Abstract:
A ball collecting apparatus is provided that employs a human-powered ball transport system that moves balls from a collecting surface to a location above the collection surface. The ball collecting apparatus employs no motors or other artificially powered devices to retrieve and transfer balls, which makes it light and easy to maneuver. The ball collecting apparatus is primarily contemplated for use of picking up tennis balls, but other balls of various sizes may be accommodated by the apparatus as it is scalable.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/310,008, filed Mar. 18, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/425,542, filed Nov. 22, 2016, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to an apparatus that gathers balls and moves them to an easy-to-access location, thereby eliminating the need to manually transfer balls from one basket to another. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Tennis is a very popular game world-wide. Indeed, many tennis novices take lessons to increase their proficiency. Lessons comprise practicing skills necessary to perform at a higher level and often entail the student hitting many tennis balls against the wall or returning them to instructor or fellow students across the net. Two common pieces of equipment assist instructors and players. 
         [0004]    The first piece of equipment is an instructor teaching cart, which can hold approximately 350 tennis balls at waist level. During a lesson, an instructor or student repeatedly reaches into the teaching cart to access balls. Traditional teaching carts can move longitudinally and laterally on four wheels, which allows instructor or player to easily maneuver the cart to different areas of the tennis court. 
         [0005]    The second piece of equipment is a tennis ball mower that retrieves a plurality of balls from the court that are later moved to the teaching cart, ball machine, or smaller ball baskets. The alternative to using a mower is to hand-pick each ball from the tennis court. Tennis ball mowers are usually large and bulky, and take up valuable space on the tennis court. The traditional tennis ball mowers collect the balls in a basket at ground level, requiring someone to manually transfer the basket of balls into another storage area. This task is inefficient and awkward. 
         [0006]    The following describes a tennis ball collecting apparatus that does not rely on an outside power source, that is very maneuverable, and that efficiently collects the balls and sends them automatically upwards to a waist-level storage basket, thereby offering easy access to the balls without manual transferring the balls. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is one aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide a ball collecting apparatus that has the functionality of the ball mower and a ball delivery device, commonly known as an instructor ball cart. The apparatus contemplated by some embodiments of the present invention collects tennis balls and moves them from the ground to a second position above the ground, which makes the balls easy to access without the user having to bend over. In addition, unlike ball mowers of the prior art, the ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment does not rely on motorized devices for propulsion or to transfer collected balls from the ground to a storage location. Although this disclosure concentrates primarily on tennis balls, one of ordinary skill the art will appreciate the ball collecting apparatus and components thereof described herein can be modified to collect any type of ball, such as golf balls, basketballs, baseballs, softballs, ping-pong balls, etc., without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0008]    It is another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide a ball collecting apparatus that can move longitudinally and laterally. More specifically, after the balls are moved to the elevated storage position, it is desirous to be able to move the apparatus longitudinally (i.e., forward and backward) and laterally (i.e., side to side). This mobility allows the instructor or tennis player to quickly move the apparatus to a desired location on the tennis court. 
         [0009]    It is yet another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide a ball collecting apparatus that relies solely on human power to operate. The absence of batteries, motors, and other complex machinery, allows the ball collecting device to be light, which enhances maneuverability. Additionally, the absence of an outside power source is more efficient as there is no need to charge any batteries or connect to a power source. The ball collecting apparatus can operate indoors and outdoors without requiring a power source or an electrical cord, which may present a dangerous obstacle on the tennis court. The ball collecting device of one embodiment employs a plurality of wheels that allow to be easily moved along a given area. Forward movement activates a ball transport system that engages at least one ball, moves the ball into the apparatus, and lifts the ball into the storage location. For example, the storage location may be a basket positioned above the ground that is more accessible to the user. An integrated ball storage location also avoids having to manually transfer/empty the collected balls into a second instructor cart. Conversely, current methods include collecting balls at ground level with tennis ball mowers, hand-held baskets, collection tubes, etc. and thereafter manually transferring the collected balls to other equipment, such as tennis ball instructor carts, where they are used for instruction and practice. 
