Baseball de-slicking apparatus and method
A baseball is desirably blasted with an abrasive material to attain a sufficient level of de-slicking. Baseballs are desirably delivered one at a time to a support and rotated while being sprayed with abrasive material from plural directions. Used abrasive material may be collected and recycled for reuse. Baseballs in a hopper are delivered one at a time in one embodiment to a support by selectively aligning an opening in a rotatable hopper element with an opening in a second element to permit the passage of a baseball through the second element and to the support at an appropriate time. Desirably, baseballs are ejected from the support following de-slicking, such as using an ejection lever or wand that is actuated by a timing rod to eject the baseball from the support ahead of the delivery of the next baseball to the support.
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The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for de-slicking baseballs.
BACKGROUNDCurrently, before every major league and minor league baseball game, 70 to 120 new baseballs have to be “rubbed-up” with a mud product (an abrasive). This is done to de-slick the new baseballs and to provide a uniform surface finish on the baseball for more predictable flight. The mud must be applied in such a way that the color of the baseball is not too dark and is even. Historically, each of these baseballs is rubbed-up by hand by a member of the home team's staff or by a game umpire. The product used to rub-up the balls is Lena Blackbume mud, extracted near the Delaware River. This type of mud has been used to rub-up baseballs to take the shine off them since 1938. So far, no other product has been able to produce the same results as Lena Blackburne mud. Although the mud is very effective, the way in which it is applied to rub-up baseballs is very tedious and unpleasant. Because every major league team plays in more than 160 games in one season, significant time is required to prepare the large quantity of baseballs needed for game use.
SUMMARYThere is therefore a need for an automated or semi-automated baseball rubbing machine to minimize the requirements of the human labor, speed up the baseball rubbing process, and to enhance the quality of rubbed-baseballs.
In accordance with one aspect of an embodiment, an apparatus is provided for mechanically de-slicking new baseballs to provide a more consistent surface finish and color to the baseball. Desirably, the apparatus de-slicks baseballs by spraying a treatment material onto the baseball surface, such as like a sandblaster. One option for this treatment material is a mixture of dried mud, such as Lena Blackburne mud, and glass beads or sand.
In accordance with one specific example, a baseball support is provided that is operable to turn a baseball positioned on the support. Turning includes, but is not limited to, rotating the baseball on the support or otherwise moving the baseball to reorient the baseball on the support to shift different surfaces of the baseball to different positions. In accordance with this embodiment, an abrasive material applicator is positioned to spray abrasive material at the baseball at least during a portion of the time the baseball is being turned. Desirably, the abrasive material is sprayed at the baseball from a plurality of directions.
In one desirable form, the apparatus comprises a baseball singulator operable to deliver one baseball to the support at a time. A plurality of supports may be provided with baseballs being delivered one at a time to each of the supports with baseballs on each of the supports being turned and roughened by spraying abrasive material onto the baseballs simultaneously. Any number of baseballs may be simultaneously treated in this manner.
An exemplary singulator comprises a baseball hopper having a baseball receiving interior space; a first member supported for rotation relative to the hopper, the first member comprising a baseball receiving passageway having an inlet opening communicating with the baseball receiving interior space and an outlet opening; a second member defining a baseball delivery opening positioned in alignment with the outlet opening of the baseball receiving passageway when the first member is rotated to a baseball delivery position, such that a first baseball positioned at least partially within the passageway may pass through the baseball delivery opening. The exemplary singulator may also comprise a stop (a projection) positioned to block the passage of any baseballs from the hopper into the passageway other than the first baseball when the rotatable member is in the baseball delivery position. In this example, one baseball is delivered at a time from the hopper.
In accordance with another aspect, a speed adjuster may be used to adjust the speed of rotation of the rotatable member to thereby adjust the rate of delivery of baseballs to the baseball delivery opening.
Desirably, the first member has a baseball guiding surface that is contoured to guide any baseballs in the hopper toward the inlet opening of the baseball receiving passageway. For example, the guiding surface may be generally conical so as to guide baseballs toward the outer periphery of the hopper with the hopper, for example, being a right cylinder with an upright longitudinal axis. As the rotatable first member is rotated, in this example the inlet opening intercepts baseballs and carries them to the outlet opening for delivery through the baseball delivery opening when the first member is in the baseball delivery position.
