Abstract: A mechanical device for throwing projectiles is disclosed which is disposed on a ground surface to throw variously-sized balls to a practicing basketball shooter or a practicing baseball hitter. The device includes an elongated base disposed on the ground surface, a pivoting arm which is attached to the base and which throws the ball, and an electromechanical solenoid whose actuation causes the arm to pivot and throw the ball. When the device is used for basketball practice shooting, a frame is disposed on the ground and around the device, and the frame includes a pole, a backboard secured to the pole, and a rim extending perpendicular from the backboard. A plurality of support arms are attached to the frame, and the arms include an integrally attached net which is disposed around the backboard for collecting thrown basketballs and directing them to the device.

Abstract: Projectile launching toys include a surface suitably configured to support and guide a projectile, a lever pivotally mounted so as to traverse a portion of the surface in the direction the projectile is being guided, a manual actuator coupled to the lever to manually move the lever from an initial position to a second, pivoted position to launch the projectile and a return member coupled with the lever to automatically return the lever to its original position after being manually moved and released.

Abstract: A baseball pitching machine and method includes a ball throwing assembly that is mounted on a platform that may be tilted to adjust the elevation of a baseball pitched by the machine. The device for controlling the tilt of the platform may include plural jack screws for stabilizing the platform between pitches. The angle of inclination of the platform recorded in the device for controlling the tilt of the platform may be corrected when the platform has a predetermined inclination to improve the accuracy of the pitched bail. The correction updates the recorded angle of inclination so that vibrations caused by the ball throwing assembly or malfunctions do not disrupt the operation of the machine to the point where the ball is pitched wildly. A photocoupler provides a corrective signal when the predetermined inclination is reached.

Abstract: A ball throwing machine for tossing a plurality of balls in succession, one at a time. The machine has a frame adapted to rest on a supporting surface, a spring-loaded pivotally mounted catapult arm that receives, holds, and tosses the balls, and a cam wheel and cam wheel shaft turnably mounting the cam wheel on the frame. The shaft has an axis which is laterally offset from the pivot axis of the catapult arm. The cam wheel has peripheral teeth, and a power driven pinion engages the teeth to impart turning movement to the wheel. There are cam rollers on the wheel which engage, one at a time, a cam plate on the catapult arm. The arrangement is such that the catapult arm is periodically shifted toward a ball-receiving position, picks up a ball, and as the cam wheel turns further, one cam roller by-passes the cam plate enabling the catapult arm to snap under the action of the spring and toss the ball.

Abstract: A clay pigeon target launching device has a launching arm supported on a pivot shaft that is received in a unidirectional bearing housing. The launching arm is biased into a tensioned position and held in that position by a pair of levers that are pivoted and which engage a stop abutment that is coupled to the shaft of the launching arm. The arrangement is such that both levers must be released before the launching arm can rotate which keeps both hands out of the path of the launching arm as a safety feature.

Abstract: A flashlight-coin throwing gun has a revolver-shaped main body formed by uniting separable main bodies, each having a gunbarrel portion and a handle portion. Within the main body is a percussion mechanism for throwing a coin through the gunbarrel. A coin loading assembly delivers coins to be thrown. A trigger operably connected to the throwing mechanism initiates its operation. A light bulb operably connected to the trigger projects light in the same direction as a coil is thrown.

Abstract: A ball throwing apparatus capable of releasing balls at selected intervals and selected trajectories, and operable from a remote location. The apparatus comprises a base and a throwing arm mounted on the base for pivotal movement between a ball loading position and a released position. There is a ball receiving aperture for holding a ball to be thrown mounted on the throwing arm. A suction cup element is positioned to be depressible by the throwing arm so as to releasably hold the throwing arm in the ball loading position. A slow leak is created in the suction cup for releasing the hold of the suction cup element after a short delay to allow the user time to prepare for the throwing of the ball. An actuating spring attached to the throwing arm acts to move the arm from the ball loading position to the released position upon release of the throwing arm by the suction cup element, the movement of the throwing arm between the positions resulting in a throwing motion.

