Apparatus for underhand tossing of a ball
OwnerRobert M. Estalellainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for underhand tossing of a ball includes a cabinet with a hollow tossing arm pivotally coupled thereto. A mechanism is provided to dispense a single ball at a time from a supply of balls into the hollow tossing arm. A spring is affixed at one end to the hollow tossing arm and affixed at a distal end to the cabinet at a point forward of the hollow tossing arm. A machine is provided for pulling a distal end of the hollow tossing arm toward a back end of the cabinet and releasing the hollow tossing arm such that the distal end of the hollow tossing arm swings forward, releasing the ball at a point at which the hollow tossing arm hits a stop peg.
Claims18
A device for underhand tossing of a ball, the device comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a hollow tossing arm pivotally coupled at a first end to the cabinet;
- a means to dispense a single ball at a time from a supply of balls into the hollow tossing arm;
- a spring affixed at one end to the hollow tossing arm and affixed at a distal end to the cabinet at a point forward of the hollow tossing arm;
- and
- a means for pulling a distal end of the hollow tossing arm toward a back end of the cabinet and for releasing the hollow tossing arm such that the distal end of the hollow tossing arm swings forward, releasing the ball at a point at which the hollow tossing arm hits a stop peg.
A method of practicing ball comprising:
- providing a device for underhand tossing of a ball, the device comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a hollow tossing arm pivotally coupled at a first end to the cabinet;
- a means to dispense a single ball at a time from a supply of balls into the hollow tossing arm;
- a spring affixed at one end to the hollow tossing arm and affixed at a distal end to the cabinet at a point forward of the hollow tossing arm;
- and
- a means for pulling a distal end of the hollow tossing arm toward a back end of the cabinet and for releasing the hollow tossing arm such that the distal end of the hollow tossing arm swings forward, releasing the ball at a point at which the hollow tossing arm hits a stop peg;
- setting the device for underhand tossing of a ball to automatically toss balls in the air;
- allowing the ball to arc;
- on a downward travel of the ball, hitting the ball with a hitting object.
A tossing machine comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a hollow tossing arm pivotally coupled at a first end to the cabinet and the hollow tossing arm having an opening near the first end large enough for a ball to pass into the hollow tossing arm, the opening at least partially obstructed when a distal end of the hollow tossing arm is in a first range of travel;
- a spring affixed at one end to the hollow tossing arm and affixed at a distal end to the cabinet at a point forward of the hollow tossing arm;
- a motor;
- a gear having gear teeth on only a portion of a circumference and missing teeth on the remainder of the circumference, the gear operatively coupled to the motor;
- and
- a rack having rack gear teeth for mating with the gear teeth, the rack coupled to the hollow tossing arm and the rack engaged with the gear so that rotation of the gear pulls the tossing arm toward a back end of the cabinet until the missing teeth interface with the rack thereby releasing the rack allowing the distal end of the hollow tossing arm to swing forward pulled by the spring, the ball is tossed when the hollow tossing arm hits a stop peg.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.