Fisher-Price, Inc.

Garrett J Donner

Janet E Snell-Kelly

Craig V McKee

Michael S Steer

Fred B Robjent

The present invention provides for projecting supported objects, such as baseballs, footballs or golf balls. The apparatus includes a movable striker having a first surface (a target surface) for receiving a force, and a second surface (a projecting surface) for projecting the object, with the object being supported by a supporting surface. The supporting surface may be a portion of the second (projecting) surface or another surface on the striker, or alternatively may be a portion of a support member separate from the striker. The target surface receives a force from the user, the force being subsequently transmitted through the striker to the supported object via the projecting surface. The striker may be movably coupled to a base, with the striker being limited to fore-and-aft movement relative to the base, so that the object will be projected forwardly in a predetermined direction even if the target surface is not struck in a squarely forward direction. The striker may also be adapted to be positioned in a second, operative position, in such a way that the apparatus supports the object and allows the user to strike the object directly.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Garrett J Donner