Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting balls in which a pretensioning arrangement includes a loading device which is displaceable between a first and a second position, first and second locking members are brought to contact each other by displacement of the loading device to a first position as a pivot arm is thereby moved to the loading position, and displacement of the loading device to a second position produces pretensioning of the pivot arm in the loading position. As a result, the pivot arm has a position in which the apparatus is safe because the pivot arm is without tension in the shooting position. Also, the pivot arm can be moved to its loading position without a simultaneous pretensioning being effected. Pretensioning is only established when the pivot arms are in the loading position and are retained by the locking arrangement. Thus, the loading arrangement and shooting power can be varied.

Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting balls including: a frame supporting a ball holder; an ejecting arrangement adapted for ejecting the ball from the ball holder; and a control unit; the ejecting arrangement including a spring-biased pivot arm which is pivotable about a shaft and has an impact face spaced apart from the shaft, where the pivot arm has a circular path with a first extreme position where the pre-tensioning of the pivot arm is maximal, and a second extreme position where the pre-tensioning of the pivot arm is minimal, where the ball holder and the impact face are arranged such that the ball is hit by the impact face during the working stroke of the pivot arm in a direction from the first towards the second extreme position, at which the frame further supports a spring-biased pivotable braking plate with one or more vertically oriented springs.