Apparatus and method for mechanically "pitching" a ball to a batter for the purpose of batting practice. A ball tethered to the end of a cord is revolved about a motorized base unit. The batter approaches the operating machine and positions him or herself so that they are positioned to bat the ball as it circles past them. The pitching machine has several elements for varying the "pitch" of the ball so that the batter is less likely to be able to anticipate the nest pitch thereby increasing his batting abilities. The ability of the entire machine to rock or wobble during operation, acts to produce a randomness in the pitches so that there is no pattern in the pitches delivered to the batter.
The invention relates to a tethered ball pitching device wherein a planar base member is provided with a plurality of ground penetrating planar teeth members and a central aperture, a vertically extending support member having a pointed end extending through the aperture for penetration into the ground, a davit shaped member having a vertical extending support member and a horizontal portion having an aperture through its outer end, a ring extending through the aperture, and an elastic cord having one of its ends attached to the ring, the other end of the elastic cord is attached to a ball.
At improved centrifugal batting practice machine of the type having a tethered ball that is repeatedly revolved past a hitter by a generally horizontal rotating arm is disclosed. The rotating arm is mechanically coupled to a vertically disposed, motor-driven shaft within a vertical frame that is fixedly attached to a base support. A height adjustment mechanism is interposed between the motor-driven shaft and the rotating arm to permit incremental adjustment thereof in a vertical plane such that the ball is presented to a batter at the desired vertical height. The batting practice machine includes functional features that produce a random pattern in the pitches delivered by batter. In one embodiment the batting practice machine is placed in a condition of imbalance by the removal of detachable pads or feet from the base support to produce a random pattern in the pitches. In another embodiment the rotating arm is pivotally attached to the upper end of the rotating shaft in a counterbalanced condition to permit pivoting movement of the arm in the vertical plane as it is simultaneously rotated in the horizontal plane. In another alternative embodiment the batting practice device is adapted for manual operation by a batting coach or another player without the supporting frame and motor.
A hitting practice device comprises a frame on which is mounted a rotatable arm. The arm is attached to a shaft which is driven by a motor also disposed in the frame. Attached to one end of the arm is a tethered ball such as a baseball or a tennis ball. The motor is drivingly connected to the shaft to rotate the arm about the frame and propel the ball repeatedly past a hitter to allow hitting practice.
Batting practice apparatus includes a variable speed motor connected to a rotatable shaft by a belt, and the rotatable shaft includes a pair of arms extending outwardly from the shaft. At the outer ends of the arms are cords connected to the shaft, and balls are secured to the outer ends of the cords. The motor is a variable speed motor, and the motor rotates the shaft to rotate the arms and the balls. The shaft is secured to a base, and the base is tiltable so that the arms may move in a tilted plain, as desired, to provide different orientations of the balls to a user practicing batting with the apparatus.
An accurate-automated-multi-axis machine for projecting objects. Multiple axes are employed to impart predetermined velocities and rotational components to the projected object. Projection of the object may be synchronized with a displayed video image to simulate the throwing of an object.
