JPH08769A - Apparatus for collecting spheres - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an apparatus which is light and can surely collect a number of golf balls with a low cost constitution by rolling cylinders each having a spiral structure with an interval between spiral edges shorter than the diameter of the sphere. CONSTITUTION:When a car body 11 is moved forward, a plurality of coil springs 16 and 17 housed in a frame 15 attached to a fix panel 12 of the car body 11 through an arm 13 rotate by friction with the ground G. A number of spheres, for example, golf balls 3 on the ground G are consequently taken into the coil springs 16 and 17 by elastic deformation, elastic recovery, and rotation of the coil springs 16 and 17. The golf balls 3 are transferred through a pipe 36 and, after that, they are dropped from a bracket 40 onto a bed 11c to be collected. When a power cylinder 18 is driven to pull in a rod 18a, the frame 15 is lifted up. When the bed 11c is dumped, the golf balls 3 are dropped and ejected from the bed 11c.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sphere collecting device for collecting a large number of spheres falling on a wide area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a golf driving range, a ball collecting device is used to collect a large number of golf balls falling on a lawn.

As shown in FIG. 12 (A), the conventional ball collecting device is a ball collecting device in which a plurality of plates 2 each having a large number of pins 1 radially protruding are stacked at intervals slightly narrower than the diameter of the golf ball 3. It has a drum 4. The ball collecting drum 4 is attached to the rear surface of a dedicated dump truck (not shown) and towed.

The ball collecting drum 4 rolls in the direction of the arrow in the drawing when pulled, and holds the golf ball 3 falling between the pins 1. Then, the golf ball 3 is carried upward as the ball collecting drum 4 rotates. The golf ball 3 is pulled out from the pin 1 by the ball punching rod 5,
It is accommodated in the loading platform 6.

Further, the conventional ball collecting device is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, there is also one including a ball collecting drum 8 in which a plurality of discs 7 are stacked at intervals slightly narrower than the diameter of the golf ball 3. The falling golf ball 3 is sandwiched between the discs 7 and carried upward, and is housed in the luggage carrier 6. Also,
Conventionally, a large-sized ball collecting device is also known in which the golf ball 3 extracted by the ball-extracting rod 5 as described above is conveyed to the loading platform by a belt conveyor.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the ball collecting drum 4 is formed by stacking a large number of plates 2 or disks 7 having a large number of pins 1 projecting from them.
Since No. 8 was formed, the weight was extremely heavy, and there was a concern that the grass on the golf course would be damaged. Moreover, since the processing of the pin 1 is complicated, the cost is high and the frequency of breakage of the pin 1 is high,
Maintenance costs were also high.

Further, a large number of ball punching rods 5 are required, resulting in high cost and weight increase. Also. When the golf ball 3 was pulled out by the ball punching rod 5, it was sometimes blown by reaction and dropped again onto the turf surface.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sphere collecting apparatus which is lightweight and inexpensive, and can collect spheres reliably. .

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has a cylindrical body having a spiral structure having an interval shorter than the diameter of a spherical body mounted on a moving body and rolled, and then rolled from a side opening of the cylindrical body. The ejected spheres are configured to be conveyed to the accommodating portion of the moving body by the conveying device.

[0010]

Since the cylindrical body has a hollow spiral structure, it is lightweight and the manufacturing cost is low. In addition, since there is no protruding part and the ground is gradually curved, it does not damage the lawn.

The cylindrical body takes in the sphere by its elastic deformation, and rotates to move the sphere to one side along the spiral. Then, the sphere is received by the ball receiving portion and sent to the accommodation portion by the transport device.

