Patent US3662729A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3662729A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ball throwing air gun
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-08-10
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Granted: 1972-05-16
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Expires: 1990-08-10
Abstract
Abstract A ball is propelled from a gun barrel by compressed gas, normally air. The air is stored in a reservoir at a selected pressure to give to the ball the desired muzzle velocity. A quick acting valve is opened to admit the reservoir stored air into the barrel to propel the ball. The device is equipped to spin the ball if one wishes to simulate pitched curves, such as is used in the game of baseball. A speed-controlled motor is mounted on the breech of the gun barrel and engages the chambered ball. When a curve is desired the motor is energized to spin the ball at any desired spin speed so that the ball has this spin speed when the valve is opened to project the ball. The barrel is rotatable so that the operator can orient the axis of the ball spin.
Inventors
- 👤 Homer I Henderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 09:42
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/40; A63B69/409; A63B2069/402
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
In a pneumatic ball projector having an aimable rotatable gun barrel to chamber a ball, having a reservoir to store compressed air at a selected pressure, having valve means to suddenly admit reservoiR-stored air into the breech of said barrel to project the ball from said barrel, the improvement for giving to the projected ball a preselected spin velocity around a spin axis having a preselected orientation, said improvement comprising: a speed-controlled motor means, a ball-supporting means mounted on the breech of said rotatable gun barrel, said ball supporting means comprising a plurality of devices for engaging a ball at symmetrically spaced points about its periphery and supporting the engaged ball for spinning about a spin axis which is fixed with respect to said gun barrel, at least one of said devices being a compressible cushion for frictionally engaging a ball, said cushion being operatively connected to said motor means to be rotated thereby, said ball-supporting means imparting a spin to the ball while holding the ball in in said breech prior to operation of said valve means to admit air into said breech to project the ball, power means to energize the speed-controlled motor means prior to ball projection to spin said ball within said breech at a selected speed, and means to rotate said gun barrel to thereby rotate said ballsupporting means to give the spin axis of said spinning ball the orientation desired to ensure that the projected ball will have the desired trajectory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
In a pneumatic ball projector having an aimable rotatable gun barrel to chamber a ball, having a reservoir to store compressed air at a selected pressure, having valve means to suddenly admit reservoiR-stored air into the breech of said barrel to project the ball from said barrel, the improvement for giving to the projected ball a preselected spin velocity around a spin axis having a preselected orientation, said improvement comprising: a speed-controlled motor means, a ball-supporting means mounted on the breech of said rotatable gun barrel, said ball supporting means comprising a plurality of devices for engaging a ball at symmetrically spaced points about its periphery and supporting the engaged ball for spinning about a spin axis which is fixed with respect to said gun barrel, at least one of said devices being a compressible cushion for frictionally engaging a ball, said cushion being operatively connected to said motor means to be rotated thereby, said ball-supporting means imparting a spin to the ball while holding the ball in in said breech prior to operation of said valve means to admit air into said breech to project the ball, power means to energize the speed-controlled motor means prior to ball projection to spin said ball within said breech at a selected speed, and means to rotate said gun barrel to thereby rotate said ballsupporting means to give the spin axis of said spinning ball the orientation desired to ensure that the projected ball will have the desired trajectory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
The pneumatic ball projector defined by claim 1, including: Sight mounting means mounting a telescopic sight on said ball projector, said sight having a reticle comprising: one reticle wire at a fixed orientation with respect to the said spin axis of said spinning ball which is fixed with respect to said rotatable barrel, and having at least one reticle wire in the form of a circle and concentric with the field of view to permit radial distance measurements, said sight mounting means having means to rotate said sight reticle in synchronism with said rotatable gun barrel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-11-15 | 1976-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-16 | 1979-11-15 | 1980-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-16 | 1983-11-15 | 1984-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |