U.S. patent number 3,633,909 [Application Number 04/877,706] was granted by the patent office on 1972-01-11 for baseball pitcher's practice device.
Invention is credited to David Doynow.
United States Patent |
3,633,909 |
Doynow |
January 11, 1972 |
BASEBALL PITCHER'S PRACTICE DEVICE
Abstract
This invention relates to a device for simulating baseball
pitching conditions and more particularly to a novel device
constructed to represent true baseball pitching conditions by use
of a three-dimensional batter in conjunction with an adjustable
rectangular "strike zone."
Inventors: |
Doynow; David (Hartsdale,
NY) |
Family
ID: |
25370550 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/877,706 |
Filed: |
November 18, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/454 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
69/0002 (20130101); A63B 2208/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
69/00 (20060101); A63b 069/40 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/26A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Brown; Theatrice
Claims
I claim:
1. An adjustable baseball-pitching simulator comprising:
a. a base;
b. a three-dimensional, life-size manikin being composed of
synthetic material and removably mounted on said base, said manikin
also being provided with a means for varying its height; and
c. a rectangular frame having side and end members and a leg member
extending from one of said end members, the inner area of said
frame defining a "strike zone," said leg member being removably
mounted on said base at a location which positions the frame in
substantially "strike zone" relation to said manikin and the side
members of said frame being constructed and arranged such that
their lengths may be adjusted to vary the area of the "strike zone"
defined by said frame.
2. An adjustable baseball-pitching simulator comprising:
a. a base;
b. a three-dimensional, life-size manikin being composed of
synthetic material and removably mounted on said base, said manikin
also being provided with a means for varying its height; and
c. a rectangular frame having side and end members and a leg
extending from one of said end members, said leg being provided
with a telescoping means, the inner area of said frame defining a
"strike zone," said leg member being romovably mounted on said base
at a location which positions the frame in substantially "strike
zone" relation to said manikin and the side members of said frame
being constructed and arranged such that their lengths may be
adjusted to vary the area of the "strike zone" defined by said
frame.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a baseball-pitching simulator, and more
particularly to a machine representative of real playing conditions
for teaching the art of pitching in a baseball game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Baseball pitching devices sometimes are referred to as pitching
targets are employed to develop and improve pitching control and
accuracy. They are also employed as a family game.
Such pitching devices usually comprise a piece of flexible material
mounted on and held erect by a wooden or tubular frame, the mounted
material having holes therein. The device may have figures of
players, such as catchers and batters, drawn on the flexible
material in an attempt to depict playing conditions and the ball is
to be thrown at the pictured scene.
These various pitching targets have been found to be unsatisfactory
to teach the art of baseball pitching because they do not provide
the lifelike simulation of conditions necessary to teach and
improve the pitching ability of students of the game. Persons
pitching baseballs at the existing devices encounter great
difficulty attempting to determine whether or not a ball has struck
that part of the flexible material through which there is no
aperture but yet constitutes a part of the "strike zone" thereby
leaving to conjecture and surmise what is or is not a strike. The
game of baseball is an exacting one and in fact is often referred
to as the "game of inches" so that in teaching the art of pitching,
the teaching device must be one capable of exactitude and not one
that causes confusion and speculation.
The art of throwing a baseball, however, is more than pitching
strikes, one must also learn control. The fact that figures were
drawn on the flexible material of some of the prior devices did not
aid in the teaching control but rather detracted therefrom because,
here to, it was left to speculation whether a batter was or was not
hit with a pitch.
My invention overcomes these problems because, the "strike zone" is
exactly delineated and adjustable, thereby providing a teaching
device which demands the necessary exacting standards in that
immediate and accurate information is obtained as to whether or not
the pitch thrown was a strike. My invention also aids in teaching
control because the inherent fear children and adults have of
hitting the batter is placated, in that the guesswork of when a
batter is hit is gone thereby providing the student with the
opportunity to correct his faults and learn control free from the
psychological distraction of the possibility of causing harm to a
"live" batter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have invented a device consisting of a life-size,
three-dimensional figure in a batting position which is removably
mounted on a base. The life-size, three-dimensional figure is
mounted in a batting position in relation to an adjustable
rectangular frame. The area within the inner perimeter of the
adjustable rectangular frame exactly delineates a "strike zone." A
ball passing through this area would denote a "strike." This
pitching simulator achieves true playing conditions because a
catcher can assume a catching position as he would in a real
contest behind the rectangular frame, defining the "strike zone,"
provide a glove target for the ball to be thrown to and return each
pitch, thereby providing a three-dimensional, true to life, playing
simulation with exacting standards rather than the speculative
two-dimensional one provided for by prior devices.
The advantages achieved by my invention are many. Much of the
mastery of the art of pitching is psychological, my invention
presents a condition affording perception, that is, the student is
pitching to a "batter" and thereby obtaining a "feel" of the game.