[0012]

[Example] 1. Configuration FIG. 1 is a front view showing a state in which a sphere collecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a front surface of a body 11 of a light truck. Also,
2 is a side view and FIG. 3 is a plan view. This sphere collecting device is used in a driving range to collect golf balls falling on the grass surface.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an iron plate-made fixing panel 12 is firmly fixed to the lower part of the front surface of the vehicle body 11. The width of the fixed panel 12 is equal to the direction indicators 11a, 1
The width is set so that 1b is not hidden. Metal arms 13 and 14 are attached to lower portions of both side surfaces of the fixed panel 12 so as to be vertically rotatable. Arm 13,
The tip of 14 is the frame 1 arranged in front of the vehicle body 11.
It is attached to the upper surface of 5 rotatably in the vertical direction. Inside the frame 15, metal coil springs 16 and 1
7 is rotatably accommodated.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the two coil springs 16 and 17 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. The rotation axes of the coil springs 16 and 17 are on the horizontal plane of the vehicle body 1.
The direction is orthogonal to the moving direction of 1 (front-back direction), that is, parallel to the front surface of the vehicle body 11.

The winding interval t of the coil springs 16 and 17
Is slightly shorter than the diameter of the golf ball 3. The winding interval t is a value obtained by subtracting the diameter of the wire material forming the coil springs 16 and 17 from the pitch of the coil springs 16 and 17. The winding direction of the coil springs 16 and 17 is
It is the winding direction of the left screw (counterclockwise with respect to the axis).

The frame 15 covers the upper surfaces of the two coil springs 16 and 17 and the front, rear, left and right side surfaces. The length of the frame 15 in the lateral direction (direction parallel to the front surface of the vehicle body) is
It is set to be equal to or slightly longer than the width of the vehicle body 11.
The same applies to the lengths of the two coil springs 16 and 17.

The lower side of the frame 15 is the ground (lawn surface) G
It is located at a height h above. This height h is
It is larger than the diameter of the golf ball 3. This is because the golf ball 3 falling on the ground (grass surface) G has a frame 15
This is because it is designed so that it can enter below.

The tip of a rod 18a of a DC motor driven power cylinder 18 is rotatably connected to the center of the upper surface of the frame 15. The rear end of the power cylinder 18 is rotatably connected to the upper center of the fixed panel 12. Inside the frame 15, the coil spring 1
Rollers 21 to 27 are attached to prevent the rollers 6 and 17 from falling off. These rollers 21 to 27 are metal linear rods, and their lengths are substantially equal to the inner length of the frame 15.

Since the four rollers 21 to 24 are in contact with the upper portions of the coil springs 16 and 17 and the three rollers 25 to 27 are in contact with the lower portions thereof, the coil springs 16 and 17 are supported in the frame 15. It can be rotated without falling off.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the rollers 21 to 27 and the coil springs 16 and 17. Rollers 21-27
Bearings are installed at both ends. The shafts 28 of these bearings are fixed to the inner surface of the frame 15.

Metal disks 31, 32 having a diameter equal to the outer diameter of the coil springs 16, 17 are fixed to one end of the coil springs 16, 17 (on the driver's seat side of the vehicle body 11, the right side in Japan). Has been done. These discs 3
The rotary shafts 33 and 34 of the shafts 1 and 32 are rotatably supported by the side plate 15 a of the frame 15.

These discs 31 and 32 support one ends of the coil springs 16 and 17 in the frame 15, and the ends of the coil springs 16 and 17 and the frame 15 are supported.
It plays the role of preventing wear due to contact with the inner surface. Further, since one ends of the coil springs 16 and 17 are supported by the frame 15, the coil springs 16 and 17 are restricted from moving in the axial direction.
This can prevent the other ends of the coil springs 16 and 17 from coming into contact with the inner surface of the frame 15 and wearing.
Moreover, the golf balls 3 once taken in by the discs 31 and 32 can be prevented from falling out from the inside of the coil springs 16 and 17.

As shown in FIG. 1, a ball receiving portion 35 is fixed to the left side surface 15b of the frame 15 so as to bulge laterally. As shown in FIG. 5, the ball receiving portion 35 is
The lower corner is curved so as to have an arcuate cross section, and the coil spring 37 is inserted therein.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pipe 36 is connected to the lower portion of the rear surface of the ball receiving portion 35. This pipe 36
Extends to above the cargo bed 11c, and its tip is fixed to the tip of the support arm 39 by a cylindrical bracket 40.
It is connected to the. The support arm is an angle post 11
It extends horizontally rearward from the center of the upper side of d. A motor 38 is attached to the bracket 40 so as to face the pipe 36.
Has been fixed.

