Abstract:
A pitching machine that includes a support frame, a ball tube assembly adapted to store and launch the ball. The ball tube assembly is multi-curved and configure such that the ball rolls in the ball tube assembly due to gravity towards a ball rest end for launching. The pitching machine includes a release assembly positioned along the ball tube assembly, the release assembly configured to release the ball from a storage position to a firing position. The pitching machine includes a ball firing assembly positioned beyond the release assembly and along the ball tube assembly, the ball firing assembly configured to launch the ball after being released by the release assembly. The pitching machine includes a control unit adapted to be used by the hitter, the control unit connected to the release assembly and the ball firing assembly to activate the release assembly and the ball firing assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to baseball pitching machines. More specifically, the present invention relates to pitching machines for simulating a soft toss pitch from a coach. 
   There are many pitching machines on the market. Most of the pitching machines are designed to simulate a pitcher delivering a pitch from a pitcher”s mound to a live hitter at Home Plate. Soft toss pitches are commonly used as a baseball hitting drill to improve a hitter&#39;s hand/eye coordination, timing, and bat speed. This drill is used by coaches and players from Little League on up to the Major Leagues. Normally, a coach kneels to the side of the hitter, just outside the strike zone, and underhand-tosses a ball into the strike zone where the hitter hits it. There are a few Soft-Toss devices on the market, however they lack certain features to simulate a coach tossing the baseball. For example, one device may toss a ball into the air, but the machine is designed to use light-weight balls, as a toy and does not use real baseballs. Another machine may toss baseballs, but the ball height or angle cannot be adjusted. In addition, most of these machines use battery or electrical power to run motors, which are timed. They toss a ball every five or six seconds, which does not allow for a pause for instruction unless the machine is turned off. With a timed, motorized machine, the hitter or coach must turn off the machine each time to talk. Last, most coaches will tell a hitter to shift his weight back before the swing. Current machines have no provisions to correct or improve this skill. What is needed is a soft toss pitching machine which is user friendly and provides the same flexibility as having a coach toss the baseball. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide soft toss pitching machine which is user friendly and provides the same flexibility as having a coach toss the baseball. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   A pitching machine that includes a support frame, a ball tube assembly adapted to store and launch the ball. The ball tube assembly is multi-curved and configure such that the ball rolls in the ball tube assembly due to gravity towards a ball rest end for launching. The pitching machine includes a release assembly positioned along the ball tube assembly, the release assembly configured to release the ball from a storage position to a firing position. The pitching machine includes a ball firing assembly positioned beyond the release assembly and along the ball tube assembly, the ball firing assembly configured to launch the ball after being released by the release assembly. The pitching machine includes a control unit adapted to be used by the hitter, the control unit connected to the release assembly and the ball firing assembly to activate the release assembly and the ball firing assembly. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a soft toss pitching machine according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a soft toss pitching machine according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded cross sectional view of pivot mounting of a ball tube assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a soft toss pitching machine according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a soft toss pitching machine according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a release assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a release assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a firing assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective cross sectional view of a pedal assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective cross sectional view of a pedal assembly according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of operation of a soft toss pitching machine according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of operation of a soft toss pitching machine according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view of operation of a soft toss pitching machine according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view of operation of a soft toss pitching machine according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention is a soft toss pitching machine, as shown in  FIGS. 1-14 . The soft toss pitching machine allows one person to practice hitting baseballs without requiring any battery or electrical power. The hitter pushes down on a pedal with the hitter”s forward foot. A ball is then launched into the hitter”s strike zone, where the hitter swings at the launched ball. The soft toss pitching machine allows the hitter to control when the hitter gets a ball pitched to the hitter. Because soft-toss is a practice drill, often a coach will be present to offer guidance and instruction. With the soft toss pitching machine, the hitter has full control of when the next ball will be launched without having to turn anything off. The height and angle of the ball can be adjusted, which allows for pitches to be thrown anywhere from high or low inside to high or low outside the strike zone. The soft toss pitching machine allows for proper positioning so that the hitter shifts his weight back before swinging. The soft toss pitching machine uses real baseballs or softballs. Using real balls allows a hitter to know the hitter is swinging properly, or if the hitter is not making solid contact with the ball. The soft toss pitching machine allows a coach to stand back and observe while the hitter swings. Often-when there is one hitter and one coach, the coach is tossing balls and cannot see the swing dynamics of the hitter. 