The first member desirably comprises a ball engaging surface of a resilient material, such as of a high density foam or other polymeric material, so as to not mark or mar the baseballs as they shift within the hopper.
In one specific embodiment, the support for supporting a baseball for treatment with abrasive comprises plural elongated rollers each with a longitudinal axis and each being supported for rotation about its respective longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axes of the rollers may be parallel to one another with each of the rollers being rotated in the same direction about its respective longitudinal axis. The rollers may be contoured (e.g., of a reduced diameter in the center of the rollers), such that a baseball positioned between the rotating rollers remains in position as the abrasive material is sprayed at the baseball with the baseball being turned by the rollers as the rollers rotate.
An ejector mechanism is desirably included for selectively removing a baseball from the support following de-slicking of the baseball by the abrasive material. In one specific form, the ejector comprises a baseball ejecting wand with first and second end portions. The ejector wand is pivotally supported in this example for movement between a first wand position and a second baseball ejecting wand position. When the baseball ejecting wand is shifted to the second baseball ejecting wand position, the second end portion of the baseball ejecting wand pushes a baseball positioned on the support toward a location off of the support. A chute or other delivery mechanism may be used to carry the baseball, when ejected off the support, to a storage location, such as to a drawer of the apparatus. A biasing mechanism, such as a biasing spring coupled to the ejecting wand may be used to bias the baseball ejecting wand toward the first wand position. In a mechanically simple approach, a timing rod may be coupled to the first member for rotation with the rotation of the first member. The timing rod may be positioned to engage the first end portion of the baseball ejecting wand as the first member rotates so as to pivot the baseball ejecting wand from the first position to the second baseball ejecting position at the appropriate time for ejecting a baseball from the support and prior to delivery of the next baseball to the support. The baseball ejecting wand desirably returns to the first position prior to delivery of another baseball to the support for spraying with abrasive material.
The apparatus also comprises an abrasive material applicator. In one form, the applicator comprises an air compressor for providing a source of pressurized air, a conduit coupled to the air compressor through which pressurized air flows from an air inlet to an outlet, and a siphon or suction tube coupled to the conduit and having an abrasive material inlet positioned relative to abrasive material such that air flowing through the conduit creates a vacuum and draws abrasive material into the flowing air stream for exiting with the pressurized air through the outlet. One or more hoses, desirably a plurality of hoses, carries the abrasive material to the appropriate position or positions for spraying at the baseball. A separate blasting mechanism of this type may be used for each abrasive material delivery hose that is used in the apparatus. An abrasive material recycling bin may be provided for collecting abrasive material following the spraying of such material at a baseball with the abrasive material inlet being in communication with the recycling bin for drawing abrasive material from the abrasive material recycling bin into air flowing through the conduit.
Methods of applying abrasive material to baseballs are also disclosed herein with such methods being apparent from the disclosure.
Also, baseballs that have been de-slicked in the manner disclosed herein are also encompassed within this disclosure.
It should be noted that the invention is directed toward all new and non-obvious features and method acts disclosed herein, both alone and in various combinations and sub-combinations with one another. The method is not limited to the specific illustrated embodiments nor to an invention that solves all of the problems of the prior art. Also, the terms “a”, “an”, or “the” when used herein are not limited to the singular. The presence of two or more of a particular feature or element means that a, an, or the element or feature is also present.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The front panel 12 also desirably comprises a control panel section 40 with appropriate controls for the apparatus such as a power on/off switch 42, a compressed air valve control switch 44, a baseball turning apparatus control switch 46, a hopper rotation control switch 48, and a hopper speed control switch 50. In embodiments where a compressor is positioned externally to the housing 10, a compressed air inlet port 52 may be provided through which pressurized air from the compressor may be delivered to appropriate tubing and/or piping inside the apparatus. Although not shown in
Desirably, abrasive material that is sprayed at the baseball 90 is collected following use for recycling. For example, a recycling bin 106 may be supported by frame components, such as by a rectangular frame 108 in
One form of support 86 for supporting and turning a baseball, desirably during at least a portion of the time that abrasive material is being sprayed at the baseball, is shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the ends of axles 180,190 project outwardly beyond the bracket 162 as shown in
An abrasive material support for supporting a plurality of abrasive material applicators may be supported by the respective brackets 162,164. For example, one exemplary support is indicated at 213 in
Although other forms of abrasive material supply mechanisms may be used (e.g., a pressurized pot abrasive material supply device), in the illustrated embodiment, an air siphon or suction abrasive material blaster is desirably used. In the embodiment shown, pressurized air is delivered, as indicated by arrow 240 in
The abrasive material 290 may be any suitable material or material mixture. However, desirably the abrasive material comprises dried mud such as dried Lena Blackburne mud. In addition, more desirably, the abrasive material comprises a mixture of the dried mud and other abrasive material, such as glass beads or sand. The particle size of the glass beads and sand may be varied as well as the concentration of the mud in the glass bead/sand/mud mix. For example, the mud may comprise ten to fifty percent of the mixture of mud and abrasive particles. In producing the baseball of
Baseballs treated in this manner had mud that is consistently more uniformly distributed over the surface of the baseball and a more even texture in comparison to baseballs that are de-slicked by hand.
