US20030060309A1

US20030060309A1 - Ball rebounder

Info

Publication number: US20030060309A1
Application number: US09/962,064
Authority: US
Inventors: Christopher Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-09-25
Filing date: 2001-09-25
Publication date: 2003-03-27

Abstract

Ball rebounder for rebounding a ball, including a first frame, a resilient member mounted in the first frame, a second frame mounted pivotally to the first frame and provided with a plurality of stops, and a third frame mounted pivotally to the first frame and for engaging different ones of the stops to incline the first frame and resilient member at different angles with respect to the second frame to cause the resilient member to rebound balls thrown thereagainst at different angles.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a ball rebounder and more particularly relates to a baseball rebounder.

Throwing and catching a ball, particularly a baseball, is a pastime enjoyed by most people, particularly young people. Throwing and catching a baseball is generally referred to as playing catch. Playing catch is particularly useful for a person to develop their skills at throwing and catching a baseball. Playing catch typically requires a playing partner to catch the ball and throw it back. However, there are many times when a single person desiring to play catch does not have a playing partner and yet still desires to develop their ball throwing and catching skills.

Most prior art baseball rebounders have been designed such that they return a ball without much accuracy. This means that when you throw a ball against the typical prior art baseball rebounder, you may have to step several feet in one direction or the other to catch the rebounding ball. It is believed that since the typical prior art rebounding member is square or rectangular and is mounted in a square or rectangular frame in uneven or unequal tension around its rectangular outer portion, that this uneven tension causes the rebounded ball to be rebounded in an inconsistent and inaccurate manner. It is further believed that were the typical prior art rectangular or square rebounding member to be mounted to a square or rectangular frame in equal tension around its outer portion, the rectangular frame would be most likely to collapse due to the inherent weaker areas of a rectangular structure.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a new and improved device or apparatus for returning or rebounding a ball thrown by a person. There is a still further need in the art for a device or apparatus for returning or rebounding a ball thrown by a single person in an efficient and accurate manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Ball rebounder for rebounding a ball, including a first frame, a resilient member mounted in the first frame, a second frame mounted pivotally to the first frame and provided with a plurality of stops, and a third frame mounted pivotally to the first frame and for engaging different ones of the stops to incline the first frame and the resilient member at different angles with respect to the second frame to cause the resilient member to rebound balls thrown thereagainst at different angles. In the preferred embodiment, the resilient member is circular and is mounted in an annular frame in even or equal tension along its outer peripheral portion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, taken generally from the front, of a ball rebounder embodying the present invention; [0006]
FIG. 2 is another perspective view, taken generally from the rear, of the ball rebounder of FIG. 1; [0007]
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical illustration of one of the frames comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention; [0008]
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatical illustration of another frame comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention; [0009]
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatical illustration of still another frame comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention; [0010]
FIG. 6 is a partial diagrammatical illustration illustrating the manner in which a circular resilient member comprising the present invention may be mounted to an annular frame comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention; [0011]
FIG. 6A is a diagrammatical cross-sectional view taken generally along the line [0012] 6-6 in FIG. 6 and in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 6B is a diagrammatical cross-sectional illustration of a representative point or location of mounting of the annular frame comprising the present invention to a rectangular frame comprising the present invention; [0013]
FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial view of a portion of the frame shown in FIG. 4; [0014]
FIGS. [0015] 8-11 are diagrammatical illustrations illustrating the different angles at which the resilient member of the present invention may be disposed or inclined for ball rebounding;
FIG. 12 is a view of a ball rebounder of the present invention shown in the collapsed condition; and [0016]
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatical illustration of the representative pivotal mounting between straight members of certain frames comprising the ball rebounder of the present invention.[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a ball rebounder embodying the present invention is shown and indicated by general [0018] numerical designation 10. Ball rebounder 10 may include a rectangular frame indicated by general numerical designation 20, a U-shaped frame indicated by general numerical designation 30, a U-shaped frame indicated by general numerical designation 40, an annular or circular frame 50 and a circular resilient member 60 for rebounding a ball upon a ball being thrown against such resilient member; the circular resilient member 60 may be referred to as a rebound pad or a rebound member. It will be generally understood, and referring still to FIGS. 1 and 2, that, as viewed in these FIGS., the forward portion of the U-shaped frame 30 is mounted pivotally to the lower portion of the rectangular frame 20, the upper portion of the U-shaped frame 40 is mounted pivotally to the upper portion of the rectangular frame 20, the annular frame 50 is mounted to and in the opening provided by the rectangular frame 20 and the circular resilient member 60 is mounted to the annular frame 50 by a plurality of U-shaped web members 70.