     FIG. 1  show the soft toss pitching machine  10 , which includes a support frame  12 , ball tube assembly  14 , ball release assembly  16 , ball firing assembly  18  and a foot pedal assembly  20 . The support frame  12  includes two front legs  22 , two rear legs  24 , two lower cross members  26  and an attachment cross member  28 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 . The two front legs  22  and two rear legs  24  each have a foot end  30  and a pivot end  32 . The foot end  30  of each of the legs  22 ,  24  provides support from the surface where the soft toss pitching machine  10  is at rest. The pivot end  32  of each leg  22 ,  24  is a connection point for the front legs  22  to the rear legs  24 .  FIGS. 1-2  show two sets of one front leg  22  connected to one rear leg  24  at the connection point.  FIG. 3  shows the pivot end  32  of each leg  22 ,  24  with a bolt hole.  FIG. 3  shows a bolt  34  and nut  36  used to fasten the front and rear legs  22 ,  24  together. The legs  22 ,  24  are further secured together to form the support frame  12  by the two lower cross members  26  and the attachment cross member  28 .  FIGS. 1-2  show the ball tube assembly  14  attached at two points along the support frame  12 . The first point is at the connection point as shown in  FIG. 3 , whereby the bolts  34  are first inserted into a recess bolt cavity  38  of the ball tube assembly  14 , which leads to a bolt hole  40 . This first point not only acts as a connection point for the ball tube assembly  14 , but also as a pivot point for the ball tube assembly  14 . The second point is at the attachment cross member  28 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The attachment cross member  28  includes an adjustment brace  42 . The adjustment brace  42  extends from a brace slot  44  in the attachment cross member  28  and attaches to the ball tube assembly  14 . The adjustment brace  42  includes an angled end  46  and adjustment slot  48 . The angled end  46  is slipped into the brace slot  44  and retained in the brace slot  44  due to the angle shape of the angled end  46 . The ball tube assembly  14  is attached to the adjustment brace  42  at the adjustment slot  48 . The ball tube assembly  14  includes a threaded stud  50  extending outward and which is inserted into the adjustment slot  48 . An adjustment knob  52  screws onto the threaded stud  52  to secure the ball tube assembly  14  to the adjustment brace  42 . 
   The ball tube assembly  14  is a multi-curved tube with an inner open path at least as large as the ball that is to be used in the ball tube assembly  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-8  and  10 - 13 . The inner open path is always leading in a downward direction, so that the ball rolls due to gravity along the inner open path. The ball tube assembly  14  includes a loading section  54 , release section  56 , activation section  58  and firing section  60 . All of the sections  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60  include the inner open path. The loading section  54  includes an open storage area  62  which leads to a load opening  64 . The load opening  64  leads to the inner open path along the remaining sections  56 ,  58 ,  60  of the ball tube assembly  14 . The open storage area  62  of the loading section  54  tilts downward, so as balls are loaded, the balls roll into the load opening  64 . From the load opening  64 , the loading section  54  curves downward and connects to the release section  56  of the ball tube assembly  14 . The release section  56  leads in a downward direction to the activation section  58 , as shown in  FIGS. 11-12 .  FIGS. 13-14  show the internal view of the activation section  58 . The activation section  58  curves about ninety degrees and leads to the firing section  60 . The firing section  60  includes a ball rest end  66 . The firing section  60  includes a firing housing  68  attached below the ball rest end  66 , which includes the threaded stud  50 . The firing section  60  includes a firing opening  70  at the ball rest end  66 , as shown in  FIGS. 13-14 . 
