WO1994017865A1 - Appareil de golf - Google Patents

Appareil de golf Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1994017865A1
WO1994017865A1 PCT/GB1994/000238 GB9400238W WO9417865A1 WO 1994017865 A1 WO1994017865 A1 WO 1994017865A1 GB 9400238 W GB9400238 W GB 9400238W WO 9417865 A1 WO9417865 A1 WO 9417865A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
ball
tee
lifting means
arm
track
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1994/000238
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Shawki Beidas
Original Assignee
Shawki Beidas
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB939302491A external-priority patent/GB9302491D0/en
Application filed by Shawki Beidas filed Critical Shawki Beidas
Priority to AU59771/94A priority Critical patent/AU5977194A/en
Publication of WO1994017865A1 publication Critical patent/WO1994017865A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B57/00—Golfing accessories
    • A63B57/0006—Automatic teeing devices

Definitions

  • This invention relates to golf apparatus and is particularly concerned with apparatus for teeing-up golf balls.
  • apparatus for teeing-up golf balls which includes means that defines an upwardly-projecting tee and wherein ball- lifting means is selectively actuable for lifting an individual ball from a loading position adjacent the base of the tee, to an upper position for discharge onto the tee.
  • the present invention has the advantage of overcoming a problem experienced with earlier forms of teeing-up apparatus in which the means defining the tee is first moved down to floor level or below for the teeing-up operation, and then, as loaded with the ball, is raised up again ready for teeing-off. Movement of the tee, first down and then up, between strikes can readily lead to uncertainty in the stability, and possibly also in the height, of the tee with respect to the floor or ground on which the golfer is standing.
  • the tee-defining means may be fixed with respect to the floor or ground such that uncertainty in stability and height of the tee can be eliminated, movement between strikes being confined to that of the ball-lifting means alone in lifting the ball and discharging it onto the tee.
  • the supply of balls to the loading position may be by means of a downwardly-inclined chute or other track along which the balls are delivered one behind the other. Delivery of the balls to the loading position may be blocked while the arm or other ball-lifting means is in its actuated condition, by means of a resiliently-biased catch at the lower end of the track. This catch may be deflected while the ball-lifting means is in its unactuated condition to allow the lowermost ball on the track to roll from the track into .the loading position.
  • the ball-lifting means may take the form of a pivoted arm, and as such may be conveniently foot-pedal actuated so that the golfer does not need to break grip on his/her club between successive strikes.
  • Such means may have a ledge for receiving an individual ball at the loading position, actuation of the ball-lifting means in this case lifting the ledge with the ball on it, to just above the tee for delivery of the ball onto the tee.
  • the ledge may be inclined during this actuation of the lifting means such that the lifted ball rolls from the ledge onto the tee.
  • a cage or other enclosure within the ball-lifting means for receiving the ball to be lifted and to arrange that such enclosure is itself lifted to above the tee upon actuation of the ball-lifting means.
  • the ball may in this respect be delivered onto the tee from within the enclosure as the enclosure descends with return of the ball-lifting means towards its unactuated condition.
  • the tee may in these circumstances be arranged to project upwardly through a bottom-opening of the enclosure until the enclosure is lifted above the tee whereupon the ball can seat itself over the opening and thus be deposited directly onto the tee as the tee re-enters the opening with descent of the enclosure.
  • Figure 1 is a plan view of an installation incorporating the golf teeing-up apparatus of the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the installation of Figure 1;
  • Figures 3 and 4 are sectional side elevations to an enlarged scale compared with Figure 2, showing the golf teeing-up apparatus in its normal, unactuated condition and its actuated condition, respectively;
  • Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a modification of the golf teeing-up apparatus of Figures 1 to 4, Figure 5 showing a form of wire-frame used in the modification, and Figure 6 (which is a sectional side-elevation corresponding to part of Figure 4, but to a larger scale) showing the wire-frame installed to give effect to the modification;
  • Figure 7 is a sectional side elevation of a second form of golf-ball teeing-up apparatus according to the present invention.
  • Figure 8 is a plan view, partially broken away and to enlarged scale, of a portion of the golf teeing-up apparatus of Figure 7;
  • Figures 9 and 10 are sectional side elevations of part of the golf teeing-up apparatus of Figure 7, showing the apparatus in its normal, unactuated condition and its actuated condition, respectively.
  • both forms of golf-ball teeing-up apparatus to be described are for use at a golf-driving range or at practice nets, and as such each is incorporated into a platform that provides a raised floor on which the golfer stands at the tee.
  • the raised floor 1 of the platform is provided with a mat 2 that extends from front to back of the platform along the line of drive from the location 3 of the tee.
  • the mat 2 may be, as shown, limited to a front-to-back strip, in which case another mat 4 is provided for the golfer's feet; alternatively, a single mat covering substantially the whole of the floor 1 may be used (mats are shown only in Figure 1 of the drawings) .
  • a golf-ball reservoir in the form of a bucket 10 is located on the opposite side of the platform from where the golfer stands to address the tee 11 at location 3.
  • Balls 12 entered into the bucket 10 descend, one behind the other in line and under gravity, along a helical path 13 to be discharged from the bottom of the bucket 10 onto a chute 14 under the floor 1; the helical path may be defined by a tube, but preferably, simply by a twin- or three-wire track.
  • the chute 14 is inclined downwardly to deliver the balls 12 one behind the other towards the tee 11, ready to be teed-up in turn.
  • the tee 11 is in the form of a tube that screws into a platform-mounted socket
  • the 16 is coupled beneath the floor 1 to a pivoted arm 17.
  • the tee 11 projects through the arm 17, the arm 17 being appropriately apertured to avoid disturbance of the tee 11 throughout actuation of the arm 17 between its normal position and raised position (shown in Figures 3 and 4 respectively) .
  • the arm 17 In the normal, un-depressed condition of the pedal 16, the arm 17 is loaded with the first, lowermost ball 12 in line, from the chute 14. Depression of the pedal 16 against the action of a spring 18 pivots the arm 17 up through a slot 19 in the floor 1 to lift this ball 12 and deliver it onto the tee 11.
  • the ball 12 is lifted by the arm 17 on a cupped ledge 20, to a position just above the tee 11 where the inclination of the arm 17 causes it to roll gently onto the tee 11 from the ledge 20.
  • Positive location of the ball 12 on the tee 11 is in this respect ensured by enclosure of the tee 11 within the body of the arm 17; the ball 12 in rolling off the ledge 20 onto the tee 11 from the raised arm 17 is surrounded on the three other sides to preclude overrun and any tendency to sideways deflection from the tee 11.
  • the golfer can tee up again simply by depressing the pedal 16 with his/her foot. Depression of the pedal 16 raises the arm 17, carrying with it the fresh ball 12 resting on the ledge 20. As the arm 17 rises, the catch 22 returns under its spring 23 to block the end of the chute 14, and the blade 24 is lifted away. Lifting of the blade 24 releases the obstruction to the line of balls 12 higher up the chute 14, allowing them to roll down onto the catch 22.
  • Operation of the apparatus to lift the ball 12 onto the tee 11, is carried out simply by depressing the pedal 16 by foot.
  • the golfer can readily tee-up repeatedly from the balls 12 supplied to the bucket 10, without any need to change his/her grip on the golf club.
  • Successful operation of the apparatus without jamming is dependent upon the functioning of the catch 22 to hold the lowermost ball 12 back from leaving the chute 14 until the arm 17 has returned to its normal, horizontal position and is accordingly ready to be re-loaded with that ball 12.
  • the catch 22 may be effective in this when provided simply in the form of a plate to obstruct the middle of the chute 14, it may be preferable to provide it in a form that extends across most of that width.