Referring particularly to FIG. 2, it will be understood that the rearward portion of the U-shaped [0019] frame 30 as viewed in FIG. 2, is provided with a plurality of pairs of spaced apart, upwardly extending and inwardly curved members, or stops, 71 and 72, 73 and 74, 75 and 76 and 77 and 78. It will be further generally understood from FIGS. 1 and 2 that the frame 40 is for engaging different pairs of such upwardly extending and inwardly curved members to dispose the frame 20, and thereby the resilient member 60, at different angles with respect to the frame 30 and with respect to any surface on which the frame 30 may reside, such as for example, the floor, the ground or a field of grass; such different angular disposition of the resilient member 60 alters the angle at which a ball thrown against such resilient member is rebounded.
The components which may comprise the [0020] rectangular frame 20 are illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the frame 20 may include straight members 21, 22, 23 and 24, elbow connectors 25 and 26 and T- connectors 27 and 28. As viewed in FIG. 3, the elbow connector 25 interconnects the adjacent portions of the straight members 21 and 22 and the elbow connector 26 connects the adjacent portions of the straight members 21 and 24. The T-connector 27 interconnects the lower portion of the straight member 22 and the adjacent portion of the straight member 23 and the T-connector 28 interconnects the lower portion of the straight member 24 and the adjacent portion of the straight member 23. More particularly, the T-connector 27 includes a first hollow cylindrical portion 27A through which the lower portion of straight member 22 extends and a hollow cylindrical portion 27B into which the adjacent portion of the straight member 23 extends as viewed in FIG. 3. The T-connector 28 includes a hollow cylindrical portion 28A through which the lower portion of the straight member 28 extends and a hollow cylindrical portion 28B into which the adjacent portion of the straight member 23 extends as viewed in FIG. 3.
The straight members [0021] 21-24, maybe for example, straight lengths or sections of aluminum tubing and the elbow connectors 25 and 26 and the T- connectors 27 and 28 may be made of a suitable plastic and such connectors may be made, for example, by injection molding. The elbow connectors 25 and 26 and the T- connectors 27 and 28 may be mounted to the straight members 21-24 by suitable bolts and nuts, or self-tapping studs, not shown.
The upper and lower portions of the [0022] straight members 22 and 24, as shown in FIG. 3 and indicated by the dash lines, may be provided with suitable holes 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D for receiving suitable bolts to facilitate the afore-mentioned pivotal mounting of the U-shaped frames 30 and 40 to the rectangular frame 20. Further, the lower end portions of the straight members 22 and 24, as will be noted from FIGS. 1-3, may be provided with suitable and wedgedly engaged plastic end caps 29 and 29A for covering the ends of the straight members 22 and 24 to prevent possible injury to a person engaging in such ends and for providing members to facilitate the rectangular frame 20 in residing on a suitable support surface such as the above-noted floor, ground or grass field.
Referring to FIG. 4, the members which may comprise the [0023] U-shaped frame 30 are illustrated. The U-shaped member 30 may include a straight cross member 31 having opposed end portions and a pair of parallel straight members 32 and 33 extending outwardly from the opposed end portions of the cross member 31. The U-shaped frame 30 may further include a pair of elbow connectors 35 and 36 which may be the same as the elbow connectors 25 and 26 shown in FIG. 3 and described above. More particularly, as viewed in FIG. 4, the elbow connectors 35 and 36 respectively interconnect the adjacent portions of the straight member 32 and the straight cross member 31 and the straight member 33 and the straight cross member 31 by either suitable nuts and bolts or self-tapping studs as described above, and not shown. The pairs of upwardly extending and inwardly curved members 71 and 72, 73 and 74, 75 and 76, 77 and 78 are shown in greater detail in FIG. 4. The straight members 31, 32 and 33 also may be straight lengths or sections of aluminum tubing with their outer ends provided with suitable wedgedly engaged plastic end caps 37 and 38 for protecting against possible injury to a person due to engagement with the blunt or cut ends of the tubular members 32 and 33. The outer portions of the straight members 32 and 33 may be provided with suitable opposed holes 39 and 39A for receiving suitable bolts to facilitate the afore-mentioned pivotal mounting of the U-shaped frame 30 to the lower portion of the rectangular frame 20 as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 5 illustrates the elements which may comprise the [0024] U-shaped frame 40. The U-shaped frame 40 may include a straight cross member 41 having opposed end portions and a pair of straight parallel members 42 and 43 extending outwardly from the opposed end portions of the straight cross member 41. Elbow connectors 44 and 45 are included for interconnecting, as viewed in FIG. 5, the respective adjacent portions of the straight members 42 and 41 and 41 and 43. The straight members 41-43 may be lengths sections of straight aluminum tubing and the elbow connectors 44 and 45 plastic connectors may be the same as the plastic elbow connectors 25 and 26 shown in FIG. 3 and the plastic elbow connectors 35 and 36 shown in FIG. 4. The elbow connectors 44 and 45 may be mounted to the adjacent end portions of the straight members 41-43 by the same suitable nuts and bolts or self-tapping studs as noted above (not shown) with regard to the earlier mentioned elbow connectors. The outer ends of the straight members 42 and 43 may be provided with wedgedly engaged plastic end caps 46 and 47 which serve the same function as the plastic end caps 37 and 38 shown in FIG. 4 and described above. The upper portions of the straight members 42 and 43, as viewed in FIG. 5, may be suitably provided with opposed holes 48 and 49 for receiving suitable bolts to facilitate the mounting of the U-shaped frame 40 to the rectangular frame 20 as described above.
