Abstract:
A collapsible batting cage having a support base (e.g., a front end, a back end and opposite sides) and a support frame to which a protective netting is attached. The support frame includes a plurality of U-shaped frame members that are pivotally connected to the support base so as to be rotatable relative thereto between a collapsed position, when the batting cage is not in use, to a raised position, when the batting cage is in use. A cable that is tied to the plurality of U-shaped frame members receives a pulling force from a winch for causing the U-shaped frame members to rotate from the collapsed position, where the protective netting is folded at an inconspicuous location within the support base, to the raised position, where the netting will hang above the support base. With the U-shaped frame members of the support frame rotated to the raised position and the netting hanging downwardly therefrom, the batting cage will provide a confined enclosure within which sports (e.g., baseball, golf, soccer, football, etc.) can be practiced without subjecting onlookers and property to the risk of injury or damage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a collapsible batting cage that is adapted to be quickly and easily rotated between a collapsed, folded position when the batting cage is not in use and a raised, upstanding position ready for use. The batting cage provides a confined enclosure within which sports (e.g., baseball, golf, soccer, football, etc.) can be practiced without subjecting onlookers and property to the risk of injury or damage. 
   2. Background Art 
   Batting cages are available to the public at amusement parks and similar recreational facilities. However, it is an inconvenience for an athlete to have to frequently pack his gear and then travel to a distant site to improve his game. Moreover, public batting cages are not available to the athlete on a 24 hour basis. Similarly, the fees to use a public facility to practice one&#39;s games can become a cost problem, particularly when the athlete is young and must depend on his parents to cover his expenses. 
   For all of these reasons, it would be desirable for an athlete to have continuous access to his own personal batting cage so that practice sessions can be held at the convenience of the athlete. If the personal batting cage were located at home or a similar residential facility, the athlete would not have to travel to a remote location to hold practice. In this regard, a residential batting cage would be of particular advantage to ambitious youngsters who are too young to drive and who do not wish to inconvenience their parents. 
   However, any such personal batting cage that is located in a residential area must be able to be disposed at an out of sight location when not in use so as to avoid posing an eyesore to neighbors and the community at large. What is more, the batting cage must be capable of being installed in combination with a supporting structure (e.g., walls, fences, railing, and the like) which does not violate local ordinances. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In general terms, a collapsible batting cage is disclosed within which an athlete can practice pitching and batting a baseball without subjecting onlookers and property to the risk of injury or damage. The batting cage herein described in also suitable to enable other sports (e.g., golf, soccer, football, etc.) to be practiced within a safe environment for bystanders. The collapsible batting cage of this invention is particularly suitable for use in a residential area and includes a support frame that is adapted to be rotated between a collapsed position, when the batting cage is not in use, and a raised position, when the batting cage is to be used to practice one&#39;s game. 
   The support frame includes a plurality of (e.g., three) U-shaped frame members that are pivotally connected to a pair of side railings or a similar structure by means of hinge pins, whereby the support frame is rotatable relative to the side railings. The U-shaped frame members are linked together so as to be rotated in unison between the collapsed position so as to lie below the tops of the side railings and the raised position so as to stand upwardly above the side railings. The opposing pair of side railings cooperate with a front end railing and a back end railing to establish a confined practice area within which a baseball may be thrown and/or hit. A reversible winch is mounted on the front end railing, and a pull-up rail is slidable vertically along the back end railing. 
   A protective netting is tied to the U-shaped frame members of the support frame and to the pull-up rail so as to hang downwardly therefrom to cover the insides of the front end railing, the back end railing, and the opposing side railings. A cable which is connected to the winch at the front end railing is looped around the tops of each of the U-shaped frame members and then attached to the pull-up rail at the back end railing. When the reversible winch turns in a first direction, a pulling tension is generated in the cable to cause the support frame to be rotated to the raised position and the pull-up rail to slide upwardly, whereby the protective netting is correspondingly lifted above the front end, back end and side railings. However, when the winch turns in an opposite direction, the pulling tension in the cable is relaxed to allow the support frame to be rotated to the collapsed position and the pull-up rail to slide downwardly, whereby the netting is correspondingly lowered to a non-obtrusive, out of site location surrounded by the front end, back end, and side railings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the collapsible batting cage of this invention in a collapsed position during non-use; 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the collapsible batting cage in the collapsed position taken along lines  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the collapsible batting cage in a raised position ready for use; 
       FIG. 4  shows a front end railing taken along lines  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 ; and 
       FIG. 5  shows a back end railing taken along lines  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The collapsible batting cage  1  which forms the present invention is initially described while referring concurrently to  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings, where there is shown the batting cage  1  coupled to a pair of metal side railings  3  (best shown in  FIG. 2 ) that are separated from one another to define the width of the practice area. Each side railing  3  has a series of spaced, parallel aligned rails  5  extending vertically between upper and lower support rails  7  and  8 . However, it is to be understood that the collapsible batting cage  1  can also be used in conjunction with a pair of walls, fences, or similar structures, having a height of typically six feet or less so as to be able to comply with local ordinances in certain communities. 
