US3311261A - Automatic dispensing machine for golf balls - Google Patents

Description

G. VENZKE March 28, 1967 AUTOMATIC DISPENSING MACHINE FOR GOLF BALLS Filed March 30, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Gene Venzke INVENTOR.

G. VENZKE March 28, 1 .967

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, 1966 6 a. o 0 i F 8 7 6 w m N z K v J. \L 0 4 2 0 4 m +wmmwk u H m 9 w a 3 as L Gene Venzke INVENTOR.

March :28, 1967 (5. VENZKE 3,331,261

AUTOMATIC DISPENSING MACHINE FOR GOLF BALLS Filed. March 30, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 m Fig. 3 EF Fig.4

em? Venzfire 1N VENTOR.

United States Patent dfiliidl Patented Mar. 2%, i967 3,311,261 AUTOMATIC DISPENSlNG MACHINE F91 GOLF BALLS Gene Venzlre, Reading, Pa, assignor to Reading Golf Equipment & Supply Co., Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 538,719 Ciairns. (Cl. 221-179) This invention relates to a novel and useful automatic dispensing machine for golf balls and more specifically to a machine into which a large number of practice golf balls may be placed and which may be utilized to consecutively dispense individual groups of a predetermined number of practice golf balls responsive to insertion of the proper value coin or coins into a coin-controlled actuating assembly of the machine,

The machine of the instant invention includes a hollow housing defining a practice ball storage compartment in the upper portion thereof of a volume adapted to receive several thousand practice golf balls. The housing also includes a lower golf ball dispensing chamber and a means is provided to deliver balls from the upper storage compartment by gravity to the lower golf ball dispensing compartment in a manner insuring a constant supply of balls in the dispensing compartment without excessively crowding the dispensing compartment with an excess of golf balls.

Further, the dispensing compartment includes means adapted to engage a plurality of balls rolling by gravity down the bottom of the lower golf ball dispensing compartment and to guide a predetermined number of balls to a discharge position extending along one marginal edge portion of the ball wall of the golf ball dispensing chamber. The machine also includes delivery means operative to intermittently receive each group of balls disposed in the aforementioned position and to dispense each group received upon actuation of the coin-controlled actuating mechanism of the machine.

The main object of this invention is to provide a dispensing machine for golf balls, and in particular practicing golf balls, which will be capable of storing a large number of golf balls therein and intermittently dispensing a predetermined number of golf balls in response to operation of a coin-controlled mechanism operatively associated with the dispensing mechanism of the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine in accordance with the preceding object which will, independently of the coin-operated control mechanism which will be of the manually actuatable type, intermittently dispense groups of practice golf balls without relying on any external power supply.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein to provide a machinein accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing machine of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the machine with its top wall removed as well as the upper bottom wall of the storage compartment of the machine and with the coincontrolled actuating mechanism illustrated in phantom lines;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon a plane indicated by section line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view similar to that of FIGURE 4 but with the ball dispensing mechanism of the machine in a different position of operation;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary longitudinally vertical sectional view similar to that of FIGURE 3 but illustrating the receptacle assembly in elevated position; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the vertically shiftable ball dispensing receptacle of the machine illustrated on somewhat of a reduced scale.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral it? generally designates a machine of the instant invention which includes a large volume hollow housing generally referred to by the reference numeral 12 provided with opposite side walls 14 and 16, opposite end walls 18 and 20, and a top wall 22 which may be removably secured over the top of the housing 12 in any convenient manner. Further, the housing 12 includes four corner supporting leg assemblies 24 which may be of any suitable design and adjustable in length if desired.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG- URES 3 and 4 of the drawings it may be seen that the machine it also includes a lower bottom Wall generally referred to by the reference numeral 28 including a pair of opposite side sections 34) and 32. The sections 30 and 32 are each longitudinally inclined downwardly toward the front end wall 18 and also toward their inner marginal edge portions 34 and 36, the latter being spaced apart and secured to an elongated and also longitudinally inclined upwardly opening trough structure 38 defined by a pair of U-shaped brackets 4i) and 42 supported from a pair of angle irons 44 and 46 secured between the ends walls 18 and 2t) and to which the inner marginal edge portions 36 and 34, respectively, of the sections 30 and 32 are secured.

Still further, the housing 12 includes a plurality of transverse brace members 48 secured between the side walls 14 and 16 and which support an upper bottom Wall 59 defining the bottom of a golf ball storage compartment 52 defined above the bottom wall 50 in the upper portion of the housing 12. The bottom wall 50 is inclined oppositely relative to the longitudinal inclination of the bottom wall 28 and has its rear lower end 52 spaced slightly from the rear wall 29 of the housing defining a throat 54 through which golf balls are adapted to fall b-y gravity into the lower dispensing compartment 56 defined between the bottom walls 23 and 52.