   The ball release assembly  16  is shown in  FIGS. 6-7 .  FIG. 5  shows a cover  71  as part of the ball release assembly  16  that is attached to the release section  56  of the ball tube assembly  14 . The ball release assembly  16  includes a release cable bracket  72 , release arm  74 , release cable  76 , release cable spring  78 , release arm spring  80  and two release arm brackets  82 . The release arm brackets  82  mount to the release section  56  of the ball tube assembly  14 . The release arm brackets  82  are mounted to leave enough space to receive the release arm  74  between the release arm brackets  82 . The release arm  74  includes a spring catch  84 , first ball stop  86  and second ball stop  88 . The release arm  74  is rotationally mounted to the release arm brackets  82  at about the mid point of the release arm  74  with an arm bolt  90  and arm nut  92 . The release section  56  of the ball tube assembly  14  includes a release arm slot  94  to allow the ball stops  86 ,  88  of the release arm  74  to enter the inner open path of the release section  56 . The release arm spring  80  is a double torsion spring which is retained by the arm bolt  90  and washers  96 . The torsion spring arm  98  of the release arm spring  80  is biased against the spring catch  84  to bias the first ball stop  86  into the release arm slot  94 . The release cable bracket  72  is mounted to the release section  56  of the ball tube assembly  14  and below the release arm brackets  82 . The release cable bracket  72  is for mounting of a first end  100  of a release cable guide  102  which contains the release cable  76 . The release cable  76  includes a first end  106  connected to the release cable spring  78  and the release cable spring  78  is connected to a hole in the spring catch  84 . 
   The ball firing assembly  18  is shown in FIG.  8 . The ball firing assembly  18  includes an activation rod  108 , activation arm  110 , activation return spring  112 , firing rod  114 , firing spring  116 , firing cable  118  and firing cup  120 . The firing housing  68  includes a cup stop  122  with a square hole  124 . The activation arm  110  includes a firing rod end  126  and an activation arm end  128 . The firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110  includes a square hole  130 . The firing housing  68  includes an activation opening  132  to allow the firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110  to be inserted into the firing housing  68 . Opposite the activation opening  132  is a firing rod end slot  134  to receive the firing rod end  126 . The firing cup  120  includes a top  136  and a bottom  138 . The top  136  of the firing cup  120  includes a cavity  140  to form a ball cup to receive a ball. The firing cup  120  includes a square hole  142  from the top  136  to the bottom  138  of the firing cup  120 . The firing rod  114  is square and includes a top end  144  and a bottom end  146 . The top end  144  of the firing rod  114  includes a cross member  148  extending from two opposite sides of the square shaped firing rod  114 . The firing rod  114  is inserted bottom end first into the square hole  142  at the top  136  of the firing cup  120 . The firing spring  116  is a compression spring that is slipped over the bottom end  146  of the firing rod  114  and below the firing cup  120 . Next, the bottom end  146  of the firing rod  114  is inserted into the square hole  124  of cup stop  122  in the firing housing  68 . Then, the bottom end  146  of the firing rod  114  is inserted into the square hole  130  of the firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110 . Finally, the bottom end  146  of the firing rod  114  is connected to a first end  150  of the firing cable  118 . The bottom of the firing housing  68  includes a bottom plate  152  with a cable hole  154  for attachment of a first end  156  of a firing cable guide  158 , which shields the firing cable  118 . The activation arm end  128  of the activation arm  110  is rotatably attached to a bottom end  160  of the activation rod  108 . A top end  162  of the activation rod  108  is inserted into an activation rod opening  164  in the bottom of the outside surface of the activation section  58  of the ball tube assembly  14 . The activation rod opening  164  leads to the inner open path in the activation section  58  at the change in direction of the inner open path. This allows the activation rod  108  to protrude into the inner open path. The top end  162  of the activation rod  108  is shown with an activation rod cross member  166  to prevent the activation rod  108  from falling out of the ball tube assembly  14 . The activation rod cross member  166  can be as simple as a roll pin that is inserted into a hole in the top end  162  of the activation rod  108 , which is also true for the cross member of the firing rod  114 . Activation return spring  112  is a tension spring mounted between a point at about the mid point of the activation arm  110  and a point  168  above the activation arm  110  on the ball tube assembly  14 .  FIG. 8  shows the point  168  on the ball tube assembly  14  being a gusset between the firing section  60  and the firing housing  68  of the ball tube assembly  14 . 
