September 21 – This day in patent history (TDIPH) – Tethered ball batting practice

Problems before this invention
Various skills are required to play baseball and softball. One such skill is the ability to hit a ball with a bat. Effective batting requires good hand-and-eye coordination to achieve the proper contact between bat and ball, and good technique to achieve the desired hitting power. Both of these elements are typically improved with practice.

Batting practice often involves the use of a pitcher or pitching machine to throw balls to the batter. For inexperienced batters, however, the variables encountered in the speed, path, and rotation of the pitch may be difficult to surmount initially. As a result, batting tees have been developed to support the ball in a stationary position, allowing the batter to concentrate on technique without worrying about the vagaries of a particular pitch. This arrangement can be particularly successful in developing confidence in young batters.

How this invention solves the above problems
In accordance with this invention, a batting tee is disclosed for use with a bat. The tee includes a base and a stand extending upwardly from the base. An arm extends outwardly from the stand and a ball is coupled to the arm by an orbiting device which allows the ball to orbit around the arm when the ball is hit by the bat. An adjustment element may also be included to adjust the position of the arm relative to the stand.

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