# US 4,398,716 A · Handler for tennis and similar play balls

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- Number: US 4,398,716 A
- Document ID: US4398716A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/303,086
- Filed: 1981-09-17
- Granted: 1983-08-16
- Earliest claimed: 1981-09-17
- Inventors: John Argibay, Jr.; Jan A. Krejcar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398716A

## CPC

- A63B 47/00: Devices for handling or treating balls {, e.g. for holding or carrying balls}
- A63B 57/20: Holders, e.g. of tees or of balls
- A63B 47/002: {Devices for dispensing balls, e.g. from a reservoir (automatic teeing devices A63B57/0006; devices for projecting balls A63B69/40)}
- A63B 47/02: for picking-up {or collecting}
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

Apparatus for carrying, retrieving and delivering play balls comprising at least one container for receiving one or more balls, each container being open at each end, and having a multiplicity of elastic deformable protrusions at its uppermost portion which are sufficiently deformable to permit entry of the play balls in the container, and a base means adapted to support said at least one container in a upright manner, said base means having a tray means at the bottom portion of said container for supporting said balls and permitting removal of a ball from each container.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for carrying, retrieving and dispensing play balls comprising at least one elongated container for receiving and dispensing one or more play balls, said at least one container being open at each end, one of said ends being a ball receiving end and the other end being a ball discharge end, said ball receiving end having a plurality of elastic protrusions which are sufficiently deformable to permit entry and retention of play balls in said at least one container, a ball being retained when said container is inverted, said ball receiving end is placed over a ball and said container is lowered to cause a ball to be forced past said protrusions for retrieving balls from the playing surface, an elongated vertically extending support member having said at least one container attached to its upper end and a base member attached to its lower end, a tray supported on said support member intermediated said upper and lower ends and closely adjacent said discharge end for receiving balls from said container, said balls being gravitationally discharged through said discharge end when said apparatus is returned to an upright position and supported on said base member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said multiplicity of elastic deformable protrusions forms part of a removable lid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support means is a rod upon which said tray means is slidably mounted and a stop means is mounted on said rod below said tray so as to adjust the distance of said tray means from said discharge end of said at least one container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said stop means comprises an elastic sleeve.