As shown in FIG. 6, a coil spring 37 is rotatably inserted in the pipe 36, and the tip of the coil spring 37 is fixed to a disc 38b fixed to an output shaft 38a of a motor 38. ing. The coil spring 37 is rotated by the rotation of the motor 38. A discharge port 41 is formed on the lower surface of the bracket 40, and the golf ball 3 carried by the coil spring 37 falls from the discharge port 41.

2. When the operator (driver) gets on the vehicle body 11 and moves forward, the coil springs 16 and 17 roll due to friction with the ground (lawn surface) G. Then, the golf ball 3 falling on the ground (lawn surface) G is taken into the coil springs 16 and 17. This is shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7 (A), when the coil spring 16 hits the golf ball 3 on the ground (lawn surface) G, the coil spring 16 rolls up on the golf ball 3. Then, the portion of the coil spring 16 that rides on the golf ball 3 expands to the diameter of the golf ball 3 while elastically deforming (FIG. 7B). afterwards,
When the coil spring 16 elastically restores, the golf ball 3 is taken into the coil spring 16 (FIG. 7C).

The rear coil spring 17 picks up the golf ball 3 which could not be picked up by the front coil spring 16. This ensures that the golf ball 3 is picked up. The golf ball 3 taken in the coil springs 16 and 17 is
By the rotation of 7, the coil springs 16 and 17 move to the left end openings. Then, as shown in FIG. 5A, an opening 15c is formed on the side surface 15b of the frame 15, and the golf balls 3 gathered at the left ends of the coil springs 16 and 17 are exposed from the opening 15c to the ball receiving portion 35. Rolls in.

Since the opening 15c is located at a position higher than the ground (lawn surface) G, the golf ball 3 fits directly under the opening 15c. At the left end of the coil springs 16 and 17, a flip-up portion 42 bent inward is formed, and as shown in FIG. 5B, the coil springs 16 and 17 are flipped up as they rotate. The golf ball 3 whose portion is directly below the opening 15c is lifted and discharged from the opening 15c.

As shown in FIG. 8, the golf ball 3 rolled into the ball receiving portion 35 from the opening 15c enters the coil spring 37. Then, the golf ball 3 is fed into the pipe 36 as the coil spring 37 rotates. The golf ball 3 sent into the pipe 36 is
After being conveyed to the tip of the pipe 36, as shown in FIG. 6, it falls from the outlet 41 of the bracket 40 onto the loading platform 11c.

After the golf balls 3 have been collected, the operator drives the power cylinder 18. When the power cylinder 18 is driven, the rod 18a is retracted,
The frame 15 is lifted as shown in FIG. When the frame 15 is lifted, the coil springs 16 and 17
Moves away from the ground (grass surface) G. As a result, the vehicle body 1
It becomes possible to run 1 at high speed.

The operator moves the vehicle body 11 to a predetermined place and dumps the loading platform 11c. When the loading platform 11c is dumped, the golf ball 3 in the loading platform 11c falls from the loading platform 11c and is discharged.

As described above, the coil springs 16 and 1
No. 7 is lightweight because it is cylindrical and hollow, and has elasticity so that it does not damage the grass, the material cost is low, and it is inexpensive. Further, the spiral rotation of the coil springs 16 and 17 allows the golf balls 3 taken inside to be collected in one direction. Therefore, unlike the conventional device, a large number of ball punching rods 5 are not required, and the weight can be reduced accordingly.

Further, by disposing the sphere collecting device in front of the vehicle body 11, the operator can perform the collecting work while visually checking the falling golf ball 3 from the driver's seat. As a result, it is possible to solve the problem caused by the conventional device being arranged behind the vehicle body.