Accuracy and control are paramount in achieving the art of pitching
and my invention provides exacting standards. A student would know
whenever a batter is hit and would know whenever the ball passes
through the "strike zone" he has pitched a strike. The "strike
zone" is fully adjustable to achieve the variety of "strike zones"
due to the varying sizes of players, a pitcher may face during a
game.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of the pitching
simulator.
FIG. 2 is a front elevation of another embodiment of the pitching
simulator .
It will be understood that the above drawings merely illustrate two
preferred embodiments of the invention and that other embodiments
are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereinafter set
forth.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
One embodiment is depicted in FIG. 1, referring to FIG. 1, the
pitching simulator comprises a three-dimensional manikin 1 having a
relative degree of durability being composed of a synthetic
material. The three-dimensional manikin 1 may be composed of vinyl
plastic inflatable by pumping air into it, a metal tubular frame
with a plastic covering, plastic, wood, polyurethane foam, hard
rubber or metal. The manikin 1 is removably mounted on base 2, the
base 2 may be composed of wood, metal, plastic, polyurethane foam,
or be of a metal tubular construction. The manikin 1 is attached to
the base 2 by means of a strap 3, the strap 3 being connected to
the base 2. The strap 3 may be leather, heavy canvas, plastic or
any other flexible material sufficient to hold said manikin 1 erect
and in a "batting position." There are two straps 3, which may also
be a series of straps, connected to the base on either side of the
"homeplate" 4 to afford the simulation of a right- or left-handed
batter, the straps 3 are located in the "batter's box" (not shown
in drawing). The "batter's box" would be drawn onto the base 2 on
either side of the "homeplate" 4 designating that area in which a
batter is to stand while batting. The "homeplate" 4 and "batter's
box" having the dimensions conforming to the major league's
baseball regulations and the "homeplate" 4 being either drawn on
the base 2 attached thereto and composed of wood, plastic, metal,
hard rubber or polyurethane foam. Connected to and detachable from
the "homeplate" 4 is a spring 5 which is adapted to accept leg 6 of
the adjustable rectangular frame 7 to hold the frame 7 in a
parallel relationship to the manikin 1. The spring 5 affords
resiliency to the leg 6 and rectangular frame 7 so that if either
the leg 6 of any part of the rectangular frame 7 is struck by a
pitched baseball, the spring 5 will absorb the resultant shock. The
spring 5 may be eliminated from the device and instead a bore would
be provided through the center of "homeplate" 4 said bore adapted
to accept the leg 6 of said rectangular frame 7. The rectangular
frame 7 is in two sections, an upper section 8 and a lower section
9, each consisting of a horizontal end member and two vertical side
members. Each of the side members of the upper section is connected
to a side member of the lower section by a telescoping means and
affording a rectangular shape, the inner area of said frame 7
exactly delineating the "strike zone" 10. The telescoping means 12
is adjusted by loosening the adjustment screws 12', adjusting the
"strike zone" to the desired position and tightening said
adjustment screws 12'. Said rectangular frame 7 may be composed of
tubular metal, wood, tubular plastic, solid plastic, hard rubber or
polyurethane foam. Said rectangular frame 7 may also be provided
with a detachable net 11 or canvas bag to catch and retain any
balls thrown through the "strike zone" 10.
Another embodiment is depicted in FIG. 2, referring to FIG. 2, the
pitching simulator comprises an adjustable three-dimensional
manikin composed of vinyl plastic having two separate compartments
on upper 21 and a lower 22 which are inflatable by pumping air into
them so that the distance between the manikin's 20 shoulders and
knees may be varied by varying the amount of air pumped into the
compartments.
The manikin 20 may be composed of a metal tubular frame with a
plastic covering with telescoping means on the tubular frame of
plastic, wood, polyurethane foam, hard rubber or metal with
insertable parts to vary its height. The manikin 20 is attached to
a lever spring 23 which spring is removably connected to the base
24. The lever spring may be connected to the base on either side of
"homeplate" 25 to afford the simulation of a right- or left-handed
batter. Connected to and detachable from "homeplate" 25 is a leg 26
having an upper 27 and lower 28 portion connected with a
telescoping means 33 so as to vary the height of the rectangular
frame 28 and to hold the frame 28 in a parallel relationship to the
adjustable manikin 20. The telescoping means 33 is adjusted by
loosening the adjustment screws 33', adjusting said telescoping
means 33 to the desired position and then tightening said
adjustment screws 33'. The rectangular frame 28 is in two sections,
an upper section 29 and a lower section 30, each consisting of a
horizontal end member and two vertical side members. Each of the
side members of the upper section is connected to a side member of
the lower section by a telescoping means 34 and affording a
rectangular shape, the inner area of said frame 28 exactly
delineating the "strike zone" 31. The telescoping means 34 is
adjusted by loosening the adjustment screws 34', adjusting said
telescoping means 34 to the desired position and then tightening
said adjustment screws 34'.
It is to be noted that this device is to be completely disassembled
to afford easy storage.
It is also to be noted that this device can be used utilizing one
or more of its parts, that is, with or without the manikin, with or
without the strike zone, or with or without the manikin and strike
zone.
* * * * *