Abstract:
This present invention is a baseball training device for practicing hitting, comprising a swing member supporting either a ball member or a weighted ball member comprising a ball member attached to a weighted member by an elastic member. The swing member, supported by a base member, is restored to its equilibrium position in hitting practice mode by gravity. As the weighted member is always suspended in air in hitting practice mode, its tension restores its ball member to its equilibrium position. The oscillation of the swing member aids in the dissipation of force imparted to the device in hitting practice mode, making the device stable and stationary, portable and lightweight.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    There are many types of baseball training devices with which practicing hitting involves hitting a ball with extreme force. The present invention is one of them. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. With baseball, beginners seek to learn to swing; non-beginners strive to perfect their swings. For beginners, it is very desired if they can maximise the number of swings in a given period of time. For serious players, they would like to maintain their swings. When practicing hitting with a training device, some players prefer to have the ball attached to the device; others prefer not to so as to see the trajectory the ball will take after it is hit. Many baseball training devices for practicing hitting have been developed over the years. Baseball prior art relevant to the present invention are U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,494 to Kelly; U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,367 to Oyarzabal; U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,419 to Incaudo et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,582 to Minniear; U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,050 to Holder; U.S. Pat. No. 1,962,087 to Cone; U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,039 to Tsai et al. The commonality of the present invention with a sub-set of prior art is they seek to allow the player to practice in a small space. The commonality of the present invention with another sub-set of prior art is they seek to allow the player to see the trajectory of the ball after it is hit. The present invention diverges from such prior art most importantly in the way it deals with the force imparted to the device when the ball is hit. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a baseball training device for practicing hitting without the need for a net. 
         [0006]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a baseball training device that is lightweight and portable and can withstand the extreme force applied when practicing hitting. 
         [0007]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a baseball training device that can be used equally indoors and outdoors, by both right handed and left handed players, for practicing hitting. 
         [0008]    Another objective of the present invention is for it to be used as a Tee. 
         [0009]    Another objective of the present invention is for it to be used to practice a level swing. 
         [0010]    The design of the present invention achieves these objectives by incorporating a number of features not found in prior art, namely having a swing member and a weighted ball member comprising of a ball member attached to a weighted member by an elastic member. With prior art, when the ball member is hit, force is imparted to the device forcing it to move forward, upward or downward, and sideways. To minimise or prevent such movement, prior art devices have been made heavy and/or staked to the ground. To minimise forward and upward or downward movement of the base member of the present device, the base member supports the swing member which supports the weighted ball member. When the ball member of the weighted ball member is hit, the swing member oscillates, allowing the base member to be substantially stationary. Secondly, when the ball member is hit, it is the weighted member and not the base member that moves upwards. In a second configuration, the swing member freely supports a ball member as in a traditional Tee. When the ball member is hit, it flies off leaving the device stationary. However, if the swing member itself is hit it oscillates preventing the collapse of the device as in traditional Tees. 
         [0011]    Furthermore, the aim of this application is to illustrate the preferred embodiments of this baseball training device used to practice hitting. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Referring to the attached drawings which form part of this original disclosure: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1   a  is a Perspective view of the components that comprise the preferred embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 1   b  is a Perspective view of the components that comprise a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2   a  is a Perspective view of the embodiment of the weighted ball member,  FIG. 2   b  is a Perspective view of the embodiment of the weighted member; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3   a  is a Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the swing member,  FIG. 3   b  is a Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of one of the plurality of the suspension member,  FIG. 3   c  is a Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the cradle member of the shoulder member,  FIG. 3   d  is a Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the receptacle member of the shoulder member,  FIG. 3   e  is a Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the tower member,  FIG. 3   f  is a Perspective view of the second embodiment of the tower member; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the base member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1   a,  therein is shown in hitting practice mode, a Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the baseball training device  10  for practicing hitting, the baseball training device  10  comprising of a weighted ball member  20  mounted on a swing member  30 , which is supported by a base member  60 ; referring to  FIG. 1   b,  therein is shown in hitting practice mode, a Perspective view of a second embodiment of the baseball training device  10  for practicing hitting, the baseball training device  10  comprising of a ball member  20  mounted on a swing member  30 , which is supported by a base member  60 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 2   a , therein is shown the Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the weighted ball member  20  comprising of a ball member  21  connected to a weighted member  22  by an elastic member  23 ; referring to  FIG. 2   b , therein is shown the Perspective view of the embodiment of the weighted member  22  comprising of a flexible weight  24  attached to Velcro straps  25   a  and  25   b  which allow the weight  24  to be attached to the elastic member  23 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3   a , therein is shown the Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the