GB2191101A - Ball launcher - Google Patents

Abstract

A ball launcher, for launching a ball (5) upwardly to enable a user to strike it with a bat, has a support (2) with an upward opening (4) for partial introduction of the ball (5). A powering device (9) is carried by the support (2) below the opening (4) and positioned for striking the ball (5) when seated in the opening (4). The powering device (9) includes a resiliently deformable member (9) which can pass from a first end condition to a second end condition of deformation for striking of the ball (5). An actuator (11) is operable to abut the resiliently deformable member (9) to thrust it from its first end condition through and beyond its unstable intermediate condition to launch the ball (5).

Description

SPECIFICATION Ball launcher This invention relates to a device for launching a ball upwardly to enable a userto strike it with a bat, racket or the like when playing or practising a ball game.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and sturdy launcher which is self-powered in that it can be cocked by a simple action of pressing a ball into position, and which can be operated with the foot to cause itto launch the ball upwardly.

According to the present invention a ball launcher comprises: (i) a support having an upward opening for at least partial introduction of a ball, (ii) powering means carried by sa id support below said opening and positionedforstriking a ball seated in said opening, said powering means including a resiliently deformable memberwhich can pass from a first end condition of deformation through an unstable intermediate condition to a second end condition of deformation for striking ofthe ball, and (iii) actuating meansoperabletoabuttheresili- ently deformable member to thrust it from its first end condition through and beyond its unstable intermediate condition.

The upward opening forthe ball may be bounded bya circumferential edge portion of a wall which may be, for exampie, an upperwall of a housing of the support.

In a preferred form of construction, said resiliently deformable member is a spring blade having first and second ends anchored at two points ofthe sup- port which are spaced by less than the unconstrained length ofthe blade, such that the blade may be snapped from a first bowed position through an unstable intermediate position to a second bowed position. The spring blade may beanchored,forex- ample, in a pair of opposed side walls of the said housing.

The resiliently deformable member may itself directlystrikethe ball, orsaid powering means may comprise a striker interposed between said resiliently deformable member and the position occupied by the ball when in said opening. Such a striker may be carried by said resiliently deformable member, or may be moveable, but captive, in said support.

The arrangement ofthe powering means relative to the ball may be such that the powering means abuts the ball, directly orthrough the striker, as a re sult of a degree of overshooting of the powering means beyond its second end position before it eventually settles into its second position.

The actuating means is conveniently a two-arm lever pivoted on said support, said lever having a first arm positioned for contacting said resiliently deformablememberforforcing said member out of its first end condition, and a second arm, positioned externally of said supportfor actuation by a user ofthe launcher.

Usually, the second arm of the lever serves as, or is coupled to, a foot pedal.

Preferably provision is made for adjustment ofthe actuating means relative to the powering means. For example, the actuating means may include adjustable thrust means thereon for abutting the resiliently deformable member and itself adjustable with respecttothe remainderofthe actuating means. By way of example, the thrust means may be a head carried on a rod threadedly engaged with the said twoarm lever.

Advantageously, provision is made for adjustment of the powerwith which the powering means strikes the ball. By way of example, where the powering means includes a spring blade, the degree of spacing ofthe anchoring points of the ends of the blade may be adjustable, eg. by a screw-threaded adjuster provided on one or both supporting walls.

The support, forexample intheform ofasubstan- tially parallelepipedal housing, may be carried on an elongate base for greater stability of the device in use, and, in a particular construction for use in a game described later herein, the elongate base preferably carries, at a spacing from the housing, a pivoted member, such as a flap, to serve as a "wicket".

In order that the nature ofthe invention may be readily ascertained, two embodiments of ball launcher in accordance therewith are hereinafter particularly described with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:- Figure lisa schematic central vertical transverse section ofafirstembodimentofball launcher; Figure2 is a schematic perspective elevation of the ball launcher of Figure 1; Figure3is a transversevertical section taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 2; Figures 4, 5and 6are schematic views to show successive stages in the operation of the ball laun- cherfora known game; and Figures 7and 8show a second embodiment of ball launcher.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the ball launchercomprises a base 1 on which there is mounted intermediately a housing 2 which is of generally parallelepipedal shape. In the horizontal top wall 3 ofthe housing,there is provided a circular opening 4which is of a suitable diameter to receive, at least partially, a ball 5 to be used with the launcher.

In two opposed side walls 6,7 of the housing 2, there are formed elongate slotted openings 8which receive lugs at the free ends of a spring blade 9. The distance betweenthetwo walls 6 and 7 islessthan the unconstrained length of the spring blade 9, and the engagement between the lugs at the end ofthe spring blade 9 and each ofthewalls is suchthatthe spring cannot pass furtherthrough the openings 8.

The spring blade 9 is accordingly forced to adopt a lower bowed formation, as shown in full line in Figure 1,but, byapplication offorcefrom belowit can be snapped over an unstable dead-centre position to adopt a higher bowed formation as shown by the broken line 9a in Figure 1. In operation, as the spring blade 9 snaps from the lower bowed formation to the higher bowed formation, it overshoots somewhat and reaches the still higher position 9b, until settling back to the position 9a.

