WO1983003553A1

WO1983003553A1 - Ball retriever

Info

Publication number: WO1983003553A1
Application number: PCT/AU1983/000040
Authority: WO
Inventors: Trevor Thomas Fancutt
Original assignee: Trevor Thomas Fancutt
Priority date: 1982-04-08
Filing date: 1983-04-07
Publication date: 1983-10-27
Also published as: AU1378583A

Abstract

A ball retrieval device for pressing downwardly over a ball (22) such that it passes through an opening (17) therefor to be retained therein whereby balls are prevented from exiting from the opening by ball engaging stop means (11, 12, 13, 14, 30, 40) past which a ball deforms (24, 25) to gain entry to the device. The device might simply be a tubular construction (10) with one or more inwardly directed projections formed in one end.

Description

"BALL RETRIEVER" TECHNICAL FIELD OP THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a device for retrieval of halls. BACKGROUND ART

In tennis training it is not uncommon for the courts to become littered with halls. Retrieval of these is a backbending job. A device is known in golf whereby balls may be picked up from a standing position, but no suitable device has been proposed for use with a tennis ball.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is a means whereby a tennis ball may be picked up from the ground without bending over. Moreover, the invention may provide a device whereby a plurality of balls can be retrieved and stored therein. A further object of the invention is a ball retrieval device which is both simple to construct and operate. Additionally, the invention aims at producing a ball retrieval device which is self centering on a ball in use. The invention achieves its objects by the provision of a ball retrieval device for pressing downwardly over a ball (22) such that it passes through an opening (17) therefor and is retained therein against return back through said opening (17), said opening (17) having dimensions in excess of the diameter of the ball (22) to be retrieved characterised in that said opening (17) is provided with one or more ball engaging stop means (11, 12, 13, 14, 30, 40) arranged about the perimeter of said opening (17) and projecting inwardly thereof, said ball engaging stop means (11, 12, 13, 14, 30, 40) defining a ball passage therepast, which passage is dimensioned sufficiently smaller than the diameter of a ball to be retrieved such that on being pressed over a ball, the ball (22 ) and/or stop means (11, 12, 13, 14, 30, 40) deforms to allow the ball to pass through said passage. In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OP THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 illustrates a ball retrieval device according to the invention in an end view;

Fig. 2 illustrates the ball retrieval device of Fig. 1 in side view;

Fig. 3 illustrates another form of the device; and

Fig. 4 illustrates still another form of the device. METHOD OF PERFORMANCE

In Fig. 1 the ball retrieval device may be simply formed of a tubular body of any suitable cross-section and it may be circular as illustrated, having an opening 17 about the periphery of which are arranged a number of ball engaging stop means. The number of ball retrieving stop means may vary and the device of Fig. 1 is shown fitted with four stops 11 to 14. Obviously, with a round tube, sized only marginally greater in diameter than a tennis ball as few as one stop means heed be provided. Further the opening 17 might be at the end of a triangular, square etc., tube, or be a round opening entering into a square tube etc. The tube 10 serves as a ball storage container for balls collected through the opening 17 and its shape need not have any particular configuration. For convenience the tube 10 and opening 17 may be of the same size being provided by a single length of suitably dimensioned tube of any suitable material such as the common extruded PVC pipe.

