Patent Publication Number: US-7900618-B1

Title: Ball throwing machine conversion for pitch change

Description:
The application is based on provisional patent application U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/883,103 filed Jan. 2, 2007, on which priority for the present application is claimed, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to ball throwing apparatus, and more particularly to such apparatus having a single-throwing wheel. 
     Over the years, various types of ball throwing devices have been developed to facilitate hitting practice by tennis players, batting practice by baseball and softball players, and practice in other sports in which hitting a moving ball is involved. Some throwing machines are very sophisticated and, as a result, are relatively expensive. Considering the limited funds available to individuals, some educational organizations, some amateur sports organizations, and some businesses, there has been a need for less costly devices. As a result, less expensive machines have been available, but with some limitations in their capabilities compared to the more expensive machines. The present invention is addressed to adding some capability to existing machines at a cost within the reach of a greater number of people and organizations than in the past. 
     A U.S. Pat. No. Re. 30,703 issued Aug. 11, 1981 discloses a ball throwing device of a type to which the present invention is applicable, whereby the device is made more versatile. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention involve modification of a type of existing ball throwing machine to add the ability to quickly change the type of throw between one and another in a sequence of throws. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a ball throwing machine viewed from above and left side and modified according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmentary elevation view with portions broken out to show internal details. 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary rear elevation view with a portion shown in section taken at line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2  and viewed in the direction of the arrows. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged schematic view showing the relationship of the operating handle and the adjustable stop. 
         FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic view of a modification to the electric motor control. 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is shows the second embodiment viewed from above and showing the rear and right side. 
         FIG. 8  is a view of a stationary mounting block for the feed chute slide bracket. 
         FIG. 9  is a view of the feed chute slide bracket looking toward the outboard edge. 
         FIG. 10  is a view of the feed chute slide bracket looking toward the inboard mounting face. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before referring to the drawings in detail, reference is made to the description of the above-mentioned ball throwing device in Pat. No. Re. 30,703 issued Aug. 11, 1981, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference to the extent it can be helpful. A subsequent model of that device has been marketed by The Jugs Company of Tualatin, Oreg. It is now modified by me according to embodiments of my present invention as shown on the drawings herein. Therefore, some reference numerals used for parts in that patent are used in this application as well. For example, there is a base assembly which, as shown in  FIG. 3 , includes two generally circular base portions  10  and  12  which are sandwiched together with an end plate  15  of motor  18 , and fastened together by bolts  14 , so the base portions are generally circular about an axis which is also the rotational axis  19  of the motor output shaft  22 . Pneumatic-tired wheel  30  is fastened to the motor output shaft for rotation in the plane  168  which is perpendicular to said axis  19 . Also, there is a circumferential groove  11  in the base portion  10  and which is also centered on the axis  19 . The base assembly is mounted to the shaft  56  of a tripod which has legs  62 . The height of the base assembly on the tripod can be adjusted by the handle  64  of a set screw which clamps onto the shaft  56  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     A support member  34 , shown as a plate, has a ring end portion  32  such as shown in  FIG. 2  and which is received in the circumferential groove  11  of the base portion  10 . So the member  34  can be rotated on the base portion  10  about the rotational axis  19  of the motor shaft. The ring end portion  32  of member  34  can be clamped to base portion  12  by turning the T-handle  70  of a clamp screw which is screwed into the base portion  10  and clamps the ring portion  32  against the base portion  12 . Because of this construction of the member  34 , the member can be rotated completely around to the position shown in the broken lines in  FIG. 2  of the patent, if desired. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  herein, an L-shaped bracket  35  is mounted on the wheel side of the member  34 . It has a rubber pad  33  similar to  42  of the patent, glued or otherwise fastened to the bottom of bracket  35 . A ball feed chute  48  is mounted to an arm  36  which is bolted at two places to a support bridge  37  which is fastened to the top of the bracket  35 . But according to this embodiment of the present invention, the bracket is not fixed to member  34 . Instead of the conventional mounting of the bracket  35  rigidly to the member  34 , it is mounted to be moveable to the rear in the direction of arrow  93  ( FIG. 1 ) relative to a member such as  34 , according to one aspect of the present invention. 
