Here is my idea for an aerial target launcher. It could use just about any size of ball if you make the size of "A" correct. You would just stomp on the arm labeled "C". By making the weight of "A+B" higher than "C", it should fall back into place for another launch after the first one is finished (Ok, not entirely correct, but you get the picture). You could attach a sideways arm onto "C" to allow it to throw past your shoulder and into the same direction as the throw.  "C" would need to be shorter than "B" so that you get maximum velocity of "A" when you stomp down on "C".

"D" could be made longer to hold more balls, and the whole thing could be designed to be modular.

This is the simplest, reloading throwing design I could think of other than one's own arm.

I think you'd want to try and get the launch angle to about 45 degrees. I mean to try and build this in the upcoming months.

The point of this would be to make it more predicable of a flight. The only thing that would change, for the most part, would be the speed of the launch. For me, using my foot would be less effort than having to think about throwing. We'll see though. Maybe it will be a spectacular failure. I don't think so, but I've been wrong before.

I thought about the rubber band, but then I have to reset it after every launch. With the arm, I can stomp, release, stomp, release, etc. and keep doing so until the ball magazine is empty, no resetting required.

We'll see if it works out like I'm thinking.

You may have already been planning this, but you could attach a weight at point A.  This would give you two things.  The arm should fall back to the resting position more easily because it's heavier on the A-side.  And you would also have more weight transferring energy to the targets.  So you should get a higher and farther flight.

Sarosh wrote on Aug 26^th, 2020 at 2:31pm:


I misunderstood what you were saying. Yes, that could work. It would have to be a hell of a band though, very strong in a very short stroke.