US 12,290,733 B2
Slow pitch softball pitching machine
Jannsen Brown, Allen, TX (US)
Assigned to Strokes Equipment, LLC, Allen, TX (US)
Filed by Strokes Equipment, LLC, Allen, TX (US)
Filed on Oct. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/966,208.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/256,021, filed on Oct. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0117849 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. A63B 69/00 (2006.01); A63B 69/40 (2006.01); A63B 102/18 (2015.01)
CPC A63B 69/407 (2013.01) [A63B 69/0002 (2013.01); A63B 2069/0008 (2013.01); A63B 2102/182 (2015.10); A63B 2220/80 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A softball pitching machine for lobbing softballs to a batter, the pitching machine comprising
a base adapted to engage ground underlying the pitching machine,
a ball ramp assembly supported above the ground by the base that stores and presents softballs to be discharged from the pitching machine, and
a ball launcher configured to lob softballs presented on the ball ramp assembly along an arcing path with a forward spin mimicking the spin of a softball pitched underhand by a human pitcher to a batter, the ball launcher including a throwing arm having an extension and a curved hand configured to move along a predetermined arcuate path,
wherein the ball ramp assembly includes a ball rail configured to support a single softball in position for the curved hand of the throwing arm to engage and discharge the softball from the pitching machine during movement of the throwing arm along the predetermined arcuate path, and wherein the ball rail includes ball support rods that are spaced apart to allow the curved hand to pass through the space during movement of the throwing arm along the predetermined arcuate path.