         [0010]    It is a related aspect of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a removable basket that receives collected tennis balls. The removable basket may be used interconnected to the ball collecting apparatus, wherein the balls are collected and deposited in the basket at an elevated level. In this mode of use, the ball collecting apparatus doubles as an instructional cart. In a second mode of use, the basket is removed and moved to a different location on the court. 
         [0011]    The basket of one embodiment of the present invention includes handles. The handles may be rotated relative to each other such that the upper portions normally used for carrying the basket are transformed into feet that are placed on the playing surface. The length of the handles will dictate the elevation of the basket when the handles are rotated into their second position of use. Ideally, handles are elongated such that the basket is positioned at or near waist level. The handles may telescope such that when used in the first mode of use (i.e., ball collecting), they are shorter than when they are in the second mode of use (i.e., practice configuration). Some ball collecting devices employ multiple locations for storing more than one basket; once a first basket is full, it is replaced with an empty basket. In this example, both baskets can be interconnected to the ball collecting device. 
         [0012]    Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a housing having a left panel, right panel, a front panel, and a rear panel that envelope the ball transport system. The front panel has a bottom opening configured to receive at least one ball, and an upper opening associated with the ball storage location, e.g., the basket. In operation, the ball transport system moves balls received in the lower opening to the upper opening. Some embodiments of the present invention include arms adjacent to lateral edges of the lower opening that help corral the balls into the lower opening. The arms may be fixed to the left and right panels or selectively interconnected thereto to facilitate storage. In some other versions, the arms are selectively deployable and capable of moving so they do not adversely affect mobility during instruction. 
         [0013]    The ball transport system of one embodiment of the present invention employs upper and lower pulleys that operatively interconnect to a belt. The lower pulley is also operatively interconnected to primary wheels that support the ball collecting apparatus. The lower pulley rotates as the wheels rotate forward. That is, movement of the ball collecting apparatus in the forward direction moves a portion of the belt from a location near the bottom opening of the front panel to a location near the upper opening of the front panel. Movement of the wheels in the opposite direction, however, will not rotate the lower pulley so the belt can only move one way. The rear panel may be removable to address ball jam issues if necessary. The belt also accommodates a plurality of ball transport members that engage balls and help transport them to the upper opening of the front panel. In one embodiment of the present invention, the belt is made from a plurality of segments, which will be further discussed below. 
         [0014]    It is another aspect of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a ball collecting apparatus that is durable, weatherproof, and which includes built-in ergonomic features. For example, some embodiments employ a recess in an upper portion thereof adapted to receive a water bottle or cell phone. In addition, the upper portion may be configured to receive a tablet computer or a chalkboard. In addition, a dry erase board may be included on the upper portion to be used for instruction along with magnets or dry erase markers, for example. The upper portion may also employ a door that conceals additional storage compartments. The door may provide selective access to the inside of the apparatus to clear ball jams if needed. Furthermore, some embodiments of the present invention provide hooks for towels, jackets, and tennis rackets. 
         [0015]    It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a security mechanism associated with ball storage areas employed by the apparatus. More specifically, the apparatus may be adapted to receive a weatherproof, lockable cover that restricts access to stored balls. 
         [0016]    It is still yet another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide a ball collecting apparatus that can also direct, i.e., launch collected balls. For example, collected tennis balls are selectively taken from the storage location, either automatically or manually, and fed to a tennis ball launcher. 
         [0017]    It is another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide an apparatus for collecting at least one ball comprising: a left panel; a right panel spaced from the left panel; a rear panel interconnected to a rear edge of the left panel and a rear edge of the right panel; a front panel interconnected to a front edge of the left panel and a front edge of the right panel, the front panel having a lower edge spaced from a lower edge of the left and right panel to provide a lower opening, and wherein the front panel has an upper edge spaced from an upper edge of the left panel and an upper edge of the right panel; an upper axle interconnected between the left panel to the right panel adjacent to an upper portion of the apparatus; a first pulley rotatably interconnected to the upper axle; a lower axle having a first end and a second end interconnected between the left panel to the right panel adjacent to a lower portion of the apparatus; a second pulley rotatably interconnected to the lower axle; a right wheel positioned adjacent to the right panel, the right wheel interconnected to the first end of the lower axle; a left wheel positioned adjacent to the left panel, the left wheel interconnected to the second end of the lower axle; wherein rotation of at least one of the left wheel or the right wheel rotates the lower pulley; a belt having an inner surface that operatively engages an outer surface the first pulley and the second pulley, wherein rotation of the lower pulley moves the belt around the first pulley and the second pulley; at least one ball transferring member extending from an outer surface of the belt; and wherein the lower opening is adapted to receive at least one ball that is engaged by the at least one ball transferring member that moves the at least one ball from the lower opening to the upper opening as the apparatus is moved forward. 
