US1652062A - Target - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 6, 1927. 19652,062

J. F. sTAUFFER TARGET Filed May 23, 1927 3 SheelS-Sheeb l 'llllllllllc L/a/m FSM ff/ef INVENTO R m BY j O ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1927. 1,652,062

J. F. sTAUFFER TARGET Filed May 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,fa/af ///A 1 WITNESS: m,

ATTORNEY Dec. 6v, 1927. 1,652,062

J. F. sTAuFFER TARGET Filed May 23. 1927 s sheets-Sheet 5 Slm 95! 811614! 6" Sofi.'

Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

`drop curves, up curves,

UNITED STATESI PATENT 1,652,062 OFFICE.

JOHN l'. STAUFFEB, Ol' TUTWILEB, MISSISSIPPI.

TARGET.

Application' med lay 2 3,

This invention relates to a tryout target for determining the skill of baseball players to give an accurate record of their skill in pitching, throwing or various qualifications of a good player, that may be tabulated 1n a form so as to indicate to a manager of a team the rating of any, player. I provide a mantlet of substantially concave form with a central panel and extensions angularly related thereto formingy asubstantial target for a lpitcher or other player in delivering a ball either from the pitchers box or some part of the baseball field, the several partsof the central panel being iorm-ed in squares of three rows, five squares deep, with appropriate indicia to indicate the point of delivery o a ball delivered to a dummy stationed at the plate. These indicia form means of tabulating on a record sheet of characteristic design the accuracy of the player, showing any Idesired number of throws,

or any break ball that may be thrown by the player, thus giving a general testof the delivery ability of ythe player. The arrangement ofthe panels permit the pitcher to be ordered to throw a certain kind of a curve at a certain indicated spot on the" target and his percentage of hits found immediately by the operator of the target who tabulates the record on the record sheet.' V

I am aware that various devices have heretofore been proposed for determining the skillof a player of vbaseball or other game,

but it is my object to afford a cheap struc ture which may be easily installed on a playground and be provided with substantial construction for withstandin the hard use to which it must be subjecte without forming a'displeasing appearance. It is evident that a system of this kind will permit the manager of a baseball team to form a conclusive opinion as to the merits ,o the pitcher or other player who may be subjected to a test with f my apparatus. Moreover, the apparatus permits` the manager to Idetermine the fitness of a player as t0 his condition at any giventime forl entering a game, or testing young talent a mana engage as to their fitness. or training for the team.

.In carrying out the invention' I mount a back stop or mantlet witha central mattressl formed of wire gauze on the back, and a canvas trontand sides, mounted by lacestraight balls, out curves, in curves,

forv er may wish toA 1927. Serial No. 193,-605.

work in a steel work frame, the sloping sides' of which form a 45 angle with the center part of the mantlet, thus forming a concavev back stop which receives the impact of the balls. In front of this the field is provided with a sloping bowl, the walls of which converge toward a central point which forms alball receptacle adjacent to which is a pipe large enough to freely transmit theball, and depressed 1n the earth with its end adjacent the pitchers box and at suliiciently low depression to carry the ball by gravity from the bowl where it drops after impact with the mantlet and is automatically delivered in a cup accessible from the top inl front of the itchers box. r

y invention therefore comprises a target having an elastic surface and of concave formation placed adjacent to the catchers posit1on in the game of baseball, said target being provided with'indicia in a plurallty of vertical rows to indicate the accuracy of a pitcher or other players delivery of the ball, and automatic means for deliverying the ball after its rebound-from the target to the pitcher for further use. It embodies also other features, the novelty of which will hereinafter be definitely described and specifically indicated in the ap ended claims.

In the accompanying rawings:

Figure 1 represents a target of mycimproved desi Figure 2 1s a cross section of the same on the plane 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section on the vertical plane 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail illustrating the mode of mounting my ball cushion.

Figure 5 is a record sheet fora tryout order which will be found useful in connection with my invention.

Figure 6 is a form of record tryout sheet to determine a players qualification.

iReferring now specically to the drawings, Figure 3 indicates the position of a striker, standing on the plate in front of the mantlet or back stop against which the ball is thrown. This player is shown as holdin a bat and is merely a dummy or image o a player, of which I employ two pes Aone for a right hand striker and the o er or a left hand striker. Immediately in front of the back stop the field is dug u to form a. sloping wall 1, adjacent to whic is the end ward the pitchers box at a desired angle to rmit the ball to gravitate readily from the wl' 3 into which the ball drops after impact with the mantlet ,4. At the end adjacent the pitchers box the earth is scooped out and lined if necessary with a cylindrical wall 5. The distance from the mantlet to the pitchers stand may be ft. and the ball pit may be placed 10 ft. in front of its limit. The covering of the 'center panel of the mantletis preferably formed of stout canvas in which is formed square panels in three rows, five uares' deep, the center panel being markgd with indicia of height which may be arranged alphabetically, A, B, C, D, E, and the outside rows may be marked L and R to indicate an inside or outside ball passing over the plate.

