Speed indicating apparatus

Abstract

A speed indicating system useful in training an athlete includes a spool on which a tether line is wound with the free end thereof then secured to the body of the athlete, any selected one of the athlete's limbs, or any object swung, kicked or thrown by the athlete. The spool includes one or more permanent magnet pieces mounted on its periphery in an alignment adjacent an inductive pickup coil which then communicates the current level induced to a meter indicating the tether line deployment rate. The reverse electromotive force resulting from the inductive coupling is then useful to reduce the inertially driven tether line deployment.

1 . Apparatus for measuring the movement rates of an athlete, comprising in combination:
 a support assembly conformed for a restrained positioning upon a ground surface;   a spool mounted for rotation on said support assembly including a flexible tether wound thereon conformed for attachment of the free end thereof to said athlete;   magnetized means attached to said spool for movement according to the rotation thereof;   sensing means mounted on said support assembly for deploying an inductive coil adjacent the movement of said magnetized means for producing an induced current indicative of said movement, whereby said induced current in said induction coil imposes an reverse electromotive force on said magnetized means; and   measurement means connected to receive said induced current for providing an indication of the magnitude thereof.   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said support assembly includes a base frame selectively securable to said ground surface.   
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 said support assembly further includes a cage supporting said spool pivotally mounted on said base frame.   
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 said cage includes a guide aperture for receiving in translation said flexible tether and is pivotally mounted on said base frame at a pivot axis generally orthogonal thereto.   
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 said flexible tether comprises webbing.   
     
     
         6 . A speed indicating system useful in training athletes, comprising in combination:
 a generally planar supporting base conformed for positioning upon a ground surface including a generally vertical pivot shaft;   a spool assembly mounted for rotation about said pivot shaft including a rotary spool carried thereon and having flexible webbing wound thereon;   magnetized means attached to said spool for movement with the rotation thereof; and   sensing means mounted on said support assembly for deploying an inductive coil adjacent the movement of said magnetized means for producing an induced current indicative of said movement, whereby said induced current in said induction coil imposes an reverse electromotive force on said magnetized means.   
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a meter connected to receive said induced current for providing a visual indication of the magnitude thereof.   
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 said support assembly includes a base frame selectively securable to said ground surface.   
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said spool assembly includes a guide aperture for receiving in translation said flexible tether webbing.   
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 said magnetized means includes a plurality of permanent magnets.   
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the rotary axis of said spool is generally orthogonal to said pivot shaft.   
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a meter connected to receive said induced current for providing a visual indication of the magnitude thereof.   
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 said support assembly includes a base frame selectively securable to said ground surface.   
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said spool assembly includes a guide aperture for receiving in translation said flexible tether webbing.