Adjustable attachment for a ball retrieving apparatus

Abstract

The present invention is an adjustable attachment or manufactured addition for a ball retrieving apparatus which can be adjusted to tighten the ball retrieving apparatus in order to significantly extend the life of the apparatus and eliminate the need to discard and replace the entire apparatus once an individual portion of the it becomes damaged. The present invention is made adjustable via an adjustable hose clamp-type device or other adjustable circumference reducing device placed on the bottom rubber end of the ball retrieving apparatus, providing the ability to tighten the bottom end of the tube in order to maintain its shape and prolong the durability of the overall apparatus. The ball retrieving apparatus comprises a hollow tube structure wherein balls are collected at the bottom of the tube and stored in a linear fashion inside the tube until they are ready to be deployed. The adjustable device comprises an adjustment screw or other similar tightening device and an adjustable hose clamp device or other adjustable circumference reducing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable device for adjusting the circumference of a ball retrieving apparatus comprising:
 a. a screw;   b. a hose clamp, wherein said hose clamp is adjusted via said screw;   c. a ball retrieving apparatus comprising a hollow tube, a solid top rubber end, and a hollow bottom rubber end containing a circular opening.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable device of  claim 1 , wherein said adjustable device is a removeable attachment to said rubber bottom end of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable device of  claim 1 , wherein said adjustable device is embedded within said bottom rubber end of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable device of  claim 3 , wherein said bottom rubber end containing said adjustable device is a removeable attachment to said hollow tube of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable device of  claim 4 , wherein said bottom rubber end containing said adjustable device further contains raised nodes along an inner surface of said bottom rubber end. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable device of  claim 4 , wherein a second hose clamp is used to secure said bottom rubber end containing said adjustable device to said hollow tube of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable device of  claim 1 , wherein said hose clamp contains triangular cutouts that close when said hose clamp is tightened via said screw. 
     
     
         8 . A system for adjusting the circumference of a bottom rubber end of a ball retrieving apparatus, said system comprising:
 a. an adjustable device comprising a screw and a hose clamp, wherein said screw tightens said hose clamp;   b. a ball retrieving apparatus comprising a solid top rubber end, a hollow tube, and a hollow bottom rubber end containing a circular opening.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said adjustable device is a removeable attachment to said rubber bottom end of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said adjustable device is embedded within said bottom rubber end of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said bottom rubber end containing said adjustable device is a removeable attachment to said hollow tube of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said bottom rubber end containing said adjustable device further contains nodes along an inner surface of said bottom rubber end. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a second hose clamp is used to secure said bottom rubber end containing said adjustable device to said hollow tube of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said hose clamp contains triangular cutouts that close when said hose clamp is tightened via said screw. 
     
     
         15 . A method for adjusting the circumference of a bottom rubber end of a ball retrieving apparatus, wherein said method consists of:
 a. adjusting a tightening device;   b. said tightening device tightens an adjustable circumference reducing device attached to said bottom rubber end of said ball retrieving apparatus as it is adjusted;   c. said adjustable circumference reducing device decreasing in circumference as it is adjusted by said tightening device;   d. said bottom rubber end of said ball retrieving apparatus decreasing in circumference simultaneously with adjustment of said adjustable circumference reducing device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said adjustable circumference reducing device is a removeable attachment to said rubber bottom end of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said adjustable circumference reducing device is embedded within said bottom rubber end of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said bottom rubber end containing said adjustable circumference reducing device is a removeable attachment to said hollow tube of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said bottom rubber end containing said adjustable circumference reducing device further contains nodes along an inner surface of said bottom rubber end. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a second adjustable circumference reducing device is used to secure said bottom rubber end containing said first adjustable circumference reducing device to said hollow tube of said ball retrieving apparatus. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said adjustable circumference reducing device contains missing material gaps that reduce when said adjustable circumference reducing device is adjusted via said tightening device.