Pneumatic ball launching apparatus
US5733209A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 27, 1995 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 27, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63B2069/401
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A pneumatic ball launching apparatus propels a ball vertically upward into mid-air without imparting spin on the ball. A pneumatic cylinder is disposed vertically below the top surface of a ground supported platform in axial alignment with the center of an aperture in the top surface of the platform. The pneumatic cylinder has a spring return piston rod with a cup-shaped ball holder secured to its outer end. The cylinder is connected through a valve to a source of pressurized air and the valve is controlled by a timing device. The platform has a downwardly inclined forward portion which slopes inwardly and downwardly from each lateral side to form a central low portion at its forward end. A net extends vertically upward from the forward portion of the platform to catch balls which have hit. A conveyor belt installed in a channel in the forward portion of the platform travels in an endless loop to collect balls which have been hit and carry them toward the pneumatic cylinder and drop them into a queuing ramp having a ball shuttle controlled by the timing device which drops them one at a time into the cup-shaped ball holder. After one ball drops into the ball holder, the timing devic…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.