swing member  30 . The swing member  30  is comprised of a plurality of suspension members  31  rotatably connected to a shoulder member  32  comprising of a cradle member  38  at the centre of which is a receptacle member  44  for receiving a tower member  50  which supports the weighted ball member  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3   b , the preferred embodiment of each of the suspension member  31  is rigid and has a front and back longitudinal face  33  and  33 ′, and a first and a second lateral face  34  and  34 ′, and an upper face  35  and a lower face  35 ′. The front and back longitudinal faces  33  and  33 ′ are parallel to each other. The hole  36  thru and perpendicular to the front and back longitudinal faces  33  and  33 ′ and located in the proximity of the upper face  35  of each of the suspension member  31  allows for each of the suspension member  31  to be rotatably connected to the base member  60 . The hole  37  thru and perpendicular to the front and back longitudinal faces  33  and  33 ′ and located in the proximity of the lower face  35 ′ of each of the suspension member  31  allows for each of the suspension member  31  to be rotatably connected to the shoulder member  32 . The holes  36  and  37  are mirror images of each other. Referring to  FIG. 3   c , therein is shown the Perspective view of the cradle member  38  of the shoulder member  32  of the preferred embodiment of the swing member  30 . The cradle member  38  has a front and back longitudinal face  39  and  39 ′, and an upper and a lower lateral face  40  and  40 ′, and side faces  41  and  41 ′. The front and back longitudinal face  39  and  39 ′ faces are parallel to each other.  42   a  and  42   b  are holes located in the proximity of the side faces  41 ′ and  41 , thru and perpendicular to the front and back longitudinal faces  39  and  39 ′. The holes  42   a  and  42   b  are mirror images of each other. Thru the holes  42   a  and  42   b  fasteners  43  attach the cradle member  38  to the suspension members  31  with the front longitudinal face  33  of the suspension member  31  contiguous to back longitudinal face  39 ′ of the cradle member  38 , with each of the holes  37  aligned with the holes  42   a  and  42   b.  As shown in  FIG. 3   d , the preferred embodiment of the receptacle member  44  has a front and a back longitudinal face  45  and  45 ′, and side lateral faces  46  and  46 ′, and an upper opening  47  and a lower opening  47 ′. The front and back longitudinal faces  45  and  45 ′ are parallel to each other as are the side lateral faces  46  and  46 ′. A gusset plate  48 , forming part of the back longitudinal face  45 ′, is affixed to the upper lateral face  40  of the cradle member  38 . The receptacle member  44  is perpendicular to the cradle member  38 , with its back longitudinal face  45 ′ affixed to the front longitudinal face  39  of the cradle member  38  from the lower lateral face  40 ′ to the upper lateral face  40 . Referring to  FIG. 3   e , therein is shown the Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the tower member  50  which is comprised of a tubing member  51  whose cross section is non-circular. At the upper end of tubing member  51  is a detachable ball holder  52 . A stopper member  53  is affixed to the tubing member  51  preventing the detachable ball holder  52  from sliding down the tubing member  51 . In hitting practice mode the ball member  21  of the weighted member  20  is mounted on the ball holder member  52  with the elastic member  23  of the weighted member  20  passing thru the channel  54  of the ball holder member and thru the tubing member  51 . Referring to  FIG. 3   f , therein is shown the Perspective view of the second embodiment of the tower member  50  which is comprised of a tubing member  51  whose cross section is circular. At the upper end of tubing member  51  is a detachable ball holder  52 . A stopper member  53  is affixed to the tubing member  51  preventing the detachable ball holder  52  from sliding down the tubing member  51 . In hitting practice mode the ball member  21  of the weighted member  20  is mounted on the ball holder member  52  with the elastic member  23  of the weighted member  20  passing thru the channel  54  of the ball holder member and thru the tubing member  51 .  55  is a locking member around the tubing member  51 . In both embodiments, the height of the ball member  21  is adjusted by unlocking the locking member  55 , sliding the shaft member  51  within the receptacle member  44 , then tightening the locking member  55  which then sits on the upper opening  47  of the receptacle member  44 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , therein is shown the Perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the base member  60  comprising of a bridge member  61 , a plurality of arch members  62  and a plurality of legs  63  of substantially the same length detachable from said arch members  62 . The bridge member  61  has a top and bottom longitudinal face  64  and  64 ′, a front and back lateral face  65  and  65 ′, and side faces  66  and  66 ′. Each of the plurality of arch members  62  is affixed to a side face of the bridge member  61  in a mirror image of each other, at an obtuse angle to the bottom longitudinal face  64 ′ of the bridge member  61 . The bridge member  61  is in an off-centre position relative to the centres of the arch members  62 . The swing member  30  is supported in a position substantially centred to the centres of the arch members  62  by fasteners  67   a  and  67   b  thru and perpendicular to the front lateral face  65  of the bridge member  61  and thru the hole  36  of each of the suspension members  31 . The position of the fasteners  67   a  and  67   b  are mirror images of each other relative to the centre of the bridge member  61 . The spacing between the fasteners  67   a  and  67   b  of the bridge member bland fasteners  42   a  and  42   b  of the cradle member  38  are the substantially the same. Each of the plurality of arch members  62  has open ends  68   a  and  68   b.  Into the open ends  68   a  and  68   b  of the arch members  61  are inserted the plurality of legs  63  in hitting practice mode. Parallel to and on each side of the bridge member  61  strut members  69  are affixed to the arch members  62 , substantially close to the open ends of the arch member  62 . 
         [0021]    A suitable material for the ball member  21  to be made of is polyurethane which has rubber-like properties. However, it can be an actual baseball. The suspension members  31  are made of a hard plastic such as UHMW or nylon. The locking member  55  is a worm gear clamp. The rest of the device is constructed of metal and the preferred manner of affixing the parts permanently is welding. 
         [0022]    This invention has been disclosed and described in its preferred embodiment with a certain degree of peculiarity; it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred embodiment is only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details and arrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.