US3294402A

US3294402A - Golf ball teeing device with photocell and counter operated control means

Info

Publication number: US3294402A
Application number: US324492A
Authority: US
Inventors: Howard A Scott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-11-18
Filing date: 1963-11-18
Publication date: 1966-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-27

Description

Dec. 27, w66 H A. SCOTT 3,294,402

GOLF BALL TEEING DEVCE WITH PHOTOCELL AND COUNTER OPERATED CONTROL MEANS Filed Nov. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l l fly/f HOWARD A. SCOTT INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1966 H. A. SCOTT 3,294,402

GOLF BALL TLEING DEVICE wTTH THoTocELL AND COUNTER OPERATED CONTROL MEANS Filed Nov. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HOWARD A. SCOTT lNVENTOf? TTO/PNEKY 3,294,4@2 @GLF BALL TElElNG DEJEQE Vl/HTH PHGTUClElLlL AND @GNTER @PERATED QUNTRQL MEANS Howard A. Scott, 6476 N. Pleasant, Fresno, Calif. 931765 Filed Nov. 1%, i963, Ser. No. 324,492 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-201) The present invention relates to a golf ball teeing device for golf courses, driving ranges and the like and more particularly to such a device which is automatically operable to tee a predetermined number of balls in desired sequence with a minimum of manipulations by the golfer.

Golf courses, driving ranges, and the like regularly employ golf ball teeing devices for use by golfers during practice driving and the lik Such teeing devices usually provide a permanently anchored resilient tee, a golf ball hopper adjacent to the tee, and a manipulatable ball positioning member pivotally mounted on and extendable from the hopper. The ball positioning member is operable to deposit golf balls from the hopper one at a time onto the tee. The ball positioning member usually consists of a spring hinged spout which is adapted to be engaged by the head of a golf club for manipulation by the golfer to such ball depositing position. After positioning a ball on the tee, the spout is then permitted to spring clear of the ball striking area upon release of the head of the golf club therefrom. lf such return of the spout is not precisely controlled by gradual release of the head of the club therewith, the golf ball is frequently jarred oli' the tee. Also, the entrance of golf balls into the spout from the hopper is not easily controlled by manipulation ofthe head of the club with the spout so that frequently more than one ball is permitted to enter the spout. Such condition either causes the balls to jam, blocking the exit from the spout or the balls successively spill from the spout which precludes accurate positioning of the balls on the tee. The surface iinish of the head of the golf club also becomes scratched due to engagement with the spout during such teeing operation.

Therefore, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide an improved golf ball teeing device.

Another object is to provide such an improved golf ball teeing device which automatically accurately positions a golf ball on the tee with a minimum of manipulation by the golfer.

Another object is to provide a golf ball teeing device of the character described which is capable of dependably delivering one ball at a time onto the tee and disposing the same in desired ball striking position.

Another object is to provide a golf ball teeing device providing smooth gradual delivery of the golf ball to the striking position with a minimum of jarring.

Another object is to provide a golf ball teeing device which dependably constrains the golf ball on the tee during movement to the ball striking position.

Another object is to provide a golf ball teeing device which requires no manual handling of the golf balls by the golfer.

Another object is to providea golf ball teeing device which is capable of teeing a predetermined number of balls in desired time-delay sequence.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will subsequently become moreclearly apparent upon reference to the following description in the specification.

In the drawings:

PIG. 1 is a side elevation of the golf ball teeing device of the present invention, with portions broken away for illustrative convenience, showing the teeing device disposed in partial underground installation.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged side elevation and partial section of the golf ball teeing device of FIG. 1.

itd States Patent O M' '3,294,462 Patented Dec. 27,1966

ICC

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the golf ball hopper portion of the device of the present invention taken on a plane generally indicated by line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary further enlarged central section through a golf ball teeing and delivery member of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the electrical control circuit for the teeing device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a second form of the present invention showing a mechanically actuated teeing device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the golf ball teeing device of the present invention provides a frame l0 having a plurality of interconnected side members 11, bottom members l2 and top members lll disposed in underground position. The frame supports a substantially flat deck or platform le of rigid sheet material disposed in coplanar relation with the surface of the ground. The platform provides a centrally disposed ball ejecting opening 17 therethrough and mounts an elongated tubular golf ball guide member Ztl in depending relation therefrom in registry with the opening 17.

