GB2207357A - Ball catchers - Google Patents

Abstract

A ball catcher 5 for positioning behind a ball striking position in a team ball game comprises a frame 2, 3, 3a having a sixe approximating to the maximum area of ball delivery to a striker in use, and a net 4 or electronic indicating means or both to indiate the passage of a ball through the frame 2. A printed sheet (5, Figure 2) may be provided to define the floor layout of a particular game. <IMAGE>

Description

SPORTS TRAINING APPARATUS The present invention relates to sports training apparatus, and particularly to sports training apparatus for use in team ball games such as baseball, cricket, rounders etc.

It is a continuing problem to provide indoor sports training facilities for team ball games which require a comparatively large number of participants.

Although it has been known to'scale down' the games for playing indoors, such arrangements have not usually been satifactory since they lack the necessary degree of realism.

It is also a continuing problem, even within a limited space, to provide objective means for assessing bowling/pitching performance.

In most team ball games an element of the skill lies in the ability of the bowler/pitcher to deliver a ball over a given distance with a required level of accuracy, speed and unpredictability. However in such a game it is necessary to deliver a ball within a certain 'window' if the ball is to be considered playable.

Whereas in the conditions of a full team game on a full sized pitch this presents few problems since the referee or umpire can deal with the matter, when the game is reduced in scale for indoor training keeping within these parameters is much more difficult , even with a trained umpire. This is because a reduction in the size of the pitch naturally predictates a reduction in the size of the equipment for striking the smaller ball and hence the position of the 'window' referred to above is difficult to ascertain, particularly in a vertical direction.

in the interests of training bowlers/ pitchers, it is desirable to have some means for indicating to the pitcher or bowler the position at which the ball passed through the 'window'.

According, therefore, to the present invention there is provided a ball catcher for positioning behind a ball striking position in a team ball game, said ball catcher comprising a frame, preferably rectilinear, of a size approximating to the maximum area of ball delivery to the striker; and means associated with said catcher to indicate that the ball has passed through the frame. Such arrangernents may be used for baseball, cricket, rounders etc.

The means indicative of ball passage may comprise a net attached to the rectilinear frame to catch the ball and retain the same in the net. This has the added advantage of retaining the balls against easy recovery.

Catchers in accordance with this aspect of the present invention may be scaled doun to half, quarter, eighth, or sixteenth size so that they may be utilised with sports training apparatus of differing sizes depending upon the indoor space available.

In another aspect of the invention the catcher may be provided with an electronic sensor means which provides a field within the frame which, when interrupted on the passage of a ball, is adapted to give an audible or visual confirmation thereof. With such an electronic means it is also possible, by suitable circuitry, to adjust the field so that only a selected portion thereof will operate the audible or visual confirmation of passage of a ball. This assists ball delivery accuracy in that it is possible to train bowlers/pitchers to aim for a particular spot or obtain particular delivery types. The addition to such an arrangement of a net assists in retaining the balls against their reuse.

Botch the foregoing types of ball catcher can be scaled down to accord with indoor conditions. In both cases the provision of a catcher immediately adjacent a ball striking position maintains the necessary degre of accuracy, even if umpiring is inexpert, or indeed non-existent.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided for use with a ball catcher in the present invention a web of sheet material suitabl overprinted with a layout of various ball games. The layout may, for example, be for rounders or baseball and may be positioned on a first face of the printed web, while on the reverse face of the printed web a part at least of a cricket layout can be provided. The web may be folded or rolled for storing, and laid out on a suitable surface (floor or table) tr indoor use. In a particularly preferred form of the invention the layout is to approximately one-eighth full scale in which case a table or floor area of a minimum of about 10 feet is required for sports training since in both cases the ball must be delivered about 8 feet from the ball striking position.

The invention will now be described, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 shows an elevation from the side of a catcher in accordance with the present invention for use in a one-eighth scale sports training apparatus and Figure 2 shows in plan a printed web showing a baseball layout.

With reference to Figure 1 there is provided a ball catcher in accordance with the present invention.

The ball catcher comprises solid base 1 of a weight in configuration such that it will not become displaced in response to the impact of a ball in the net 4.

The base 1 which has a generally rectilinear configuration is provided, adjacent opposed edges, with upstanding vertical frame members 2. Frame members 2 are conjoined at their uppermost edges by an upper horizontal member 3a and intermediate their lenghts with a horizontal lower frame member 3. The catcher 5 is manufactured so that the opening defined by the frame members 2, 3a and 3 approximates to the 'window' of a ball passage for the game concerned. In the present instance the ball catcher is adapted for use with a baseball or rounders ball game and accordingly the distance "A" and the distance "B" shown in Figure 1 are such to accord with the minimum and maximum heights allowed on a scaled down basis (for example one-eighth scale) while the width "C" approximates to the pitch base.

It will be seen, therefore, that a ball having been delivered will, if not hit by a player, pass into the net 4 if it is a playable ball. Accordingly, this aspect of umpiring/refereeing can be dealt with on an objective basis.

In the case of cricket, the distance "At' will of course be much reduced and accordingly suitable arrangements are made to reposition the lower horizontal frame member 3.

With reference to Figure 2 there is shown a printed web 6 laid upon the floor 7. The printed ueb 6 is on approximately one-eighth scale and is laid out upon the floor 7 and the catcher 5 is disposed where indicated. A pitcher stands about eiaht feet from the one-eighth scale playing ground and pitches it towards the striking base positioned immediately in front of the catcher 5. If the ball is delivered such that it is wide of the net (i.e. outside the strike zone) when pitched four times the batsman may, for example, be given a free base. In other respects the rules are substantially the same as for the full game.

It will be appreciated that other games such as rounders, tee-ball, softball can be played on the web 6 shown in Figure 2 with suitable minor amendments as necessary. In a particularly preferred form of the invention a half cricket pitch is laid out on a oneeighth scale on the reverse face of the web 6.

Again, the rules of cricket are obeyed, the catcher being utilised in place of the wicket keeper if desired.

In accordance with the present invention, there fore, by using the ball catcher 5 a number of ball games can be played utilising a single kit on a minaturised basis. This is useful for both professional sports training and for children's games.

The invention relates, therefore, to ball catchers per se, to methods of playing games utilising said ball catchers, and to kits of parts incorporating a ball catcher in accordance with the present invention, a print web with a plan of a sports area, suitable game playing instruments reduced from their original size by a suitable factor.

Claims (6)

1. A ball catcher for positioning behind a ball striking position in a team ball game, said ball catcher comprising a frame having a size approximating to the maximum area of ball delivery to a striker in use, and means associated with said catcher to indicate that a ball has passed through said frame.

2. A catcher according to Claim 1 characterised in that the means associated with the catcher is a net or an electronic indicating means.

3. A ball catcher according to either foregoing Claim further comprising a web of sheet material overprinted with a layout of various ball games.

4. A ball catcher according to Claim 3 characterised in that the ball games selected are cricket and baseball; a field of play being positioned on each face of the web.

5. A ball catcher substantially as hereinbefore set forth with reference to, and/or as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

6. A game set incorporating a ball catcher as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5 or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.