Abstract: A football centering device. A cradle for a football is mounted at the end of a spring-loaded, pivotally mounted arm member that pivots in a vertical plane and which is mounted on an upstanding post. A latch holds the cradle in a cocked position near ground level until the player releases the latch with his foot. When the latch is released, the spring unloads and the arm swings upwardly in a vertical plane. The cradle at the end of the arm delivers the ball to the player in a manner that closely simulates the delivery of a human center.

Abstract: A self-loading, remotely operable and variable, portable ball thrower. An arm with a hand attached thereto is, in the uncocked position, tensioned by an elastic biasing element, such as surgical tubing, in the forward direction. An individual batter, operator, can, by means of a cocking handle, operate the arm in the rearward direction, pick up a ball from a self-loading trough, and reset the arm in the cocked position. Assuming a natural batter's stance, the batter may then, with his or her foot, release the cocking handle thereby allowing the elastic biasing element to draw, with ever increasing speed, the arm towards the uncocked position. Upon reaching the uncocked position, the ball is released in a fluid throwing manner in a consistent angle towards the batter.

Abstract: A self-loading, remotely operable and variable, portable ball thrower. An arm with a hand attached thereto is, in the uncocked position, tensioned by an elastic biasing element, such as surgical tubing, in the forward direction. An individual batter, operator, can, by means of a cocking handle, operate the arm in the rearward direction, pick up a ball from a self-loading trough, and reset the arm in the cocked position. Assuming a natural batter's stance, the batter may then with his or her foot release the cocking handle thereby allowing the elastic biasing means to draw, with ever increasing speed, the arm towards the uncocked position. Upon reaching the uncocked position, the ball is released in a fluid throwing manner in a consistent angle towards the batter.

Abstract: A target projecting apparatus having a main support housing assembly, and a target conveyance assembly mounted to the main support housing assembly. Also mounted or connected to the main support housing assembly are a target drive assembly, a releasing assembly, and a switch for interrupting power to a sprocket support that is included in the target drive assembly. A method for throwing targets comprising interrupting power to stop the sprocket support from rotating, and tripping a safety latch to release a spring biased crank shaft in order to propel a target.

Abstract: A spring loaded arm mechanism is incorporated into a baseball home plate support for tossing a regulation or practice baseball, from ground level, upwardly into the batter's strike zone. A ball launching arm, arm bias spring, arm latch and a release are all arranged in a compact, low-profile unit flush with or just slightly protruding above the home plate support. The arm is cocked, using an arm engaging hand tool, by rotating a ball launching arm end downwardly against the biasing into a latched position. After positioning the baseball, the latch is released, either by the batter or by another via a remotely actuated release, to cause the sprung arm to rotate with great force through a limited arc, propelling the baseball vertically up into the strike zone. A practice embodiment includes a lever arm release actuated by the operator's bat and may further include an elastic ball return tethering cord having an in-line swivel to relieve line twisting.

Abstract: A volleyball setting machine includes a leaf spring powered propulsion assembly mounted on a portable main frame. Several volleyballs are carried in a ball holding rack and are delivered one at a time to be positioned by a ball positioning track up against a discharge chute. The leaf spring is depressed vertically and released to impact on the ball in the chute, and the chute guides it into a desired trajectory.

Abstract: A target launcher having multiple throwing arms which are driven by an electronic control assembly to launch each throwing arm sequentially at a predetermined timed interval. The target launcher will accommodate a variety of different kinds of targets to provide the shooting enthusiast, in particular the archer, with an automatically controlled supply of moving targets. Each throwing arm is released from a lock position to impart a substantially vertical trajectory to one or more targets loaded therein. The timing of the release of each throwing arm is preset manually prior to actuation of the control assembly circuitry. Actuation of the control assembly selectively drives a solenoid associated with each throwing arm to effect the sequential release of each throwing arm in accordance with the timing selected.

