Did You Know...
...When G.G. Hubbard learned of his future son-in-law's invention, he called it "only a toy." His daughter was engaged to a young man named Alexander Graham Bell.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7922608 | Tennis ball retrieval, storage and dispensing device A tennis ball retrieval, storage, and dispensing device is disclosed having a hollow tube with a diameter that may be larger than balls that are to be picked up and stored within the tube. With the larger diameter tube the balls are staggered therein so more balls m... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7674196 | Robot for collecting table tennis balls A robot for collecting table tennis balls on the ground includes a body, a rotor mounted at a front of the body, a driving module mounted on the body, and a control device. The body is configured for receiving the picked table tennis balls therein. The driving modul... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7156761 | Air actuated soft toss batting practice apparatus The instant invention relates to a training device for batting practice. More specifically, the instant invention provides a catch net in combination with an air powered ball return assembly. The ball return assembly delivers a lightweight polymeric ball to a batter... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7134526 | Driveway safety net and method A driveway safety net. The safety net includes two stakes and a net that attaches between the two stakes. When the two stakes are placed on both sides of a driveway and the net is attached between the two stakes, the net hinders balls and other toys from rolling pas... | 11/14/2006 |
| 6802789 | Volleyball practice system A volleyball practice system that includes a generally rectangular first flexible panel supported from a pair of vertical supports, and at least one connector of adjustable length extending from at least one of the lower opposing corners of the first flexible panel.... | 10/12/2004 |
| 6729980 | Jam free device for a table tennis serving machine A jam free device for a table tennis serving machine includes a body provided with a through hole adapted to be defined to correspond to and coincide with the entrance of the table tennis serving machine, and a stirring extension movably extending into the through h... | 05/04/2004 |
| 6371872 | Lateral positioning and recycling table tennis robot A table tennis practice system comprised of a robot and an enclosure or recycle net which catches balls returned by a player. The robot propels balls fed to it at a set rate so that a player on the other end of the table can receive practice similar to th... | 04/16/2002 |
| 6277039 | Ball-capturing tennis net assembly This invention comprises a ball-capturing tennis net assembly designed to be used in combination with existing court structures for catching balls which strike the standard tennis net. The catch-net extends under or is attached to the bottom of the standa... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6189889 | Portable backstop device A portable backstop device for enabling an individual to practice throwing and pitching baseballs without a catcher. The backstop device includes a front panel and a back panel which are attached to each other to form a backstop member. A portion of the b... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6186132 | On-court service machine for table tennis A service machine mountable on a court for table tennis comprises a service machine body, wherein a micro-controller is used to control a ball-positioning mechanism built in the service machine body and a ball-projecting mechanism coupled with the ball-po... | 02/13/2001 |
| 5938204 | Amusement system The amusement exercise system of the present invention, features a new physical workout system and a new ball-shooter. The workout system emulates a fighting (combat) environment where the player (the person who workouts) fights against the ball shooter. ... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5755632 | Ball retrieval, storage, dispensing and court target practice device A ball retrieval, storage, and dispensing system having a hollow tube with a diameter slightly larger than a ball that is to be placed within the tube. Positioned at the top of the hollow tube is an upper cap having a hollow center portion and at least tw... | 05/26/1998 |
| 5533722 | Table tennis training system A table tennis training system including a pitching machine and a cage spaced around the pitching machine at the back, the pitching machine includes a machine base defining a vertical ball channel, a shooting box pivotally mounted on the machine base at t... | 07/09/1996 |
| 5188410 | Deformable ball retrieving, retaining and dispensing device An improved deformable ball retrieving, retaining and dispensing device is disclosed. The device includes an elongated tubular member having one or more sections which can be easily assembled and disassembled. The tubular member has an upper end with a di... | 02/23/1993 |
| 5141226 | Ball recovery system A tennis ball recovery system utilizes an elastic screen (15) suspended from a back stop at an angle and is joined to a trough that lies on the ground by means that allow the screen (15) to pivot as the trough is moved to a storage position against the ba... | 08/25/1992 |
| 5125654 | Tennis ball retrieving system The invention comprises a ball retrieval arm mechanism extending from the base line to the tennis net on a tennis court and can be moved along the net. During the retrieving process, the retrieving arm moves only one time during each passage in a transver... | 06/30/1992 |
| 5086948 | Tennis ball pack dispensing and retrieving apparatus A tennis ball pack apparatus for dispensing balls in one mode of operation while positioned on a player's back and retrieving balls in another mode of operation upon removal from the back. An elongated housing which is strapped to the player's back includ... | 02/11/1992 |
| 4721428 | Tennis ball retriever A tennis ball retrieving apparatus comprises a wheeled vehicle having a front end and a rear end. The vehicle has a ball storage container disposed at a level enabling ready removal of balls therefrom by a person next to the vehicle while the person is in... | 01/26/1988 |
| 4643317 | Combination sports equipment storage rack and ball retriever A combination sports equipment storage rack and ball retriever includes a support member which is attached to a fixed surface. The support member includes a pair of wing portions to which sports equipment such as rackets may be mounted. A ball retriever i... | 02/17/1987 |
| 4621812 | Installation for the transport of tennis balls Installation for the transport of tennis balls having at least one substantially vertical bouncing wall as well as a collector gutter for the balls and arranged at the foot of the wall. The covering (1) of the bouncing wall (2) is simply attached to a pai... | 11/11/1986 |
| 4606543 | Practice tennis court A practice tennis court for practicing serving the tennis balls consists of the complete forward part of a tennis court back to the net and only the service area beyond the net. Behind the service area is an end net or other backstop to stop the balls wit... | 08/19/1986 |
| 4575081 | Tennis ball retrieving system A tennis ball recovery system for use in a full court utilizes an inelastic flexible damping screen hooked onto the back fence of the tennis court, which intercepts the driven ball and drops it onto a resilient apron that extends away from a collection tr... | 03/11/1986 |
| 4456252 | Tennis service practice court with recovering and collecting means A practice tennis court for practicing serving the tennis balls consists of the complete forward or receiving part of a tennis court back to the net and only the service area beyond the net. Immediately behind the service area is an end net or other backs... | 06/26/1984 |
| 4116436 | Ball-collecting apparatus An apparatus for collecting tennis balls on a tennis court half comprising two ribs, one rib of which normally is located along each of two opposite edges of the court half. Drive means are arranged to displace the ribs toward each other while conveying b... | 09/26/1978 |
| 4116192 | Tennis ball retriever A tennis ball retriever and ball transporter for retrieving tennis balls from a collection point on a court surface and transporting the balls to a ball throwing machine. The machine comprises a pinwheel having sawtooth projections enclosed by a circular ... | 09/26/1978 |
| 4112911 | Ball collector and projector apparatus Apparatus that collects and transports generally spherical objects, such as tennis balls, and recycles them to a practice device that propels the balls to a tennis player for practice or recreation. Balls are fed one at a time to a chamber from whence the... | 09/12/1978 |
| 4004806 | Apparatus for collecting balls Disclosed is an apparatus for collecting balls from a playing area, preferably tennis balls, comprising a channel surrounding at least a portion of the playing area for receiving balls rolling out of the playing area, a device of relatively high weight in... | 01/25/1977 |