An elongated tubular piston 25 is slidably disposed for reciprocation within the guide member Ztl. The piston provides an internally threaded upper end 26 and an opposite lower end 2'7. A wall 28 is mounted within the piston intermediate its ends to mount a photo-electric cell liti having a base portion 31 connected to the wall and an upper light sensitive end 32 disposed adjacent to the upper end 26 of the piston. An externally screw threaded upper end plug 35 is screw threadably received within the upper end 26 of the piston and provides a centrally disposed screw threaded bore 36 therethrough. An elongated tubular tee liti of resiliently ilexible material provides a lower reduced diameter externally threaded tubular portion il?. which is screw threadably received within the bore 36 of the mounting to support the tee in upwardly extended relation from the piston 25. The tee ttl further provides an open upper ball engaging end i4- which is adapted to receive and hold a golf ball i6 thereon in elevated ball striking position above the platform lo of the frame.

An elongated rocker bar Sil provides a lower pivot end 52 pivotally mounted on one of the side members 11 of the frame lil and an opposite upper swinging end 53 pivotally mounted by a link 54 on the lower end 27 of the piston 25. An elongated hydraulic movement retarding cylinder 56 provides a piston end 57 pivotally mounted on the rocker bar adjacent to its upper end and includes an opposite cylinder end S8 pivotally mounted on a bracket 60 rigidly mounted on the guide member 20. An elongated tension spring o3 is also connected between the bracket and the rocker bar in juxtaposition to the cylinder 56. The spring thereby concurrently urges the piston 25, the tee 40, and the golf ball 46 to the full line ball striking position of FIGS. l, 2, and 4.

An elongated inclined golf ball delivery tube 64 has an upper end 65 and an opposite lower end 66. The lower end of the delivery tube is mounted intermediate the ends of the guide member 2t) in opening relation into the interior of the guide member.

An electric motor 7tl is mounted on an auxiliary frame 72 within the frame 10 in elevated position adjacent t0 the rocker bar 50. The motor includes a drive shaft 73 on which is mounted a crank arm 75 having a roller 76 thereon engageable with the rocker bar adjacent to the cylinder 56. The motor includes a set of reduction gears, not shown, for rotating the drive shaft and crank arm in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 2, for swinging the rocker bar downwardly therewith to slide the piston 25 downwardly within the guide member 2t) to the dashed line position of FIG. 2.

A mechanical counter mechanism is generally indicated by theV reference numeral 80 which provides a toothed ratchet wheel 82 rotatably mounted on a shaft 83 journaled in a bracket S4 secured to one of the side members 11 of the frame 10. A lever 85 is mounted on the shaft adjacent to the ratchet wheel and mounts a ratchet pawl 87 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 82. The lever arm 85 is connected to the rocker bar 50 by an elongated connecting rod 88 therebetween. The ratchet wheel 82 provides a cam portion 89 which is engageable with a limit switch 90 pivotally mounted 0n a bracket 92 secured to the side member 11 of the frame below the bracket 84.

The upper end 65 of the golf ball delivery tube 64 is extended above the surface of the ground for connection to a golf ball hopper 95. As best shown in FIGS. l and 3, the hopper provides opposite end walls 96, side walls 97, and a hinged cover 98. As best shown in FIG. 3, the side walls 97 provide inwardly inclined lower wall portions 99 which converge toward a constricted throat portion 100. The throat is longitudinally inclined in a plane aligned with the axis of the delivery tube 64 and provides an upper end 102 and a lower end 103 connected to the upper end of the delivery tube. A pair of elongated cylindrical rolls 105 having a multiplicity of golf ball engaging fingers 106 radially extended therefrom are rotatably mounted in transversely spaced substantially parallel relation within the throat of the hopper immediately above the portion of the throat aligned with the delivery tube. The rolls are spaced sufficiently to permit the passage of only one row of golf balls therebetween at a time. The outer ends of the rolls are extended through the end walls 96 of the hopper opposite to the delivery tube 64 respectively to mount drive gears 108 and 109. An electric motor 112 is mounted on the end wall of the housing adjacent to the rolls and mounts a drive gear 113 which meshes with the drive gear 108 to drive the rolls 105 in opposite directions so that their adjacent peripheries are traveled in the same upward direction, as viewed in FIG. 3. A coin holder 115 having a coin receiving portion 116 is mounted on the cover 98 of the hopper.

