Pitching machine for baseball and softball batting practice

Abstract

Disclosed is a pitching machine arranged specifically to pitch small diameter balls utilized in baseball and softball training and practice exercises for increasing a batter's proficiency for regular batting play. The pitching machine includes a body housing one or more electric motors to turn one or more wheels which, in turn, can project a ball toward a batter. The pitching machine includes a feeder tube configured to capture and store a number of balls for use with the pitching machine, and which can be reversibly attached to the pitching machine for automatic feeding of stored balls to the one or more wheels. In the illustrated embodiment, the machine is configured to pitch balls smaller than standard baseballs or softballs.

1 . A ball throwing machine, comprising:
 at least one powered ball-projecting wheel;   a ball delivery tube in close proximity to the at least one ball-projecting wheel, wherein the ball delivery tube includes a first intact tubular portion distal from the ball-projecting wheel and a second cutout tubular portion proximal to the ball-projecting wheel; and   a feed controlling member, wherein the feed controlling member is configured to control a passage of balls through the ball delivery tube.   
   
   
       2 . The ball throwing machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a feeder tube coupled to the ball delivery tube, wherein the feeder tube and ball delivery tube are configured to provide at least a portion of a ball passageway configured to store a plurality of balls to be ejected from the ball throwing machine.   
   
   
       3 . The ball throwing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the feeder tube is configured for one-way passage of balls, wherein the balls can easily enter a first end of the feeder tube but cannot easily exit the first end of the tube. 
   
   
       4 . The ball throwing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the feed controlling member is a feed wheel configured to restrict passage of a ball through the delivery tube, and further wherein the feed controlling member is configured selectively to allow the ball to pass through the delivery tube and be engaged by the ball-projecting wheel. 
   
   
       5 . The ball throwing machine of  claim 4 , wherein the feed controlling member is positioned in close spatial relation to the cutout tubular portion. 
   
   
       6 . A ball throwing machine, comprising:
 a pair of powered ball-projecting wheels, wherein the ball-projecting wheels are configured for counter-rotation relative to each other;   a ball delivery tube in close proximity to the pair of ball-projecting wheels, wherein the ball delivery tube includes a first intact tubular portion distal from the ball-projecting wheel and a second cutout tubular portion proximal to the ball-projecting wheel;   a feed controlling member, wherein the feed controlling member is configured to control a passage of balls through the ball delivery tube; and   a feeder tube coupled to the ball delivery tube, wherein the feeder tube and ball delivery tube are configured to provide at least a portion of a ball passageway configured to store a plurality of balls to be ejected from the ball throwing machine, wherein the feeder tube is removably coupled to the ball delivery tube, and further wherein an end of the feeder tube is configured to allow one-way entry of the balls into the feeder tube.   
   
   
       7 . The ball throwing machine of  claim 6 , wherein the feed controlling member is a feed wheel configured to restrict passage of a ball through the delivery tube, and further wherein the feed controlling member is configured selectively to allow the ball to pass through the delivery tube and be engaged by the ball-projecting wheel. 
   
   
       8 . The ball throwing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the feed controlling member is positioned in close spatial relation to the cutout tubular portion. 
   
   
       9 . The ball throwing machine of  claim 6 , wherein the relative rate of counter-rotation of the wheels can be varied to provide a projected ball with a selected type of ball flight. 
   
   
       10 . A method of projecting a ball, comprising:
 loading selectively a ball into a ball delivery tube;   allowing the ball to pass through the ball delivery tube;   engaging the ball with a ball-projecting wheel; and   projecting the ball.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 loading a plurality of balls into a feeder tube before loading a ball into the ball delivery tube.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of loading the balls into the feeder tube includes causing the balls to enter the tube through a restrictive opening in the tube that allows easy passage in only a single direction. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the feeder tube is configured to be removably coupled to the ball delivery tube. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the balls are lightweight balls having a circumference of approximately 5 inches. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of projecting the ball includes projecting the ball with one of a plurality of selectable ball flights.