Baseball batting practice apparatus

US4733865A · kind A · utility

Inventor

• Lawrence Reed · Paterson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 23, 1987
• Grant date: Mar 29, 1988
• Expiry date: Mar 23, 2007

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A63B2208/12
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A batting practice apparatus includes a batting cage which has a relatively small, closed rear end and a relatively large, open front end. The batting cage is located above a level playing surface and extends over a batting position which is proximate to the closed rear end, and remote from the open front end. A vertical retaining screen is located in front of the open front end of the batting cage and extends in an arc thereabout. Indicia on the retaining screen define a plurality of horizontally extending bands, one above another. Baseballs hit from the batting position through the open front end of the batting cage will either strike the ground before reaching the retaining screen, or strike the retaining screen without first hitting the ground. The vertically adjacent horizontal bands indicate that a ball striking the retaining screen without first hitting the ground is classified as a single, double, triple or home run. The height of the retaining screen is just great enough to stop batted balls which barely clear the forward overhead edge of the batting cage. Likewise, the retaining screen extends laterally only a sufficient distance to stop batted balls which barely clear th…