The ball engaging stop means may be simple projections into the passage defined by opening 17 as might be provided by a round headed bolt with, if required, a number of washers 15 to make the bolt project sufficiently into the ball retrieving passage. Using bolts, these may be simply passed through suitable holes, bored in the tube end as in Figure 1, and affixed with nuts 16. A round headed projection provides a stop means enabling easy passage of the ball which deforms around such a stop means without catching on any sharp edges. The stop means might be provided by a specially moulded resilient material which deforms itself as the ball passes thereby. Such means might be in the form of wedges providing a deformable ramp surface to an inwardly passing ball and an abrupt stop surface for balls resting thereon which might otherwise fall back out of the tube. Further, see Fig. 3, such an effect might be provided by a finger 30 angled inwardly from opening 17 to allow passage of a ball as described above and to stop balls that would otherwise pass back through the opening. As shown in Fig. 3 such a finger 30 might simply be provided by slotting at 31 and 32 the end of opening 17 to form a tab which might then be bent at 33 and 34 inwardly of the tube to form finger 30. Alternatively, as seen in Fig. 4 the material of the tube opening 17 might be bent inwardly to form a peripheral indentation 40 in the form of an inward crease 41 at the tube opening such as might be produced by softening the plastic of a PVC type tube and pressing the opening edge inwardly at a number of points to produce a number of inwardly projected deformations 40.

Where a single ball engaging stop means in employed this may be a continuous inward projection formed about the entire periphery of opening 17 in the form of an inwardly projected resiliently deformable flange through which a ball may be pushed to be retained thereon against movement back through the ball retrieving opening.

In Figure 2 the ball retrieving device of Figure 1 is shown in side view, cutaway to indicate the operation of the device as a ball, shown in dotted outline 22, is retrieved from its position on the ground 21. As tube 10 engages with the ball 22 on its downward movement, ball 22 will roll leftwards in the sense of the drawing, and tube 10 will centre itself over the ball. As pressure is applied to push tube 10 downwards the ball will be forced past ball engaging stop means 11 and 12 with the ball deforming at 24 and 25 in the process. Once past the stop means the ball will then be prevented from passing back out of opening 17 and will rest, as shown in dotted outline at 26, upon the stop means.

The present invention may take many forms. As the tube 10 of Fig. 1 merely serves as a ball retaining means, this means may be effected by any shaped container whatsoever with a ball retrieving opening as in Fig. 1 formed therein leading retrieved balls into the container which may, advantageously, be provided with a handle for ease of use. Additionally, such a container might be provided with a set of wheels by which the device might be more conveniently transported.

In a device comprising such a

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A ball retrieval device for pressing downwardly over a ball (22) such that it passes through an opening (17) therefor and is retained therein against return back through said opening (17), said opening (17) having dimensions in excess of the diameter of the ball (22) to be retrieved characterised in that said opening (17) is provided with one or more ball engaging stop means (11, 12, 13, 14, 30, 40) arranged about the perimeter of said opening (17) and projecting inwardly thereof, said ball engaging stop means (11, 12, 13, 14, 30, 40) defining a ball passage therepast, which passage is dimensioned sufficiently smaller than the diameter of a ball to be retrieved such that on being pressed over a ball, the ball (22) and/or the stop means (11, 12, 13, 14, 30, 40) deforms to allow the ball to pass through said passage.

2. A ball retrieval device according to Claim 1 wherein said opening (17) is an opening in the end of a length of tubing (10) whose internal volume provides storage for a number of retrieved balls.

3. A ball retrieval device according to Claim 1 wherein said ball engaging stop means (11, 12, 13, 14) comprises a solid, inwardly projected rigid projection over which a ball being retrieved is deformed (24, 25).

4. A ball retrieval device according to Claim 1 wherein said ball engaging stop means comprises an inwardly directed projection formed by deforming the material of the device about the periphery of the opening (17).

5. A ball retrieval device according to Claim 4 wherein said projection (40) is formed by creasing the material at the opening (41) inwardly to form the projection (40).

6. A ball retrieval device according to Claim 1 wherein said ball engaging stop means (30) comprises a strip like finger formed by slotting (31, 32) of the material of the device at the opening (17) which finger is bent inwardly (33) to form the stop means (30).

7. A ball retrieval device according to Claim 1 wherein said ball engaging stop means comprises a resiliently deformable inwardly projected stop which may be deformed by the passage of a ball therepast.

8. A ball retrieval device according to Claim 7 wherein said ball engaging stop means comprises a resiliently deformable inwardly directed flange around the opening (17) which may be deformed by the passage of a ball therepast.