Further, if the sphere collecting device is arranged at the rear of the vehicle body as in the conventional case, the golf ball 3 will be stepped on by the tires. Therefore, conventionally, the guide plate for paying the golf ball 3 left and right on the front of the vehicle body and the golf ball 3 It was equipped with a ball ejecting device that collects between the left and right tires and passes the underside of the center of the vehicle body. On the other hand, by disposing the ball collecting device in front of the vehicle body 11 as in the above-described embodiment, the golf ball 3 can be collected before reaching the tire of the vehicle body 11. For this reason, the guide plate and the goal ejecting device are unnecessary, and the cost can be reduced. Of course, this sphere collecting device may be provided at the rear of the vehicle body.

As described above, in order to arrange the sphere collecting device in front of the vehicle body 11, the device must be lightweight. If a conventional device having a large weight is placed in front of the vehicle body 11, it is only possible to move forward and backward due to its weight, and cannot turn left and right. For this reason, conventionally, it has been limited to a device which is arranged at the rear of the vehicle body and is towed. On the other hand, as described above, the coil spring 1
By using Nos. 6 and 17, the device becomes light in weight and can be turned left and right.

Further, since the conventional apparatus is arranged at the rear of the vehicle body where the loading platform is present, it is necessary to remove the apparatus when dumping the loading platform. On the other hand, in the above-described embodiment, the sphere collecting device is arranged in front of the vehicle body 11, so that it is not necessary to remove the sphere collecting device when dumping the loading platform 11c, which is convenient.

Further, by using the conveyor for rotating the coil spring 37 to convey the golf ball 3 to the loading platform 11c, the conveying device can be made inexpensive, and the size and weight can be reduced.

3. Other Embodiments The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, as a means for sending the golf balls 3 gathered at one end of the coil springs 16 and 17 to the opening 15C, a jumping portion 42 as shown in FIG. 5 is used, but this is as shown in FIG. 10 (A). The jumping pin 43 can be substituted. The lift pin 43 is fixed to the inner surface of the side plate 15b of the frame 15. The shape of the jumping pin 43 may be a rod shape bent downward, a curved plate shape, or a plate shape having an inclined surface.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10B, one end of the coil springs 16 and 17 may be tapered so that the diameter becomes smaller toward the tip. In this case, the golf ball 3 in the coil springs 16 and 17
Rises along the tapered portion 44 as the coil springs 16 and 17 rotate, and is discharged from the opening 15C.

In addition, the four rollers 21 to 24 which are in contact with the upper portions of the coil springs 16 and 17 are divided to form a structure shown in FIG.
It can be replaced with a short roller 45 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11B, each roller 45 is rotatably supported between two bent arms 48. Shaft holes 49, 49 in which the shafts 46, 46 of the roller 45 are loosely fitted are formed at the supporting ends of the arms 48, 48. At the tips of the shafts 46, 46, retaining flanges 47, 47 are formed.

Holes 50, 50 for inserting bolts (not shown) are formed at the other ends of the arms 48, 48.
After a bolt is inserted through the holes 50 and 50 and a torsion spring 51 is inserted through the bolt, the bolt is fixed to a fixed portion (not shown) provided on the inner surface of the frame 15. The torsion springs 51, 51 are formed with locking portions 52, 53 that are locked to the arms 48, 48 and the fixed portion. The repulsive force of the torsion springs 51, 51 causes the roller 45 to elastically contact the upper portions of the coil springs 16, 17.

As a result, as shown in FIG.
When the ground (lawn surface) G has irregularities, the coil springs 16 and 17 can be deformed corresponding to the irregularities.
Therefore, even if the golf ball 3 has fallen into the recess of the ground G, it can be reliably collected.

Further, the power cylinder 18 is a DC
Other than the motor drive type, a hydraulic cylinder, an air cylinder, a solenoid type, or the like that uses other power may be used. In addition to the power cylinder 18, other hoisting and lowering devices such as a gear type or a rope or chain winding type may be used. The power cylinder may have a shock absorber type elasticity, and the sphere collecting device may swing up and down along the curve and the unevenness of the ground G.