         [0018]    It is another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide an apparatus for collecting at least one ball comprising: a housing having a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side, the front side having a lower opening and an upper opening; an upper axle interconnected between the left side to the right side adjacent to an upper portion of the apparatus; a first pulley rotatably interconnected to the upper axle; a lower axle having a first end and a second end interconnected between the left side to the right side adjacent to a lower portion of the apparatus; a second pulley rotatably interconnected to the lower axle; a right wheel positioned adjacent to the right side, the right wheel interconnected to the first end of the lower axle; a left wheel positioned adjacent to the left side, the left wheel interconnected to the second end of the lower axle; wherein rotation of at least one of the left wheel or the right wheel rotates the lower pulley; a belt having an inner surface that operatively engages an outer surface the first pulley and the second pulley, wherein rotation of the lower pulley moves the belt around the first pulley and the second pulley; and a means for transferring a ball extending from an outer surface of the belt. 
         [0019]    It is yet another aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide a method of retrieving balls from a surface and depositing the balls to a basket, comprising: providing a ball transport system comprising a segmented belt having a plurality of ball lifting members extending therefrom; providing a ball scoop that cooperates with the ball lifting members from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane; providing a ball guide that facilitates movement of balls from the surface to the ball scoop; directing balls to the ball lifting members through the ball guide; moving the balls to the ball scoop; positioning the balls on a curved upper surface of the ball lifting members; moving the balls upwardly; and depositing the balls in a location positioned above the surface 
         [0020]    It is another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention to provide a recessed area on either side of the invention which may be used to secure club logos and/or advertisements. 
         [0021]    The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present invention. That is, these and other aspects and advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of the invention(s) described herein. Further, the above-described embodiments, aspects, objectives, and configurations are neither complete nor exhaustive. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the invention are possible using, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described below. Moreover, references made herein to “the present invention” or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of the present invention and should not necessarily be construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the Detail Description, particularly when taken together with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of these inventions. 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a right elevation view of the ball collecting apparatus shown  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the ball collecting apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a rear elevation view of the ball collecting apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the ball collecting device apparatus shown in  FIG. 1   
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view showing the ball collecting apparatus and associated basket; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is the basket shown in  FIG. 6  in a second configuration of use; 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional front perspective view of the ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention with the basket interconnected thereto; 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a ball transport system of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 11  is a detailed view of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing an upper surface of a ball lift segment of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing an underside of the ball lift segment shown in  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view showing a belt segment of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a pulley used by one embodiment of the present invention disclosed herein; 
           [0038]      FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view of the bottom portion of the ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0039]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a ball scoop employed by one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0040]    To assist in the understanding of one embodiment of the present invention the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 # 
                 Component 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 2 
                 Ball collecting apparatus 
               
