Convertible ball projecting apparatus having a replaceable fork assembly

A ball projecting apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a gravity-feed ball path;
• a plurality of rockers having first and second rods which extend in parallel fashion, said rockers having different spacings between said first and second rods, each of said rockers being configured to be pivotally mounted relative to said ball path such that said first and second rods of said rocker are suspended within said ball path to impede movement of a first ball when said rocker is in a first position and to release said first ball and impede an adjacent ball when said rocker is in a second position, said rocker that is pivotally mounted being selected on a basis of dimensions of said first ball and said adjacent ball;
• an actuator assembly configured to manipulate said rocker that is pivotally mounted such that said rocker periodically shifts between said first and second positions;
• and
• a ball-projection chamber positioned to receive balls released from said ball path when said rocker shifts to said second position.

A ball projecting apparatus which is adaptable with respect to handling different types of balls comprising:

• a ramp that defines a ball-supply path;
• a singulator positioned along said ramp to selectively separate a foremost ball from remaining balls along said ball-supply path, said singulator including an adjustable fork-and-actuator mechanism in which positions of fork prongs relative to each other and to said ramp determine dimensions of balls for which said singulator is suited, said fork-and-actuator mechanism having a first mode for handling a first-sized ball and having a second mode for a handling a second-sized ball that is smaller than said first-sized ball;
• and a projection mechanism cooperative with said ramp and said singulator to receive and project said foremost ball;
• wherein said fork-and-actuator mechanism includes a plurality of alternative forks, each said fork having forward and rearward fork prongs, wherein different said forks have different separations between said forward and rearward fork prongs, said separations being selected to accommodate manipulation of sports balls having specific dimensions.

A ball projecting apparatus which is adaptable with respect to handling different types of balls comprising:

• a ramp that defines a ball-supply path;
• a singulator positioned along said ramp to selectively separate a foremost ball from remaining balls along said ball-supply path, said singulator including an adjustable fork-and-actuator mechanism in which positions of fork prongs relative to each other and to said ramp determine dimensions of balls for which said singulator is suited, said fork-and-actuator mechanism having a first mode for handling a first-sized ball and having a second mode for a handling a second-sized ball that is smaller than said first-sized ball;
• and a projection mechanism cooperative with said ramp and said singulator to receive and project said foremost ball;
• wherein operations by said adjustable fork-and-actuator mechanism are controlled by linked members projecting from a rotating is continuous chain.