     According to another aspect of the  FIGS. 1-5  embodiment of the present invention, there is a change initiator. In this embodiment, this feature is implemented by a changer  81  which includes a handle portion  82 , an arm  83 , and a crank portion  84 . In the illustrated example, the changer  81  is a rigid unit pivotally mounted to the near side of member  34  by means of a bolt  86  screwed into the member  34 . In the  FIGS. 1-5  embodiment, another bolt  87  is mounted near the distal end of the crank portion  84  and is received through a slot  88  in member  34  and screwed into the downwardly-turned face of bracket  35  that is at the far (wheel) side of member  34 . Another bolt  89  is received through a slot  91  in member  34  and is screwed into the down-turned face of bracket  35 . Therefore, the changer handle  82  can be pulled rearward and downward around the pivot bolt  86  in the direction of arrow  92  and pivoting about the bolt  86 . As the changer turns around the bolt  86 , it will pull the bracket  35  in the direction of arrow  93 , thus re-locating the feed chute  48  relative to the wheel  30 . This will cause the ball being thrown off the wheel to fly upward at a steeper angle relative to horizontal than when the member  34  is in the position shown in  FIG. 1  where the bolts are at the front end of the slots  91  and  88 . It should be noted in  FIG. 1  that the slots  88  and  91  slope downward as they extend rearward. This is done so that the gap between the periphery of the wheel and the pad  33  and the discharge chute  48  remains practically the same while the chute is pulled backward. If desired for more precise spacing, the slots can be curved on radii centered on axis  19 . 
     One of the bolts  66  fastening the arm  36  to the bridge  37  also fastens one end of a spring  96  to the bracket  35 . The other end of the spring is fastened to the member  34  by a bolt  97 . This spring operates to return the bracket  35  to the rest position shown in  FIG. 1 , when the changer handle  82  is released. 
     In accord with another aspect of the present invention, a motor speed changing system is provided. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 , this includes a switch assembly  98  fixed to the member  34  and which has a roller  99  engaged by a tab  85  fixed on the crank portion  84  of the changer  81 . When the apparatus is in the rest position of the bracket  35 , this switch is held closed by the tab  85 . However, when the handle  82  is pulled back, it pulls the tab back, allowing the switch to open. This results in a change of the wheel speed as will be described now. 
     The ball-throwing device as furnished by the original manufacturer, before modification according to the illustrated embodiments of the present invention, is equipped with a motor controller  101 . It includes an on-off switch  102 , and a speed-adjusting potentiometer  103  whereby the user can adjust the wheel speed as desired. In accord with another aspect of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention, the switch  98  mentioned above is added to the motor control circuitry and an additional speed controller  104  is provided. Controller  104  includes a speed adjusting potentiometer  106  and which is coupled in parallel with switch  98 . The switch is normally maintained in the closed position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . But, the switch  98  is opened as the handle  82  is pulled back in the direction of arrow  93 , whereby the potentiometer  106  is added in series in the circuitry, applying more resistance to the motor so that it runs slower. The amount of additional resistance is adjustable by the potentiometer  106 . When the handle is released, it is returned by the spring  96  to rest position shown in  FIG. 1 . This permits the switch  98  to close, by-passing the potentiometer  106 , so the original speed controller  101  with its potentiometer is in control, independent of controller  104 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the pivot bolt  86  is shown with the changer arm portion  83  fixed to it and pivotal in the direction of the arrow  92 . A stop disc  111  is offset-mounted to a pivot bolt  112  which is screwed into the member  34 . A clamp knob  113  affixed to the end of the pivot bolt is operable to clamp the stop disc  111  against the member  34 . The purpose of the stop is to limit how far backward in the direction of arrow  93 , the feed chute is pulled. It does so by being in a position to engage the handle arm  83 . For example, as the adjustable stop is turned in the direction of arrow  114 , from the position shown in  FIG. 4 , the peripheral surface of the stop moves farther away to the right in the direction of arrow  93  so that the handle can be pulled farther in the direction of arrow  93 . When the knob  113  is loosened, the stop can be turned either in the direction of arrow  114  or the opposite direction of arrow  116  to change the travel of the arm  83 . Then the knob  113  can be tightened to clamp the stop against the face of the member  34  so that whenever the handle is pulled in the direction of arrow  93 , the stop will limit how far to the right it can be pulled. 
     Referring now to the embodiment of  FIG. 6  and following, many of the components referred to in the description of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals. But there are some other features that are different. The base portions  10 ,  12  and motor and mounting to the tripod can be the same. The feed chute support member  34 A is a little different, as the guide slots  88  and  91  shown in member  34  in  FIG. 1  are not used in support member portion  34 A. 
     There is a feed chute slide mounting block  121  ( FIG. 8 ) to be secured to the support member  34 A. This block has two slots  124  through it. A feed chute slide assembly is mounted to the block  121  in a way to enable the slide assembly to be slid on the block. The illustrated slide assembly has a bracket  136  which has a table portion  136 A with a pad such as  33  ( FIG. 3 ) glued or otherwise mounted to its underside. A mounting portion  136 M ( FIG. 10 ) of the slide bracket extends down from the table portion and has two threaded holes  136 H in it. 