The described electrical components of the present invention are interconnected by an electrical control circuit shown in FIG. 5. Such circuit provides a main line 120 which is connected to a source of direct current such as a battery, transformer, or the like which is connected to one side of the photo-electric cell 30. The main line continues from the photo-electric cell to a post 122 on the pivoted limit switch 90 associated with the ratchet wheel 82. The limit switch 90 is normally closed and provides a second post 123 to continue the main line 120 to the electric motor 70 associated with the rocker bar 50. A branch main line 125 is extended from the main line 120 to the electric motor 112 for driving the golf ball stirring rolls 105. An auxiliary control line 130 is connected to the main line 120 to a first pole 132 of a limit switch 134 connected to the coin receiving portion 116 of the coin holder 115. The limit switch 134 provides a second pole 135 which is connected to a solenoid or relay switch 140 having mechanical connection to the limit switch 90 for pivoting the same between the full line and dashed line positions of FIG. 5. A bypass line 142 is connected to the main line 120 around the photo-electric cell 30 and includes a switch 143 for manually controlling the system in case of failure of the photo-electric cell.

Second form A second form of the present invention is shown in FIG. 6 which does not require the electrical control system of the first form but which utilizes substantially all the mechanical structure thereof. The same reference characters are provided for elements in the second form which are identical to those of the first form. As best shown in FIG. 6, the platform 16 of the frame 10 of the first form is modified to include an opening 150 therethrough disposed in spaced relation to the ball ejecting opening 17. An elongated rod 152 is extended through the opening 150 in the platform and provides a lower bifurcated end 154 pivotally mounted intermediate the ends of the rocker bar 50. The rod includes an upper actuating end 156 having a foot pedal 157 disposed thereon for depressing the upper actuating end toward the platform to pivot the rocker bar downwardly within the frame in a manner similar to the movement provided by the motor 70 of the first form. Also, the stiring rolls 10S in the hopper are manually actuated in this form, if such is desired.

Operation The operation of the described embodiments of the subject invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. The hopper 95 is filled with a plurality of golf balls 46 which are permitted gravitational-ly to descend downwardly into the throat portion thereof with the lowermost row of balls being permitted to pass between the stirring rolls and downwardly through the inclined delivery tube 64. T-he forwardmost golf ball abuts the piston 25 within the guide member 20 to preclude entrance of the balls into the guide member with the remaining balls stacked therebehind completely to fill the delivery tube 64. With the piston 25 disposed in its uppermost position blocking the delivery tube 64, the tee 40 is disposed in elevated position above the platform 16 initially without a golf ball blocking the upper end thereof. In such condition, the photo-electric cell 30 within the piston receives light through the tubular tee to connect the main electrical supply line therethrough. However, with the cornpletion of a previous cycle of operation, the normally closed limit switch 90 is at this time disposed in the full line position of FIG. 5 with the cam portion 89 of the ratchet wheel rested against the switch to open the connection between its first and second main line connecting poles 122 and 123.

Upon the introduction of a coin into the coin receiving portion 116 of the coin holder 115, the first and

second poles

132 and 135 of the limit switch 134 are momentarily closed to energize the reset relay to swing the limit switch 90 to the dashed line position of FIG. 5 out of engagement with the cam portion 89 of the ratchet wheel 82. In such position of the limit switch 90, the poles 122 and 123 thereof are closed to complete the circuit from the source of electrical energy through the photo-electric cell 30 to the

electric motors

70 and 112.

Upon actuation of the electric motor 112, the stirring rolls 105 are rotated in opposite directions so that their adjacent peripheries are traveled in the same upward direction within the throat portion 100 of the hopper 95. Such rotation causes a continual stirring or agitation of the golf balls therein to prevent jamming of balls during passage from the throat portion of the hopper to the delivery tube 64.

