Tennis ball retrieving device
US4077533A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 16, 1976 |
| Grant date | Mar 7, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 16, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63B47/002
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A rotor at the front of a tennis ball retrieving device is journalled for rotation in a direction whereby tennis balls lying at random on a tennis court or like surface are picked up and conveyed upwardly rearwardly to the top of a receptacle. An arcuate guide plate is provided for cooperation with the rotor and is positioned between the latter and the receptacle, the conforming guide plate being spaced from the rotor such as to form a ball transfer path therebetween. The path has a width less than the diameter of a tennis ball and extends from an upper point lying in a plane coinciding with the upper level of the receptacle to a lower point proximate ground surface. In operation, rotational forces exerted by the resilient rotor surface act upon the balls to raise the latter through the transfer path to the upper point thereof where such elevated balls are ejected in rearward direction, gravity causing the balls to drop into the receptacle. A pair of opposed diverging retriever arms are secured to the front end of the retrieving device to enlarge the effective sweep range thereof.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.