     Before mounting the block  121  to the support member  34 A two bolts  137  are installed through the slots  124  in the mounting block  121  and are screwed into the holes  136 H in the slide bracket mounting portion  136 M to fasten the slide bracket  136  to the mounting block  121 . Each of the slots  124  has a perimeter groove  124 G in the mounting face of block  121  to accommodate the bolt heads and thereby avoid bolt head interference with the face of the slide bracket mounting portion  136 M. The bolts can have thread limits or the holes  136 H can be blind holes, or means can be used to prevent the bolt heads from clamping against the faces of the grooves  124 G. Therefore, although the slide bracket  136  is connected to the slide mounting block  121  by the bolts  137 , the slide is able to slide relative to the mounting block in the direction of the slots  124 . 
     The mounting portion  136 M of the slide bracket  136  has a face piece  138  of low friction face material (Teflon®, for example) so that the slide bracket  136  can slide freely on the block  121  between limits dictated by the length of the slots  124  in the slide mounting block, and an adjustable limit as will be described. 
     The slide mounting block  121  has threaded holes  122  and is bolted to the wheel side of the support member  34 A by bolts  123  ( FIG. 6 ) through unthreaded holes in the support member  34 A. The heads of bolts  123  seat in recesses in the face of member  34 A. Ball feed chute  141  is supported by arm  142  fastened by two bolts  143  to support bridge  144  welded to the table top  136 T, so the ball feed chute is movable by and to the extent that the slide bracket  136  is movable. 
     Since mounting block  121  is bolted to the support member portion  34 A with bolts  123 , the mounting block  121  becomes part of the support member in this environment, serving to provide the bracket slide guide function. 
     A return spring  146  has one end loop hooked to an anchor tab  147  fixed to the slide bracket  136  and the other end loop hooked to an anchor bolt  148  mounted in the top of the mounting block  121 . This spring holds the slide bracket in the stable rest position shown in the drawing  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 8 , a stop screw  151  is received in a threaded hole in a tab  152  fixed to the mounting block  121  and has a nut  153  on it to clamp against the tab  152  when a desired adjustment of the screw has been made. The distal end  154  of the screw faces the tab  147  to which one end of the spring  146  is hooked, as mentioned above. The screw serves as a stop of travel of the slide bracket  136  when the slide bracket is moved backward from rest position. 
     A switch assembly  156  has a housing fixed to the mounting block  121  and has a plunger  157 . Referring to  FIG. 9 , a switch plunger stop screw  158  has a head  159  engaged with the plunger ( FIGS. 6 ,  7 ). The screw is threaded into the tab  161  fixed to the slide bracket  136 . A nut  162  is provided on the screw to clamp against the tab to maintain a desired adjustment. 
     The electrical coupling of the switch assembly  156  to the motor controller is the same as that for the switch assembly  98  and the potentiometer  106  of  FIG. 5 . 
     This embodiment of the present invention provides a kit which makes conversion very simple. One portion provides the controller  104  for simple connection to the existing motor controller  101 , with the cable and switch assembly for easy mounting to an existing support member. The other portion provides a slide mounting member  121  easily mounted to the existing support member, and having a slide bracket  136  with a variety of components and including a feed chute already mounted to it and slide-able on the mounting member. In the use of this embodiment of the invention, after making the modifications described above, the operator can simply change the motor speed and the location of engagement of the ball with the wheel by pulling the handle  166  backward in the direction of arrow  167 . The adjustment screw  151  can be set to limit how far the slide can be pulled back, because the slide bracket is stopped by the tab  147  on the slide bracket hitting the end of the screw  151 . Upon release of the handle, the spring  146  will return the slide bracket to the rest position. The triggering of the switch  156  to open occurs as the slide bracket is pulled back, which moves the switch plunger stop screw in a direction away from the switch  156 . The location of the slide bracket to cause the triggering event is adjustable by adjusting the screw  158 . 
     The slots  124  are slanted downward from front to rear so that the attitude of the feed chute changes as the slide bracket is pulled backward, to introduce the ball to the wheel  30  at a lower level and start the trajectory of the ball at a higher angle than when the slide bracket is in the rest position to which the spring returns it when the handle  166  is released. The slots can be curved if desired as discussed above for the slots  88  and  91  of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     In the foregoing description, various terms including, but not limited to; tabs, screws, nuts, table, plate, block, weld and the like, are used. It should be understood that other terms could be used to describe such items or items serving the same purpose, so the use of such terms should not be construed as limited to precisely the details of what is shown in the drawings. 
     Therefore, while embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.