck, and the opening includes one more rotating fingers, wherein the rotating fingers rotate toward a rear of the apparatus to collect the balls, wherein the fingers are configured to not rotate toward a front of the apparatus to prevent the balls from passing from the storage region to the opening and out of the collecting deck.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting deck and the ramp both pivot upward.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ramp is rigidly fixed to the collecting deck and at an angle of approximately 25 degrees to approximately 45 degrees with respect to a vertical plane.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting deck includes a generally planar member positioned just above ground level.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting deck includes one or more wheels or casters, and the platform includes one or more wheels or casters.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame, the handle includes a first end and a second end, and wherein the second end pivots to contact to a rear of the ramp.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame, and the ramp is pivotally engaged to the frame.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handle includes a lateral member connecting a first side of the handle and a second side of the handle, the first side of the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame at a first pivoting connection, the second side of the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame at a second pivoting connection, a first side of the ramp is pivotally engaged to the frame at a third pivoting connection, and a second side of the ramp is pivotally engaged to the frame at a fourth pivoting connection.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collecting deck includes an opening, and one or more fingers are positioned along the opening in a generally vertical manner with respect to the opening, and the one or more fingers pivot towards a rear of the apparatus to provide a one-way style opening to prevent the balls from rolling back out the opening.

9. An apparatus to collect balls, comprising:

a collecting deck to collect balls;

a ramp;

a platform;

the collecting deck and the ramp rotate to transfer the balls to the platform; and

;

a frame and a handle, wherein the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame, and the handle includes a first end and a second end, and wherein the second end pivots to contact to a rear surface of the ramp.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the handle comprises a lateral member connecting a first side of the handle and a second side of the handle, and the first side of the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame at a first pivoting connection, and the second side of the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame at a second pivoting connection.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the handle comprises a lateral member connecting a first side of the handle and a second side of the handle, and the first side of the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame at a first pivoting connection between the first end and the second end, and the second side of the handle is pivotally engaged to the frame at a second pivoting connection between the first end and the second end.

14. An apparatus to collect tennis balls, comprising:

a planar member positioned just above ground level;

a transfer member rigidly engaged to the planar member;

a frame member;

the frame member holding the planar member and the transfer member in a pivotal engagement;

a storage member;

a handle moveable to contact a rear of the transfer member; and

,

the planar member and the transfer member rotate together, relative the frame member, to dump tennis balls from the planar member to the storage member.

15. An apparatus to collect objects, comprising:

a collecting deck;

a ramp, the ramp rigidly engaged to the collecting deck;

a frame, the collecting deck and the ramp pivotally engaged to the frame;

a platform, the platform engaged to the frame; and

,

a handle comprising a first side and a second side, the handle pivotally engaged to the frame, the handle comprising a lateral member connecting the first side of the handle and the second side of the handle, wherein the pivoting of the handle upward urges the lateral member against a rear of the ramp to raise the ramp and the collecting deck.

16. A method of collecting objects, comprising:

providing an apparatus to collect objects, comprising;

a collecting deck to collect objects;

a ramp;

a platform;

the collecting deck and the ramp rotate to transfer the objects to the platform; and

,

the handle includes a first end and a second end, and wherein the second end pivots to contact to a rear surface of the ramp;

directing the apparatus to a plurality of objects;

collecting the plurality of objects in the collecting deck;

rotating the handle and pushing on the rear surface of the ramp with the second end of the handle and causing the ramp and the collection deck to rotate; and

,

rotating the collecting deck and the ramp to transfer the objects to the platform.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the objects are tennis balls.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising placing a receptacle on the platform and transferring at least several tennis balls to the first receptacle.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising placing a first receptacle on the platform;

transferring at least several tennis balls to the first receptacle;

removing the first receptacle from the platform;

placing a second receptacle on the platform; and

, transferring additional tennis balls to the second receptacle.

20. An apparatus to collect tennis balls, comprising:

a frame;

a collecting deck to collect tennis balls, the collecting deck pivotally engaged to the frame;

the collecting deck includes an opening, and one or more fingers are positioned along the opening in a generally vertical manner with respect to the opening, and the one or more fingers pivot towards a rear of the apparatus;

a handle, the handle pivotally engaged to the frame;

a storage area on the frame; and

,

the handle pivots relative to the frame to cause the collecting deck to rotate relative to the frame to transfer the tennis balls to the storage area.