GB926492A - A new or improved device for use in the practice of cricket and other ball games - Google Patents

Abstract

926.492. Ball projectors. AMPLEFORTH ABBEY TRUSTEES. March 14, 1962 [March 22, 1961], No. 10377/61. Class 132 (2). A ball-projecting device for use in practising ball games comprises a magazine for the balls supported so as to be spaced above the ground or floor, means for effecting discharge of the balls therefrom singly and controlled at a distance by the practising player, and a deflector situated in the path of the discharged ball for deflecting the ball towards the player. As particularly described, the device comprises a ball magazine 16 mounted on a collar slidable along the upper part 14 of a telescopic upright 10, adjustment of the magazine relative to the upright being effected by a hoist cord 19 trained over pulleys attached to the magazine and to the upper part of the stand respectively. The magazine contains a sinuous guideway 26 for the balls, terminating at a discharge orifice 28, balls passing through the latter under the control of a member 33 actuated remotely via a cord 38 by the player using the device. The member 33 is mounted in a housing 31 fixed to the magazine, and comprises two arms 35, 37 the former obstructing the discharge orifice when the member is in the inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 5, and the latter ensuring that only one ball is discharged when the member is in its operative position. The member is brought to the said operative position by pulling the cord 38, against the action of spring 44. The deflector 22 of the device is hinged to a bracket fixed to a collar 49 slidable along the upright 10, so as to be adjustable relative to the horizontal, and to the longitudinal axis of the upright. The device may be modified by providing the deflector 22 with a concave, convex or mesh surface, by providing a striker within the magazine for operation by the cord 38 and for the purpose of ejecting balls therefrom at a greater speed, and by mounting the magazine and deflector as permanent fixtures on a wall. As disclosed in the Provisional Specification, the magazine comprises a trough-like member having upstanding lugs at each end for connection to suspension cords which run over a supporting pulley connected to the ceiling, the magazine having pivoted thereto two separate levers taking the place of the members 35 and 37 respectively.