Abstract: An apparatus for training football techniques comprising a movable frame for lateral movement supported by a support frame. The movable frame can be vertically adjusted within the support frame to accommodate large as well as small football players. An impact member having a padded area for reciprocal movement between a retracted and an extended position is mounted on the movable frame. The impact member reciprocates outwardly and generally toward a player. Both the movable frame and the impact member can be selectively operated either simultaneously or independently by an operator standing on a platform supported by the support frame. An operator can selectively move the movable frame laterally in either direction while selectively releasing the impact member from its retracted position for advancement toward the player.

Abstract: A mechanically-operated object-engaging member for a game is pivotally mounted on a shaft to which is fixedly secured a drive cam disposed in camming engagement with one end of a third-class lever. A spring on the cam biases it and the lever to a normal rest condition, the lever having a magnetic portion which is attracted to a permanent magnet for magnetically holding the lever in the rest condition. A manually-operated actuator linkage applies a force to the lever to break the magnetic attraction and drive the lever away from the magnet to operate the cam and object-engaging member. A separate bias element may urge the actuator linkage to a normal rest condition. The object-engaging member can be mounted on a playfield board and confined to a predetermined oscillating movement relative to the playfield board.

Abstract: A toy baseball bat comprising an elongated member having an exterior configuration in the form of a baseball bat. The hitting end portion forms an interior chamber for housing a plurality of ball elements and has a radially disposed ejection aperture adapted to allow the ejection of a ball radially outwardly from the interior chamber. A ball support element within the interior of the chamber supports an individual ball at a predetermined position in alignment with the ejection aperture. A guide channel guides balls within the chamber to the ball support element. A striker element is pivotally mounted within the chamber for pivotal movement between first and second positions so as to strike a ball mounted on the support element as the striker element pivots towards the first position to drive the ball radially outwardly through the ejection aperture.

Abstract: A target structure comprising of at least one target and means coupled to the target for exploding the target when the target is hit by an object. In a particular embodiment, the target is a horizontal panel and projector means is located beneath the panel and projects the panel away from the target structure when the panel is struck by an object. The projector means is spring-loaded and is triggered by the force of the object striking the panel.

Abstract: A toy baseball pitching machine that is particularly adapted to be used by children. The machine has a ball pitching arm that oscillates rather than rotates and is capable of pitching a plastic ball to a batter using an "underhand" method of pitching. The ball pitching arm is fixed to an oscillatable eccentric arm. The eccentric arm is connected to one end of an extension spring, and the arm carries a pivoted pawl. The pawl is engaged by a toothed rotating drive wheel to rotate the pitching arm in one direction toward a cocked position with the spring extended. Further rotation of the drive wheel brings the pawl into contact with a stop to pivot the pawl out of engagement with the drive wheel. The extended spring then acts on the eccentric arm and pitching arm to rotate the pitching arm in the opposite direction to engage and pitch a ball. The drive wheel, pawl, eccentric arm, stop and extension spring are all mounted within a housing; and the pitching arm is outside the housing.

Abstract: A ball-tossing device is disclosed that has a batting practice member that is mechanically coupled to a foot treadle plate that is pivoted on a base member. The arrangement is such that pressure on the foot treadle plate spring-loads the ball-tossing member, and continued movement of the foot treadle plate causes the ball-tossing member to quickly move the ball in an upward direction. A spring means is provided to return the foot treadle plate to a normal rest position that in turn, returns the ball-tossing member to a rest position.

Abstract: A ball pitching machine having a spring powered pitching arm and having a dispensing mechanism with a de-jammer device for individually dispensing balls from a supply hopper and a ball loading device for automatically positioning a ball on the pitching arm for each cycle of the apparatus. The de-jammer device has a reciprocating roller positioned above a tilting floor which tilts between a horizontal position for receiving balls from the supply hopper to a tilted position for discharging balls into a ball feed channel. The ball feed channel delivers a supply of balls to the ball loading device. The reciprocating roller limits the balls supported on the floor to only a single layer while the floor is in its tilted position.