Further, the diameters of the coil springs 16 and 17,
The winding interval and the elastic coefficient are uniform as a whole, but may be partially non-uniform, and may be smaller (or larger) closer to the ball receiving portion 35 or closer to both ends, for example.

Further, the coil springs 16 and 17 are 1
The number of books may be three or more. The winding direction may be left-handed or right-handed, and preferably the winding direction in which the golf balls 3 can be collected on the side opposite to the driver's seat, as in the above-described embodiment. This is to prevent the pipe 36 from interfering with getting on and off the driver's seat.

Further, the wire material constituting the coil springs 16 and 17 may be made of metal such as iron, synthetic resin, or other material such as fiber reinforced plastic. The cross-sectional shape of the wire is not limited to a circle, and may be an ellipse, a polygon (square, rectangle, trapezoid, etc.), or a thin plate shape.

In addition, the golf balls 3 collected are loaded on the loading platform 11
The carrying device for carrying to c may be other carrying device such as a belt conveyor, a bucket conveyor, or a screw conveyor, in addition to the above-mentioned conveyor using the coil spring 37.

Further, the moving body to which the sphere collecting device is attached is not limited to the light truck as in the above-mentioned embodiment, but may be a specially made engine vehicle or electric vehicle, or a hand-push type small carrier vehicle. Further, it may be a radio-controlled or self-propelled robot type moving body.

In addition, the device of the present invention changes the interval of the spiral of the cylindrical body so that a spherical body other than the golf ball, for example,
Sports goods such as baseball balls and tennis balls, agricultural and fishery products such as potatoes, mandarin oranges, apples, chestnuts, shellfish, eggs, stones, etc. It can be used as a device for collecting a polyhedron, a thorn or an object having irregularities on the surface.

[0051]

As described above in detail, the present invention has a structure in which a spherical body having a spiral structure having a distance shorter than the diameter of the spherical body is rolled into the cylindrical body to collect the spherical body. This makes the device of the present invention lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture.

Further, since the cylindrical body has a spiral structure, the grass is not damaged. Moreover, since the structure is simple, maintenance is inexpensive and easy. Further, since the sphere once taken into the cylinder moves inside the cylinder, it is not discharged to the ground again, and the sphere can be reliably collected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a sphere collecting apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a left side view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 4 Coil springs 16 and 17 and roller 21
It is a top view which shows arrangement | positioning of -27.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are cross-sectional views around the ball receiving portion.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the vicinity of a discharge port 41.

7 (A), (B) and (C) are coil springs 1.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the sphere 3 is taken into 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a ball receiving portion.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a state in which a frame is lifted.

10 (A) and 10 (B) are cross-sectional views showing another embodiment of a sphere lifting means.

11A is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the roller, and FIG. 11B is a perspective view showing the structure of the roller.

12A and 12B are perspective views of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Vehicle body, 11c ... Luggage platform, 12 ... Fixing plate, 15
... Frame, 16, 17 ... Coil spring, 21-2
7 ... Roller, 35 ... Ball receiving portion, 37 ... Coil spring, 38 ... Motor, t ... Interval.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A frame which can be attached to the front or rear surface of a power-type or manual-type moving body having a spherical accommodating portion, and a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the moving body on a horizontal plane. Is rotatably supported so as to serve as an axis, has a spiral structure with a winding interval slightly shorter than the diameter of the sphere, and elastically deforms to expand the winding interval to take in the sphere 1 or 2 The above cylindrical body, a ball receiving portion attached to the frame so as to face the side opening of the cylindrical body, and receiving the spherical body discharged from the opening, and conveying the spherical body from the spherical receiving section to the accommodating portion. A sphere collecting apparatus comprising: a carrier. 2. The cylindrical body is a hollow spiral body of a coil spring, and the spherical body taken inside is moved to the side opening by the rotation of the spiral structure. Sphere collection device described 3. The sphere collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is a conveyor in which the sphere moves inside by rotating a coil spring.