FR2630654A1 - Device for dispensing and positioning golf balls at ground level or above ground - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for dispensing and positioning golf balls at ground level or above ground. The aim of the invention is to produce such a device making it possible to arrange a ball on a flexible tube, preventing the player having to bend down to do this or to adjust the height of the flexible tube. This aim is achieved with the aid of a device comprising a ball-supply channel 1, connected to a positioning column 13 having, at one of its ends, an orifice emerging at ground level and making it possible to present the balls on a flexible tube, a device 2 for dispensing the balls being inserted between the channel 1 and the column 13. The invention applies more particularly to practise greens.

Description

"DISTRIBUTION AND
POSITIONING OF GOLF BALLS AT GROUND LEVEL OR OVERHEAD ".

 The present invention relates to a device for distributing and positioning golf balls on the field, and in particular on training grounds.

 The golf player must learn to perform a sporting gesture considered to be one of the most complex. He must learn to perfectly coordinate different and simultaneous movements. For this purpose, the player practices to strike numerous balls on individual training grounds provided for this purpose (called "practice"). Currently, these individual training grounds consist of a non-slip rubber mat which has in its center a carpet rectangle of 30 x 50 cm on which is fixed a flexible rubber hose with a height of approximately 5 cm and with a diameter of about 20 mm.

 When the player uses clubs with a wooden hitting surface, he must bend down each time to position the ball on the end of the "tee". When he uses iron clubs, he overturns the bucket in which the golf balls are sold and moves each time to approach a ball with the end of his club.

 however, to train properly, it is desirable that the player is focused, and avoids moving between the firing of two balls. When he has to move after firing each ball, to reposition himself or to place the ball on the end of the pipe, he loses precious time each time and his concentration decreases.

 Wooden tongs are already known, having the shape of a fire tong and making it possible to pick up golf balls and place them in a given place without having to bend down. However, the player is still obliged to move to fetch the ball and bring it to the position where he must play.

 In addition, the diameter of the training ground hose is 20 mm, while the wooden plug (tee) used at the start of a course is 12 mm in diameter, in addition, the player can adjust the height of the tee by pushing it into the ground. As a result, on the training ground, the player is not in actual playing conditions.

 In addition, the management and profitability of a golf course are difficult to achieve, since the maintenance of large areas is very expensive. It is always very difficult to control the number of individuals practicing on each site, as well as the number of balls used on each site and the time of use.

 A first objective of the invention is to provide a device for distributing and positioning the golf ball on the training locations, avoiding that the player has to bend down to do so and by removing unnecessary gestures.

 A second objective of the invention is to provide a device for adjusting the height of the drive hose ("tee'3.

 A third objective of the invention is to provide a device which allows better management of the training grounds, in particular by counting the balls played.

 A fourth objective of the invention is to provide a device with great technical simplicity and a low price.

 These objectives and others which will appear subsequently are achieved in particular by means of a device for distributing and positioning golf balls at ground level, and in particular at the level of the training floor mat or in elevation, characterized in that it comprises, under said ground, a bale supply channel connected to a column for positioning said bales at ground level, by means of a bale distribution device, said column having at one of its ends, an orifice opening at ground level and making it possible to present the ball on a flexible whose height is preselectable.

Others. characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear better on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment and the appended drawings in which
FIG. 1 represents an overall view of the device according to the invention,
FIG. 2 represents the barrel for distributing the bullets,
FIG. 3 represents the drive mechanism of the barrel,
FIG. 4 represents a detailed view of FIG. 1I including the bale positioning column and its closure plug,
- Figure 5 shows the sliding column for bringing the ball to the surface, and its drive mechanism.

 FIG. 6 represents an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 3.

 As illustrated in FIG. 1, the device according to the present invention comprises a driving floor mat 4 under which is disposed a bale supply channel 1, one end of which is connected to a device for distributing bales emerging in a positioning column 13 of the balls. This column makes it possible to bring said bales onto a flexible hose at a preselected height, at the level of the conveyor belt.

 The invention will now be described in more detail.

 The filling terminal 5 consists of a box 6 in the form of a parallelepiped arranged vertically on the drive floor mat 4. This box 6 is traversed vertically by the supply channel 1, and is surmounted by a spherical terminal 7 provided with a filling hatch 8. The spherical terminal 7 is connected to the supply channel 1. Thus, the player can open the hatch 8, dump the balls inside the terminal 7 and said balls can then descend into the channel 1. According to an alternative embodiment, it is possible to remove the hatch 8 and to provide that the spherical terminal 7 is cut in two horizontally, the upper hemisphere being pivoting and allowing the filling of the balls. On the housing 6, there is also provided a ball counter 9 which makes it possible to determine the number of balls that the player has introduced into the spherical terminal 7. In addition, there is provided on this housing 6, an indicator light 14 indicating the -locking filling hatch 8.

 This box 6 also carries a coin mechanism 10 enabling the device to be started, a digital keyboard for selecting ll of the height of the tee (between 0 and 55 mm), a device 12 for displaying the height of the selected tee, and club support 17.

 The supply channel 1 slopes gently under the belt 4 from the filling terminal 5 to the base of the dispensing device. The internal diameter of this channel 1 is slightly greater than that of a golf ball, so that it can roll freely in the channel.

 As illustrated in FIG. 2, the distribution device consists of a supply barrel 2 formed of a thin disc (approximately 5 cm), movable in rotation around an axis 20, and pierced with eight through holes 21 frustoconical.

 The axis of each hole 21 is parallel to the axis of rotation 20 and the eight holes 21 are regularly distributed over the edge of the disc. One of the faces 25AR of the disc is further provided with eight drive pins 22. Each drive pin 22 is placed between two adjacent holes 21 and more precisely, on the bisector radius 23 of the angle defined by the rays passing through the center of two adjacent tapered holes 21. Each pin 22 is placed on this radius 23 about 6 cm from the axis of rotation 20, for a total diameter of the disc of 30 cm. Each drive pin 22 is constituted by a small full cylinder about 3 cm high.

 The through holes 21 are frustoconical, their largest diameter is directed towards the rear face 25AR of the disc, that is to say the face carrying the pins 22 and their smallest diameter is directed towards the front face 25AV of the disc .

 As illustrated in FIG. 4, the supply barrel 2 is disposed vertically in a casing pierced with a lower orifice, under the ground sheet 4, in the extension of the supply channel 1, so that its front face 25AV comes in contact with channel 1, perpendicular to it. More precisely, the lower through hole 21 faces the through section of the channel 1. The holes 21 being frustoconical, the balls coming from the channel 1 roll very easily inside these holes.

 This feed barrel 2 is rotated by means of a ratchet device 50 acting on the drive pins 22. When a golf ball arrives in the channel 1, it is positioned in the most through hole 21 bottom of the disc. The ratchet device 50 which will be described later rotates the feed barrel 2 so as to bring the ball to the top of the disc. Due to the taper of the through hole 21, the ball can then roll freely into the positioning column 13.

 The positioning column 13 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. This column 13 consists of a hollow cylindrical casing 3 open at its lower end and has at its upper end a dispensing orifice 31 opening out at the level of the floor mat 4. The upper internal periphery of this orifice 31 is bevelled so as to be slightly tapered and taper upward. In addition, the casing 3 has laterally, at its upper part, a feed hole 32 through which the golf ball coming from the distribution barrel, penetrates inside said column 13. This hole 32 is substantially circular.

 Inside the casing 3, there is a guide body 33. This guide body 33 is a tube which is substantially square on the outside and cylindrical on the inside, open at its lower end and whose external diameter and length are less than the internal diameter and the height of the casing 3, so that it can slide freely inside the latter.

 t the upper end of said guide body 33 is partially closed, so as to leave only a through hole 34 of small diameter. The outer periphery of the upper end of the guide body 33 is bevelled so as to have a slightly conical shape corresponding to the internal conicity of the orifice 31 of the casing 3. Thus, when the guide body 33 rises to the inside the casing 3, it is locked in the high position when it engages in the orifice 31.

In this position, it is level with the ground.