A transverse brace 58 is supported from and extends transversely of the front wall 18 and a bearing journal 69 is supported from the brace 68 and aligned with a second bearing journal 62 dependingly supported from the rear transverse brace 48. An operating shaft 64 has its opposite ends rotatably received in the journals 6% and 62 and has a pair of operating arms 66 secured thereto. The free ends of the operating arms 66 have the upper end portions of a pair of lift arms 68 pivotally secured thereto. The lower ends of the lift arms 63 are secured to a receptacle assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 74 snugly receivable in the trough structure 38 and defining a pair of opposite side tracks or channels 71 and 72 extending longitudinally of the receptacle assembly. The tracks 71 and 72 are inclined downwardly toward the front wall 18 of the housing 12 and the receptacle assembly '79 includes a pair of upstand- 3 ing sides 74 and 76 whose purpose is to be hereinafter more fully set forth.

A pair of transversely extending opposite side baffles 78 are secured to the sections 36 and 32 adjacent their upper ends and a second pair of transverse b-afiles 80 are secured to the sections 30 and 32 adjacent their lower ends. Further, the trough assembly 33 extends throughout the length of only the lower portion of the bottom wall 23 and the upper end of the receptacle assembly includes an upstanding V-shaped baffie 82 which is vertically shiftable with the receptacle assembly 70.

An outlet receiver structure generally referred to by the reference numeral 84 is supported from the end wall 18 and includes an outlet neck 86 which opens outwardly of the housing 12 as at 88 and is adapted to have a bucket 91), see FIGURE 1, disposed thereunder for receiving the golf balls 92 dispensed from the machine 19.

The shaft 64 has mounted thereon a third arm 94 to whose free end an adjacent end of a connecting link 96 is pivotally secured as at 98. The remote end of the connecting link 96 is pivotally connected to the free end of a lever arm 98 by means of a pivot pin 109 and the lever arm 98 is secured to an actuating shaft 102 of a coincontrolled actuating mechanism 104 of any suitable design secured to the outer surface of the front wall 18 of the housing 12. Operatively connected to the shaft 162 is a lever 106 mounted on the exterior of the coin-controlled actuating mechanism 104 and the lever 166 is operably connected to the shaft 102 for free operation of the latter in response to actuation of the lever 196 only upon the insertion of the correct coin or coins into the coin intake slot 198 of the coin controlled actuating mechanism 104. Further, a dashpot assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 110 in the form of a telescopic cylinder has its extendible end pivotally secured to the pivot pin 160 and its base end pivotally secured to a bracket 112 supported from the front wall 18 by means of a pivot fastener 114, see FIGURE 2.

Each of the tracks 71 and 72 includes a bottom wall 116, see FIGURE 7, and each may include an upstanding and removable screw 118 threadedly engaged in a selected threaded aperture 119 formed through the corresponding bottom wall 116, there being provided a plurality of such threaded apertures 119 in each bottom or bottom wall 116 spaced longitudinally therealong. Accordingly, the screws 118 may be utilized to vary the number of golf balls within the tracks 71 and 72 that are free to roll downwardly to the lower end of the tracks 71 and 72 and outwardly of the outlet receiver structure 84 for ultimate dispensing into the bucket 90.

In operation, a plurality of golf balls may be loaded into the storage compartment 52 for discharge through the throat 54 downwardly onto the upper end of the bottom 28 disposed beneath the throat 54. The baffles 78 tend to prevent a wave of balls from overcrowding the lower portions of the bottom 28 and act to anchor the bottom of the pile of balls flowing downwardly through the throat 54 in order that the pile of balls will have a relatively great angle of repose. In addition, the bathe 82 will separate the flow of balls passing between the baffles 78 and striking the bafiie 82 into two separate streams of balls rolling downward along the raised sides 74 and 76 of the receptacle assembly when the latter is in the raised position illustrated in FIG. of the drawings. Accordingly, a single line of golf balls will be disposed along each side of the receptacle assembly 70 ready to roll into the tracks or channels 71 and 72 as soon as the receptacle assembly 70 is lowered to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings upon the insertion of the proper coins in a slot or opening 108 and subsequent actuation of the lever 1136. Of course, should there be any stray balls attempting to form a double line of balls down either side of the receptacle assembly 7-0, the baffles 88 will prevent such stray balls from moving therepast and will therefore insure the formation of a single line of balls along each side of the lower end of the receptacle disposed below the baffles 80.

