Ball practice aid
OwnerLynn L. Rayinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multipurpose ball collector, ball storage and ball dispenser uses a wheel driven rotating shaft and fixed projections to positively collect balls, a wire cage to store balls and a folding handle with a folding cage door to conveniently allow withdrawing of the balls during practice. The folding handles are pivoted and attach to each other during collection to provide structural integrity. For dispensing, the handles and attached to the cage to form a structure which lifts the cage to within easy reach for the practicing player. Collection arms can also be provided to assist in ball collection or carrying the cage to a storage location.
Claims10
A game practice aid device for multiple use by a game player in combination with generally spherical deformable game balls, capable of the following modes of operation:
- collecting balls from a ground surface;
- storing balls;
- and dispensing balls, said device comprising:
- a box-like container for retaining and storage of said balls;
- a generally cylindrical rotatable shaft supporting said container, and positioned parallel to said ground in said ball collection mode;
- roller means mounted at opposite ends of said shaft;
- a generally rectangular ball entry port in said container having a first edge parallel to and proximate said ground surface in said ball collection mode, a pair of opposite side edges generally perpendicular to said first edge, and a top edge proximate and parallel to said rotatable shaft, wherein the dimension from said shaft to said ground is generally equall to or less than the diameter of said balls, said shaft being dimensioned and located to compress and rotate said balls into said container when in moving contact with said balls in said ball collecting mode;
- a ball dispensing port in said container having an opening shaped and dimensioned to allow insertion of said player's hand and manual removal of said game balls;
- and
- at least two handles pivotally attached to opposite sides of said container and removably attached to each other during said ball collection mode, said handles shaped and dimensioned to support said container in an elevated position off said ground surface during said ball dispensing mode.
A game practice aid device for use by a game player in combination with generally spherical deformable game balls, capable of collecting balls from a ground surface, said device comprising:
- a container for retaining and storage of said balls having at least one port;
- roller means and generally cylindrical rotatable shaft attached to and supporting said container, having said rotatable shaft located parallel to said ground surface;
- a generally rectangular ball entry port in said container having a first edge parallel to and proximate said ground surface, a pair of side edges generally perpendicular to said first edge, and a final edge formed by said rotatable shaft, where the dimension from said shaft to said ground is nearly equal to the diameter of said balls, said shaft shaped and dimensioned to compress and rotate said balls to the interior of said container when in moving contact with said balls, and
- at least one handle attached to said container which allows said player to manually move said device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.