Abstract: A tennis practicing machine is disclosed which has a rotating arm for periodically projecting a tennis ball towards a player. A spring connected to the rotating arm stores a rotating force which is periodically released as the rotating arm passes a predetermined point causing ball emission. A power source control system is provided which controls rotation of the motor such that in order to insure safe operation of the machine, when the machine is turned off a ball is emitted if the rotating arm is within a predetermined range near the point of ball emission. Accordingly accidental jarring or vibration of the machine does not cause accidental emission of a ball. Also, the system provides a delay for starting emission of the ball when the machine is first turned on, and furthermore circuitry is provided to maintain a constant time period of operation regardless of power main frequencies of 50 or 60 Hz.

Abstract: A golf ball driving device is disclosed, being a device which is mounted on wheels for easy maneuverability, and having generally an operating and transport handle, and a trigger release handle. The operating handle has a cam and ratchet at its lower end, for driving a ratchet bar against a compression spring (or pneumatic cylinder) to create compression force. The trigger release handle has a follower arm which latches against the ratchet bar, and it is moveable to release the ratchet bar and thereby to release the compression force. A striker plate moves forwardly and downwardly upon release of the compression, to strike a golf ball when in place. The striker plate is rotatably adjustable so that its angle and point of impact against a golf ball may be adjusted.

Abstract: A launcher for flying discs of the type having an integral circumferential rim with an inner edge, the launcher having a rigid handle, an arm pivoted at the outer end of the handle, a basket portion for cradling a flying disc at the end of the arm, and a pin pivoted to the outer end of the arm and dimensioned to engage the inner edge of the rim of a flying disc positioned in the basket portion, the pin serving to apply force to the disc as the arm is swung pivotally outward during a casting motion by the user, the pin pivoting downwardly to allow the disc to freely escape the basket portion at the outer end of the casting stroke.

Abstract: Apparatus for projecting balls, having an impact device (10) supported in a frame (11) and provided to convey to a ball an impulse in a direction of projection (Z) from a position in the frame. The frame (11) is supported in a frame work (30) for movement around a vertical axis (X) and a horizontal axis (Y). First and second motor (M1) and (M2) respectively, are provided to rotate the frame (11) around its vertical axis (X) and its horizontal axis (Y) respectively. The rotation being a two way movement over adjustable angular arcs. A controller (27, 27', 28, 28', 45, 46) is arranged for controlling the movement of the frame (11) around the vertical axis (X) and the horizontal axis (Y). The controller comprises limit switches (27, 27', 28, 28') which are manually displacable, a control system (46) having adjustable limiter (A-F) for limiting the movement of the frame (11), or an adjuster (45) for adjusting a sequence of predetermined directions for the frame (11).

Abstract: A baseball game apparatus includes a pitching mechanism including an upwardly inclined slotted track extending above the playing surface for pitching a ball in a lofted trajectory toward home plate, the angle of inclination being variable to adjust the loft of pitched balls. The pitching mechanism is adapted to receive a plurality of interchangeable pitching arms for varying the characteristics of the pitching mechanism. Each pitching arm includes one or more variously angled surfaces for controlling the trajectory of the pitched ball. A rotatable batting member is disposed adjacent home plate and includes a control lever disposed below the playing surface, and a depressible bunt control mechanism selectively engages the control lever for stopping the rotatable batting member generally over home plate to bunt a pitched ball.

Abstract: Batting practice apparatus for projecting balls upwardly into the air to be hit by a bat comprises trough for holding a plurality of balls to move in a sequence toward a feed position adjacent a stop at a lower end. A holding ring is mounted adjacent the stop for supporting a single ball in a ready position to be projected upwardly into the air. A feeder is provided for sequentially moving the balls from a feed position in the trough adjacent the stop into a ready position in the holding ring and a motor in the form of a foot operated lever and a time delay mechanism is operable for forcefully propelling the balls upwardly out of the holding ring so that a batter may step into position and swing at the balls as they pop-up into the air.