The mantlet, is formed of three sectioiis 4, 4*, 4", the section 4b forming a 45 angle with the central panel 4.-, thus forming a concave depression in front of the home plate. These mattress panels are lilled with a semi# elastic material as cotton, tow or the like, the back end of which may be of metal gauze 6 and tlie front face of which is preferably of a stout canvas such as duch. The central section is drawn taut over an iron framework 7 by lacework 8 so as to afford an elastic mounting to receive the impact of the balls delivery against the mantlet.

In noting a pitcher?s qualications on the record sheets, for example on the tryout order, the name of the manager may be entered on the left side at the top, the name of the pitcher on the right side, and the date of test with appropriate indication as to the place and the batter and his personal equation. The record indicates the character of balls taken, as to their curvature of delivery and whether high or low, and the character of a panel for the notation as to the action ofthe batter and his ercentage of eiciency. Such a sheet is un oubtedl of great use to a manager of a team. In igure 6 is another form of record as to a players eiliciency, showin that the pla er has acted on straight balls delivered at the character of the hit, the ball and whether he struck out, and an additional panel for his percentof the tryout. The lower panels of this slgdet indicate the pitchers performance on dierent character of balls.

The mantlet or back stop is of a plurality of sections with the sides forming a forward angle with the central panel, thus forming a wide target for a pitcher or thrower and the sectional indicia ianels in the center enable any ball delivered to be definitely indicated as to its characteristic delivery over the home plate, thus permitting a pitcher to have definite information as to the delivery of his balls instantly and training him to deliver them at a particular spot hard to be hit by the better. This instant information delivi,eta,oea

ered by the observer at the mantlet or target will certainly be regarded with special favor by experienced pitchers as it will be also instructive for beginners. Further, it is for the purpose of testing the accuracy of'an iniielders throwing at a distance of ft. and 120 ft., and an outfelders throwing at a distance of 250 ft. and 350 ft., but in testing ielders I intend that .the entire face of the target must be the object to be thrown at, and when the face is hit it shall be called a hit, without regard for any of the letters thereon. Moreover, the chart indicated will form a record invaluable to a manager in a critical stage of the gaine, permitting the pitchers record and even that of the iielders to be governed by secret signals to deliver balls of certain type as toy curvature of delivery or ata particular part of the target to embarrass the opposing player. The multiple squares in straight balls delivered over the. plate also serve as an effective guide in assisting the pitcher to direct his aim at a particular indicated panel of the central row and to apply to the ball any articular twist directed by the manager. The lay igureor stutied image of the pseudo battermay be varied as to a left hand batter or right hand batter at will, and the 'appropriate record of the pitchers performance therewith will prove of great service to the manager of the team.

It will thus be Seen an efficient tryout s etlicienc in a basebal of mar .ed assistance in developing attainnient of excellence in the layers ability. My system may or may not accom anied by automatic spring-controlled mec anism to register the swiftness of the balls, but as such devices are of known use no special mechanism therefor is shown. The observer at the target is preferred in my s tem as lie'may instantly communicate thee ernsten istics of the impact of the ball and thus in struct or direct the player at once.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimv as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In 'an efficiency apparatus for baseball, an elastic back stop or target to receive the impact of balls thrown over the home plate, said target having parallel tiers of indicia dening the character of the balls delivered,

that I have provided stem for develo ing player, which wi l be whereby an observer may chart each ball for a player, and a subsurface inclined chute terminating in a bowl to catch spent, balls, the other end of the chute terminating in a `depression in the ground for access to the pitcher.

' 2. In an eiiiciency apparatus for baseball, an elastic back stop or target to receive the impact of bells thrown over the home plate, a right and left hand stuffed ligure repre eentmg a batsman at the plete, said target having parallel tiers of indicia defining the character of the balls delivered, whereby an observer may chart each ball for a player, and a subsurface inclined chute terminatin in a bowl to catch spent balls, the other en of the chute terminating in a depression in the ground for access to the pitcher.

3. In an elhciency apparatus for baseball, an elastic target composed of multiple sections the outer sections of which form a forward angle with the center, the center panel being mattress with a Wire mesh back and a duck front, a lacing between the side sections and center panel to promote flexibility, the center panel having parallel tiers of indicia defining the direction characteristics of balls delivered, whereby an observer .may chart each ball delivered by a player, and means for returning the spent balls 1n an inclined subsurface chute at the pitchers box.` 20

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

JOHN F. STAUFFER.,

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