Sports device for practicing hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck

Abstract

This present invention is a sports device for practicing hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck, comprising an arm member mounted rotatably and substantially horizontal on a base in hitting practice mode, with the ball/ball-like object/puck positioned at the outer end of the arm member by a plurality of elastic members. The height of the ball/ball-like object/puck from the surface the hitter stands on is easily adjusted by a plurality of height adjusting members. The preferred embodiment of the arm member is multi-sectional. With the base substantially contiguous to the surface the hitter stands on, the present invention is used to practice driving and chipping in golf; and slap-shot and back-hand in ice hockey; and shooting in field hockey. When practicing hitting in golf and hockey, the player is free from constantly bending to position or retrieve the ball/ball-like object/puck.

1 . A sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck comprising:
 a. a base member;   b. an arm member;   c. a ball/ball-like object/puck positioned at an end of said arm member;   d. said arm member having means to provide plurality of independent planes of movement for said ball/ball like object/puck in hitting practice mode; and   e. said arm member having means to relieve stress on said arm member when said ball/ball-like object/puck is hit in hitting practice mode.   
     
     
         2 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 1 , wherein said means to provide plurality of independent planes of movement for said ball/ball-like object/puck in hitting practice mode and said means to relieve stress on said arm member when said ball/ball-like object/puck is hit in hitting practice mode comprising:
 a. said arm member being multi-sectional having a first section and a second section, said first section having a first end and a second end, said second section having a first end and a second end;   b. said second end of said first section of said multi-section arm member having a recess and within said recess said first end of said second section of said multi-section arm member is rotatably connected to said second end of said first section of said multi-section arm member, with said connection allowing said second section to move back and forth relative to said first section and also to rotate upwards and downwards around said connection and clockwise and counter clockwise within said connection;   c. said first section of said multi-section arm member having a hole in substantially the longitudinal axis of said first section and in the proximity of the closed end of said recess and thru said hole, said multi-section arm member is mounted rotatably on said base member in hitting practice mode, allowing said multi-section arm member to rotate completely, clockwise and counter clockwise;   d. said ball/ball-like object/puck positioned at said second end of said second section of said multi-section arm member; and   e. said multi-section arm member having means to keep said second section of said multi-section arm member substantially horizontal in hitting practice mode.   
     
     
         3 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 2 , further wherein said means to relieve stress on said multi-section arm member when said ball/ball-like object/puck is hit in hitting practice mode comprising:
 a. said second section of said multi-section arm member being hollow;   b. said ball/ball-like object/puck conjoined to a plurality of elastic members which are drawn taut thru said hollow second section with said plurality of elastic members fastened at said first end of said hollow second section, thus positioning said ball/ball-like object/puck at said second end of said hollow second section; and   c. a plurality of safety members conjoined to said ball/ball-like object/puck, said safety members drawn thru said second section and fastened at said first end of said second section.   
     
     
         4 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 3  wherein said second end of said second section of said multi-section arm member is flared to receive said ball/ball-like object/puck. 
     
     
         5 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 2 , wherein said second section of said multi-section arm member is a solid shaft with said ball/ball-like object/puck affixed at said second end of said solid shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 2 , wherein said means to keep said second section of said multi-section arm member substantially horizontal in hitting practice mode is a support member with said support member fastened within said recess and under said second section thus supporting the weight of said second section of said multi-section arm member in hitting practice mode. 
     
     
         7 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 2 , wherein said means to keep said second section of said multi-section arm member substantially horizontal in hitting practice mode is a counter-weight member with said counter-weight member fastened within said recess and over that part of said second section extending from said connection to said first end of said second section and acting as a counter weight to the weight of said second section of said multi-section arm member in hitting practice mode. 
     
     
         8 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 1 , wherein said means to provide plurality of independent planes of movement for said ball/ball-like object/puck in hitting practice mode and said means to relieve stress on said arm member when said ball/ball-like object/puck is hit in hitting practice mode comprising:
 a. said arm member being a hollow shaft having a first end and a second end;   b. said hollow shaft having a hole in substantially the longitudinal axis of said hollow shaft and in the proximity of said first end of said hollow shaft and thru said hole, said hollow shaft is mounted rotatably on said base member in hitting practice mode, allowing said hollow shaft to rotate completely, clockwise and counter clockwise;   c. said ball/ball-like object/puck is conjoined to a plurality of elastic members which are drawn taut thru said hollow shaft with said plurality of elastic members fastened at said first end of said hollow shaft, thus positioning said ball/ball-like object/puck at said second end of said hollow shaft; and   d. a plurality of safety members conjoined to said ball/ball-like object/puck, said safety members drawn thru said second section and fastened at said first end of said second section.   
     
     
         9 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 8  wherein said second end of said second section of said multi-section arm member is flared to receive said ball/ball-like object/puck. 
     
     
         10 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 1 , wherein said means to provide plurality of independent planes of movement for said ball/ball-like object/puck in hitting practice mode and said means to relieve stress on said arm member when said ball/ball-like object/puck is hit in hitting practice mode comprising:
 a. said arm member being a solid shaft having a first end and a second end;   b. said solid shaft having a hole in substantially the longitudinal axis of said solid shaft and in the proximity of said first end of said solid shaft and thru said hole, said solid shaft is mounted rotatably on said base member in hitting practice mode, allowing said solid shaft to rotate clockwise and counter clockwise; and   c. said ball/ball-like object/puck affixed at said second end of said solid shaft.   
     
     
         11 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 1 , wherein said base member used in practicing hitting is comprised of:
 a: a plate member at substantially the centre of which is an upright member around which said arm member can rotate clockwise and counter clockwise in hitting practice mode;   b: a plurality of wing members rotatably connected to said plate member;   c: said base member having means to immobilise said base member during hitting practice mode; and   d: said base member having means to adjust the height of said ball/ball-like object/puck relative to the surface the hitter stands on.   
     
     
         12 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 11 , wherein the boundary of said plate member is within or substantially within the circumference of the circle whose centre is said upright member and whose radius is less than the length of said arm member. 
     
     
         13 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 11 , wherein the boundary of said plate member is outside the circumference of the circle whose centre is said upright member and whose radius is greater than the length of said arm member. 
     
     
         14 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 11 , wherein said means to immobilise said base member outdoors during hitting practice mode has said plurality of wing members rotated away from said plate member and spiked to the surface the hitter stands on. 
     
     
         15 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 11 , wherein said means to immobilise said base member indoors during hitting practice mode has said plurality of wing members rotated away from said plate member and weighted by a plurality of weights. 
     
     
         16 . The sports device used to practice hitting a ball/ball-like object/puck of  claim 11 , wherein said means to adjust the height of said ball/ball-like object/puck relative to the surface the hitter stands on is comprised of a plurality of height adjusting members of different heights and in substantially the centre of each, a channel extending lengthwise, said channel fitting snugly over said upright member in hitting practice mode with said arm member sitting on said height adjusting member.