               
                 6 
                 Right panel 
               
               
                 10 
                 Left panel 
               
               
                 14 
                 Front panel 
               
               
                 18 
                 Rear panel 
               
               
                 22 
                 Extension 
               
               
                 26 
                 Lower opening 
               
               
                 30 
                 Left wheel 
               
               
                 34 
                 Right wheel 
               
               
                 38 
                 Ball transport system 
               
               
                 42 
                 Upper opening 
               
               
                 46 
                 Handle 
               
               
                 50 
                 Upper tray 
               
               
                 54 
                 Coaster rollers 
               
               
                 58 
                 Basket 
               
               
                 62 
                 Basket support rod 
               
               
                 66 
                 Lower edge 
               
               
                 70 
                 Upper edge 
               
               
                 74 
                 Hooked lip 
               
               
                 86 
                 First handle 
               
               
                 90 
                 Second handle 
               
               
                 94 
                 Hub 
               
               
                 98 
                 Lower lock 
               
               
                 102 
                 First leg 
               
               
                 106 
                 Second leg 
               
               
                 110 
                 Upper lock 
               
               
                 200 
                 Upper pulley 
               
               
                 204 
                 Lower pulley 
               
               
                 206 
                 Freewheel needle bearing 
               
               
                 208 
                 Belt 
               
               
                 212 
                 Plate 
               
               
                 216 
                 Upper axle 
               
               
                 220 
                 Lower axle 
               
               
                 228 
                 Ridges 
               
               
                 232 
                 Teeth 
               
               
                 240 
                 Belt segment 
               
               
                 244 
                 Tab 
               
               
                 250 
                 Ball guide 
               
               
                 254 
                 Bar 
               
               
                 300 
                 Ball scoop 
               
               
                 304 
                 Leading edge 
               
               
                 308 
                 Roller 
               
               
                 400 
                 Ball transport member 
               
               
                 400 
                 Curved end 
               
               
                 404 
                 Upper surface 
               
               
                 408 
                 Rib 
               
               
                 412 
                 Channel 
               
               
                 416 
                 Feet 
               
               
                 500 
                 Ball 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0041]    It should be understood the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0042]      FIGS. 1-17  show a ball collecting apparatus  2  of one embodiment of the present invention and components thereof. More specifically,  FIGS. 1-5  show a ball collecting apparatus comprising a right panel  6 , left panel  10 , a front panel  14  and a rear panel  18 . The right panel  6  and left panel  10  include extensions  22  (also referred to as “arms”) that direct balls into a lower opening  26  of the front panel  14  as the ball collecting apparatus  2  is moved forward. The ball collecting apparatus  2  also includes a left wheel  30  and a right wheel  34  that maintain a space between an underside portion of the ball collecting apparatus  2  and a collection surface, e.g., a tennis court. The ball collecting apparatus  2  employs a ball transport system  38  that is operably interconnected to the left or right wheel assembly such that when the left or right wheel is are rotated, the transport system  38  moves in such a way to transport balls from the ball collection surface through an upper opening  42  provided in the front panel  14 . 
         [0043]    In operation, the user grasps a handle  46  associated with an upper tray  50  of the ball collecting apparatus  2  and pushes forward. Propulsion is provided by human energy, facilitated by the left or right wheels provided on each side of the ball collecting apparatus. The extensions  22  are supported by caster rollers  54  at their distal ends. Accordingly, the ball collecting apparatus  2  is supported by wheels adapted to move in gently one direction (forward and backward), and to rollers adapted to move in multiple directions that allow the apparatus to be stable and maneuverable. 
         [0044]    In operation, the user moves the ball collecting apparatus  2  forward towards one or more balls on a surface. Moving the ball collecting apparatus  2  forward causes the left wheel  30  and right wheel  34  to rotate, which imparts a rotation on internal componentry that moves the ball transport system  38 . Balls gathered by the extensions  22  are channeled towards the lower opening  26  of the front panel  14 , selectively captured by the transport system, moved to the upper opening  42  of the front panel, and are deposit in a ball storage location, e.g., a basket. 
         [0045]    The ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention is approximately 40 inches tall, by 22.5 inches wide. The distance between the handle  46 , approximately the extreme rear of the ball collecting apparatus, and the tips of the extensions  22  in one embodiment of the present invention is about 37.5 inches. Further, the ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention weighs about 130 pounds and, thus, is easy to maneuver. The decreased weight savings is achieved by omitting the use of heavy motors or other drive devices. Furthermore, components of one embodiment of the present invention are made of lightweight materials such as linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). 
