Claims
- 1. An apparatus for propelling inflated balls by elastic impact, comprising:
- a striking mass for travelling through a predetermined elongated path and striking a ball to propell a ball;
- a ball support for holding a ball in the path of said striking mass;
- means for imparting rotational motion to a ball when propelled by producing relative rotation between said ball support and said mass prior to said mass striking a ball, thereby causing a ball to travel in an arced trajectory; and
- control means for selecting the direction of rotation and rotational velocity imparted to a ball by said rotational motion imparting means.
- 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said support is rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation passing through said support, and said rotational motion imparting means comprises motor means connected for rotating said support about said vertical axis of rotation.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said striking mass is rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation passing through said striking mass, and said rotational motion imparting means comprises motor means for causing said striking mass to rotate about said vertical axis.
- 4. The apparatus according to claims 2 or 3 in which said motor means is a reversible, variable speed electric motor.
- 5. The apparatus according to claims 2 or 3 in which said motor means is a fluid driven turbine.
- 6. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further including means for adjusting the height of said support relative to said striking mass thereby adjusting the vertical trajectory of a ball.
- 7. The apparatus according to claim 6 in which said height adjusting means comprises a shaft, and a tube disposed coaxial with said shaft, said shaft bearing said support on an upper end thereof, and said shaft being slidably received in said tube, and engagement means for connecting said shaft to said tube.
- 8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said height adjusting means comprises a movable frame which is freely displaceable vertically and which mounts said support, and wherein said rotational motion imparting means comprises motor means connected to said support for rotating said support, said motor means being mounted in fixed relation with respect to said frame.
- 9. An apparatus according to claim 6 including means for holding a ball on said support comprising a ball support frame having biased elements for contacting a ball, said biased elements being capable of being displaced away from the position of a ball for the purpose of inserting and positioning a ball.
- 10. An apparatus according to claim 6 and further including means for holding a ball on said support, comprising a positioning cup having a small peripheral diameter whereby a ball rests on the edge of said cup, and a pressure reduction means for producing a suction within said cup.
- 11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said pressure reduction means includes a turbine having a fan disposed immediately downstream of said positioning cup in a vacuum channel.
- 12. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said pressure reduction means is a turbine driven by a high speed motor, said turbine being disposed within a protective cover positioned to catch debris thrown from said turbine.
- 13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said rotational motion imparting means comprises said positioning cup and means for rotating said cup.
- 14. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support comprises a crown-shaped structure formed from brush bristles.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
79200221.4 |
May 1979 |
EPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 147,597, filed May 7, 1980, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
7433624 |
Oct 1974 |
DEX |
2651335 |
Jun 1977 |
DEX |
1039105 |
Aug 1966 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
147597 |
May 1980 |
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