Abstract: A tennis practice device for propelling balls to a player. The player cocks a hammer and sets a time delay mechanism from his receiving position which is remote from the hammer. After a fixed period of time, during which the player positions himself, the delay mechanism releases the hammer to propel the ball toward the player. The time delay mechanism may comprise a tiltable normally inclined channel which guides a ball. When the delay mechanism is set, the channel tilts to a release position wherein the ball rolls down the channel and trips a latch to release the hammer.

Abstract: A toy launcher of a safe and simple construction for use in propelling soft, round discs includes a round or saucer shaped housing with an integrally formed handle for engagement by an operator's hand and a two position, manually operable actuating arm for moving a disc from a loading position to a firing position and for simultaneously placing a spring actuated firing mechanism in a firing position under the control of a trigger mechanism. After positioning a disc in the disc firing position, the actuating arm is returned to the disc loading position both to position another disc in the disc loading position and to clear a launching slot in the launcher to enable the disc in the disc firing position to be propelled.

Abstract: A ball throwing machine suitable for battery operation is disclosed. Balls are supplied from a helical ball track to a firing track. A ball striker is cocked by a motor against the force of an adjustable spring. When the striker is positioned over-center the striker rapidly rotates striking the ball. A one-way clutch mechanism is included in the gear train between the motor and ball striker so that the kinetic energy remaining after the ball is launched is utilized to begin cocking the striker for the next cycle of operation. This results in significant reduction in the electrical energy required to operate the mechanism. An elevation control permits selective positioning of the firing track relative to the ball striker.

Abstract: A compact, light-weight machine for throwing balls along a desired trajectory includes a housing with an arcuate track leading inwardly from an opening to an initial ball support station. A throwing arm is rotatably mounted within the housing and is connected to a torsion spring. A crank arm is provided on one end of the shaft to rotate the torsion spring and throwing arm against a stop pin that extends through the housing in the path of the throwing arm. The torsion spring stores energy provided through the crank arm as it is rotated about a central axis. When the spring is sufficiently loaded, the throwing arm will slip from engagement with the stop pin and forcibly move against a ball to move it arcuately around the track and outwardly through the opening. The machine is specially adapted for use with resilient balls that will deform both against the track and against the throwing arm.

Abstract: Ball propelling apparatus comprising a housing forming an in-line ball storage and supply path terminating at a ball stop positioning station, a ball launching hammer operable by a spring actuated propelling force as the spring is gradually cocked and moved over a dead center position to advance the ball hammer rapidly to knock the ball out of the apparatus under a controllable pressure.

Abstract: A novel amusement apparatus or target game includes a target for receiving projectiles aimed and fired from a mobile firing device. The target includes a plurality of separate, projectile retaining compartments which are open at the front and each compartment has a selected scoring value for projectiles that are accurately fired and retained therein. The mobile firing device is manually aimed and fired to forcefully propel the projectiles towards selected compartments of the target. The firing device includes a body, preferably in the form of an animal which is supported in upstanding position on a suitable playing surface and a firing head is pivotally mounted on the body and is biased for moving an outer end portion or nose to strike and fire a projectile toward the target.

Abstract: A pitching or batting device for a plurality of balls and the like includes an arm connected at one end to a torsion wind-up device and adapted at its other end to engage a holding cam. The cam is freely rotatable and is spun upon release of the arm tip therefrom so that it assumes a different random position in each cycle. When the arm holding a ball is released, the wind-up mechanism causes the arm to swing and engage a braking device which suddenly slows the arm, causing a pitched ball to be propelled through space. The cam causes the intervals between pitches to be random. The braking device is continuously adjustable in angular position, and a ball reverse spinning device may be employed which also operates randomly in conjunction with variations in height of the braking device.

Abstract: A lasso gun used in accurately propelling a lasso toward a target is described. The lasso gun has a barrel. Communicating along the longitudinal axis of the barrel is a piston which has a front lasso holder attached. The barrel is provided with a spring. When the piston is slid from the discharge end of the barrel towards the other end, the spring is put under tension and when released the piston is forcibly slid back towards the discharge end of the barrel. An arm is pivotally mounted on the underside of the barrel. The arm has a rear lasso holder attached to its free end. The loop of a lasso is placed around both the front and rear lasso holders, the piston pushes away from the discharge end of the barrel tensing the spring and the arm is swung back away from the discharge end of the barrel. When released or fired, the piston is propelled forward and the forward motion transferred to the lasso loop.