   The collapsible batting cage  1  includes a support frame  10  that is pivotally coupled to the inside of the pair of side railings  3  and adapted to be rotated between a collapsed position (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) at which time the batting cage is not in use to a raised position (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) at which time the batting cage is ready for use. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the support frame  10  is moved between the collapsed and raised positions by means of a conventional reversible winch  12  (e.g. having a lift capacity of approximately 800 pounds). A control switch  14  is provided to selectively control the operation and direction of the winch  12  and the corresponding position of the batting cage  1  relative to the side railings  3 . 
   The collapsible batting cage  1  also includes a suitable netting  16  that is tied to and carried by the support frame  10  so as to be pulled or pushed by the support frame between the collapsed and raised positions. By way of example only, the netting  16  is a commercially available, sun resistant netting that is manufactured from polyethylene and formed with a plurality of 3.5 by 3.5 cm square sections that are sized to trap a baseball that is hit or thrown within the batting cage  1 . In the ready to use, raised position of the support frame  10 , the netting  16  will completely cover the interior of side railings  3  so as to prevent a thrown or struck baseball from causing injury or damage to an observer or property located outside the batting cage. 
   As is best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the pivotal support frame  10  which carries the netting  16  includes a plurality of U-shaped frame members  18 ,  19  and  20 . In the present example, the support frame  10  includes a total of three U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  that are evenly spaced about 15-20 feet apart to simulate the distance between a pitching mound and the batter&#39;s box within which the hitter is located. However, the precise number of frame members and the distance therebetween is a matter of convenience depending upon the overall length and use of the batting cage  1 . 
   The legs of the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  are pivotally connected to respective ones of the rails  5  of each of the pair of side railings  3  by means of hinge pins  22 ,  23  and  24 , or the like. Thus, the frame members  18 - 20  can rotate around their hinge pins  22 - 24  through an arc of approximately 90 degrees. That is, with the support frame  10  in the collapsed position of  FIG. 2 , the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  will lie flat and generally end-to-end one another below the upper support rails  7  of side railings  3 . When the support frame  10  is rotated to the raised position of  FIG. 3 , the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  will stand upwardly and in parallel alignment with one another so as to extend above the upper support rails  7  of side railings  3 . 
   To ensure that the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  travel together to achieve a smooth transition of the support frame between the collapsed position (designated  10  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and the raised position (designated  10 - 1  in FIG.  3 ), pairs of tubular coupling bars  28  and  30  are interconnected between the frame members  18 - 20  at hollow eye sockets  32 ,  33  and  34  that surround the top of each U-shaped frame member. More particularly, a first pair of coupling bars  28  extends from a respective pair of sockets  32  that surround the top of the first U-shaped member  18  to a respective pair of sockets  33  that surround the top of the second U-shaped frame member  19 . A second pair of coupling bars  30  extends from the sockets  33  at the top of the second U-shaped frame member  19  to a respective pair of sockets  34  that surround the top of the third U-shaped frame member  20 . By virtue of the pairs of coupling bars  28  and  30 , when one of the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  of support frame  10  is raised or lowered, all of frame members will be simultaneously raised or lowered. 
   As was earlier disclosed, the support frame  10  is moved between the collapsed and the raised positions by means of a reversible winch  12 . The winch  12  is preferably mounted adjacent the control switch  14  on a front end railing  50 . As is best shown in  FIG. 3 , cable  38  runs upwardly and continuously from the winch  12  for attachment to the support frame  10  by way of a guide roller or pulley  40 . The guide roller  40  may be mounted at the top of the front end railing  50  so as to lie above the winch  12 . 
   Turning briefly to  FIG. 4  of the drawings, the front end railing  50  is shown at the front of the batting cage  1  to which the reversible winch  12  and the guide roller  40  are affixed. The front end railing  50  extends between the opposing pair of side railings  3 . Like side railings  3 , the front end railing  50  includes a plurality of spaced, parallel aligned rails  52  that run between upper and lower support rails  54  and  56 . A rotatable entry gate  58  is located within the front end railing  50  to allow access to the interior of batting cage  1 . 
