US 4,254,952 AGranted

Pitching practice device

OwnerGeorge H. Playter, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

A pitching practice device consisting of a sheet of canvas or the like supported in a vertical plane, and having an aperture formed therein defining a strike zone, at which a baseball pitcher may pitch baseballs to develop his accuracy and control. For still greater accuracy of control, and to "catch" the balls, a canvas chute is attached to the rearward surface of the sheet, and divided into a plurality of sections each opening through the sheet aperture, for receiving and trapping any ball entering its opening. The sheet aperture is thus divided into zones for indicating, and recording, whether a pitched ball is "high", "low", "inside", "outside", or "down the middle". The sheet is resiliently supported to prevent damage either to the device or to the ball. The device may also be adapted for use, with a set of playing rules, as a competitive game, particularly for children.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A baseball pitching practice device comprising:

a. a stand,
b. means operable to anchor said stand relative to the ground, in upstanding relation from the ground,
c. a generally rectangular sheet of flexible material disposed in a generally vertical plane and having an aperture forming a strike zone formed therein whereby a pitcher may pitch baseballs at the exposed forward surface of said sheet to pass through said aperture, said sheet being spaced forwardly from said stand and said stand being disposed entirely behind said sheet, and
d. connecting means extending forwardly from said stand and connected to the peripheral edge of said sheet, said connecting means being resiliently yieldable in a rearwardly horizontal direction, whereby to be yieldable under the impact of baseballs striking said sheet in the area of said connecting means, said connecting means comprising a series of horizontal, forwardly-opening socket members affixed to said stand in spaced relation about the periphery of said sheet, an elongated horizontal stud slidably mounted in each of said sockets and affixed at its forwardly extended end to said sheet, and a spring yieldably resisting rearward movement of said stud in said socket member.

1 more element

A baseball pitching practice device comprising:

a. a stand,
b. means operable to anchor said stand relative to the ground, in upstanding relation from the ground,
c. a generally rectangular sheet of flexible material disposed in a generally vertical plane and having an aperture defining a strike zone formed therein, whereby a pitcher may pitch baseballs at the exposed forward surface of said sheet to pass through said aperture,
d. means connecting the peripheral edge of said sheet to said stand, said sheet being otherwise spaced apart from said stand,
e. a generally horizontally extending chute closed at its rearward end and having an open mouth at its forward end, and
f. means operable to secure the mouth of said chute to the rearward surface of said sheet, with the open mouth thereof in encircling relation to the aperture of said sheet, said chute being provided with longitudinally extending partitions whereby said chute is divided cross-sectionally into a series of pockets, the forward edges of said partitions intersecting the aperture of said sheet and dividing it into a series of zones each corresponding to one of said chute pockets, whereby a baseball passing through any one of said zones will enter the corresponding pocket of said chute.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.