         [0046]    One of ordinary skill the art will appreciate that the dimensions of the ball collecting apparatus disclosed herein may be selectively altered to fit the collection needs. For example, the wheels of a baseball collecting apparatus may need to be altered to accommodate grass or AstroTurf which are rougher than a tennis court. Furthermore, for some collection scenarios a motor may be needed to help the use to propel the apparatus across a bumpy or inconsistent terrain. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 6-8  show one embodiment of the present invention having a selectively interconnected basket  58  that receives collected balls. The ball collecting apparatus includes a basket support rod  62  that extends from the left panel  10  to the right panel  6 . The basket support rod  62  generally corresponds with a lower edge  66  of the upper opening  42  of the front panel and is contoured to selectively receive the basket  58 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the basket  58  may be configured such that it engages the lower edge  66  without departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments provide small protrusions extending from inner surfaces of the left and right panels that receive corresponding hook members of the basket. As shown, the basket  58  includes at least one upper edge  70  defined by the basket&#39;s four sides. At least a portion of the upper edge  70  includes a hooked lip  74 . In practice, the hooked lip  74  is selectively engaged onto the basket support rod  62  to maintain the position of the basket  58  on the ball collecting apparatus  2 . In operation, as the ball collecting operation apparatus  2  is moved, balls are transported from the collecting surface through the upper opening  42  in the front panel  14 . The basket  58  captures balls as they are ejected from the apparatus. 
         [0048]      FIG. 8  provides a cross-sectional view of the ball collecting apparatus  2  of one embodiment of the present invention that shows how the basket  58  is interconnected to the basket support rod  62 . This figure also shows the lower opening  26  of the front panel  14  and how the extensions  22  are configured to channel one or more balls into the lower opening  26 . After the balls enter the lower opening  26 , the moving ball transport system, which is moved by the rotating wheels, grabs the balls, and moves them incrementally upwardly towards the upper opening  42 . As will be further explained below, balls are maintained in ball transport members and the rear panel  18 . After balls reach the apex of the ball collecting apparatus, they are moved around an upper pulley and ejected out of the upper opening  42  into the basket  58 . 
         [0049]    After the balls are collected, the basket  58  may be removed from the ball collecting apparatus  2  and moved to a second location. As it may be desirable to position the balls closer to the tennis player&#39;s waist, one embodiment of the present invention provides a basket  58  with selectively alterable handles.  FIG. 7  shows the basket  58  in a second configuration wherein a first handle  86  in the second handle  40  have been rotated about hubs  94  on the sides of the basket  58 . After the first and second handles are rotated into a second position, they are locked in place by lower locks  98 , thereby forming a first leg  102  and a second leg  106  that support the basket  58 . The basket  58  may also include upper locks  110  that maintain the first and second handles in the configuration shown in  FIG. 6 . The basket  58  may incorporate integrated legs that may be of fixed length or have a length that is selectively alterable such that the distance between the lower portion of the basket and the end of the legs may be selectively altered to fit the player&#39;s needs. For example, telescoping legs may be provided that are concealed within the basket when not in use. One of ordinary skill of the art should appreciate that the handles/legs provided in  FIGS. 6 and 7  are not limiting, and many ways of supporting the basket at a height above the collecting service may be provided. Those of skill in the art should also appreciate that a removable basket may not be employed. For example, one embodiment of the present invention includes a fixed basket, wherein the ball collecting apparatus must be moved to the location in which the individual is practicing. 
         [0050]      FIGS. 9-11  show the ball transport system  38  of one embodiment of the present invention. The ball transport system comprises an upper pulley  200  and a lower pulley  204 . As described in further detail below, each pulley may comprise left and right pulley members that selectively engage a belt  208 . This pulley configuration comprising separate elements that engage lateral edges of the belt is lighter than a pulley in the form of a drum that engages the entire width of the belt. The upper pulley  200  may be selectively adjustable such that the tension of the belt  208  can be selectively maintained. More specifically, over time, the belt  208  may become slacker, which can reduce its effectiveness when the pulleys are rotated. Temperature variations can also cause the belt to slacken. Thus, some embodiments of the present invention employ a plate  212  operatively interconnected to an axle  216  associated with the upper pulley  200 . Movement of the plate  212  will selectively move the axle  216  upward or downward to alter belt tension. The lower pulley  204  includes an axle  220  selectively interconnected to the left or right wheel via a geared interface such that when the left or right wheel rotates, the lower pulley  204  will rotate and move the belt  208 . The upper pulley  200  can “freewheel” and is not driven by an external force, other than interaction with the belt. Regarding freewheeling, embodiments of present invention employ a gearing system associated with the lower pulley  204  such that it can only rotate in one direction, the direction that facilitates moving balls from the lower opening of the front panel to the upper opening. More specifically, the wheel that rotates the lower pulley is interconnected to the lower pulley by way of a freewheel needle bearing, wherein rotation of the wheels in the opposite direction, i.e., to reverse the ball collecting apparatus, will not rotate the lower pulley  204 . 
