Tennis Ball pitching apparatus with anti-jamming ball feed mechanism
OwnerJoseph J. Mohrinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for propelling tennis balls at timed intervals from a storage hopper. The hopper has the configuration of an inverted truncated cone. At the base of the cone and in a position to receive balls from the cone, is a rotating ball selector. The ball selector is driven through a clutch which disengages at a predetermined torque. Upon disengagement, the clutch permits the drive to rotate for approximately one-half revolution without transmitting any torque to the ball selector, and then induces a partial counter-rotation or reverse motion of the ball selector by the action of a spring loaded pin engaging an inclined face on a clutch cam.
Claims7
Apparatus for propelling individual balls from a randomly arranged quantity of balls at pre-determined intervals, including a storage hopper and apparatus for accelerating and releasing the balls wherein the improvement comprises:
- a ball selector connected to said storage hopper and comprising a substantially cylindrical body having at least one peripheral axial aperture of sufficient size to permit one of said balls to pass vertically through said aperture,
- drive means for rotating said selector,
- said selector being positioned above a ball delivery opening,
- said ball delivery opening communicating with a corridor comprising means for delivering said balls to said apparatus for accelerating and releasing balls,
- clutch means for disengaging said drive means from said ball selector at a predetermined torque, and for subsequently imparting a reverse rotation to said selector and re-engaging said drive means with said selector.
Apparatus for propelling individual balls comprising:
- a hopper for storing a quantity of balls,
- a rotating ball selector means for removing a single ball from said quantity of balls at periodic intervals,
- drive means for rotating said selector,
- and clutch means for disengaging said drive means from said ball selector means at a pre-determined torque, and for subsequently imparting a reverse rotation to said selector means and a re-engaging of said drive means with said selector means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.