GB466781A - A ball projecting device for use in games or for instruction in games - Google Patents

Abstract

466,781. Ball-projecting devices. VREDENBURG, E. Dec. 3, 1935, No. 33504. [Class 132 (ii)] A ball-projecting device for use in games comprises a ball receiver to which a ball, or several balls in succession, is or are supplied, a pivotally mounted striking lever and a foot or hand operated lever connected by a rigid element or elements to the striking lever, so arranged, that when the foot or hand operated lever is forcibly moved about its pivot a continued and forcible movement is imparted to the striking lever about its pivot so as to strike the ball in the receiver, and so project said ball from the receiver into the air. The balls pass through an inclined runway 3 in a casing 1 on a base 2, to a retaining circular opening 8 therein. In the runway 3 is a longitudinal slot 3<1> through which the arms of a rotatable element 9 pass for the purpose of regulating the supply of balls to the shelf 4. A striking lever 13, to which is attached a striking head 14, is pivotally mounted on a pin 13<1> and has its offset upper end linked to an operating lever 20 hinged at 21 to the base 2. A tension spring 23 between the operating lever 20 and the casing holds it in its raised position. The operating lever being sharply depressed, the striking lever projects the ball into the air, and is brought to rest by a buffer 24. On returning, the striking head hits a buffer 25 and through a lever 12 and a Bowden cable 11, retracts a spring-pressed slide 10, to feed another ball into position. The height of the shelf 4, pivoted at 13<1>, is adjusted to vary the flight of the ball. A preferred form of striking head 15, Fig. 2, is screwed into a cup 16 which has a ball joint connection 17 with the striking lever 13. The head 15 has a castellated rim 18 and, when the head is loosened, the cup 16 can be set at any desired angle on the striking lever. Further modifications include the use of other means than the Bowden mechanism 11 for controlling the cruciform 9 ; the use of a cord or chain passing round a pulley to actuate the lever 20, and the construction of the lever 20 and the parts of the base 2, so as to be foldable or telescopic to facilitate packing &c.