         [0051]      FIGS. 9-11  also show a plurality of ball guides  250  interconnect to a bar  254  that is interconnected to the lower edge of the front panel  14 . The ball guides  250  help direct balls from the lower opening to the ball transport system. The ball guides  250  also help prevent clogging. Although three ball guides are shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of ball guides can be employed without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0052]    Referring additionally to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the belt transport system selectively engages balls that enter through an opening in the front panel. The balls are urged along the ball collecting surface and engage a ball scoop  300  which transitions the balls from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane. After the balls are transitioned in into the vertical plane, they are held by ball transport members  400  spaced along the outer edge of the belt  208 . The belt  208  includes an inner surface with a plurality of ridges  228  that engage a plurality of teeth  232  on the pulleys  236  which transmit rotational motion of the pulleys to lateral motion of the of the belt. As the lower pulley  204  is rotated, the belt  208  is moved which moves the balls upwardly towards the upper pulley  200 . After the balls reach the apex of the upper pulley  200 , gravity will cause them to disassociate with the ball transport member  400  and fall into the basket. 
         [0053]      FIG. 11  is a detailed view showing how one or more balls  500  are initially engaged by the belt  208 . An upper surface  404  of the ball transport members engages an outer surface of the ball  50 . Further movement of the ball collecting apparatus rotates the lower pulley  204 , which will incrementally move the belt  208  by way of interaction of teeth  232  on the pulley and ridges  228  on the belt. The balls  500  will eventually come in contact with a ball scoop (not shown) which helps transition the balls  500  from the horizontal plane to the vertical plane. The ball transport members  400  can be spaced such that they closely match the diameter of the ball  500  being collected, which further helps keep the balls  500  onto the upper surface  404  of the ball transport members. 
         [0054]      FIGS. 12 and 13  show ball transport members of one embodiment of the present invention. The upper surface  404  of the ball left segment employs a curve upper profile which terminates at a curled end  408 . The curved profile helps scoop the balls from the ball collecting surface and to maintain them on the upper surface  404  as they are transitioned from horizontal plane to the vertical plane. The ball transport members may include a plurality of stiffening ribs  408  to provide additional rigidity while reducing weight. The ball transport members also include a longitudinal channel  412  or pocket, or series of pockets that extend at least partially the width thereof. The channel  412  is adapted to selectively receive a portion of a belt segment as described below. The ball transport members may also include upper and lower feet  416  that engage the outer surface of the belt, which helps increase stability of the ball transport members relative to the belt segment. Stated differently, the feet  416  help prevent relative motion of the ball transport members relative to the belt transport members and provides a rigid, generally 90° interconnection between the ball transport members and the belt. 
         [0055]      FIG. 14  shows a belt segment  240  of one embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the ball transport members are selectively interconnected to the belt  208  that generally spans the entire height of the ball collecting apparatus. The belt  208  of one embodiment of the present invention is made from a plurality of segments  240  interconnected to each other by the ball transport members. The belt segments  240  include a generally smooth outer surface and an inner surface with ridges  228  that selectively engage corresponding teeth on the lower and upper pulleys. The belt segment  240  may also include an upper and lower tab  244  that extend from the outer surface of the belt segment  240 . The tabs of belt segments  240  are selectively engaged and held together when placed within the channel ( 412 , See  FIGS. 12 and 13 ) provided by the ball transport members. Fasteners can interconnect the ball transport members to the belt segments  240  wherein the fasteners are placed through the upper or lower surfaces of the transport members and maintained by a nut or other fastening device associated with the opposite side of the ball transport members. In this way, the upper and lower edges of the belt segments  240  are sandwiched together and maintain within the channel of the ball transport members. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the tab  244  associated with the belt segments  244  need not extend the entire width thereof and smaller tabs may be employed. If belt segments  240  become worn or damaged, they can be easily replaced by removing the fasteners associated with the ball transport members. 
         [0056]      FIG. 15  shows the pulley of one embodiment of the present invention. As discussed above, the pulleys may comprise two pulley wheels (See  FIG. 11 ) as shown in  FIG. 15 . The pulley includes an outer surface with teeth  232  that selectively engage ridges on the inner surface of the belt segments to help propel the same. 
         [0057]      FIG. 16  shows a belt comprising a plurality of belt segments maintained by the ball transport members. Again, the tabs  244  associated with adjacent belt segments  240  are placed within the cavity provided by the ball transport members. The tabs  244  may be maintained within the channels  412  by any common method, such as gluing, welding, ultrasonic welding, fasteners, etc. However, fastening allows for a selective interconnection scheme wherein ball transport members can be selectively removed and replaced if needed.  FIG. 16  also shows the interplay between the teeth  232  provided by the lower pulley  204  and the ridges  228  provided by the inner surface of each belt segment  240 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 16  also shows the ball scoop  300  associated with one embodiment of the present invention, which is also shown in detail in  FIG. 17 . The ball scoop  300  helps transition collected balls being urged rearwardly by ball transport systems from the horizontal plane to the vertical plane. The balls contact a leading edge  304  of the ball scoop  300  and ride on the ball scoop  300  and are eventually positioned on the upper surface of the ball transport systems. The ball transport systems will then raise the balls upwardly as described above. Because it is often important to maintain a close tolerance between the leading edge  304  and the collecting surface so balls do not jam between the ball scoop  300  and the collection surface, one embodiment of the present invention employs a leading-edge roller  308  that facilitates interaction between the balls so they easily move along the ball scoop. The leading-edge roller  308  also may contact the collecting surface to eliminate any gap between the leading-edge  304  and the ball collecting surface. 
         [0059]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. It is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims. Further, it is to be understood that the invention(s) described herein is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the preceding description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.