 In addition, the peripheral wall of the guide body 33 is pierced by two elongated rectangular windows. These two windows 35 are opposite one another, they extend longitudinally at the center of the total height of the guide body 33. These windows 35 are of a height corresponding substantially to half the total height of the body guide, and of a width sufficient to allow the passage of rollers 43D and 43G described later.

 Inside the guide body 33, there is a hose holder 36 and a hose 37. The flexible holder 36 is a tube that is substantially square on the outside, and cylindrical on the inside, open at its lower and upper ends. and whose external diameter is less than the internal diameter of the guide body 33.

 the upper end of said hose holder 36 is internally provided with an annular bore 38, designed to support the hose 37.

 Said flexible pipe 37 is a cylindrical tube open at its two ends and with an external diameter smaller than the respective internal diameters of the annular shoulder 38 and of the through hole 34. It will also be noted that the internal diameters of the hole 34 and of the bore 38 are substantially identical.

 The hose 37 is internally bevelled so that the bale easily rests on its upper end.

 The hose 37 is surrounded by a spring with non-contiguous turns 39. Said spring 39 is fixed, at its lower end, on the top of the hose holder 36, and at its upper end at the base of the through orifice 34.

 There is at the base of the housing assembly 3, guide body 33, and flexible holder 36, a bullet detector (not shown). This bullet detector is constituted by a device making it possible to send an air jet upwards inside the hose holder and the hose. When a golf ball is on the flexible internal beveled end 37, it closes the flexible hose 37 into which a permanent air jet is blown. As a result, a back pressure appears. This back pressure is controlled. It will exist until the player hits that ball, and then the back pressure will disappear. This device is called a bullet detector.

 The casing 3 is further provided with a shutter plug 40 placed inside in its upper part. The diameter and the shape of this plug correspond to those of the distribution orifice 31 of the casing 3. This shutter plug 40 is articulated around an axis of rotation 41 placed perpendicularly to the length of the column 13. this plug 40 is actuated by a pneumatic cylinder (not shown) and is movable between a "closed" position in which it closes the orifice 31 and an "open" position in which it extends vertically inside the casing 3. In the open position , it serves as a shock absorber for the bullet which arrives from the barrel through the orifice 32.

 In addition, the column 3 is pierced laterally by two opposite windows 42D and 42G, designed to allow the passage of caster 43D and 43G.

 The left rollers 43G and right 43D are connected respectively to a drive wheel 44 driven by the motor, and to an encoder 45 (described later).

The right window 42D is slightly higher than the diameter of the roller 43D, on the other hand, the left window 42G is larger and its height is approximately three. times the diameter of the rollers 43G or 43D and corresponds to the height of the windows 35 drilled in the guide body 33. The windows 35, 42D and 42G are placed perpendicular to the orifice 32.

In addition, the flexible holder is provided at its base with a drive pin 46 extending horizontally to the left and long enough to pass through the windows 35 and 42G and protrude out of the latter. The usefulness of this pin 46 will be explained later
The rollers 44, 43G and 43D, 45 are mounted respectively on supports 47 and 48 arranged on either side of the supply column 13. These two supports are interconnected by two springs 49 arranged respectively in front and behind the column 13.

 The tension of these two springs 49 makes it possible to maintain the two supports 47, 48 one opposite the other and the two rollers 43G and 43D strongly compress the flexible holder 36. Thus, when the engine is started, actuating the driving wheel 44, the two rollers 43G and 43D, by pressing on the flexible holder, can raise or lower the latter.

 The encoder 45 is a tachometer which makes it possible to count the turns of the freewheel 43D, and thereby the height by which the flexible holder 36 has moved.

When the player selects a hose height, it is the encoder 45 which will determine if the hose is at the correct height.

 The operation of the positioning column 13 will now be described in more detail.

 When a ball emerging from the orifice 32 is detected in the casing 3 by the air detection device, the motor driving the driving wheel 44 and therefore the free rollers 43 is actuated. These two rollers pass through the casing 3 and the guide body 33, respectively through the windows 42G, 42D and 35, and tighten the flexible holder 36.

