Abstract:
There is disclosed a device for individually launching a plurality of projectiles. The device comprises a base having a launching mechanism housed therein, a feeder for transporting a projectile to the launching mechanism, and a receptacle attached to the base and operatively connected to the feeder, wherein the receptacle holds the projectiles until they are fed into the feeder.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to devices that launch projectiles, and in particular to a device that launches balls to provide amusement and exercise for pets. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Pets have a lot of energy and need exercise to dissipate some of that energy and to stay fit. Pets usually get their exercise through playing fun games; chasing after, catching and retrieving some sort of projectile—usually a ball—is a particularly popular game which keeps a pet amused. Often, this game is played with or under the supervision of an adult; the adult throws the ball and the pet chases after the ball, sometimes catches it, and returns it to the adult to be thrown again. Unfortunately, though, a willing adult is not always present when the pet wants to play. What, then, is the poor pet to do? One possible solution for helping the pet is to provide them with a machine that automatically launches the ball, and to which they can return the ball to be launched again. 
     Unfortunately, there are very few machines which launch projectiles and can be used by a pet. Machines do exist for launching projectiles for recreational purposes; examples include tennis ball throwers used for tennis lessons, and baseball and softball throwers used in batting cages. But these machines have are unsuitable for use by pets. Existing machines are usually large, heavy contraptions which either cannot not be moved (often the case with baseball/softball machines) or must be put on a heavy base with wheels before it can be moved (often the case with tennis ball throwers). Thus, these machines are not portable and cannot easily be taken to yards, parks or other areas where children might play. Existing machines are also expensive and complex, making them impractical to buy for a pet, and rendering them too complex to be operated by a child and completely inoperable by a pet. These machines require some knowledge to properly select the machine&#39;s location and choose the correct operational settings (such as ball speed, and interval between ball launches). Moreover, they require some size and dexterity for operation; for example, the balls must usually be loaded into a large receptacle that would be out of reach for a pet, and which may be covered and locked for safety reasons, requiring some dexterity for opening. Finally, existing machines can pose a safety hazard, because they launch balls at high speeds that could injure pets. 
     Since existing projectile-launching machines are unsuitable for use by pets, there is a need for a projectile-launching machine which is portable and easily used by a pet, or for other similar purposes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a device for individually launching a plurality of projectiles. The device comprises a base having a launching mechanism housed therein, a feeder for transporting a projectile to the launching mechanism, and a receptacle attached to the base and operatively connected to the feeder, wherein the receptacle holds the projectiles until they are fed into the feeder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front partial cutaway view of an embodiment of the inventive device. 
     FIG. 2 is a side partial cutaway view of the embodiment of the inventive device shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the inventive device shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Described below is an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment illustrates one way in which the present invention can be implemented. Although the embodiment shown is described in the context of a machine used for throwing balls to keep a pet amused, the machine can also be used for other purposes. In the descriptions that follow, like numerals represent like elements in all figures. For example, where the numeral  10  is used to refer to a particular element in one figure, the numeral  10  appearing in any other figure refers to the same element. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates the front of an embodiment of the present device  10 . The device  10  comprises a base  12  and a receptacle  14  positioned on, and attached to, the base  12 . A feeder  16  extends from the interior of the receptacle  14  to the front of the base  12  and comprises a lower portion  15  and an upper portion  17 . The device  10  is sized so that it can easily be operated by a pet such as a dog. Preferably, it has an overall height A of 18 inches, but the overall height may range from about 8 inches to about 18 inches 
     The base  12  is generally shaped like a frustum and has a slot  18  which holds the projectiles (usually tennis balls, but they could also be other types of ball such as baseballs or softballs) until they are launched. The base also includes a lower portion  15  of feeder  16 , which transports the balls to the slot; as further described below, the lower portion  15  of the feeder  14  forms an integral part of the base in this embodiment. Housed inside the base is a launching mechanism, which may be any of several types well known in the art. In the embodiment shown, the launching mechanism includes a hammer  20  which strikes the ball sitting in the slot  18 , thus launching it into the air. The launching mechanism is adjustable so that the force with which the hammer strikes the balls, and the interval between striking the balls, can be adjusted. Preferably, the launch distance can be adjusted from about 20 feet to about 30 feet and the interval can be adjusted from about 7 seconds to about 45 seconds. The base  12  has a hole  22  therein through which the hammer  20  passes to strike the ball sitting in the slot  18 . The base can be made of any material, although molded plastic is preferred because it comes in different colors and is easily made into complex shapes. 