Abstract: Apparatus suitable for use as a game or as a device for demonstrating the laws of probability comprises a container, apparatus for ejecting a ball into the container, structure generally closing the bottom of the container but provided with a plurality of openings each of diameter greater than the diameter of the ball, receiving apparatus for receiving a ball passing through any one of the openings, structure dividing the receiving means into a plurality of zones corresponding in number to the plurality of openings and respective structure for conducting a ball passing through a respective one of the openings to a respective one of the zones.

Abstract: A pipe frame has a catapult platform attached to catapult arms which is springingly connected to the frame and the hold down mechanism has a detente which engages the platform when a user stands on the platform. The platform will tilt forwardly when a user moves forward on the platform causing the detente to release and permitting the user to be catapulted off the platform into a body of water.

Abstract: Apparatus for projecting footballs. Footballs are placed in a football container transferred one at a time to a football shooting station. A striking force is applied to the football. The striking force is adjustable; and its point of impact against the football is selectable. Footballs can be projected in identical manner in quick succession. The lower end of the football striking member impacts against a football in the general area of the lowest point of the swinging movement of the football striking member.

Abstract: The shuttle for launching an RPV is connected to a launching tube by a motion and high speed-multiplying pulley and cable assembly. The telescopic launching tube assembly is connected between and parallel to a pair of elongated arms of a sealed U-shaped tubular assembly connected by a manifold to which the telescopic tube and shuttle are latched back against the force of compressed air stored in the U-shaped receiver. The release of the latch is damped to minimize acceleration forces on the launched RPV. The receiver and launching tubes are mounted on an elongated base whose rear end is rotatably connected to an anchor plate and the front end of the tubular assembly is adjustably mounted upon the front of the base on an adjustable jack support.

Abstract: A portable ground supported cage has a spring actuated bat rotatable to pitch a ball received in a cup at the small diameter end of the bat. The springs actuating the bat rotate the bat in a vertical plane to pitch the ball at the speed and trajectory required for batting practice. The bat is cocked and then held in a cocked position by a release handle which rotates between locking and unlocking position relative to the bat to permit its release and consequent pitching of the ball. The rotation of the bat is limited by the restricting of the spring after the bat has moved beyond a perpendicular position relative to the longitudinal axis of the machine.

Abstract: A portable, self-contained tennis ball throwing apparatus is disclosed which includes a constantly rotating cam having gradually increasing radii of successive points around its periphery and an abrupt transition from a maximum radius to a minimum radius, a pivotally mounted throwing arm having one end biased into contact with the periphery of the cam and supporting a ball receiving cup at its other end, and a resilient member for biasing the throwing arm, such that the cam effectively cocks the throwing arm at a relatively slow rate and releases the throwing arm to move under the influence of the resilient member to impart a throwing force to a tennis ball. The housing of the apparatus is mounted on a carriage which is movable with respect to the housing to change the pitch angle thereof, and, therefore, the angle of trajectory of a thrown ball. The ball receiving cup is also adjustable to change the angle of trajectory of the thrown ball.

Abstract: A target throwing apparatus in which a revolving magazine having a number of stacks of targets is independently and fixedly supported relative to an oscillating target throwing housing. A cocking means stops the throwing arm just before reaching the over-center position whereupon initiating of the next cocking cycle throws the target. A power train consists of three equal-sized gears mounted on three parallel shafts to throw the targets and to oscillate the housing. The magazine includes a ramp and cam means by which the entire column of targets is lowered by gravity prior to having springbiased fingers engage the second target from the bottom and having the lower-most target fall onto a predetermined drop pad on a target launching plate, which pad location does not change regardless of the position of the oscillating housing and launching plate. A scotch yoke assembly is utilized in translating rotary shaft motion to symmetrical reciprocating motion to oscillate the housing.

