Abstract: A tennis playing game apparatus of the type with a simulated net has a narrow hole cut through the net and a ball-throwing machine to throw balls through the hole. A thick layer of foam polymer and a layer of sheeting are provided to damp the rebound of tennis balls.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved ball suspending apparatus which utilizes a dual directional component air stream to support the ball for striking. The dual directional component air stream allows the ball to be spun according to the desire of the operator. For example, a baseball may be supported to simulate the certain spins associated with fastball or curveball pitches thrown by either left or right handed pitchers, thereby allowing the batter to experience the manner in which a certain type of pitch will react when struck with a bat.

Abstract: A ground anchor is provided equipped with horizontally spaced apart upstanding tubular members having open upper ends. The ground anchor may be buried in the ground at a depth with the upper ends of the tubular members terminating in a horizontal plane coinciding with the ground upper surface and the ground anchor may thereafter be used to anchor a ground level attachment such as a home plate or pitcher's plate equipped with depending vertical ground spikes stationary relative to the ground by downwardly telescoping the ground spikes of the attachments into the upper ends of the tubular members to a level with a horizontal undersurface of the attachment abutted against the upper ends of the tubular members.

Abstract: A new type of baseball and softball practice tee that is bendable and is quickly restored to its upright vertical position when hit during batting practice comprising an upright pedistal adapted at one terminal end to holding a ball, and the other end being inserted into the top end of an upright container the bottom end of which is flat and much smaller than the upper width of the container with the edges rounded upward making in effect a pear shaped container bottom, the bottom of the container possessing an enclosed cavity filled with weighted material of sufficient weight so as to force the container to quickly return to its vertical position when it is knocked over by the batter.

Abstract: A portable, automatic serving device for table tennis is provided which includes a robot server and ball capture net. The robot includes a serving head which is mounted for rotation with respect to the body along a plurality of axes. The head is provided with balls from a passageway in the robot operatively connected between the head and the base of the robot. A collapsible net is provided for capturing balls returned by a player. The robot is positioned within and cooperates with the net so that return balls are fed automatically to the head. The robot is operated by three motors, which may be controlled individually to serve sequentially a plurality of balls to a player for practice or for sport. The robot construction provides for a variety of ball delivery techniques, all of which are controlled simply during operation.

Abstract: A table tennis net assembly includes a table tennis net and two opposite net supports each of which includes a base piece mounting thereon a vertical hollow cylinder and a bottom piece cooperating with the base piece to be capable of clamping therebetween a portion of a table; one hollow cylinder mounts therein a coiled spring-biassed shaft fixing one end of the net the other end of which is fixed to a stopper which is to be inserted into the other hollow cylinder which has an axial slit slit through the upper portion thereof.

Abstract: A dispenser comprising a base and a reel rotatably mounted on the base. An elongated flexible member which is to be dispensed is wound on the reel, and a housing is provided for the reel and the flexible member. Interlocking members on the reel and the housing hold the reel against rotation in the housing. The reel has first and second sets of radially extending fingers at the periphery of the reel, with the first set of fingers being inclined relative to the second set of fingers. The flexible member is wound on the reel between the first and second sets of fingers.

Abstract: A baseball batting aid or trainer comprises a hand-held rigid handle having an elongated extension with an outer base portion at its free end, and a flexible, preferably extensible member co-extending with the extension, the extensible member being affixed adjacent one end with respect to the extension and adjacent the opposed end to a baseall or like target object, the tether and extension being arranged to retain the target object in engagement on the base portion of the elongated extension whereby the trainer may be used to hold the target object in a selected position before a batter to facilitate practice by, and training of the batter.

Abstract: A method for training and warming-up baseball pitchers, using an apparatus comprising a closed loop of stretchable cord having a baseball or a simulated baseball mounted thereon. In accordance with one aspect of the method, the cord is secured to an anchor point spaced above the ground, and the pitcher slowly performs a simulated pitching movement while standing with his back to the anchor point and at a distance therefrom determined by the desired tension in the cord. In accordance with another aspect of the method, the pitching motion is performed without turning the pitching arm and wrist, and it is ascertained whether turning has occurred by sensing whether or not the upper fingers of the gripping hand of the pitcher engage portions of the cord at the baseball.

Abstract: A portable, automatic serving device for table tennis is provided which includes a robot server and ball capture net. The robot includes a serving head which is mounted for rotation with respect to the body along a plurality of axes. The head is provided with balls from a passageway in the robot operatively connected between the head and the base of the robot. A collapsible net is provided for capturing balls returned by a player. The robot is positioned within and cooperates with the net so that return balls are fed automatically to the head. The robot is operated by three motors, which may be controlled individually to serve sequentially a plurality of balls to a player for practice or for sport. The robot construction provides for a variety of ball delivery techniques, all of which are controlled simply during operation.

Abstract: A trainer comprising a framework designed to offer resistance against being pushed and training pad-carrying members provided with pads against which players in a scrummage may push, each such pad including at least one position for engagement by a shoulder of a player and a raised horizontal portion by the head and neck of the player so that he can push upwards against it, the members being resiliently movable vertically.

