Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B47/00—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls
  • A63B47/02—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls for picking-up or collecting
  • A63B47/021—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls for picking-up or collecting for picking-up automatically, e.g. by apparatus moving over the playing surface

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting tennis balls.
• mechanical type with pickup flap the principle of which is a trolley pushed by the user, equipped at its front with a short inclined plane, at the front of which is a flap that the user folds over the bales arriving at the bottom of the plane tilted to allow them to enter a basket located immediately behind and at the level of the device.
• mechanical type with belt or paddle conveyor the principle of which is a trolley or a propelled vehicle extended at its front by a bale collection system which makes it possible to guide them to the conveyor's belt or blades.
• the first type of apparatus mentioned obliges the collector to exert pressure on the basket and to lift it above almost each ball, which after a certain time becomes tiring.
• the second type of device mentioned obliges the user, in addition to the thrust of the carriage, to maneuver at the appropriate moment the lever of the folding shutter, which has the disadvantage of having to monitor this moment 'and which therefore reduces reliability and efficiency of collection.
• the third type of device mentioned is of complex construction therefore expensive and is bulky.
• the objective of the present invention is therefore to present an apparatus:
• the invention therefore relates to an apparatus for picking up tennis balls comprising a rectangular flat frame provided with two side cheeks of equal length fixed perpendicular to the plane.
• This ch ssis is characterized in that it is provided with a retractable béq.uille fixed in the middle of the width and about a third of the length on the face of the plane opposite to that for fixing the cheeks.
• the stand is terminated by a swivel wheel, when the stand is not retracted and it rests on its wheel, it inclines the chassis towards what will be designated as the front of the device.
• the swivel wheel makes the device handy, the retractable nature of
• REPLACEMENT SHEET the stand makes it possible to greatly reduce the size during a manual transport operation or to allow easy storage in a car trunk.
• the chassis is characterized in that it comprises two wheels at the front, one fixed to the outside of each cheek.
• the wheels have a tread, surrounded by a pneuma ⁇ tick or a flexible material that does not damage the surface on which the device is used. When the device is in use, the chassis is flush with the ground.
• the chassis is, furthermore, characterized in that it is provided with a bar conveyor occupying the entire width of the crotch and whose movement which allows the capture, then the ascent of the balls is obtained by displacement of the device by direct transmission of wheel rotation to the transporter.
• the conveyor consists of two endless cran ⁇ belts each supported by two notched pulleys. For each belt, a pulley is fixed on the axis of the front wheel, the other is fixed on an axis transverse to the cheeks at the upper end of the chassis, this being considered, resting on its wheels.
• the collecting and lifting bars are fixed on the belts parallel to the axis of the wheels. The diameters of the wheels and pulleys are calculated so that the bars during the collection and ascent of the balls above the ground and the inclined frame are at a distance substantially equal to the radius of the tennis ball.
• the bars carry rollers mounted on bearings.
• the length of the pebbles is at most equal to the diameter of a tennis ball.
• the bars thus defined cannot wedge the balls between the ground and themselves at the time of collection since, by the play of the rollers, they are either captured and picked up, or certainly rejected.
• this pulley is equipped with a freewheel in order to prevent the rotation in reverse of the ascent bars during backward movements of the apparatus in particular when arriving against the fences or the court net.
• the other front pulley is mounted idly on the axle of the other front wheel.
• the other two rear pulleys are keyed on a single axis.
• the chassis is further characterized by the presence of a device preventing the escape of bales in front of the pick-up bars.
• This device consists of a series of tubes mounted on an axle in front of the front wheels. These tubes with an internal diameter much greater than the axis retract under the thrust of the balls. If the ball is pushed back by the pickup bar, it abuts against the tubes which cannot pivot in the other direction given the presence of a second axis which is external to the tubes and against which they abut.