Abstract: A simulated baseball game can be constructed so as to utilize a simulated baseball tethered on an arm in such a manner that the ball can be rotated across a simulated baseball playing field. The arm is mounted on a pylon by a universal joint so that it can be rotated generally between the field area of the playing field and the home plate of the playing field. A spring-loaded, latch-controlled propulsion member mounted generally in the field area of the playing field is used to hit the ball so as to cause it to rotate from an at rest position in the field area of the playing field toward and across the home plate of the playing field. A simulated bat may be actuated during such movement of the ball in an effort to hit the ball toward any one of a plurality of targets located in the field area. A base hit or a home run is indicated by the ball hitting a target labeled so as to correspond to such a hit or a home run.

Abstract: A launching device for propelling a football into an airborne trajectory with the football pointed forwardly and rotating about its longitudinal axis similar to a forward pass in the game of football. The launching device includes a spring-biased, retractable catapult arm with a ball-holding basket on the end thereof. The device is provided with a governor which delays the launching of the ball for a predetermined time period to allow the user to move into position for receiving the ball. The launching device includes height adjustments and spring tension adjustments for regulating the trajectory of the football. A safety interlocking mechanism is provided to prevent the launching of foreign objects. The device cannot be operated unless a football is loaded in the basket. The basket has a size, shape, orientation and edge portion which accurately simulates the trajectory of a thrown football by imparting a spiral spin to the football.

Abstract: Apparatus for throwing objects, and particularly "clay pigeons" for target shooting, wherein a spring driven throwing arm is locked in a position wherein the spring is in tension but the arm must be further mechanically driven against the spring tension to an equilibrium point where the throwing stroke will take place under the influence of the spring. The position of the throwing arm is controlled by an electric motor, a pair of parallel circuits for controlling the energization of the motor and a drive train between the motor and the shaft which supports the throwing arm; the drive train including a ratchet type arrangement which constrains the arm to movement in only one direction and "captures" the arm on "rebound" of the spring at the end of a throw.

Abstract: One end of a throwing arm that is pivotally mounted on a frame and is equipped at one end with a football holder. Two propulsion springs are attached to the other end of the throwing arm and extend to a cocking arm that is also pivotally mounted on the frame. The common pivot axis for the two arms is located adjacent to one end of the cocking arm and between the ends of the throwing arm adjacent the springs. In operation, the throwing arm is latched in a "ready-to-throw" position generally parallel to the intended direction of flight of the football. The cocking arm is pivoted into and latched in a position in which the springs are extended so as to exert a biasing force on the throwing arm. The throwing arm is released and the springs pivot the throwing arm and the ball holder forwardly in an arc. The football is propelled from the ball holder by the centrifugal and tangential forces imparted by the pivotal motion of the holder, without any impact that arrests movement of the holder.

Abstract: A clay pigeon trap comprises a shaft member, provided with an adjustable support mounting, which carries at one end a casing containing a bearing providing a pivot mounting for an angularly movable throwing arm and tensioning apparatus for spring loading the throwing arm prior to a throwing stroke. The throwing arm has a pivot shaft projecting perpendicularly from its underside to engage in said bearing and the tensioning apparatus includes a freely rotatable tensioning bush within the casing, a helical coil torsion spring coupling the tensioning bush to the pivot shaft within the casing, and a tensioning arm which is detachably secured to the tensioning bush and which projects outside the casing to enable the bush to be turned so as to tension the spring by manipulating the tensioning arm whilst the throwing arm is held alongside the shaft member in its rearwardly directed position.

Abstract: A ball throwing machine with oscillating capability is provided wherein the machine has a single shaft which rotates within a tube having bearings therein and wherein said tube is supported at only a single place near the center of the tube. The mechanism for oscillating the ball throwing machine is caused to rotate by the same mechanism that causes the throwing arm, which is directly connected to the shaft, to rotate. The oscillating mechanism drives a cam. A cam follower, which is connected to the throwing machine, is spring biased against the cam. As the cam rotates the cam follower and the throwing machine will be oscillated.