Projectile throwing or launching apparatus

Abstract

A sports ball throwing apparatus is disclosed which may be used to propel projectiles including footballs, softballs soccer balls and model rockets and airplanes. The apparatus has a barrel the azimuth and elevation of which are adjustable for launching a projectile in different directions. A projectile having a cavity is mounted on the end of the barrel to be launched using air pressure stored in the apparatus. Safety is provided in that compressed air is not available until a projectile having a cavity is mounted on the end of the barrel and a switch closes a circuit to activate an air compressor. The switch may be placed at either end of barrel so long as it is operated when the projectile is fully mounted on the barrel. In addition, a seal inside the base of the projectile is used to seal the barrel so that compressed air is not available until the projectile is fully mounted on the barrel. Spiral flight of the projectile is provided by helical grooves on the outside of the barrel that engage protrusions on the inside of the projectile cavity when the projectile is mounted on the barrel for launching. When the projectile is launched the protrusions ride along the helical grooves and impart a spiral spin to the projectile. To assist in the spiral spin of the projectile there are straight grooves on the surface of the projectile and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the projectile. Air passing over the moving projectile interacts with the grooves on its surface to maintain the spiral spin of the projectile.

1 . An apparatus for propelling projectiles, the apparatus comprising: 
 a barrel for aiming in a direction that a projectile is to be propelled, the barrel having a first end on which a projectile is mounted and from which the projectile will be propelled;    a cavity in a side of the projectile, the cavity being placed over the first end of the barrel when the projectile is mounted on the barrel;    means for propelling the projectile from the first end of the barrel; and    means for imparting a spiral spin to the projectile as it is propelled from the barrel.    
   
   
       2 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the means for imparting a spiral spin to the projectile comprises: 
 a first element on the outer surface of the barrel; and    A second element inside the cavity in the projectile, the second element loosely mating with the first element on the barrel when the projectile is mounted on the first end of the barrel, and when the projectile is propelled from the barrel the second element rides along the first element to thereby impart a spiral spin to the projectile.    
   
   
       3 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the first element on the outer surface of the barrel is a groove that wraps helically around the outside of the barrel and extends to the first end of the barrel, and when the projectile is propelled from the first end of the barrel the second element in the cavity of the projectile rides along the first element on the outside of the barrel to thereby impart a spiral motion to the projectile.  
   
   
       4 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the projectile is a sports ball having a front and a rear end and the cavity is located in the rear end of the football.  
   
   
       5 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the projectile propelling means comprises means for providing compressed gas in the barrel which is used to propel the projectile from the barrel.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus for propelling projectiles, the apparatus comprising: 
 a barrel for aiming in a direction that a projectile is to be propelled, the barrel having a first end on which a projectile is mounted and from which the projectile will be propelled;    means for propelling the projectile from the first end of the barrel; and    means for activating the propelling means only when the projectile is mounted on the barrel.    
   
   
       7 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 6  wherein the propelling means is compressed air and wherein the first end of the barrel is normally open but is sealed so that compressed air may be stored therein only when the projectile is mounted on the barrel.  
   
   
       8 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 6  wherein the projectile comprises: 
 a cavity in a side of the projectile, the cavity being placed on the first end of the barrel when the projectile is to be propelled, and    first sealing means in the cavity, the first sealing means cooperating with the first end of the barrel to seal same so that compressed air may be stored therein to propel the projectile.    
   
   
       9 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 8  further comprising means for adjusting the compressed air pressure at which the projectile is to be propelled from the barrel.  
   
   
       10 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 9  further comprising means for releasing the ball to be propelled from the barrel when the air pressure in the barrel reaches the air pressure at which the projectile is to be propelled from the barrel.  
   
   
       11 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 10  further comprising means for holding the projectile on the first end of the barrel, the holding means cooperating with the release means to hold the projectile on the first end of the barrel until the release means indicates that the projectile is to be propelled from the barrel.  
   
   
       12 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 11  further comprising means for manually releasing the holding means to either manually remove the projectile from the barrel or to propel the projectile from the barrel before the release means causes the projectile to be propelled from the barrel.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus for propelling projectiles, the apparatus comprising: 
 a barrel for aiming in a direction that a projectile is to be propelled, the barrel having a first end on which a projectile is mounted and from which the projectile will be propelled; and    a source of compressed air for propelling the projectile from the first end of the barrel;    wherein the first end of the barrel is normally open but is sealed so that compressed air may be stored therein only when the projectile is mounted on the barrel.    
   
   
       14 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the projectile comprises: 
 a cavity in a side of the projectile, the cavity being placed on the first end of the barrel when the projectile is to be propelled, and    first sealing means in the cavity, the first sealing means cooperating with the first end of the barrel to seal same so that compressed air may be stored therein to propel the projectile.    
   
   
       15 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 14  further comprising means for adjusting the compressed air pressure at which the projectile is to be propelled from the barrel.  
   
   
       16 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 15  further comprising means for releasing the ball to be propelled from the barrel when the air pressure in the barrel reaches the air pressure at which the projectile is to be propelled from the barrel.  
   
   
       17 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 16  further comprising means for holding the projectile on the first end of the barrel, the holding means cooperating with the release means to hold the projectile on the first end of the barrel until the release means indicates that the projectile is to be propelled from the barrel.  
   
   
       18 . The projectile propelling apparatus in accordance with  claim 17  further comprising means for manually releasing the holding means to either manually remove the projectile from the barrel or to propel the projectile from the barrel before the release means causes the projectile to be propelled from the barrel.  
   
   
       19 . A projectile comprising; 
 an oblate spheroid body having a substantially symmetrical shape about a longitudinal axis and having an outer surface;    a plurality of straight, parallel grooves in the outer surface of the projectile that are each at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the projectile; and    as the projectile travels through the air the air moving in the grooves interacts with the side walls of the grooves to cause a spiral spin to the projectile or to maintain an initial spiral spin of the projectile.    
   
   
       20 . The projectile in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the projectile is made from an elastic foam material.  
   
   
       21 . The projectile in accordance with  claim 20  wherein the projectile is a football.