   As is best shown in  FIG. 2 , the cable is then tied (e.g. looped around) the tops of each of the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  of support frame  10 . Accordingly, when the winch  12  turns in a first direction, a tension is created within the cable  38  and a corresponding pulling-force is applied to the frame members  18 - 20  via the cable  38 , whereby to cause the support frame  10  to rotate upwardly (represented by phantom lines in  FIG. 1 ) to the raised position (designated  10 - 1  in FIG.  3 ). However, when the winch  12  turns in an opposite direction, the pulling tension on the cable  38  will be relaxed, whereby to allow the support frame  10  to rotate downwardly to the collapsed position of FIG.  2 . Because the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  are linked together by means of the tubular coupling bars  28  and  30 , the frame members  18 - 20  will rotate in unison in the upward and downward directions around their hinge pins  22 - 24 . 
   The batting cage  1  also includes a U-shaped pull-up rail  44  that is located adjacent a back end railing  60  that lies opposite the front end railing  50 . The U-shaped pull-up rail  44  is adapted to slide vertically relative to back end railing  60  as the support frame  10  is rotated between the collapsed and raised positions for the purpose of raising and lowering the netting  16  around the batting cage  1 . The legs of U-shaped pull-up rail  44  are slidably received by a pair of hollow guides  46  and  47  that are affixed to each side of the back end railing  60  (best shown in FIGS.  1  and  3 ). 
   The back end railing  60  to which the U-shaped pull-up rail  44  is coupled (by means of the pairs of guides  46  and  47  and along which the pull-up rail  44  is vertically slidable) is best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5  of the drawings. The back end railing  60  extends between the opposing pair of side railings  3  at the rear of batting cage  1 . Like side railings  3 , the back end railing  60  includes a plurality of spaced, parallel aligned rails  62  that run between upper and lower support rails  63  and  64 . 
   As is best shown in  FIG. 2 , a pair of guide rollers or pulleys  67  and  68  is mounted opposite one another on the upper support rails  7  of each of the pair of side railings  3  so as to lie adjacent the U-shaped pull-up rail  44 . After the cable  38  is tied to (i.e., looped over) the last U-shaped frame member  20  of support frame  10 , the cable  38  is joined at a splice or junction  42  with two cable sections  38 - 1  and  38 - 2 . Although the cable sections  38 - 1  and  38 - 2  are illustrated as having different lengths, the cable sections may have identical lengths, as well. A first of the cable sections  38 - 1  runs from the cable splice  42  to the bottom of one leg of the U-shaped pull-up rail  44  by way of a first of the pair of guide rollers  67 . The second cable section  38 - 2  runs from the cable splice  42  to the bottom of the other leg of the U-shaped pull-up rail  44  by way of the second guide roller  68 . Using a pair of cable sections  38 - 1  and  38 - 2  to be tied to opposite legs of the U-shaped pull-up rail  44  via respective guide rollers  67  and  68  enables the pull-up rail  44  to slide smoothly along the back end railing  60  as the support frame  10  rotates between the collapsed and raised positions. 
   The netting  16  is either tied to or folded over the U-shaped pull-up rail  44 . As the winch  12  at the front end railing  50  is rotated in a direction by which to apply a pulling tension on the cable  38  and each of the cable sections  38 - 1  and  38 - 2  that are joined together at cable splice  42 , the pull-up rail  44  will be pulled vertically upward (represented by the phantom lines in  FIG. 1 ) at the same time that U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  of support frame  10  are rotated upwardly to the raised position so as to lift the netting above the side, front and back railings  3 ,  50  and  60  to thereby complete the batting cage  1 . When the winch  12  is rotated in the opposite direction by which to relax the pulling tension on cables  38 ,  38 - 1  and  38 - 2 , the pull-up rail  44  will slide vertically downward at the same time that the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  rotate to the collapsed position, whereby the netting  16  will fall inside the railings  3 , and  50  and  60 . 
   The protective netting  16  of batting cage  1  is attached to the support frame  10  and pull-up rail  44  by means of suitable ties or straps  48  such that the netting  16  will simply hang down from the top of the support frame. As is best shown in  FIG. 3 , a plurality of ties  48  are employed at strategic locations to attach the netting  16  to the tops of the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  and the pairs of coupling bars  28  and  30  which link the frame members to one another. It can now be appreciated that the netting  16  will be carried by the support frame  10  and the pull-up rail  44  so as to be pulled up and folded down as the support frame rotates between the collapsed and raised positions. 
   In the raised position of the pivotal support frame  10  as shown in  FIG. 3 , the netting will hang down from the U-shaped frame members  18 - 20  and the pull-up rail  44  so as to completely enclose the playing area and cover the insides of the front end, rear end, and side railings  50 ,  60  and  3 . Thus, a pitching machine (not shown) can be located at the front of the batting cage  1  inside the front end railing  50 , and a target (i.e., a home plate or other suitable marker) can be located at the rear of the batting cage  1  inside the back end railing  60  at which a batter can stand to hit practice pitches thrown by the pitching machine. Notwithstanding the foregoing example, the batting cage  1  herein described can also be used to provide a safe and confined environment within which to practice other sports such as golf, soccer, and football, to name but a few.