The mounting of the circular [0025] resilient member 60 to the annular frame 50 by the generally V-shaped straps or webs 70 is illustrated in detail but diagrammatically in FIGS. 6 and 6A; it will be understood that the elements shown in FIG. 6A and shown physically separated from each other for ease and clarity of presentation. As shown in these FIGS., particularly FIG. 6A, the outer portion of the representative U-shaped strap or web 70 encircles the annular frame 50 and the inner ends of the web or strap 70 are positioned between the outer peripheral portion 60A of circular resilient member 60 and an annular support or backing member 62 and the inner ends of the strap or web 70, the outer peripheral portion 60A of circular resilient member 60 and the annular support or backing member 62 are suitably affixed together such as by sewing as indicated by the irregular line 63 illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 6 and 6A. The straps or webs 70 may be made of nylon.
It will be understood that in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the generally U-shaped straps or [0026] webs 70 mount the outer peripheral portion of the resilient member to the annular frame 50 in equal or uniform tension along the outer peripheral portion 60A, and, that such equal or uniform tension mounting causes a ball thrown against substantially any portion of the circular resilient member 60 to be rebounded directly, or at least substantially directly, back to the person throwing the ball. This permits a person throwing a ball, such as a baseball, against the circular resilient member of the present invention, to throw the ball against it at any speed, and from any distance, and be able to catch the rebounded ball without having to move a step in any direction. It will be further understood in accordance with the teachings of the present invention that it is the annular shape of the frame 50, in combination with the circular shape of the resilient member 60 and the generally U-shaped straps or webs 70, that permits the outer peripheral portion, and thereby the circular resilient member 60, to be mounted in equal or uniform tension to the frame 50.
Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be generally understood that the circular or [0027] annular frame 50 is mounted to the rectangular frame 20 at four locations indicated generally in FIG. 1 at numerical designations 51, 52, 53 and 54. The annular frame 50 may be made of aluminum tubing and suitably shaped annularly. The representative mounting of the annular frame 50 to the rectangular frame 20 at point or location 51 is illustrated diagrammatically, and representatively, of the other points of mounting, in FIG. 6B; it will be understood that the elements shown in FIG. 6B are shown physically separated from each other for ease and clarity of presentation. Referring to FIG. 6B, it will be understood that the annular frame 50 may be mounted to the frame 20, for example to the straight section 24 (FIG. 3) comprising the frame 20 by a headed bolt 55 and nut 56; the bolt 55 is provided with a generally conical head 57. The bolt 55 extends through suitable holes in the frames 20 and 50 as shown in FIG. 6B. The frame 50 and the straight section 24 comprising the frame 20 may be separated by a suitable annular ring or spacer 57.
The temporary or detented engagement of the [0028] cross member 31 and the U-shaped frame 40 with the pairs of upwardly extending and inwardly curved members 71 and 72-77 and 78 is illustrated diagrammatically and in detail in FIG. 7 with regard to representative upwardly extending and inwardly curved member 71. The member 71 may be a integral part of a positioning member indicated by general numerical designation 80 in FIG. 7. The positioning member 80 may be suitably mounted to the straight member 33 comprising the U-shaped frame 30 by, for example and as illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 7, self-tapping studs 81 and 82; alternately, the positioning member 80 may be mounted to the straight member 33 by suitable bolts and nuts, not shown. The positioning member 80 may further include an integrally formed generally rectangular detent member 84 spaced from and extending inwardly toward the upwardly extending and inwardly curved member 71. The positioning member 80 and thereby the upwardly extending and inwardly curved member 71 and the detent member 84 may be made of a suitable plastic having at least some or slight deformability which facilitates the temporary or removable wedged engagement between the cross member 41 (FIGS. 1 and 5) of the U-shaped frame 40 and the members 71 and 84. This, as will be further understood from FIGS. 1 and 2, temporarily disposes or inclines the U-shaped frame 40 with respect to the U-shaped frame 30 which in turn disposes or inclines the rectangular frame 20, and thereby the resilient member 60, at an angle with respect to the U-shaped frame 30 and the surface on which the U-shaped frame 30 resides. Since the positioning member 80 (FIG. 7) and the upwardly extending and inwardly curved member 71 and the detent member 