IES85559Y1 - A golf ball dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A golfdispenser (I ) includes a golf ball storage container (2) and associated placement means (3) for reception of a golf ball (4) from the storage container (2) and automatic placement of the golf ball (4) on an associated tee (5) for striking by a golfer. The golf ball storage container (2) comprises a removable golf ball magazine (2) which is demountably engagable with the placement means (3).

Description

A Golf Ball Disgenser Introduction This invention relates to a golf ball dispenser for the automatic placement of golf bails onto a tee for practice striking of the golf balls.

The invention is particularly concerned with a golf ball dispenser of the type described in EP-A-0676979 having a golf ball storage container and associated placement means for reception of a golf ball from the storage container and placement of the golf ball on an associated tee.

Statements of Invention In one embodiment of the present invention, the golf ball storage container comprises a removable golf ball magazine which is demountabiy engagable with the placement means. in another embodiment the golf ball magazine comprises a receptacle having a ball outlet with a ball retainer mounted at the outlet movable between an open position and a closed position, in the open position a golf ball being movable through the outlet and in the closed position the ball retainer preventing movement of the golf ball through the outlet.

Conveniently the ball retainer is biased into a closed ball-retaining position.

In another embodiment the ball retainer is engagabie and movable into the open position by a golf ball during movement of a golf ball through the outlet into the receptacle for loading the receptacle.

In a further embodiment the receptacle is an elongate tube having the ball retainer mounted at a lower outlet end of the tube.

S85559 In another embodiment the ball retainer comprises at least one stop finger hingedly mounted at the outlet and hingedly movable between the open position which allows passage of a golf ball through the opening and the closed position projecting into the opening to block passage of a golf ball through the opening.

Detailed Description of the Invention The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a golf ball dispenser according to the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing portion of the golf ball dispenser; Fig. 3 is another enlarged detail perspective view of the golf ball dispenser; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the golf ball dispenser; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the golf ball dispenser with an outer cover of the dispenser removed; Fig. 6 is a detail elevational view showing portion of the golf ball dispenser; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional elevational view of the golf bail dispenser portion shown in Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view showing portion of the golf ball dispenser.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a golf ball dispenser according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The dispenser 1 has a golf ball storage container 2 and an associated placement means 3 for reception of a golf ball 4 from the storage container 2 and placement of the golf ball 4 on an associated tee 5. The placement means 3 comprises a housing 6 within which is mounted a placement mechanism 7 which is operable for delivery of individual golf balls 4 from the storage container along a placement arm 8 which is vertically movable for placement of the golf ball 4 on the tee 5. The golf ball storage container 2 comprises a removable golf ball magazine which is demountably engagable with the placement means 3.

The storage container 2 comprises an elongate tubular container of clear plastics material having a cap 10 at the top and a ball retainer 11 mounted at a lower outlet end of the storage container 2. The ball retainer 11 is best seen in Fig. 7. The ball retainer 11 has a generally tubular body 14 with a through bore 15 sized to allow through-passage of golf balls. An annular flange 16 is provided within the bore 15. A top surface of the flange 16 forms a land against which a lower end of the tubular body forming the storage container 2 engages. An underside of this flange 16 is engaged by an upper end of a feed chute 17 (see Fig. 5) for demountably securing the golf ball storage container 2 on the placement mechanism 7. A pair of stop fingers 18 are hingedly mounted at a lower end of the body 14 on a steel ring 19 and project inwardly into the bore 15 through complementary openings in the side wall of the body 14 to prevent through-passage of a golf ball. An elastic band 22 biases the stop fingers 18 into the closed position shown in Fig. 7. The stop fingers 18 can pivot outwardly about the pivots 19 against elastic band 22 biased to allow through- passage of a golf ball. When the ball retainer 11 is engaged with the feed chute 17, the feed chute 17 pushes the stop fingers 18 outwardly into the open position to allow free passage of golf balls from the storage container 2 through the feed chute 17 to the placement mechanism 7. An upper end 24 of the ball retainer body 14 engages with an associated tapered opening 25 at a top of the housing 6 to hold the storage container 2 firmly in place when mounted on the placement means 3.

When all the golf balls have been discharged from the storage container 2, the storage container 2 with ball retainer 11 attached at the lower end thereof is removed from the housing 6. The stop fingers 18 are snapped inwardly into the closed position by the elastic band 22. The storage container 2 can then be used to pick up golf balls from the ground. The ball retainer 11 is simply pushed down over the golf ball which pushes the stop fingers 18 outwardly against elastic band 22 biases and into the storage container 2. As soon as the golf ball passes the stop fingers 18 they are snapped back inwardly into the closed position by the elastic band 22.

The placement mechanism 7 is best seen in Fig. 5. This comprises a base 30. A vibrator bar 31 extends outwardly from the base 30. The tee 5 is mounted at an outer end of the vibrator bar 31. A vibration sensor 32 is mounted at an inner end of the vibrator bar 31. A support frame 35 is upstanding on the base 30. The support frame 35 includes a pair of spaced-apart vertical rails 36. A carriage 37 is vertically movable on the rails 36 by means of rollers 38 which engage the rails 36. A drive mechanism is operable to move the carriage 37 vertically on the rails 36 for placement of a golf bali 4 on the tee 5.

In use, the storage container 2 fonns a magazine of golf balls which is mounted on the feed chute 17 of the placement mechanism 7. The placement mechanism 7 is operable to roll a first golf ball along the placement arm 8 to an outer end of the placement arm 8 for placement on the tee 5. The placement arm 8 is movable downwardly by moving the carriage 37 downwardly on the rails 36 to position the golf ball 4 on the tee 5 and move the arm 8 downwardly out of the way into a lowered position. in the lowered position the arm 8 is housed within a complementary slot 40 in a mat 41, the tee 5 projecting upwardly of the mat 41. The golfer strikes the golf ball 4 on the tee 5. This causes the tee 5 and the vibrator bar 31 to vibrate, this vibration being detected by the vibration sensor 32. This activates the placement mechanism 7 to raise the placement arm 8 for reception of another golf ball 4 from the storage container 2, delivered along the chute 17 for placement on the tee 5.

This cycle can be repeated until all the golf balls are discharged from the storage container 2. Then the storage container 2 can be removed from the placement mechanism 7 and be used to pick up all the golf balls. After reengaging the storage container with the placement mechanism 7, the recovered golf balls can then be individually placed on the tee 5 again for further practice.

The sensitivity of the vibration sensor is adjustable via a control switch 50 on the housing 6 to accommodate the different surfaces on which the dispenser is mounted in use.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

M3559.spec.may16-08

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS A golf ball dispenser including a golf ball storage container and associated placement means for reception of a golf ball from the storage container and placement of the golf ball on an associated tee characterised in that the golf ball storage container comprises a removable golf ball magazine which is demountably engagable with the placement means. The golf ball dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the golf ball magazine comprises -a receptacle having a ball outlet with a ball retainer mounted at the outlet movable between an open position and a closed position, in the open position a golf ball being movable through the outlet and in the closed position the ball retainer preventing movement of the golf ball through the outlet. The golf ball dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ball retainer is biased into a closed ball-retaining position, the ball retainer is engagable and movable into the open position by a golf ball during movement of a golf ball through the outlet into the receptacle for loading the receptacle, and the receptacle is an elongate tube having the ball retainer mounted at a lower outlet end of the tube. The golf ball dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the ball retainer comprises at least one stop finger hingedly mounted at the outlet and hingedly movable between the open position which allows passage of a golf ball through the opening and the closed position projecting into the opening to block passage of a golf ball through the opening. A golf ball dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. '