Toys r Us tennis ball machine

TENNIS BALL PROPELLHNG MACll-llllNlE Inventors: Thomas, 1. DAngelo; William 111.

Strohmeyer; John 1K. Ulbrich, all of San Antonio, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Meyer Machine Company, San

Antonio, Tex.

Filed: Jan. 17, 1972 Appl. No.: 218, 178

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1968 Maurey et al 74/230.17 C 12/1959 Doeg r. 124/1 9/1968 Swartout. 124/50 X 10/1971 Green 9/1971 Doeg 273/26 D X [451 Jan. 15, 1974

1, 743, 576 1/1930 Smith ..124/49X 1, 501, 297 7/1924 Anderson 222/216 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne AttorneyWil1ard .l. Hodges, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A device employing motor driven variable speed drive means rotating two spaced propelling wheels rotating in opposite direction. Balls are fed into the ball propelling wheel assembly through a hopper incorporating an agitating carrousel with an auxiliary ball agitator. A speed drive with a split drive pulley varies the rate of rotation of the carrousel and the rate of delivcry of the tennis balls through a tube to a ball feed guide, first positioning the balls in contact with the upper ball propelling wheel then into the ball propelling space. The angle of projection is regulated by adjustably varying the angle of the ball wheel arm. The device is normally electric powered incorporating remote control cables, a wheel mounted cabinet is desirable for mobility. v

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED Y 51974 3. 785. 358

SHEET 2 BF 2 TENNIS BALL PROPELLING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention This invention pertains to the art of propelling or projecting tennis balls by positioning them between two closely spaced opposite rotating wheels and frictionally projecting the balls at the tangent of the rotating wheels. The device is capable of being modified to project other types of balls such as baseballs.

2. Description of the Prior Art Numerous devices have been invented and patented pertaining to the art of projecting or propelling baseballs and tennis balls for player practice. Throwing arms, striking means, and propelling wheels have previously been utilized. US. Pat. Nos. 1, 204, 468, 2, 729, 206, 2, 918, 915 and 3, 399, 660 are typical of the art.