GB2430888A

GB2430888A - Ball ejection machine

Info

Publication number: GB2430888A
Application number: GB0520320A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Henry Charles Pryor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-06
Filing date: 2005-10-06
Publication date: 2007-04-11
Also published as: GB0520320D0; GB0616039D0; GB2430892A

Abstract

A ball ejection machine comprises two counter rotating wheels 1 arranged to eject the ball from the machine in a particular direction. A circular frame 5 supports the ejector which may be tilted to achieve the appropriate angle and height of delivery. Means 2 are included to drive the wheels at different speeds to impart spin to the ball. A hopper 7 holds a number of balls. The machine may be programmed to produce a number of deliveries, or to emulate the style of a particular bowler. The machine may be operated by remote control.

Description

BALL EJECTION MACHINE

WITH POSITIVE TORQUE

This invention is designed to teach and coach the art of using a cricket bat against any delivery known to cricket both for scoring runs and defending the wicket.

There are several machines on the market which can eject a range of deliveries but only one, the Merlyn bowling machine subject of my own patent GB 2293979, can make the ball turn off the ground in the manner of the best human spin bowlers. To achieve this the Merlyn uses four counter rotating wheels which, with individual motors, the control mechanism, frame and lifting gear to raise the head to bowling height make it very heavy and combersome. The present machine can achieve the same result with the conventional two drive wheels because it can direct the vectors of torque more efficiently.

Besides which because it has only two drive wheels it is lighter and easier to handle.

This invention attaches the two counter rotating polyurethane coated lineally opposed 150 or 222 mm drive wheels with individually controlled electric motors to the inside of a circular frame by means of brackets pivoting on bolts which allow the 45 mm wide flat rims of the opposing drive wheels to be angled against the ball passing between them. The circular frame revolves within an outer circular frame to which it is attached by means of a double sided serrated flange and is propelled by an electric motor located on the outer circular frame with a geared wheel locked on to the serrations. This can change the orientation of the wheels and help to convey different degrees of spin to the ejected ball which affects both its flight and movement off the pitch.

The bowling head described above is supported by means of lugs set on either side of the outer frame which allows the head to hang on a yoke and be tilted so that the ball, depending on the selected delivery, can be made to hit the ground at the correct distance from the batter. The yoke turns on a pivot at its base so that the ball can be propelled in the right direction. The pivot is set in the main supporting frame which also houses the control box and instrument panel. The bowling head and the supporting frame on wheels can be separated for ease of transportation.

The tilt and turning actions described above together with the upto ninety degree pivotal turn of the brackets supporting the drive wheels are achieved with the use of appropriately located actuators, which together with the speed of the drive motors are controlled electronically from a box positioned at the back of the base unit and operated from a console either on the base unit or housed in a remote control panel for use by the batter. The tilt and turn operation is open to all users while the other control functions can be altered only by trained staff.

In operation switch on, select any one of the 64 built in programmes and press the start button. This activates the two counter rotating drive wheels to take up the right speed while pivoting on the supporting brackets.

At the same time the inner frame will revolve so that the opposing wheels will lie on the chosen line. All these actions combine to convey the required speed and correct degree of torque to the ejected ball which has been fed by hand or automatically from the hopper to the breach. Once the correct settings have been met, the action light will shine and the ball is ready to bowl1. The delivery of the ball is signalled either by the human feeder or in auto: mode by warning lights located on the front cover.

The machine and its functioning can be better described with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic plan viewed from the rear with cover off.

The drive wheels 1 powered by individual electric motors 2 are attached to brackets 3 which are bolted by by pivots 4 to the inner frame 6. This revolves revolves inside the outer frame 5 driven by an electric motor (not shown).

The ball is fed to th breach 8a down the delivery tube 8 from hopper 7. Two lugs 9 attached to the outer circular frame allow the bowling head to be balanced on the yoke which in turn is supported on the main pivot 11 bedded into bearing ha located on top of the main frame in which the control box 13 insrument panel 12 are housed.

Figure 2 is a side view of the machine using the same identifying numbers where visible. The drive motors are in the standard vertical position with one electric motor visible.

Figure 3 is a freehand perspective drawing showing the bowling head inside protective cover 1. The hopper 5 supplies balls which are ejected at 4. The yoke 2 balanced on lugs 3 (only one shown) turns on pivot 6 in bearing 6a supported on main frame 9 which also houses control box 8 and instrument panel 7. The main frame is detachable from the yoke for ease of travel and is moved on four wheels 10. Once in position stabilizers 11 are wound down and locked in position.

Claims

1. A machine which can bowl' a ball at any speed upto mph by means of two lineally opposed counter rotating polyurethane rimmed wheels which can be offset to convey the maximum degree of torque to a ball passing between them consistant with the required forward speed.

2. A machine which according to claim 1. can be programmed to eject any one of 64 deliveries

3. A machine according to claim 1 which uses standard or reconstituted cricket balls and can be wheeled into position and take power from a 14 amp socket.

4. A machine according to claim 1 which can be operated from the instrument panel on the main supporting frame or by remote control by the batter.

5. A machine according to claim 4 which can be loaded with upto 30 balls and operated automatically at the rate of four balls a minute.

6. A machine according to claim 2 which can read a smart card programmed with a particular over bowled' for instance by Simon Jones at Old Trafford or Shane Warne at the Oval and reproduce it for practice purposes.