With actuation of the electric motor 70, the crank arm 75 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction through approximately a one-third segment of a complete turn, as viewed in FIG. 2, which causes the roller 76 thereon to swing the rocker bar 50 downwardly within the frame 10 to the maximum lower dashed line position. Such movement of the rocker bar slides the piston 25 downwardly within the guide member 20, extends the piston end 57 of the cylinder 56 and tensions the return spring 63. After movement of the piston downwardly past the forwardmost ball in the delivery tube 64, the upper end 44 of the tee is disposed below the tube so that such ball is permitted gravitationally to enter the guide member and come to rest upon the upper end 44 of the tee. Such deposit of the ball on the tee blocks the entrance of light into and through the tee to the photo-electric cell 30. Such absence of light causes the photo-electric cell to interrupt the flow 0f electrical current through the main supply line 120 to de-energize the

eelctric motors

70 and 112.

After the motor has stopped, the crank arm and roller are disposed in a somewhat over-center position from the dashed line position shown in FIG. 2 so that the force exerted by the return spring 63 is sucient to return the piston 25, tee 40, and golf ball 46 upwardly through the guide member 20 to the full line position of FIG. 2 with the tee and gold ball elevated above the platform 16 in ball striking position. Such return movement of the piston is controlled by the cylinder 56 which has a dampening or movement restricting effect on the rocker bar 5t) to provide a smooth, gradual ascent of the piston,4 tee, and ball upwardly through the guide member. Also during such ascent, the piston 25 again blocks the delivery tube 64 to insure that no other golf ball enters the guide member 20 during the cycle of operation. The force of the return spring 63 is also suiiicient to cause the rocker bar further to rotate the crank arm 75 of the deenergized motor upwardly therewith through a second one-third segment of one full rotation of the crank arm. As soon as the golf ball 46 is driven from the tee 40, `light is again admitted through the tee to the photo-electric cell 30 which again completes the electrical circuit to the

motors

70 and 112 automatically to repeat the above described operating cycle.

The counter mechanism 80 is effective automatically to stop such re-cycling of the piston 25. The ratchet wheel S2 provides a plurality of teeth corresponding in number to the number of ball teeing cycles desired. During such swinging movement of the rocker bar 50, the lever arm S5 actuates the ratchet pawl 87 against one tooth of the ratchet wheel 82 by its connection with the rocker bar through the connecting rod 88. The cam portion 89 of the ratchet wheel is located thereon adjacent to the last tooth on the wheel corresponding to the desired number of ball teeing cycles. With engagement of said =last tooth of the ratchet wheel by the ratchet pawl 87, the cam portion 89 thereof engages the normally closed limit switch 90 to open the contact posts 122 and 123 thereof. Such action interrupts the electrical circuit to themotors to de-energize the

motors

70 and 112 so that when the last of the predetermined number of golf balls has been driven from the tee 40, the photo-electric cell is thereby ineffectual to complete the circuit to the motors in view of the now open limit switch 90.

The system can only be re-set by the subsequent introduction of a coin into the coin holder 115 to close the ylimit switch 90`to the dashed line position of FIG. 5 out of engagement with the cam portion 89 of the ratchet wheel 82. Such action permits the limit switch 90 to close for completing the electrical circuit to the motors by way of t-he previously closed photo-electric cell 3l). It is noted that the re-set relay 140 is only momentarily energized during insertion of the coin into the coin holder 115 to cause a correspondingly momentary disposal of the limit switch 90 in the dashed line position of FIG. 5; It is apparent that at the same time the rocker bar 50 is actuated to move t'he ratchet wheel 82 one increment of rotation by movement of the ratchet pawl 87, lever arm 85, and connecting rod 88. Such movement of the ratchet wheel carries the cam portion 89 thereof past the afore-described position engageable with the limit switch 90 even though the limit switch is returned to the full line position of FIG. 5 in coplanar relation with the ratchet wheel.

Operation 0f the second form The identical elements of the invention are operative in the second form in the same manner as previously described for the rst form. In this form, the golf ball stirring rolls 105 within the hopper 95 are periodically manually rotated, if desired. The tee 40 is initially disposed in elevated position extended above the platform 16 as shown in FIG. 6 without the golf ball 46 thereon. After filling the hopper with a predetermined number of golf balls which gravitationally disposed themselves in stacked relation within the delivery tube 64, the foot pedal 157 is depressed toward the platform to lower the rod 152 to swing the rocker bar 50 about its pivotal mounting on the frame 10. Such action causes the piston 25 and the tee 40 to slide downwardly through the guide member 20, the piston end 57 of the cylinder 56 to be extended and the return spring 63 to be tensioned. With complete depression of the foot pedal, the tee is disposed in ball receiving position beneath the delivery tube 63. The forwardmost golf ball in the delivery tube gravitationally descends upon the upper end 44 of the tee. Upon release of the downward force on the rod 152, the force of the tensioned return spring 63 motivates the piston, tee and golf ball upwardly through the guide member 20 to the ball striking position with the golf ball 46 elevationally positioned above the platform.