84 are plastic, and at least somewhat deformable as noted above, the cross member 41 of the U-shaped frame 40 may be readily dislodged and removed from between the upwardly extending and inwardly curved member 71 and the detent member 84 to reposition the cross member 41 of the U-shaped frame 40 between other pairs of upwardly extending and inwardly curved members and detent members shown particularly in FIGS. 1-4 to thereby dispose or incline the circular resilient member 60 at other angles with respect to the U-shaped frame 30 and the surface upon which it resides to vary, as noted above, the angle at which a ball thrown against the circular resilient member 60 is rebounded. As will be best understood from FIG. 4, the rearward portion of the straight members 32 and 33 comprising the U-shaped frame 30 may be provided with a plurality of spaced apart pairs of positioning members 80 providing rectangular detent members 84, each being the same as the representative positioning member 80 and rectangular detent member 84 shown in FIG. 7 and described above.
The various angles, by way of example and not by way of limitation, at which the circular [0029] resilient member 60 may be disposed with respect to the U-shaped frame 30 and the surface on which it resides are illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 8-11. Upon the cross member 41 (FIG. 5) of the U-shaped frame 40 engaging the pair of upwardly extending and inwardly curved members 77 and 78 (FIG. 4), only member 77 being shown in FIG. 8, the circular resilient member 60 may be disposed at an angle of about 65 degrees with respect to the U-shaped frame 30 and the surface on which it resides. As illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 9, upon the cross member 41 (FIG. 4) of the U-shaped frame 40 engaging the upwardly extending and inwardly curved members 75 and 76, only member 75 being shown in FIG. 9, the circular resilient member 60 is disposed at an angle of about 55 degrees with respect to the U-shaped frame 30 and the surface on which it resides. FIG. 10 illustrates the angle at which the circular resilient member 60 may be disposed with respect to the U-shaped frame 30 and the surface on which it resides by the cross member 41 (FIG. 4) engaging the upwardly extending and inwardly curved members 73 and 74 (only member 73 being shown in FIG. 10) thereby producing a disposition angle of about 45 degrees. Upon the cross member 41 (FIG. 4) of the U-shaped frame 40 engaging the upwardly extending and inwardly curved members 71 and 72 (FIG. 4), only member 71 shown in FIG. 11, the circular resilient member 60 may be disposed at an angle of about 35 degrees with respect to the U-shaped frame 30 and the surface on which it is disposed.
As will be understood from FIG. 12, due to the pivotal mounting between the [0030] frames 20, 30 and 40, and upon the disengagement of the cross member 41 (FIG. 4) of the U-shaped frame 40 from all of the upwardly extending and inwardly curved members 71 and 72-77 and 78 provided on the rearward portion of the U-shaped frame 30, the ball rebounder of the present invention may be collapsed into an essentially flat condition as shown in FIG. 12. This essentially flat collapsed condition facilitates storage of the ball rebounder 10 and the transportation of the ball rebounder 10 in a smaller container or carton that would be required were the ball rebounder 10 not to be not fully collapsible as shown in FIG. 12.
FIG. 13 illustrates diagrammatically and representatively the pivotal mounting of the U-shaped frames [0031] 30 and 40 to the rectangular frame 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 and does so with regard to the pivotal mounting of the straight member 33 of the U-shaped frame 30 (FIG. 1) to the straight member 24 (FIG. 1) of the rectangular frame 20. Such pivotal mounting may be provided, for example, by the bolt 90, nut 91, washer 93, plastic bushing 94 and washer 95. The bolt 90 extends through the hole 20D (FIG. 3) provided in the straight member 24 of the rectangular frame 20, through the washer 93, the plastic bushing 94, the washer 95 and the hole 39A (FIG. 4) provided in the straight member 33 of the U-shaped frame 30 and upon the nut 91 being threadedly fastened to the end of the bolt 90, the washers 93 and 95 and the plastic bushing 94 provide pivotal movement between the straight member 24 and the straight member 33 and thereby between the frames 20 and 30. It will be understood that other pivotal connections known to the art also may be used for such pivotal frame mounting.
It will be further understood that upon the straight sections comprising the [0032] frames 20, 30 and 40 being made of aluminum tubing as described above, upon the annular frame 30 being made of aluminum tubing, and upon the connectors comprising the frames 20, 30 and 40 being made of plastic, the ball rebounder 10 of the present invention will be light weight and that upon the placement or interconnection of the brackets 20, 30 and 40 being as described above, the ball rebounder 10 of the present invention will be rigid and provide a stable base for the circular resilient member 60. Accordingly, the ball rebounder 10 will absorb the force of any ball thrown against the circular resilient member 60, on any location thereof, and will rebound the ball without allowing the ball rebounder 10 to move or topple over.
In addition to being used as a ball rebounder, particularly a baseball rebounder, the [0033] ball rebounder 10 may be used to play a game with several people. The game, for example, may be that of each player throwing a certain number of balls against the ball rebounder 10, disposed at different angles, and the person catching the greatest number of rebounded balls is the winner.
It will be understood that many variations and modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. [0034]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Ball rebounder for rebounding a ball, comprising:

a first frame providing an opening, said first frame including a first end portion and a second end portion;

a resilient member mounted to said first frame and residing in said opening;

a second frame including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said second frame mounted pivotally to said first end portion of said first frame and said second end portion of said second frame provided with a plurality of pairs of spaced apart and upwardly extending members;

a third frame including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said third frame mounted pivotally to said second end portion of said first frame and said second end portion of said third frame for engaging at least one of said pairs of spaced apart and upwardly extending members to dispose said first frame and said resilient member at an angle with respect to said second frame; and

upon a ball being thrown against said resilient member said resilient member rebounding the ball.

2. The ball rebounder according to claim 1 wherein said first frame comprises a rectangular frame.

3. The ball rebounder according to claim 1 wherein said second frame comprises a U-shaped frame including a cross member having opposed end portions and a pair of parallel members extending outwardly from said opposed end portions of said cross member and including outer end portions comprising said first end portion of said second frame and said cross member comprising said second end portion of said second frame.

4. The ball rebounder according to claim 1 wherein said third frame comprises a U-shaped frame including a cross member having opposed end portions and a pair of parallel members extending outwardly from said opposed end portions of said cross member and including outer end portions comprising said first end portion of said third frame, said cross member comprising said second end portion of said third frame.

5. The ball rebounder according to claim 1 wherein said second end portion of said third frame is for engaging at least one of said upwardly extending members to dispose said first frame and said resilient member at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to said second frame.

6. The ball rebounder according to claim 4 wherein said pair of parallel members include inner end portions substantially adjacent said cross member and said inner end portions of said pair of parallel members provided with said plurality of pairs of spaced apart upwardly extending members comprise a plurality of spaced apart and inwardly curved members for being engaged by said second end portion of said third frame.