The width of the troughs or tracks 71 and 72 is such that only a single line of golf balls may be received therein. Therefore, as soon as the lever 106 has been actuated to lower the receptacle assembly 71?, a single line of golf balls will fall into each track or. trough 71 and 72, thereafter upon release of the lever m6, the dashpot assembly will cause the receptacle assembly 70 to be raised to the position thereof illustrated in FI URE 5 of the drawings aligning the lower end of the tracks 71 and 72 with the outlet receiver 84 whereupon the balis in the tracks 71 and 72 will fiow outwardly of the receiver 84 and into the bucket 90. The screws 118 will, as aforementioned, limit the number of balls Within the troughs or tracks '71 and 72 which will be allowed to float downwardly along the receptacle assembly 7 0.

The vertical reciprocation of the baffle 32 during actua tion of the lever will have a tendency to agitate any balls collected between the adjacent marginal edge por tions of the upper ends of the sections 341 and 3 2 and to thereby cause any collection of balls to flow downwardly along opposite sides of the receptacle assembly 70 in single file fashion upon return of the receptacle assembly 70 to its elevated position illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A machine for dispensing golf balls, said machine comprising a hollow housing including an elongated bottom wall having a section thereof inclined downwardly toward one end and also toward one longitudinal marginal edge portion, said housing including ball engaging means adapted to engage a plurality of balls rolling down an upper portion of said section by gravity and guide a predetermined number of said balls into aligned position along said one longitudinal marginal edge portion, an elongated receptacle generally paralleling said edge portion in juxtaposed relation thereto and mounted from said machine for vertical movement relative to said section between a first lowered position and a second raised position, said receptacle including an upstanding side adjacent said marginal edge whose upper edge is disposed generally coplanar with the adjacent portions of said marginal edge when said receptacle is in said first position, said receptacle including means defining an inclined track extending along and inwardly of said side down which balls rolling laterally into said receptacle are adapted to roll, an outlet receiver in said housing above the lower end of said track when said receptacle is in its lowered position and registered with the lower end of said track when said receptacle is in its upper position, said receptacle including portions defining an upstanding fence along said marginal edge portion when said receptacle is in its raised position, and means operative to selectively raise and lower said receptacle, said machine including a ball storage compartment therein disposed above said bottom wall and means operative to deliver balls from said compartment by gravity to the upper end portion of said section in a manner insuring a constant supply of balls on the uper end portion of said section without excessively crowding said upper end portion, said ball storage means including a second bottom wall in said housing spaced above said bottom wall and inclined downwardly toward the upper end of said section and spaced above the latter at its lower end, said housing including an upstanding wall spaced slightly between the lower end of said second wall and defining a throat between said second bottom Wall and said upstanding wall communicating the ball storage area above said second bottom Wall with the ball dispensing area disposed between said bottom walls through which balls from said storage are-a are adapted to pass into said dispensing area at a controlled rate.