     FIGS. 9-10  show the foot pedal assembly  20 , which acts as a control unit. The foot pedal assembly  20  includes a base  170 , pedal arm  172  and a pedal  174 . The pedal arm  172  includes a cable end  176  and pedal end  178 . The pedal arm  172  is rotatably attached to the base  170  at a point on the pedal arm  174  which is between the cable end  176  and the pedal end  178 . The pedal  174  is attached to the pedal end  178  of the pedal arm  172 . The release cable guide  102  and the firing cable guide  158  each have a second end  180  connected to the base of the foot pedal assembly  20 . The release cable  76  has a second end  182  extending from the second end  180  of the release cable guide  102  and connected to the cable end  176  of the pedal arm  172 . The firing cable  118  has a second end  184  extending from the second end  180  of the firing cable guide  118  and connected to the cable end  176  of the pedal arm  172 . The pedal arm  172  includes a firing cable pedal guide  186  as part of the pedal arm  172 . The firing cable pedal guide  186  acts as a fulcrum which applies more pulling pressure on the firing cable  118  during movement of the pedal arm  172 . The pedal arm  172  includes an adjustable pedal stop  188  on the bottom of the pedal end  178  of the pedal arm  172 . The adjustable pedal stop  188  screws in and out of the bottom of the pedal arm  172 . 
   The soft toss pitching machine  10  is operated as follows and as shown in  FIGS. 11-14 . A ball  190  is loaded into the firing cup  120  at the ball rest end  66  of the firing section  60  of the ball tube assembly  14 . Balls are loaded into the open storage area  62  of the loading section  54 . The balls will roll down the inner open path into the release section  56 , whereby the first loaded ball  192  into the open storage area  62  will stop at the first ball stop  86  of the release arm  74 . The first loaded ball  192  into the open storage area  62  is considered the second ball  192 . Balls will continue to stack up until the open storage area  62  of the loading section  54  is full. The hitter positions himself in front of the soft toss pitching machine  10  and uses the forward foot to push down on the pedal  0 . 174 , which pushes down the pedal end  178  of the pedal arm  172 . The pedal arm  172  simultaneously pulls on the release cable  76  and the firing cable  118 . Pulling on the release cable  76  at the second end  180  causes the first end  106  of the, release cable  76  to pull and rotate the release arm  74 , such that the first ball stop  86  exits from the inner open path, as shown in FIG.  11 . When the first ball stop  86  exits from the inner open path, the second ball  192  rolls down and engages the second ball stop  88  of the release arm  74  that has rotated into the inner open path. At the same time, pulling on the firing cable  118  at the second end  184  causes the first end  150  of the firing cable  118  to pull the firing rod  114  downward. Pulling of the firing rod  114  downward, pulls down the firing cup  120  and compresses the firing spring  116  in the firing housing  68 . The firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110  is shown as a flat piece inserted in the firing rod end slot  134 . This allows the activation arm  110  to pivot up and down at the firing rod end slot  134 . When the firing rod  114  is pulled down, the firing rod  114  and firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110  bind together. The firing rod  114  and firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110  bind together due to the frictional forces between front and rear surfaces  194  of the square firing rod  114  that engage front and rear surfaces  196  outlining the square hole  130  of the firing rod end  126 . The front and rear surfaces  194  of the firing rod  114  engage the front and rear surfaces  196  outlining the square hole  130  of the firing rod end  126  due to the activation arm  110  being pulled at an angle to the firing rod  114  by the activation return spring  112 . The binding of the firing rod  114  and firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110  holds the compressed firing spring  116  and firing cup  120  in a lowered position. The firing cable pedal guide  186  on the pedal arm  172  lowers the amount of pressure which is needed to be applied by the hitter to pull down the firing rod  114  and compress the firing spring  116 . 