 The rotation of said rollers 42 causes the upward movement of the flexible holder 36. Due to the presence of the spring 39, the guide body 33 is also driven upwards. When the upper end of the latter arrives at the orifice 31 of the casing 3, it is blocked by its conical shape. The guide body 33 is therefore movable between a "rest" position in which the top of said body 33 is below the base of the feed hole 32, and a "presentation of the ball on the ground" position in which the top of said guide plate 33 is flush with the ground, in the dispensing orifice 31.

 If the player has selected a hose height (or tee), the rollers 43D and 43G continue to mount the hose holder, up to the preselected height, by compressing the return spring 39.

This is achieved by means of the encoder 45. The hose holder 36 and the hose 37 can therefore slide vertically between a "retraction" position in which the upper end of the hose is flush with the through hole 34 of the guide body 33, and a position of "presentation of the ball on flexible" in which the flexible 37 leaves the guide body 33, the latter then being in position of "presentation of the ball on the ground".

 The barrel rotational movement is provided by the ratchet device 50, which will now be described in more detail, with reference to FIG. 3.

 The ratchet device 50 consists of a casing 51 and a movable hook holder 52 supporting a hook 60.

 The hook holder 52 has the shape of an elongated rectangular parallelepiped of small thickness.

 This part 52 is placed vertically and has two rectangular faces before 53AV and rear 53AR, an upper face 54 and a lower face 55, and two left side faces 56 and right 57. The front face 53AV is placed opposite the rear face 25AR of the barrel 2, that is to say the face carrying the drive pins 22.

 The lateral face 57 has, at its upper part, a substantially rectangular recess 58.

This recess 58 opens on the two faces 53AV and 53AR, it is extended only on the face 53AV by a recess 59 substantially triangular and more exactly having a section in the form of a part of a circle. The depth of this recess is substantially half the total thickness of the part 52. The recess 59 is designed to receive the hook 60. The base of this hook is articulated around an axis 61 extending at the tip of the triangular recess 59, perpendicular to the part 52.

 As illustrated in FIG. 6, this hook 60 is composed of a substantially rectangular strip whose base is rounded and pierced with an orifice intended to receive the axis 61. The free end of the hook is extended perpendicularly by a triangular return 62 The base of this return 62 makes a right angle with the strip and thus defines a shoulder 64. The free end of the return is bevelled at 65. The hook 60 is normally-arranged vertically in the recess 59 and one of the drive pins 22 is housed in the shoulder 64. The hook 60 articulated around the axis 61 can tilt backwards in the triangular recess 59, it returns to its initial position using. a compression spring 66 disposed in the bottom of the recess 59.

 The rear face 53AR has at its lower part, a projection 67 in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped. This projection 67 extends perpendicular to the plane of the hook holder 52.

 This hook holder 52 is housed in the casing 51.

The casing 51 is a rectangular parallelepiped of small thickness arranged vertically and which has a front face 70, a rear face 71, an upper face 73 and lower 74. This casing is traversed right through at its upper part by a passage orifice circular 72 whose diameter is slightly greater than that of a golf ball. The front face 70 has, in its left part, a rectangular cavity 75 extending vertically. This rectangular cavity 75 is intended to receive the hook holder 52. For this purpose, the bottom of the cavity 75 is pierced, at its lower part, with a rectangular through-hole 76 intended to receive the projection 67 of the hook holder 52 .In addition, the heights of the orifice 76 and of the cavity 75 are slightly greater than those of the hook holder 52 and of the projection 67 so as to allow a vertical translational movement of the hook holder relative to the housing 51.

 When the hook holder 52 is in place in the rectangular cavity 75, the projection 67 projects beyond the rear face 71 of the casing.

 In addition, the rectangular cavity 75 of the casing is extended on the front face 70 by an annular groove 80 intended to receive the drive pins 22 of the barrel 2 when the latter is placed in front of the ratchet device 50. A drilling is provided. cylindrical 77 at the center of the annular groove 80 so as to pass the axis 20 of the barrel 2.

 In addition, the rear face 71 of the casing is hollowed out from top to bottom so as to form a hemispherical vertical gutter 78. The passage orifice 72 opens perpendicularly into this gutter 78, intended to receive in part the positioning column 13.

