Portable Baseball Backstop

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a portable baseball backstop mounted on a vehicle trailer and includes a 3 section fencing unit, with optional fourth section placed above the center portion of the 3 section unit. The backstop is permanently attached or mounted to the trailer and easily placed at the desired location for set up and use by players. The backstop is lifted with the help of a winch/pulley system out of the trailer and set up on the ground with the trailer serving as support system for the backstop. Each of the sections of the 3 section unit are secured in the ground for safe use of the backstop and to eliminate any falling of the backstop during play. The backstop is also secured sufficiently to withstand baseball speeds of about 90+ miles per hour. In particular disclosed herein is a first and second planar fence sections. The first planar fence section is attached to a movable shaft. The movable shaft is pivotally connected to a first end of a trailer. The second planar fence section is attached to the first planar fence section, and the second planar fence section is movable with respect to the first planar fence section. A winch is fixed on a second end of the trailer for lifting the movable shaft from a first position to a second position. A pulley system is attached at the first end of the trailer. A cable wound over the winch is secured to the shaft through the pulley system. The portable baseball backstop assembly is easily transported with the trailer, and assembled for use at a variety of locations. The trailer serves to both secure the backstop and transport it to desired locations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable backstop fence unit for use with a trailer, the portable backstop fence unit comprising:
 a movable shaft pivotally attached to the floor of a trailer at a first end of the trailer;   at least two planar fence sections, wherein a first planar fence section is attached to the movable shaft and is rotatable along with the movable shaft;   a winch fixedly attached to the floor of the trailer at a second end of the trailer for lifting the movable shaft from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position with respect to the trailer;   a pulley system attached at the first end of the trailer; and   a cable with first and second ends, wherein the first end of the cable is attached to the shaft through a pulley of the pulley system, wherein the second end of the cable is wound around the winch, and wherein the shaft is lifted upwards such that the first planar fence section moves from the substantially horizontal position to the substantially vertical position with respect to the trailer.   
     
     
         2 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 1 , wherein the winch and the pulley system are at substantially same elevation from the floor of the trailer. 
     
     
         3 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 1 , wherein the movable shaft is made of at least one of iron, aluminum, copper, steel, and wood. 
     
     
         4 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 1 , further comprising second, third and fourth planar fence sections attached to the first planar fence section. 
     
     
         5 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 4 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth planar fence sections include at least one of netting and chain link fencing. 
     
     
         6 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 1 , wherein the winch is driven manually or automatically. 
     
     
         7 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cable is made of at least one of polyester and a metal. 
     
     
         8 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 1  further comprising first and second locking support bars attached to one of the first and second planar fence sections for securing the portable backstop fence unit to the ground. 
     
     
         9 . A portable backstop fence unit for use in combination with a trailer, the portable backstop fence unit comprising a shaft, a fence section, support rods attached to the floor of a trailer to support the fence section, and means to lift the fence section from a horizontal to a vertical position,
 the fence having at least 3 sections comprising a main central section and a wing section at each end thereof, wherein each wing section rotates outward from the main central section;   locking support bars to support the fence sections into the ground when the fence is in a horizontal or open position.   
     
     
         10 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 9  for use in playing baseball, wherein the central fence section has an additional section which lifts upwards and is secured at an angle to stop baseballs flying in an upward direction. 
     
     
         11 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 1  having the ability to withstand at least 350 lbs of force (or 75 mph from a ball) from a baseball in motion. 
     
     
         12 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 1  having the ability to withstand speeds from a baseball in motion of about 30-100 mph. 
     
     
         13 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 9  having the ability to withstand at least 350 lbs of force (or 75 mph from a ball) from a baseball in motion. 
     
     
         14 . The portable backstop fence unit of  claim 9  having the ability to withstand speeds from a baseball in motion of about 30-100 mph.