Patent ID: 7111620
Filing Date: 2006-09-26
Classification: A63B,F41A,F41B

Abstract:
1. A ball pushing device for use with a ball hopper, comprising: a housing having first and second ends, an opening for accepting balls and a ball chamber adjacent to the opening; a motor coupled to the housing; a pinion connected driven by the motor; a rack having a ball engagement end, wherein the rack is slideably disposed within the housing and operably configured to engage and be driven by the pinion; a first switch disposed in the housing and operably configured to activate the motor to rotate the pinion in a first direction and the first switch is activatable by the presence of a ball in the ball chamber; a second switch disposed in the housing operably configured to activate the motor to rotate the pinion in an opposing second direction; a third switch disposed in the housing at a predetermined distance from the second switch and operably configured to deactivate the motor; and, a switch activation member disposed on the rack.