2. A machine for dispensing golf balls, said machine comprising a hollow housing including an elongated bottom wall having a section thereof inclined downwardly toward one end and also toward one longitudinal marginal edge portion, said housing including ball engaging means adapted to engage a plurality of balls rolling down an upper portion of said section by gravity and guide a predetermined number of said balls into aligned position along said one longitudinal marginal edge portion, an elongated receptacle generally paralleling said edge portion in juxtaposed relation thereto and mounted from said machine for vertical movement relative to said section between a first lowered position and a second raised position, said receptacle including an upstanding side adjacent said marginal edge whose upper edge is disposed generally coplanar with the adjacent portions of said marginal edge when said receptacle is in said first position, said receptacle including means defining an inclined track extending along and inwardly of said side down which balls rolling laterally into said receptacle are adapted to roll, an outlet receiver in said housing above the lower end of said track when said receptacle is in its lowered position and registered with the lower end of said track when said receptacle is in its upper position, said receptacle including portions defining an upstanding fence along said marginal edge portion when said receptacle is in its raised position, and means operative to selectively raise and lower said receptacle, said bottom wall including a second section generally paralleling and spaced to the side of the first mentioned section defining said one longitudinal marginal edge portion thereof and defining an elongated opening between said sections, said second section also being inclined downwardly toward the end thereof corresponding to said one end of the first mentioned section and also downwardly toward the latter, said receptacle being disposed between said sections and including means defining an inclined track and an upstanding side adjacent the longitudinal marginal edge of said second section corresponding to the first mentioned track 5 and side, the upper end of said receptacle adjacent the upper ends of said sections including bafile means operative to latterally deflect balls rolling toward the upper end of said receptacle to opposite sides of the latter.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said section includes transversely extending upstanding bafile means secured thereto at a point spaced down along said section from a vertical plane containing the lower edge of said second bottom wall, said bafile means terminating a spaced distance from said longitudinal marginal edge portion.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said bottom wall includes a second section generally paralleling and spaced to the side of the first mentioned section defining said one longitudinal marginal edge portion thereof and defining an elongated opening between said sections, said second section also being inclined downwardly toward the end thereof corresponding to said one end of the first mentioned section and also downwardly toward the latter, said receptacle being disposed between said sections and including means defining an inclined track and an up standing side adjacent the longitudinal marginal edge of said second section corresponding to the first mentioned track and side, the upper end of said receptacle adjacent the upper ends of said sections including baflle means operative to laterally deflect balls rolling toward the upper end of said receptacle to opposite sides of the latter.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said section includes transversely extending upstanding bafile means secured thereto at a point spaced down along said section from a vertical plane containing the lower edge of said second bottom wall, said bafiie means terminating a spaced distance from said longitudinal marginal edge portion, said means operative to selectively raise and lower said receptacle including coin-controlled actuating means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,446,381 2/1923 Dent 22l474 X 1,803,993 5/1931 Brennan 22l254 X 2,013,881 9/1935 Fleming 221274 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A MACHINE FOR DISPENSING GOLF BALLS, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A HOLLOW HOUSING INCLUDING AN ELONGATED BOTTOM WALL HAVING A SECTION THEREOF INCLINED DOWNWARDLY TOWARD ONE END AND ALSO TOWARD ONE LONGITUDINAL MARGINAL EDGE PORTION, SAID HOUSING INCLUDING BALL ENGAGING MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A PLURALITY OF BALLS ROLLING DOWN AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID SECTION BY GRAVITY AND GUIDE A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF SAID BALLS INTO ALIGNED POSITION ALONG SAID ONE LONGITUDINAL MARGINAL EDGE PORTION, AN ELONGATED RECEPTACLE GENERALLY PARALLELING SAID EDGE PORTION IN JUXTAPOSED RELATION THERETO AND MOUNTED FROM SAID MACHINE FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID SECTION BETWEEN A FIRST LOWERED POSITION AND A SECOND RAISED POSITION, SAID RECEPTACLE INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING SIDE ADJACENT SAID MARGINAL EDGE WHOSE UPPER EDGE IS DISPOSED GENERALLY COPLANAR WITH THE ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID MARGINAL EDGE WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION, SAID RECEPTACLE INCLUDING MEANS DEFINING AN INCLINED TRACK EXTENDING ALONG AND INWARDLY OF SAID SIDE DOWN WHICH BALLS ROLLING LATERALLY INTO SAID RECEPTACLE ARE ADAPTED TO ROLL, AN OUTLET RECEIVER IN SAID HOUSING ABOVE THE LOWER END OF SAID TRACK WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS IN ITS LOWERED POSITION AND REGISTERED WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID TRACK WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS IN ITS UPPER POSITION, SAID RECEPTACLE INCLUDING PORTIONS DEFINING AN UPSTANDING FENCE ALONG SAID MARGINAL EDGE PORTION WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS IN ITS RAISED POSITION, AND MEANS OPERATIVE TO SELECTIVELY RAISE AND LOWER SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID MACHINE INCLUDING A BALL STORAGE COMPARTMENT THEREIN DISPOSED ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL AND MEANS OPERATIVE TO DELIVER BALLS FROM SAID COMPARTMENT BY GRAVITY TO THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID SECTION IN A MANNER INSURING A CONSTANT SUPPLY OF BALLS ON THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID SECTION WITHOUT EXCESSIVELY CROWDING SAID UPPER END PORTION, SAID BALL STORAGE MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND BOTTOM WALL IN SAID HOUSING SPACED ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL AND INCLINED DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE UPPER END OF SAID SECTION AND SPACED ABOVE THE LATTER AT ITS LOWER END, SAID HOUSING INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING WALL SPACED SLIGHTLY BETWEEN THE LOWER END OF SAID SECOND WALL AND DEFINING A THROAT BETWEEN SAID SECOND BOTTOM WALL AND SAID UPSTANDING WALL COMMUNICATING THE BALL STORAGE AREA ABOVE SAID SECOND BOTTOM WALL WITH THE BALL DISPENSING AREA DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID BOTTOM WALLS THROUGH WHICH BALLS FROM SAID STORAGE AREA ARE ADAPTED TO PASS INTO SAID DISPENSING AREA AT A CONTROLLED RATE.

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