Desirably, baseballs are positioned on the rollers 182,192 (or other support) and removed from the rollers automatically, although semi-automatic and less desirably manual approaches may be used. In addition, various electronically operated mechanisms to achieve the desired timing and to deliver and remove baseballs may be used. However, in one desirable form, a mechanical ejector mechanism is provided to push a baseball off the rollers following de-slicking and prior to the arrival of the next baseball on the rollers.
In a specific exemplary embodiment, with reference to
As explained in greater detail below, the hopper assembly 26 in the form shown comprises a rotatable shaft 340 shown in
With reference to
As previously mentioned, a singulator is desirably provided for delivering one baseball at a time to the support mechanism 86. It is, of course, possible to simply place baseballs manually one at a time onto the support, although an automatic or semi-automatic operation is more desirable. One specific form of a singulator is provided by the illustrated design of hopper assembly 26 shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet opening 396 is positioned adjacent to the interior surface of the wall of cylinder 64. In addition, the upper surface 390 of rotatable member 386 is contoured to direct baseballs toward the opening 396. More specifically, surface 390 in the illustrated embodiment is generally conical in shape so as to urge baseballs toward the periphery of the rotatable member 386. Other shapes or contours may be used to direct baseballs to the inlet to the passageway. Also, more than one passageway (and more than one opening through base 66) may be provided to deliver baseballs to plural supports if desired. Consequently, as rotatable member 386 rotates, the opening 396 encounters any baseballs remaining in the hopper 64 so that one of such baseballs may drop into the passageway 394 if the passageway is unoccupied at the time it intercepts a baseball. Although variable, desirably the depth of the passageway is at least equal to one-half the diameter of a baseball and more desirably the depth of passageway 194 approximates the diameter of the baseball. Consequently, only one baseball may fit partially (or more desirably) entirely within the passageway in the embodiment shown in
As previously mentioned, rotatable member 386 may be made of any suitable durable material that does not mar baseballs. Examples include high density foam, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, a polymeric material such as sold under the brand name Delrin, and other suitable materials. The shaft 340 may be provided with a clearance fit with respect to an opening through base 66 that accommodates the shaft. Alternatively, the shaft 340 may be coupled to base 366 by a bearing to assist in centering the rotation of the rotational member 386 about the longitudinal axis of the hopper assembly.
Having illustrated and described the principles of our invention with respect to various embodiments, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that this invention may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from the inventive principles disclosed herein. We claim as our invention all such principles as fall within the scope and spirit of the following claims.
Claims
1. An apparatus for de-slicking a baseball using an abrasive material, the apparatus comprising:
- a baseball support operable to turn a baseball positioned on the support; and
- an abrasive material applicator positioned to direct a spray of abrasive material at the baseball at least during a portion of the time the baseball is being turned.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a baseball singulator operable to deliver one baseball to the support at a time.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the singulator comprises:
- a baseball hopper comprising a baseball receiving interior space;
- a first member supported for rotation relative to the hopper, the first member comprising a baseball receiving passageway having an inlet opening communicating with the baseball receiving interior space and an outlet opening;
- a second member defining a baseball delivery opening positioned for alignment with the outlet opening of the baseball receiving passageway when the first member is rotated to a baseball delivery position, whereby a first baseball positioned at least partially within the passageway may pass through the passageway, the outlet opening and the baseball delivery opening being aligned when the rotatable member is in the baseball delivery position; and
- a stop positioned to block the passage of any baseballs other than the first baseball from the hopper into the passageway when the rotatable member is in the baseball delivery position.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a speed adjuster operable to adjust the speed of rotation of the rotatable member to thereby adjust the rate of delivery of baseballs to the baseball delivery opening.
5. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the first member has a baseball guiding surface that is contoured to guide any baseballs in the hopper toward the inlet opening of the baseball receiving passageway.
6. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the hopper comprises a right cylinder having an upright longitudinal axis and an interior wall surface, wherein the first member has upper and lower surfaces and is positioned at least partially in a lower region of the hopper and is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the hopper, wherein the inlet opening opens upwardly through the upper surface of the first member, the outlet opening opens downwardly through the lower surface of the first member, wherein the passageway extends through the first member and wherein the inlet opening is positioned adjacent to the interior wall surface of the hopper, wherein the upper surface of the rotatable member is generally conical such that any baseballs in the hopper tend to move toward the interior wall surface where a baseball can be intercepted by the inlet opening to the passageway as the first member rotates, the stop being positioned at least partially above the inlet opening when the first member is in the baseball delivery position, the depth of the passageway and the spacing of the stop above the inlet opening when the first member is in the baseball delivery position being established such that only a single baseball positioned at least partially in the passageway may pass under the stop as the first member is moved to the baseball delivery position.
7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support comprises plural elongated rollers each with a longitudinal axis and each being supported for rotation about their respective longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the rollers being parallel to one another, the rollers being rotated in the same direction about their respective longitudinal axes, the rollers being contoured such that a baseball positioned between the rotating rollers remains in such position as abrasive material is sprayed at the baseball.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising an ejector operable to selectively remove a baseball from the support following de-slicking of the baseball by the abrasive material.
9. An apparatus according to claim 7 comprising an ejector mechanism operable to eject a baseball from the supporting rollers, the ejector mechanism comprising a baseball ejecting wand having first and second end portions and being pivotally supported for movement between a first wand position and a second baseball ejecting wand position, wherein when shifted to the second baseball ejecting wand position, the second end portion of the baseball ejecting wand pushes the baseball positioned on the support to a location off of the support, a biasing mechanism coupled to the wand and operable to bias the baseball ejecting wand toward the first wand position, a timing rod coupled to the first member for rotation with the rotation of the first member, the timing rod being positioned to engage the first end portion of the baseball ejecting wand as the first member rotates so as to pivot the baseball ejecting wand from the first position to the second baseball ejecting position, the timing rod moving past the first end portion of the baseball ejecting wand following the ejection of the baseball to a location off of the support to thereby allow the baseball ejecting wand to return to the first position so as to not interfere with the delivery of another baseball to the support for spraying with abrasive material.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the first end portion of the baseball ejecting wand comprises an arcuate timing rod engaging surface, the timing rod engaging and traveling along the timing rod engaging surface as the rotatable member is rotated with the timing rod pushing the baseball ejecting wand to the second baseball ejecting portion position as the timing rod travels along the timing rod engaging surface.
11. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the abrasive material applicator directs pressurized air and abrasive material from a plurality of directions toward a baseball positioned on the support.
12. An apparatus to claim 11 wherein the abrasive material applicator comprises an air compressor for providing a source of pressurized air, a first conduit coupled to the air compressor through which pressurized air flows from an air inlet to an air outlet, a suction tube coupled to the first conduit and comprising an abrasive material inlet positioned relative to abrasive material such that air flowing through the first conduit from the air inlet to the air outlet, draws abrasive material into the flowing air that exits the air outlet, and at least one hose coupled to the air outlet for carrying the mixture of air and abrasive material to a position for delivery at the baseball.
13. An apparatus according to claim 12 comprising an abrasive material recycling bin for collecting abrasive material following the spraying of such material at a baseball, the abrasive material inlet being in communication with the recycling bin for drawing the abrasive material from the abrasive material recycling bin into air flowing through the venturi.
14. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the abrasive material comprises a glass bead and dried mud mixture.
15. A baseball de-slicked by the apparatus of claim 1.
16. An apparatus for de-slicking a baseball using an abrasive material, the apparatus comprising:
- a baseball support operable to turn a baseball positioned on the support;
- an abrasive material applicator positioned to spray abrasive material at the baseball at least during a portion of the time the baseball is being turned;
- a baseball singulator operable to deliver one baseball to the support at a time; and
- an ejector operable to selectively engage a baseball positioned on the support to remove the baseball from the support.
17. An apparatus according to claim 16 comprising an abrasive material recycling bin for collecting abrasive material following the spraying of such material at a baseball.
18. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the singulator comprises:
- a baseball hopper comprising a baseball receiving interior space;
- a first member supported for rotation relative to the hopper, the first member comprising a baseball receiving passageway having an inlet opening communicating with the baseball receiving interior space and an outlet opening;
- a second fixed member comprising a baseball delivery opening positioned for alignment with the outlet opening of the baseball receiving passageway when the rotatable member is rotated to a baseball delivery position, whereby a first baseball positioned at least partially within the passageway may pass through the passageway, the outlet opening and the baseball delivery opening when the first member is in the baseball delivery position;
- a stop positioned to block the passage of any baseballs other than the first baseball from the hopper into the passageway when the rotatable member is in the baseball delivery position;
- wherein the support comprises plural elongated rollers each with a longitudinal axis and each being supported for rotation about their respective longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the rollers being parallel to one another, the rollers being rotated in the same direction about their respective longitudinal axes, the rollers being contoured such that a baseball positioned between the rotating rollers remains in such position as abrasive material is sprayed at the baseball; and
- an ejector mechanism operable to eject a baseball from the supporting rollers, the ejector mechanism comprising a baseball ejecting wand having first and second end portions and being pivotally supported for movement between a first wand position and a second baseball ejecting wand position, wherein when shifted to the second baseball ejecting wand position, the second end portion of the baseball ejecting wand pushes the baseball positioned on the support to a location off of the support, a biasing spring coupled to the wand and operable to bias the baseball ejecting wand toward first wand position, a timing rod coupled to the first member for rotation with the rotation of the first member, the timing rod being positioned to engage the first end portion of the baseball ejecting wand as the first member rotates so as to pivot the baseball ejecting wand from the first position to the second baseball ejecting position, the timing rod moving past the first end portion of the baseball ejecting wand following the ejection of the baseball to a location off of the support to thereby allow the baseball ejecting wand to return to the first position so as to not interfere with the delivery of another baseball to the support for spraying with abrasive material.
19. An apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising a speed adjuster operable to adjust the speed of rotation of the rotatable member to thereby adjust the rate of delivery of baseballs to the baseball delivery opening, and wherein the first member has a baseball guiding surface which is contoured to guide any baseballs in the hopper toward the inlet opening of the baseball receiving passageway.
20. A method of de-slicking baseballs comprising:
- spraying a de-slicking material at a baseball; and
- turning the baseball at least during a portion of the time while spraying the de-slicking compound at the baseball.
21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the de-slicking material comprises an abrasive material.
22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the de-slicking material comprises a mixture of dirt and glass beads.
23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the dirt is Lena Blackburne mud.
24. A method according to claim 20 wherein the act of spraying comprises blasting the baseball with abrasive material from a plurality of directions.
25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the plurality of directions comprises first and second directions from opposed locations with the ball supported between said opposed locations and a third direction orthogonal to the first and second direction.
26. A method according to claim 25 comprising the act of ejecting the de-slicked baseball.
27. A method according to claim 26 in which the act of turning the baseball comprises the act of rotating the baseball and the act of applying an abrasive material comprises the act of blasting the baseball with abrasive material from a plurality of directions.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 9, 2005
Publication Date: Jul 13, 2006
Applicant:
Inventors: Tyler Smith (Independence, OR), Jamie Wright (Eugene, OR), Winston Burbank (Fairbanks, AK)
Application Number: 11/078,883
International Classification: B24C 3/00 (20060101); B24C 1/00 (20060101); B24B 1/00 (20060101); B24B 47/02 (20060101);