Ball speed automatic pausal indicator

Abstract

A ball speed automatic pausal indicator comprising a ball speed indicator assembly and an automatic reverse motion pauser. The ball speed indicator assembly includes a ball speed scale mounted on a rotatable drum and a stationary flat lens with a reference hairline. The automatic reverse pauser includes a battery, a timer motor, a cam driven by a speed reducer gear drive, a normally closed cam actuated switch, a normally open slip ring segment switch and a pawl-cogwheel combination. An indicator suitable for a pitching practice apparatus with a pivoted ball target plate. In the initial position, the cam actuated switch and the slip ring segment switch are both open. After a ball impacts the ball target plate of the apparatus, the indicator scale, the slip ring segment switch and the cogwheel will rotate with their common shaft. The slip ring segment switch will then close causing the timer motor to start. Operation of the timer motor will rotate the cam which will initially close the cam actuated switch and after a period of time, which is the pausal duration, will release the pawl from the cogwheel, allowing the cogwheel, slip ring segment switch and the indicator scale to return to their initial positions. The timer motor will continue to operate until the cam actuated switch is opened by cam action. Thus, the apparatus and the ball speed automatic pausal indicator are automatically restored to their initial positions. The pausal duration, during which the user of the apparatus should be able to read the speed of the pitched ball, can be set at the desired value by means of an adjustable resistor connected in series with the timer motor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

A. Field of Invention

This invention relates to ball speed indicators, specifically to a ball speed automatic pausal indicator.

B. Description of Prior Art

In the use of a pitching practice apparatus, it should be desirable for the user to read the the speed of the pitched ball directly from the apparatus.

Prior art devices for indicating ball speed which require user actuated electrical switches include the pitching speed indicator by Calimeri (U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,014) which uses a manually operated stopwatch and electronic equipment and the base trainer by Black, et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,934) which uses a foot-operated switch and electronic equipment. The accuracy of ball speed indication depends on proper synchronization of ball release and actuation of the devices. The devices are not automatic.

Automatic devices for indicating ball speed include the speed measurement device with statistics gathering capability by Vermillion (U.S. Pat. No. 6,683,558) which uses radar waves and electronic equipment; the Doppler radar speed measuring unit by Cadotte, Jr., et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,355) which uses microwaves and electronic equipment; and the method and apparatus to determine golf ball trajectory and flight by Gobush, et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,412) which uses optics and electronic equipment. The devices use complex electronic equipment and can be damaged if a fast ball hits any of their components. The apparatus by Gobush, et al., is most susceptible to such damage because of the cameras and Fresnel lenses used.

The pitching practice apparatus of this inventor, patent pending under application Ser. No. 11/084585 filed Mar. 21, 2005, does not use any electronic equipment, is robust enough to withstand without damage the impact of a fast ball and can automatically indicate if a desired ball speed has been attained or exceeded by a signal device such as the raising of a flag. It should be an improvement if the user can also read the ball speed directly from the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A. Objects and Advantages

Accordingly the present invention will provide:

a ball speed indicator with an automatic reverse motion pauser to pause the indicator for a desired period to allow the user of the pitching practice apparatus of this inventor sufficient time to read the scale and which will automatically restore the scale to its initial position,

a ball speed indicator which can absorb without damage the impact of a fast ball, and

a ball speed indicator which will not require complex electronic equipment.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing drawings and description.

B. Description of Invention

This invention is a ball speed automatic pausal indicator comprising a ball speed indicator assembly and an automatic reverse motion pauser.

When the present invention is applied on the pitching practice apparatus of this inventor, said ball speed indicator assembly and said automatic reverse motion pauser are fixedly connected to the appropriate components of the apparatus such that the user of the apparatus will be able and will have sufficient time to read the ball speed before the apparatus is automatically restored to its initial position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

A. Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an automatic reverse motion pauser.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a pausal release assembly.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of some components connected to the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a right side sectional view of other components connected to the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the apparatus with the present invention added.

FIG. 6 is a left side view of the apparatus with the present invention added.

B. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1 adjustable resistor
• 2 timer motor
• 3 light bulb
• 4 cam actuated switch
• 5 slip ring segment switch
• 6 fuse
• 7 on-off switch
• 8 battery
• 9 speed reducer gear drive
• 10 gear output shaft
• 11 cam
• 12 pawl
• 13 shaft
• 14 electricity conducting slip ring segment
• 15 electricity non-conducting slip ring segment
• 16 electrical brush
• 17 torsion spring
• 18 cogwheel
• 19 indicator scale drum
• 20 flat lens
• 21 indicator scale drum cover
• 22 lens guard
• 23 pausal release housing
• 24 battery cover

C. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of the preferred embodiment of an automatic reverse motion pauser of a ball speed indicator for the pitching practice apparatus. Adjustable resistor 1 is for user adjustment of the pausal duration by limiting circuit current. Timer motor 2 will provide mechanical power to a pausal release assembly. Light bulb 3 will illuminate the ball speed indicator scale while timer motor 2 is operating. Cam actuated switch 4 and slip ring segment switch 5 are shown in the initial open positions. Cam actuated switch 4 is normally closed. Fuse 6 is for over-current protection. On-off switch 7 is for manually closing or opening the circuit. Battery 8 will provide electrical power to the circuit.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a pausal release assembly suitable for interrupting momentarily rotational or translational reverse motion. Timer motor 2 is fixedly connected to the housing of speed reducer gear drive 9 and will provide mechanical power to speed reducer gear drive 9. Spur gears, bevel gears, and worm gear-worm combinations can be used in speed reducer gear drive 9 to reduce the angular speed of gear output shaft 10 close to the value that will result in the desired pausal duration. Cam 11 is fixedly connected to gear output shaft 10. An external bearing (not shown) can be used to support the outer end of gear output shaft 10. The electrical polarity of timer motor 2 will be selected to cause cam 11 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction such that pawl 12 is pushed up and released before cam actuated switch 4 is opened. The pivot pin of pawl 12, the housing of speed reducer gear drive 9, the insulated body of cam actuated switch 4 and the external bearing of gear output shaft 10, if used, are fixedly connected to the pitching practice apparatus by a suitable chassis (not shown).

FIG. 3 shows shaft 13 which is fixedly connected to and coaxial with the shaft of the ball target assembly of the pitching practice apparatus. Electricity conducting slip ring segment 14 is fixedly connected to, coaxial with, and electrically insulated from shaft 13. Electricity non-conducting slip ring segment 15 will complete the slip ring and is fixedly connected to shaft 13. Two electrical brush 16 are for closing slip ring segment switch 5 shown in FIG. 1 by providing electrical continuity through electricity conducting slip ring segment 14 when shaft 13 is rotated. Spring loaded brush holders fixedly connected to the pitching practice apparatus by a suitable chassis (both not shown) will be provided for two electrical brush 16. Cogwheel 18 and indicator scale drum 19 are coaxial with and fixedly connected to shaft 13. Pawl 12 is constantly urged to engage with cogwheel 18 by torsion spring 17. When a ball impacts the strike zone of the apparatus, shaft 13 will rotate in the counterclockwise direction causing closure of slip ring segment switch 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, with on-off switch 7 closed, closure of slip ring segment switch 5 will start timer motor 2 and energize light bulb 3. The operation of timer motor 2 will cause cam 11 to rotate counterclockwise, as seen using FIG. 2, such that cam actuated switch 4 is first closed by cam action and after a period of time, which is the pausal duration, for pawl 12 to rotate counterclockwise, as seen using FIG. 2, or clockwise as seen using FIG. 3, and disengage from cogwheel 18, also by cam action. Once pawl 12 is disengaged, cogwheel 18, indicator scale drum 19, slip ring segment switch 5, and shaft 13 will return to their initial positions at the urging of the spring of the apparatus. Timer motor 2 will continue to operate until cam actuated switch 4 is opened by cam action of cam 11. Thus, all components are automatically restored to their initial positions. If desired, a manually-operated release lever for pawl 12 can be used to allow for a weak battery 8.

