Patent ID: 8113970

Claim:
An automatic feed mechanism for use with a batting aid device having a first end configured to receive a ball and a second end configured, by the force of gravity, to drop the ball from the batting aid device, the automatic feed mechanism comprising: a substantially enclosed tubular member configured to receive a ball from the batting aid device and defining an internal support surface configured to support the ball; a wheel coupled to and positioned at least partially within the tubular member and having a rotational axis orientated substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the tubular member; and a motor configured to rotate the wheel at least a portion of a full rotation; wherein the wheel initially forms a stop to prevent the ball from advancing through the tubular member via the force of gravity and dropping from the second end and, as the wheel rotates, the wheel engages and advances the ball past the wheel solely via rotation to enable the ball to advance through the tubular member by the force of gravity and drop from the second end of the batting aid device to a batter, wherein the rotational axis is at a fixed position during rotation of the wheel, wherein the tubular member includes an indentation which forms a planar outer surface to which the motor is slidably coupled, and wherein a position of the motor can be manually adjusted along the planar surface to adjust a position of the wheel within the tubular member based on a size of the ball.