In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the structure of the present invention provides an improved golf ball teeing device which is substantially automatically operated to tee a predetermined number of golf balls for successive driving practice. The time delay between successive strokes to remove golf balls from the tee is entirely u-nder the control of the golfer since the electrical control system is not actuated until the golf ball is removed from the tee. Both forms of the present invention preclude jamming of golf balls in the hopper portion thereof and insure that only one golf ball at a time is permitted into the ball ejecting mechanism. The actuation of the golf ball teeing device is accomplished with a minimum of manipulation by the golfer and requires no direct handling of the golf balls. The electrically controlled system of the first form of the invention is automatically actuated upon removal' of the golf ball from the tee and is operative automatically to shut off when a predetermined number of golf balls have been teed.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A golf ball teeing device comprising a frame adapted to be disposed in underground position having an exposed upper platform portion providing a golf ball ejecting opening therethrough, an elongated tubular golf ball guide member mounted on the platform in depending relation therefrom in registry with said opening, a source of golf balls, an elongated inclined golf ball delivery tube having a lower end connected to said guide member in down wardly spaced relation from said platform and an upper end connected to said source of golf balls, an elongated piston reciprocably disposed within said golf ball guide member providing opposite upper and lower ends, a tubular tee of resiliently exible material mounted on said upper end of the piston in upward extension therefrom, a rocker bar having an end pivotally mounted on the frame in downwardly spaced relation from the platform and an opposite end pivotally connected to said piston, said arm including spaced substantially parallel upper and lower side surfaces, an electrically powered motor mounted on the frame having a rotatable crank arm providing a roller disposed in continuous engagement with said upper side surface of said rocker bar intermediate its ends, a coin actuated electrical control circuit connected to said motor, a photo-electric switch disposed in said circuit and mounted within the piston to receive externally available light through said tubular tee upon removal of the golf ball therefrom for completing the electrical circuit to the motor for energizing the same to rotate said crank arm and roller downwardly against said upper side surface of the rocker bar so as to motivate the piston downwardly through said guide member to a lower retracted position with the tee disposed below the lower end of the delivery tube gravitationally to receive a golf ball thereon with said golf ball blocking said externally available light to said photo-electric switch to interrupt the ow of electrical current to the motor for de-energizing the same, an elongated tension spring extended between said rocker bar and said guide member to return said piston and such a golf ball thereon upwardly through said guide member to dispose the golf ball in ball striking position with said piston blocking the golf ball delivery tube during movement of the piston to said upper ball striking position, a counter connected to said rocker bar having a switch portion in said electrical control circuit for interrupting the ow of current to said motor upon a predetermined number of cycles of the piston between its upper and lower positions, and electrical means energized by initial actuation of said coin operated control circuit to re-set said switch portion of the counter during subsequent actuation of said circuit and said counter.

2. A golf ball teeing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said source of golf balls comprises a hopper having lower opposite walls downwardly converging to form an elongtaed constricted throat longitudinally inclined in a plane aligned with said golf ball delivery tube, a pair of elongated cylindrical rolls providing a multiplicity of golf ball engaging lingers radially extended therefrom for rotation in transversely spaced substantially parallel coextensive relation within the throat to permit the passage of only one row of golf balls at a time therebetween from the hopper into the delivery tube, and an electric motor connected to said rolls for rotating the same in opposite directions and being connected in said electric circuit in parellel relation to said motor actuating the piston.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,667,481 4/1928 Lange et al 273-201 X 1,743,576 1/1930 Smith 124-49 X 2,127,282 8/1938 Beckett 273-201 2,152,680 4/1939 Blaski 273-201 2,295,599 9/1942 Mozel 273-201 2,518,457 8/1950 Fretter 273-43 2,530,698 11/ 1950 Hogeberg 273-201 2,609,199 9/1952 Koener 273-201 X 2,615,716 10/1952 Montooth et al 273-43 2,711,321 6/1955 McGraw 273-201 3,003,770 10/ 1961 Jones 273-201 3,075,774 1/1963 Buell 273-201 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Examiner.

