Marking apparatus, especially for tennis balls

摘要

The marking apparatus serves for the marking/identification of tennis balls by means of a heated stamp, the stamp being heated electrically. The stamp is preferably arranged centrally in a cube-shaped 2-part housing which consists of an upper part and a lower part, the upper part having a cup-shaped depression for the positioning of the tennis ball and being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower part counter to the force of a compression spring. For colour marking, an ink carrier foil is arranged between the stamp and tennis ball. The upper part and lower part are assembled by means of a snap-and-catch connection which consists of a knob and long hole. The edge of the upper part and the shoulder of the lower part form a lower path limitation for the upper part. The long hole is provided with a bottom in order to conceal the knobs. The stamp can be removed and applied as a result of the effect of gravity. The housing of the apparatus is made of thermoplastic or duroplastic. The upper part can actuate a switch is designed as a time switch in order to limit the energy supplied to the stamp. The heating elements can be designed as ohmic resistors or as heating elements acting inductively.