     The receptacle  14  is attached to the base  12  and is designed to hold a plurality of balls to be launched. The receptacle  14  is bucket-shaped, and has mounted therein a diverter  24 . The diverter  24  is semi-circular in shape and has its curved edge attached to an interior side  26  of the receptacle  14 . Both the receptacle  14  and the diverter  24  may be made of any material, but are preferably made of molded plastic. 
     The feeder  16  is a gravity-feed mechanism comprising a helical channel with a vertically-oriented axis. The feeder includes a lower portion  15  and an upper portion  17 . Together, the upper portion  17  and lower portion  15  operate with the force of gravity to transport balls from the interior of the receptacle  14  to the slot  18  for launching. The upper portion  17  projects into the interior of the receptacle so that balls placed in the receptacle will roll down the upper portion  17  of the feeder and onto the lower portion  15 . The middle of the diverter  24  attaches to the center of the top portion  17  of the feeder, and helps direct balls placed in the receptacle into the feeder without clogging it. The lower portion  15  of the feeder is a channel integrally molded into the base  12  along an exterior side thereof. The lower portion  15  wraps at least part of the way around the base, starting where the upper portion  17  leaves off and ending at the slot  18 . The feeder need not, however, have two portions as shown; an arrangement where the feeder is a single piece from the interior of the receptacle to the slot is possible. The entire feeder could also be molded as an integral part of the base. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the device  10 , showing the position of the launching mechanism  28  within the base  12 . The launching mechanism can be one of many known in the art, but as shown is an electrically operated launcher which includes a hammer  20  loaded by a spring  30 . As the hammer revolves clockwise around the axis  32 , the spring  30  is loaded and, at some point, the spring spins the hammer quickly around the axis  32  until it strikes the ball sitting in the slot  18 . The feeder  14  transports balls from the receptacle  14  to the slot  18  for launching. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the arrangement of the feeder in the device  10 . The upper portion  17  of the feeder is positioned in the interior of the receptacle  14 . The diverter  24  is positioned inside the receptacle  14  with its semi-circular side  34  attached to the interior side of the receptacle. The center of the straight side  36  of the diverter is attached to the center  38  of the upper portion of the feeder. The diverter channels the balls into the feeder in such a way that they do not clog the feeder. The balls leave the receptacle on the upper portion  17  of the feeder and spiral around until they are deposited into the lower portion  15  of the feeder. The lower portion of the feeder then transports the balls to the slot  18  where they will be launched when struck by the hammer  20 . 
     In operation, the entire device is carried to a suitable position in a yard or a park. The launch distance and the interval between launches is set, the device is put on the ground, and several balls are placed in the receptacle  14 . Since the feeder  16  is a helix with a vertically-oriented axis, gravity pulls the balls from the receptacle  14  down and around the feeder  16  until they get to the slot  18 . Once in the slot  18 , the ball sits there until the launching mechanism moves through its cycle and the hammer strikes the ball with the pre-set force, launching the ball into the air. The pet using the device then chases the launched ball, catches it (if they&#39;re fast) and return to the device and places the ball in the receptacle  14 . The pet then waits for the next ball to be launched so that they can chase after and retrieve it. When the pet is finished playing, the launching mechanism is simply switched off and the device can be carried to a new location or stored. 
     The device described herein has several advantages compared to existing projectile-launching machines such as tennis ball and baseball throwers. Among other things, the present device is lightweight because of its size and construction; it is small enough and simple enough to be used by a pet; it is easily portable; and it is inexpensive. The device is also useful to provide amusement and a moderate amount of exercise to disabled or elderly persons. 
     An embodiment of the present invention has been described. A person skilled in the art, however, will recognize that many other embodiments are possible within the scope of the claimed invention. For this reason, the scope of the invention is not to be determined from the description of the embodiment, but must instead be determined solely from the claims that follow.