Claims

1. A GOLF BALL TEEING DEVICE COMPRISING A FRAME ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN UNDERGROUND POSITION HAVING AN EXPOSED UPPER PLATFORM PORTION PROVIDING A GOLF BALL EJECTING OPENING THERETHROUGH, AN ELONGATED TUBULAR GOLF BALL GUIDED MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE PLATFORM IN DEPENDING RELATION THEREFROM IN REGISTRY WITH SAID OPENING, A SOURCE OF GOLF BALLS, AN ELONGATED INCLINED GOLF BALL DELIVERY TUBE HAVING A LOWER END CONNECTED TO SAID GUIDE MEMBER IN DOWNWARDLY SPACED RELATION FROM SAID PLATFORM AND AN UPPER END CONNECTED TO SAID COURCE OF GOLF BALLS AN ELONGATED PISTON RECIPROCATABLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID GOLF BALL GUIDE MEMBER PROVIDING OPPOSITE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, A TUBULAR TEE OF RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE MATERIAL MOUNTED ON SAID UPPER END OF THE PISTON IN UPPER EXTENSION THEREFROM, A ROCKER BAR HAVING AN END PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME IN DOWNWARDLY SPACED RELATION FROM THE PLATFORM AND AN OPPOSITE END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID PISTON, SAID ARM INCLUDING SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL UPPER AND LOWER SIDE SURFACES, AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED MOTOR MOUNTED ON THE FRAME HAVING A ROTATABLE CRANK ARM PROVIDING A ROLLER DISPOSED IN CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID UPPER SIDE SURFACE OF SAID ROCKER BAR INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, A COIN ACTUATED ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR, A PHOTO-ELECTRIC SWITCH DISPOSED IN SAID CIRCUIT AND MOUNTED WITHIN THE PISTON TO RECEIVE EXTERNALLY AVAILABLE LIGHT THROUGH SAID TUBULAR TEE UPON REMOVAL OF THE GOLF BALL THEREFROM FOR COMPLETING THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT TO THE MOTOR FOR ENERGIZING THE SAME TO ROTATE SAID CRANK ARM AND ROLLER DOWNWARDLY AGAINST SAID UPPER SIDE SURFACE OF THE ROCKER BAR SO AS TO MOTIVATE THE PISTON DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID GUIDE MEMBER TO A LOWER RETRACTED POSITION WITH THE TEE DISPOSED BELOW THE LOWER END OF THE DELIVERY TUBE GRAVITATIONALLY TO RECEIVE A GOLF BALL THEREON WITH SAID GOLF BALL BLOCKING SAID EXTERNALLY AVAILABLE LIGHT TO SAID PHOTO-ELECTRIC SWITCH TO INTERRUPT THE FLOW OF ELECTRICAL CURRENT TO THE MOTOR FOR DE-ENERGIZING THE SAME, AN ELONGATED TENSION SPRING EXTENDED BETWEEN SAID ROCKER BAR AND SAID GUIDE MEMBER TO RETURN SAID PISTON AND SUCH A GOLF BALL THEREON UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID GUIDE MEMBER TO DISPOSED THE GOLF BALL IN BALL STRIKING POSITION WITH SAID PISTON BLOCKING THE GOLF BALL DELIVERY TUBE DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON TO SAID UPPER BALL STRIKING POSITION, A COUNTER CONNECTED TO SAID ROCKER BAR HAVING A SWITCH PORTION IN SAID ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR INTERRUPTING THE FLOW OF CURRENT TO SAID MOTOR UPON A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF CYCLES OF THE PISTON BETWEEN ITS UPPER AND LOWER POSITIONS, AND ELECTRICAL MEANS ENERGIZED BY INITIAL ACTUATION OF SAID COIN OPERATED CONTROL CIRCUIT TO RE-SET SAID SWITCH PORTION OF THE COUNTER DURING SUBSEQUENT ACTUATION OF SAID CIRCUIT AND SAID COUNTER.