 Thus, when all the elements are in place, the drive pin 46 of the positioning column 13 comes to rest perpendicularly on the top of the projection 67. In addition, the hook holder 52 is provided, at its lower face 55 d 'a spring (not shown) which is housed in a cylindrical hole 79 provided for this purpose at the base of the cavity 75 of the housing. A screw for adjusting the spring tension is provided at the bottom of the hole 79. When the positioning column 13 is in the low position, the drive pin 46 rests on the projection 67 and keeps the hook holder 52 in the low position. On the contrary, when the flexible holder 36 is lifted, the pin 46 also lifts and releases the projection 67, the hook holder can then go up and the hook 60 surrounds a new drive pin 22. When the flexible holder 36 goes down again , the pin 46 presses on the projection 67 which in turn descends, driving the hook holder 52. During this movement, the hook 60 drives the drive pin 22 downwards and makes it perform 1/8 of turn to the left.

 It should be noted that the particular shape of the hook 60 facilitates the movements described above. In fact, when the hook holder 52 rises, the bevelled part 65 of the hook comes into contact with a drive pin 22, this pushes the hook outwards. The hook then rocks around its axis of rotation 61, then returns to position thanks to the spring 66. The pin 22 then comes to lodge in the shoulder 64 where it is blocked. I1 can then be dragged down the descent.

 The operation and use of the device by a player will now be described in detail.

 The first step is the energization which is carried out by the maintenance staff of the training ground. The power is supplied at 220 V. The indicator light 14 indicating the locking of the filling hatch 8 is on with a fixed light, the hatch 8 is therefore locked. Furthermore, the plug 40 closing the positioning column 13 is in the closed position.

 When the player arrives on the training ground ("practice"), he introduces his coin or his token into the coin mechanism 10. This causes a compressor to start. diaphragm 81. This compressor provides the air necessary to actuate the control cylinder of the shutter cap 40, and to operate the ball detection device on the hose. The diaphragm compressor 80 is fixed on the last section of the feed channel 1 (see FIG. 4) so as to vibrate the bales and to align them as best as possible; before entering the barrel 2.

 The introduction of the coin into the coin mechanism also acts on unlocking the flap 8 (the indicator light 14 then flashes), the illumination of the ball counter 9 and of the device for displaying the height of the tee.

 The player then introduces the balls into the hatch 8 and closes the latter. At this time, the counter 9 counts the number of bales entered in the filling terminal 5 and displays the total. The hatch 8 is then locked and the light 14 returns to a fixed fire. The first bullet which has rolled up to barrel 2 is detected there by a fiber optic detection device (for example). The drive motor is started and the flexible holder 36 goes up 60 mm and back down, which aims to actuate the ratchet device 50 which, as explained above, allows rotation of the barrel 2 by 1 / 8 of turn. This operation is carried out three times, so as to bring the first ball to 1/8 of a turn before the highest position, where the ball enters column 13.

 The player then selects the height of the hose using the numeric keypad 11. Note that the selected height can be changed at any time. After choosing a height, the player will have to validate it by pressing a validation button. At this time, the shutter cap 40 opens, and the fourth bullet introduced into the lower orifice of the barrel is detected by the fiber optic detection device 3. The motor is then activated, the flexible holder goes up and down by 60 mm, which allows the rotation of the barrel 2 of 1/8 of a turn and the introduction of the bullet into the column. The ball then being detected on the hose by the air device, the hose holder mounts the hose to the desired height. Once the ball has been played, the hose 37 comes down again and the cycle begins again.

 When there are only three balls left (counted by the counter) the function of the fiber optic detection device is eliminated.

 When the counter 9 displays zero, the flexible wallet 36 is in the low position, the plug 40 is closed and the compressor 81 is stopped after 30 seconds delay.