Abstract: A football kicking practice device comprising similar frame parts joined by a front top transverse member to be disposed in parallel vertical orientation, with such frame parts including horizontal rearwardly extending portions joining vertical downwardly extending portions, in turn joining downwardly inclined portions extending to a point of vertical alignment with the top transverse member, and further joining downwardly extending vertical portions terminating with structure at the lower ends for supporting the frame in vertical orientation, and a large rectangular net with a peripheral sleeve along three sides thereof slidably engagable with the frame structure, whereby the net as assembled to the frame hangs in a manner to provide a forwardly and downwardly bulged upper portion, blending with a lower hanging and forwardly inclined trough portion.

Abstract: A wood or aluminum practice bat designed to be swung by one arm is provided for developing hitting skills. The bat comprises a continuously tapered barrel portion, and a substantially cylindrical handle portion connected by a sharply tapered portion. The handle portion of the bat has a length which effectively permits grasping by only one hand at a time, thus confining the bat for its intended use. The bat, which has an overall length of about twenty-two inches, and weighs about twenty ounces, is intended to be used in various drills designed to facilitate development and coordination of the movements, and muscle groups which control the movements, of each arm individually.

Abstract: Within a bat handle a resiliently mounted magnet oscillates when the bat strikes a ball. The magnetic field couples with a fixed inductive coil inducing a signal with an amplitude proportional to the impact force. The signal is processed to provide an indication on the bat of the force of impact.

Abstract: A pellet-firing toy gatling gun includes a rotatable multiple barrel assembly with a number of barrels arranged in a substantially circular array that is rotated such that each barrel passes a predetermined firing position one time during each rotation of the barrel assembly. A firing mechanism positions a spherical pellet at the firing position and propels the pellet through a barrel in response to a cocking and firing actuation sequence. An actuating mechanism acts between the rotatable barrel assembly and the firing mechanism in response to rotation of the barrel assembly by effecting the cocking and firing actuation sequence in synchronism with rotation of the barrel assembly.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for containing tennis balls that are struck by a tennis racquet either in the practice of tennis serves or in returning balls projected by a tennis ball machine. Key features include the use of a substantially "C" shaped containment means on one side of a tennis net to thereby capture tennis balls hit over the tennis net into a reduced containment area. The containment means is preferably higher than the tennis net and can be varied in size, as desired.

Abstract: An improved golf teeing apparatus adapted to automatically tee a predetermined number of golf balls in time sequences selected by the golfing participant. The apparatus comprises a housing having a ball inlet opening in a side portion thereof, a housing cover assembly having a tee access opening therein, and a ball hopper connected to the housing via a ball delivery conduit such that gravitational single file ball travel is achieved through the ball delivery conduit to the ball inlet opening of the housing. A ball support assembly is disposed within the housing for receiving one ball at a time from the ball delivery conduit, and for supporting the golf ball at a selected height above the housing cover so that the golf ball can be struck by a golf club. The ball support assembly includes a vertically disposed tubular member having a ball receiving opening communicating with the ball inlet opening of the housing, and a piston member disposed within the tubular member.

Abstract: A method and device for the prevention of and the treatment for epicondylalgia externa, popularly known as tennis elbow. The method involves the absorption and dissipation of the vibrational shocks caused by the off-center hitting of a tennis ball during pronation and supination of the wrist. The device employs a vibration absorbing pad covering either the extensor or flexor muscles of the forearm. The pad is tightly located against the said muscles by means of an elastic tube from the wrist area to the elbow. An elastic strap, located outside the aforementioned tube around the largest diameter of the forearm and fastened by velcro or like fasteners, is an additional member for maintaining the pad in close contact with the arm surface. The aforementioned pad, shaped to conform with the extensor or flexor muscle in the forearm, is filled with a viscous fluid or semi-fluid which will flow enough to maintain a close contact with the muscle from wrist to elbow.

Abstract: A baseball pitching practice device comprising a support frame to which is independently supported a plurality of panel members disposed side-by-side and forming a target area. Each of the panels has a designated segment portion of the target area. The target area includes a central strike zone area delimited by some of the panel members. One or more normally-open electrical contacts are associated with each of the panels and closable upon the application of an impact force on an outer surface of its associated panel. A display device is provided to identify which panel has been subjected to an impact force. A visual display identifies the panel having been impacted and also provides a numerical read-out of a total numerical value with each of the panels having independent numerical values.

Abstract: An energy absorbing rotatable base for baseball and softball. An anchor post is fixed to the under side of a top plate. Four equally spaced steel bearing balls are also fixed to the underside of the top plate. A bottom plate has a central opening rotatably disposed over the anchor post. Four holes in the bottom plate are aligned with the four balls. A spring biasses the bottom plate toward the top plate. The bearing balls permit the bottom plate to rotate relative to the top plate and anchor post, and the balls and holes index the rotational position. Layers of foam padding are secured to the bottom plate and enclose the base assembly.