On the wall 7 of the housing 2, there is provided a pivot 10 supporting a two-arm lever 11 which can be moved within limits in a vertical plane aboutthe axis ofthe pivot 10. The arm 118 ofthe lever within the housing 2 carries a thrust member 12 having a head 12a carried atthe upperend of a threaded rod 12b which is engaged in a threaded hole ofthe arm 1 la, orin a pivoted block(notshown) carried bythearm 1 lea. Rotation of the rod 1 2b permits adjustment of the head 12a towards and away from the restposition ofthe spring blade 9 in its lower bowed condition.In the drawings the angle defined between the rod 126 and the arm 11 a has been exaggerated, and in practice a small inclination of the rod 12a with re spectto thevertical through the spring bladewould be permissible.

The other arm 11 b ofthetwo arm lever carries at its free end afoot pedal 13.

Referring to Figures 4to 6, in which the position of the spring has been notionally rotated through 90" about a vertical axis, for ease of illustration, the operation of the launcher is asfollows: Assuming that, after a previous operation, the spring blade 9 is in its upper bowed position 9a, the ball 5 isforced intothe opening 4by hand, until itcontacts the upwardly bowed blade and forces it down wardlythrough the unstable dead centre condition until the blade snaps into the lower bowed position shown in full line at9.

The ball 5 is then resting in the opening 5, either loosely or with a certain amount of grip depending upon the relative diameters, and the extent to which the ball has been forced manually into the opening.

In this position cf operation of the launcher, the lever 11 has adopted the position seen in Figures 1,4 and 5.

If the pedal 13 is now depressed with the foot, (see Figure 5), the head 1 2a is pushed upwardly and contacts the spring blade 9 and forces it overthe unstable dead centre position to eventually permitthe bladeto snap into its upper bowed condition. In passing from the lower bowed position to the upper bowed position, the spring blade 9 strikes the underside ofthe ball 5 and launches it into the air.

When the ball is next retrieved, it can again be for ced into the opening 4 and used to depress the spring blade 4 back again into the lower bowed position, with re-setting ofthe pedal and lever 11 readyforthe nexttime of operation.

Whilst not restricted to such use, the device ofthe invention is useful for the playing ofthe game know as Bat and Trap, in which a player can cause the ball to be launched upwardly to, say, about shoulder height and can then strike it with a suitable battowardsa "goal" (notshown).

The base 1 ofthe launcher may further be provided,forthe purposes of such a game, with a "wicket" flap 1 4which is pivoted at 15 to two upstanding brackets 16. The flap has a natural rest position as seen in Figures 2,4 and 5, but can be struck and knocked down by a fielder who manages to retrieve the struck ball and throw it in from the field at the "wicket", see Figure 6. The brackets 16 and flap 14 mayform a separate assembly which can be slipped onto the base 1.

In orderto preventinadvertenttrapping ofthefingers between the spring blade, in its upper positions 9a, Sb, and the inner surface of the top wall ofthe housing surrounding the opening 4, the spacing between the upper wall of the housing and the spring blade may be increased, and the spring blade may carry on its upperface, or may be caused to strike, a movable striker positioned to engage the underside ofthe ball.

In the modified construction of Figures7 and 8, there is included a cup 17 to hold the ball. In its base, the cup has an aperture receiving a vertically movable, but captive, striker 18 which normally rests in the lower position shown, but which can be pushed upwardly by the spring blade 9 when the pedal 1 3a is forcibly depressed to move the spring blade into its upwardly bowed condition.

Claims (9)

1. Aball launchercomprising: (i) a support having an upward opening for at least partial introduction of a ball, (ii) powering means carried by said support below said opening and positioned for striking a ball seated in said opening, said powering means including a resiliently deformable member which can pass from a first end condition of deformation through an unstable intermediate condition to a second end condition of deformation for striking ofthe ball, and (iii) actuating means operable to abut the resiliently deformable member to thrust it from its first end condition through and beyond its unstable intermediate condition.

2. A ball launcher as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said resiliently deformable member is a spring blade having first and second ends anchored at two points of the supportwhich are spaced by less than the unconstrained length ofthe blade, such that the blade may be snapped from a first bowed position through an unstable intermediate position to a second bowed position.

3. A ball launcher as claimed in Claim 1 orClaim 2, wherein said powering means comprises a striker interposed between said resiliently deformable member and the position occupied by the ball when in said opening.

4. Aball launcherasclaimed inClaim3,wherein said striker is carried by said resiliently deformable member.

5. A ball launcher as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said striker is movable, but captive, in said support.

6. A ball launcheras claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said actuating means is a two-arm lever pivoted on said support, said lever having a first arm, positioned for contacting said resiliently deformable memberforforcing said member outof itsfirstend condition, and a second arm, positioned externally of said support for actuation by a user of the launcher.

7. A ball launcheras claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 6, comprising adjustable thrust means on said actuating means for abutting said resilientlydeform- able member.

8. A ball launcher substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 6 ofthe accompanying drawings.

9. A ball launcher substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 7 and 8 ofthe accompanying drawings.