 The invention is obviously not limited to the embodiment described above for which other alternative embodiments may be provided without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

 1) Device for distributing and positioning golf balls at ground level, and in particular at the level of the training floor mat or in raised form, characterized in that it comprises, under said ground (4), a channel supply (1) of bales connected to a positioning column (13) of said bales at ground level, by means of a bale distribution device (2), - said column having at one of its ends, a orifice (31) opening at ground level and making it possible to present the ball on a hose (37) whose height is preselectable.  2) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to claim 1, characterized in that the dispensing device is formed. a barrel distributor (2) of balls interposed between the feed channel (1) and the positioning column (13), this barrel being actuated by a ratchet device (50).  3) Device. distribution and positioning of golf balls according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the positioning column (13) of the balls, comprises  - a cylindrical casing (3) elongated, hollow, arranged vertically and having at its upper part a dispensing orifice (31) opening at ground level, and laterally a supply hole (32) connected to the supply channel (1 ),  - a cylindrical guide body (33), hollow which can slide vertically inside the casing.  the hose holder (36) and the hose (37) being able to slide vertically between a "withdrawal" position in which the upper end of the hose is flush with the through hole (34) of the guide body, the spring (39 ) being released, and a position of "presentation of the ball on flexible" in which the flexible (37) comes out of the guide body (33), according to a preselected height, the spring (39) then being compressed and the guide body (33) being in the position of "presentation of the ball on the ground".  - An elongated, hollow cylindrical hose (37), the external diameter of which corresponds to the internal diameter of the annular shoulder (38) of the hose holder and to the internal diameter of the through hole (34) of the guide body, this hose (37 ) being surrounded by a spring (39) one end of which is fixed to the flexible holder and the other end of which is fixed to the top of the guide body,  - An elongated, hollow cylindrical hose holder (36) which can slide vertically inside the guide body (33), this flexible holder having, at its upper part, an internal annular bore (38) designed to carry a hose ('37), cylindrical between a "rest" position in which the top of said guide body (33) is below the base of the feed hole (32), and a "bale on the ground" position in which the top of said guide body (33) is flush with the ground in the dispensing orifice (31), this guide body (33) further having, at its upper part, a through hole (34),  4) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to claim 3, characterized in that the vertical movements of the guide body (33) and of the flexible door (37) are ensured by rollers (43D, 43G) actuated by a driving wheel (44), these rollers (43D, 43G) passing through windows (35) pierced longitudinally in the guide body (33) and windows (42D, 42G) pierced in the casing 3, and coming into contact with the outer surface of the hose holder (33).  5) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper end of the positioning column (13) has a closure plug (40) of the orifice (31) of the casing (3) opening at ground level, this plug (40) being movable between a "closed" position in which it closes the opening orifice (31) of the positioning column, and an "open" position in which it extends vertically inside the casing.  6) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the positioning column (13) of the balls is provided with a ball presence detector.  7) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to claim 6, characterized in that the detector for the presence of balls consists of a forced air generator sending air through the flexible holder (36 ) and the hose (37) and a device for detecting a back pressure at the upper end of the hose, depending on the presence or absence of balls.  8) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to claim 2, characterized in that the barrel (2) consists of a thin cylinder, pierced on its periphery by at least two through holes (21) d '' a diameter slightly greater than that of a golf ball, this barrel (2) being rotatable around a horizontal axis (20), and being further provided with at least two drive pins (22) , each pin (22) being placed on the bisector radius (23) of the angle defined by the rays passing through the center of two adjacent through holes (21).  9) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to claim 8, characterized in that the ratchet device (50) comprises a hook holder (52) supporting a hook (60) engaging the drive pins (22 ) of the barrel (2), this hook holder (52) being movable in vertical translation inside a casing (51).  10) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to claim 9, characterized in that the hook holder (52) carries a projection (67) passing through the casing (51) through a through orifice (76) provided therein. effect in said housing (51), and in that the hose holder (36) of the positioning column (13) has at its base a drive pin (46) acting on said projection (67) to effect the movements of translation.  11) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (11) for selecting the height of the hose, and in that the measurement of the height elevation of the flexible 37 is ensured by an encoder (45).  12) A device for distributing and positioning golf balls according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free end of the supply channel (1) is connected to a filling terminal (5), this terminal filling being arranged vertically on the ground, and having & at its end, a filling hatch (8) and a bale counter (9).