• the chassis is further characterized by the presence of a bale collecting basket attached to its upper part and held vertically by pressing on the stand described above.
• the bales brought up by the pick-up bars are dumped there when they leave the contact of the inclined chassis.
• the chassis is characterized in that it is covered with a cover which hides the ascent mechanism.
• the hood is provided with several lights allowing the attachment of several additional bale reserve baskets.
• the chassis is characterized in that its cheeks are each equipped with a handle located directly above the center of gravity of the device and allowing easy transport by hand once the stand is retracted.
• the chassis is finally characterized by the presence on its cheeks, of a push bar located above the collecting basket allowing the operation of the device.
• Figure 1 shows the device in profile with a side cheek removed.
• Figure 2 details the front of the bullet leakage shutter.
• Figure 3 is a side view of the bullet leakage shutter.
• Figure 4 shows the device seen from the front, upper cover and bullet-proof flaps removed.
• Figure 5 shows a front view of the crutch locking device.
• Figure 6 is a front view of a bar with its pickup rollers and ball bale.
• FIG. 7 represents a front view, the upper cover with its hooking lights for the reserve baskets.
• the inclined chassis 6 (FIGS. 1 and 4) is provided with lateral cheeks 24 which support at their lower parts each a wheel which allows the movement of the device.
• the wheel 11 allows, in addition to the movement of the device, the setting in motion of the bars 7 for lifting and collecting the balls 18.
• the other wheel 13 is mad on its axis to play the role of differential and avoid the dislocation of the aircraft during rapid cornering.
• the device in operation is kept in a stable position by a retractable stand 20 terminated at its lower part by a retractable wheel 16.
• This wheel 16 allows effective guidance of the device.
• the upper part of the stand 20 is T-shaped fig. 5. It is fixed to the chassis 6 by two yokes 15. Maintaining in position in service or retracted this stand 20 is ensured by a screw nut 21 assembly fig. 5, the screen of which is provided with an operating handle 22.
• the toothed pulley 9 fitted with a free wheel is slaved to the wheel 11. It is this which sets in motion the ascent and ball collecting bars.
• the freewheel of the notched part 9 allows the declutching * of the rotation of the bars during reverse movements of the device. This device prevents the balls engaged on the inclined frame 6 from falling back down during the rear steps of the apparatus necessary when one arrives against the fences or the net of the tennis court during the collection of the balls.
• the upper toothed pulleys 5 are integral with the axis 27 mounted on a ball bearing fixed on the cheeks 24.
• the fourth toothed pulley 14 is mounted idly on the axis of the wheel 13.
• the toothed pulleys 9 and 14 are protected by the deflectors 17 which extend the cheeks 24 in their lower part.
• the front of the device is equipped with a row of non-return flaps10.
• the flaps mounted on the axis 28 retract in contact with the balls 18 and then fall down, thus opposing the escape of the balls since these flaps cannot retract that in the opposite direction to the forward operation of the device, the flaps 10 abutting against the axis 29.
• bales located between the non-return flaps 10 and the bottom of the inclined frame are supported by the pickup and ascent bars 7.
• the number of bales picked up simultaneously is itself variable. Furthermore, the number of bars 7 is calculated so as to allow maximum pick-up for a minimum distance traveled with the device without, however, hampering the number of bales at the foot of the inclined chassis 6 by their number.
• the balls supported by the bars are raised to the top of the inclined frame and dumped into the collecting basket 4 placed high enough to prevent the player from bending down when he has picked up his balls and begins to use them again.
• the basket 4 is fixed using hooks 3 engaged at the top of the inclined frame.
• Two handles 23 fixed to each of the side cheeks and situated directly above the center of gravity of the device allow its easy transport by hand, once the stand is retracted.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Handcart (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=9310436

Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (1)

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Family Cites Families (4)

• 1984
  • 1984-12-06 FR FR8418852A patent/FR2574302B1/fr not_active Expired
• 1985
  • 1985-12-05 AU AU51932/86A patent/AU5193286A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1985-12-05 EP EP19850906076 patent/EP0203966A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1985-12-05 WO PCT/FR1985/000351 patent/WO1986003419A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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