The pausal duration can be adjusted by means of adjustable resistor 1. The time interval between the release of pawl 12 and the opening of cam actuated switch 4, which can be called the wait time, can be adjusted by adjusting the angular displacement between the points of contact of cam 11 between pawl 12 and cam actuated switch 4. While making the latter adjustment, it is very important to ensure that pawl 12 is engaged with cogwheel 18 before cam actuated switch 4 is opened

FIG. 4 shows flat lens 20 mounted on indicator scale drum cover 21 and held in place by lens guard 22. Light bulb 3 will illuminate the indicator scale and will signal the user of the apparatus that timer motor 2 is operating. Flat lens 20 will be located in front of the indicator scale on scale drum 19 to magnify the scale seen by the user. Lens guard 22 will be suitably sized to prevent impact of the ball on flat lens 20. A horizontal hairline will be provided on the middle of the curved surface of flat lens 20 to serve as reference for reading the scale. In the initial position the “0” of the scale will coincide with the hairline. The numbers on the scale will increase in the clockwise direction, as viewed using FIG. 3, along the cylindrical surface of indicator scale drum 19 and will be separated by intervals which will depend on the design of the pitching practice apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the pitching practice apparatus with the present invention installed on the left side. The figure shows flat lens 20 with the horizontal hairline in the middle, lens guard 22, indicator scale drum cover 21 and pausal release housing 23. If a manually-operated release lever for pawl 12 is used, the lever could protrude through a slot in front of pausal release housing 23. Indicator scale drum cover 21 and pausal release housing 23 are fixedly connected to the cover of the apparatus by suitable means.

FIG. 6 is a left side view of the pitching practice apparatus with the present invention installed. The figure shows adjustable resistor 1, on-off switch 7, indicator scale drum cover 21, lens guard 22, pausal release housing 23 and battery cover 24. Adjustable resistor 1 can be installed such that moving the adjustment lever upwards will increase the resistance which will result in a longer pausal duration, if desired.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF INVENTION

A. Colored Indicator Scale

To make it easier for the user of the improved pitching practice apparatus to read the indicator scale, the intervals between the scale divisions can have different colors. For example, red between “0” and “10”, yellow between “10” and “20”, green between “20” and “30”, and so on.

B. Materials

To minimize the effect of the present invention on the design of the pitching practice apparatus, the components that will rotate with the shaft of the apparatus should be, as much as possible, made of light material such as plastic and carbon fiber. The components that are in front of the apparatus should be robust enough to absorb without damage the impact of a fast ball. Suggested materials include steel, plywood, reinforced carbon fiber and reinforced plastic.

SUMMARY, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE

Accordingly, the present invention will provide an improvement for the pitching practice apparatus of this inventor which will allow the user of the apparatus to read the ball speed directly from the apparatus, a ball speed indicator which can absorb without damage the impact of a fast ball and a ball speed indicator which does not use complex electronic equipment. The present invention will also provide an automatic reverse motion pauser to momentarily interrupt the return of a body in rotational motion, and which can be adjusted to a desired pausal duration. Furthermore, the present invention will also provide a ball speed automatic pausal indicator which is simple to design, which should not significantly affect the design of the pitching practice apparatus and which can be made of ordinary components.

Although the description above contain many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the automatic reverse motion pauser can also be used to momentarily interrupt reverse translational motion if a pawl-toothed rack combination instead of a pawl-cogwheel combination and a straight segment switch instead of a slip ring segment switch are used.

Thus the scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than the examples given.

Claims

1. An automatic reverse motion pauser of a ball speed indicator for the pitching practice apparatus.

2. An automatic reverse motion pauser which comprises: a battery for providing electrical power, a chassis for providing structural support; a shaft; a normally open slip ring segment switch coaxial with, electrically insulated from, and fixedly connected to the shaft; a cogwheel coaxial with and fixedly connected to the shaft; a spring-loaded pawl constantly urged to engage with said cogwheel; a speed reducer gear drive; a timer motor for providing mechanical power to said speed reducer gear drive; a cam fixedly connected to the output shaft of said speed reducer gear drive; a normally closed cam actuated switch; and electrical wiring for connecting in series the battery, the parallel combination of said slip ring segment switch and said cam actuated switch, and said timer motor.

3. The automatic reverse motion pauser of claim 2 wherein said cam actuated switch and said slip ring segment switch are initially open.

4. The automatic reverse motion pauser of claim 2 wherein said cam will rotate in a manner such that said cam actuated switch is closed by cam action first and after a pausal duration, said pawl is disengaged from said cogwheel by cam action followed by the opening of said cam actuated switch also by cam action.

5. The automatic reverse motion pauser of claim 2 wherein the pausal duration is adjusted by means of an adjustable resistor connected in series with said timer motor.