   When the hitter releases the pedal  174 , the firing spring  116  remains compressed due to binding between on the firing rod  114  and firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110 . Also, when the hitter releases the pedal  174 , the release arm spring  80  biases the release arm  74  to rotate such that the second ball stop  88  exits from the inner open path and the first ball stop  86  enters the inner open path. When the second ball stop  88  exits the inner open path, the second ball  192  falls down the remaining portion of the release section  56  and into the activation section  58  of the ball tube assembly  14  along the inner open path. At the same time, the first ball stop  86  engages the next ball (not shown) above the second ball  192  and prevents the next ball from moving beyond the first ball stop  86 . The second ball  192  falls downward toward the top end  162  of the activation rod  108 . There is a time delay created due to the falling of the second ball  192  toward the top end  162  of the activation rod  108 . This time delay is dependant on the distance from the second ball stop  88  to the top end  162  of the activation rod  108 . Once the second ball  192  hits the top end  162  of the activation rod  108 , the activation rod  108  is forced downward and the second ball  192  rolls past the top end  162  of the activation rod  108  and onto the firing section  60  along the inner open path. Movement of the activation rod  108  downward forces the activation end  128  of the activation arm  110  downward. Movement of the activation end  128  of the activation arm  110  downward releases the binding forces between the firing rod  114  and firing rod end  126  of the activation arm  110  and releases the firing rod  114 . Release of the firing rod  114  allows the firing spring  116  to force the firing cup  120  upward and launch the first ball  190  in the firing cup  120  up into the air for the hitter to swing and try to hit the launched ball. After this, the activation return spring  112  pulls the activation end  128  of the activation arm  110  upward. Movement of the activation arm  110  upward, forces the activation rod  108  to rise and the top end  162  of the activation rod  108  to protrude into the activation section  58 . Thereby, finalizing a reset of the soft toss pitching machine  10 . The second ball  19 . 2  rolls into the firing cup  120  and the next ball that was above the second ball  192  is ready to be release the next time the hitter depresses the pedal  174 . 
   The angle that a ball is launched by the firing cup  120  can be set by raising or lowering the firing section  60  of the ball tube assembly  14 . The firing section  60  of the ball tube assembly  14  is raised or lowered by rotating the ball tube assembly  14  about the first point of connection of the ball tube assembly  14  to the support frame  12 . The ball tube assembly  14  is unsecured or secured in position by use of the adjustment knob  52  with the threaded stud  50  and the adjustment brace  42 . The height a ball is launch can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the depth of depression of pedal  174  of the foot pedal assembly  20 . This allows for the soft toss pitching machine  10  to simulate high or low inside to high or low outside pitches in the strike zone. The adjustment of the depth of depression of the pedal  174  is controlled by the adjustable pedal stop  188  on the bottom of the pedal end  178  of the pedal arm  172 . Some hitters, especially young hitters, get into a habit of lunging forward when swinging a bat. This habit reduces power in the swing. Coaches will tell their hitters to shift the weight back and be light on the hitter”s front foot. The soft toss pitching machine  10  encourages the hitter to do this because the hitter has to shift the hitter”s weight back as the hitter returns to a hitting position from pressing the pedal  174  with the hitter”s front foot. The release cable spring  78  allows for self adjustment of the length of the release cable  76  based on the adjustment of the adjustable pedal stop  188 . The rounded shape of the first ball stop  86  and the second ball stop  88  aids in promoting the naturally rolling of a ball along the inner open path. Finally, the ball tube assembly  14  includes access holes  198  along the ball tube assembly  14  to allow assembly and maintenance of the soft toss pitching machine  10 . 
   While different embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to the embodiments could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements are illustrative only and are not limiting as to the scope of the invention that is to be given the full breadth of any and all equivalents thereof.