7. The ball rebounder according to claim 1 wherein said resilient member comprises a body of woven nylon webbing.

8. The ball rebounder according to claim 1 wherein said ball rebounder further comprises an annular frame mounted to said first frame and residing inwardly thereof in said opening, and wherein said resilient member is a circular resilient member mounted to said annular frame and residing interiorly thereof.

9. The ball rebounder according to claim 8, wherein said circular resilient member includes an outer peripheral portion, and wherein said ball rebounder further comprises a plurality of generally U-shaped web members surrounding said annular frame and sewn to said outer peripheral portion of said circular resilient member to mount said circular resilient member to said annular frame in uniform tension along said outer peripheral portion.

10. A baseball rebounder for rebounding a baseball, comprising:

a resilient member mounted to said first frame and residing in said opening;

a third frame including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said third frame mounted pivotally to said second end portion of said first frame and said second end portion of said third frame for engaging at least one pair of said spaced apart and upwardly extending members to dispose said first frame and said resilient member at an angle with respect to said second frame upon said first end portion of said first frame and said second end portion of said second frame being disposed on a generally horizontal surface; and

upon a baseball being thrown against said resilient member said resilient member rebounding the baseball.

11. The ball rebounder according to claim 10 wherein said first frame comprises a rectangular frame.

12. The ball rebounder according to claim 10 wherein said second frame comprises a U-shaped frame including a cross member having opposed end portions and a pair of parallel members extending outwardly from said opposed end portions of said cross member and including outer end portions comprising said first end portion of said second frame and said cross member comprising said second end portion of said second frame.

13. The ball rebounder according to claim 10 wherein said third frame comprises a U-shaped frame including a cross member having opposed end portions and a pair of parallel members extending outwardly from said opposed end portions of said cross member and including outer end portions comprising said first end portion of said third frame, said cross member comprising said second end portion of said third frame.

14. The ball rebounder according to claim 10 wherein said second end portion of said third frame is for engaging at least one of said upwardly extending members to dispose said first frame and said resilient member at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to said second frame.

15. The ball rebounder according to claim 14 wherein said pair of parallel members include inner end portions substantially adjacent said cross member, and wherein said plurality of pairs of spaced apart and upwardly extending members comprise a plurality of spaced apart and upwardly extending and inwardly curved members provided on said inner end portions of said pair of parallel members, and wherein said baseball rebounded further comprises a plurality of pairs of spaced apart rectangular detent members provided on said inner end portions of said pair of parallel members, said detent members spaced opposite and spaced from said upwardly extending and inwardly curved members, said plurality of pairs of said upwardly extending and inwardly curved members and said plurality of rectangular detent members for wedgedly and removably receiving said second end portions of said third frame to dispose said first frame and said resilient member at an angle with respect to said first frame.

16. The ball rebounder according to claim 10 wherein said resilient member comprises a body of woven nylon webbing.

17. The ball rebounder according to claim 10 wherein said ball rebounder further comprises an annular frame mounted to said first frame and residing interiorly thereof in said opening, and wherein said resilient member is a circular resilient member mounted to said annular frame and residing interiorly thereof.

18. The ball rebounder according to claim 17, wherein said circular resilient member includes an outer peripheral portion, and wherein said ball rebounder further comprises a plurality of generally U-shaped web members surrounding said annular frame and sewn to said outer peripheral portion of said circular resilient member to mount said circular resilient member to said annular frame in uniform tension along said outer peripheral portion.

19. A ball rebounder, comprising:

a first frame, a resilient member mounted in said first frame, a second frame mounted pivotally to said first frame and provided with a plurality of stops, and a third frame mounted pivotally to said first frame end for engaging different ones of said stops to incline said first frame and said resilient member at different angles with respect to said second frame to cause said resilient member to rebound balls thrown thereagainst at different angles.

20. A ball rebounder, comprising:

support means, an annular frame mounted to said support means, a circular resilient member including an annular peripheral portion, and support means mounting said outer peripheral portion of said circular resilient member in uniform tension.

21. The ball rebounder according to claim 20 wherein said mounting means comprise a plurality of generally V-shaped web members surrounding said annular frame and sewn to said outer peripheral portion of said circular resilient member to mount said circular resilient member to said annular frame in uniform tension along said outer peripheral portion.