Method and apparatus for improving batting skills

Abstract

Batting skills are improved by a practice routine in which a pneumatic ball projection system projects a ball upwardly to a position at which the batter can hit the ball, with the upward projection providing the batter with means for improving his timing. The subject system replaces those systems in which a ball is placed on top of a tee, and also replaces pneumatic systems which merely suspend the ball in mid air at an appropriate batting position. In one embodiment, a plurality of balls are loaded into a chute within a housing, with the chute being angled downwardly. A foot-actuated switch or other timing mechanism removes a barrier at the end of a chute to permit the ball to roll down into a steeply angled conduit which makes an angled connection with a projection tube or barrel having a blower at one end and having an exit nozzle at the other end, with the exit nozzle pointing upwardly such that the initial horizontal ball direction is redirected along a vertical path. The subject system may be utilized both out of doors and indoors, assuming that a net is placed to intercept the ball after is has been hit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.