  • the plate-form catch 22 may, to this end, be fitted with a rod that extends transversely to either side from the plate so as to add to the width of the obstruction.
  • the catch 22 of the apparatus described is required to withstand and act positively under the weight of the balls 12 backed up on the chute 14 behind the lowermost ball 12. Relief from the effects of this weight and any tendency for it to cause the lowermost ball to rise up over the catch 22, can be achieved using the modification illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.
  • the catch 22 When the catch 22 is in its deflected position (as in Figure 3) , the frame 25 is raised up with the cross- piece 26 clear of the line of balls 12; the weight of the balls 12 is then taken from the lowermost, divided-off ball 12, by the blade 24.
  • the catch 22 is operative to block the lowermost ball 12 (as in Figures 4 and 6) , the frame 25 is pulled down via the link 28.
  • the second form of golf-teeing apparatus to be described is similar in general construction and operation to the first form described, but differs from it in certain features that have been found to be of significant practical and economic advantage.
  • the need for the floor of the platform to be slotted (as by the slot 19 of the first-described apparatus) in front of the tee opening is avoided, control of ball loading from the supply chute is much simplified, and a more positive ball-teeing action is achieved.
  • the pedal-operated lever or arm 30 in this case is cranked to avoid the necessity for it to pivot up through the floor 31 when the pedal 32 is depressed to load a ball, indicated in outline as 33 in Figure 9, onto the tee 34.
  • the ball is loaded on the tee 34 from a cage 35 at the far end of the arm 30, and remains trapped within the cage 35 while the pedal 32 is depressed.
  • the cage 35 has a bottom-opening 37 that is in register with the tee 34 so that the cage 35 is free to move with the tee 34 projecting up through it, on pivoting of the arm 30 from its normal, rest position.
  • the cage 35 rests on a catch 38 so as to deflect the catch 38 downwardly against a spring (not shown) from a position in which it would otherwise block discharge of the lowermost ball, individually identified as ball 39, from a delivery chute 40 (the supply bucket is not shown) .
  • the ball 39 is free to roll from the chute 40 onto a cupped-floor ledge or entrance 41 of the cage 35 (as shown in Figure 9) .
  • the ball 39 is blocked from running further into the cage 35 by a pin 42 which is fixed upright in front of the tee 34 and which, like the tee 34, projects up through the bottom-opening 37 of the cage 35.
  • the opening 37 is of a configuration too small to allow the ball 39 to fall through onto the tee 34, but locates the ball 39 over the tee 34 with sufficient precision (irrespective of height adjustment of the tee 34) to ensure that the ball 39 is deposited cleanly and securely on the tee 34 when the cage 35 descends as the pedal 32 is released.
  • An apertured foam-plastic pad 45 (or U-shape member) is carried atop the cage 35 so as to occupy the aperture 46 in the floor 31 through which the cage 35 moves, when the arm 30 has returned to its normal, unoperated condition ( Figure 9) .
  • the pad 45 reduces significantly the area of the floor-aperture 46 that remains open surrounding the tee 34 in this condition.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Pinball Game Machines (AREA)

Abstract

Un appareil conçu pour placer une balle de golf sur un tee comprend un bras articulé (17) pourvu d'un rebord (20) sur lequel la balle est chargée par la gravité provenant d'un plan incliné (14). Une pédale à pied (16) fait pivoter le bras (17) pour soulever la balle (12) au-dessus d'un tee fixe (11) de sorte qu'elle roule depuis le rebord (20) jusqu'au tee (11). Le retour du bras (17) fait dévier un dispositif d'arrêt (22) au bas du plan incliné, libérant la balle suivante pour qu'elle roule sur le rebord (20); une ailette (24) du bras (17) retient les balles à l'arrière. Dans une autre variante d'appareil (figures 7-10), la balle (32) est chargée dans une cage (35) qui possède une ouverture de fond (37) par laquelle le tee (34) fait saillie, mais par laquelle la balle (39) ne peut pas passer. Lorsque le bras (30) est actionné pour soulever la cage (35) au-dessus du tee, la balle (39) se place elle-même sur l'ouverture (37) de manière à ce qu'elle soit déposée directement sur le tee (34) lorsque la pédale à pied (32) est libérée et que, par conséquent, la cage (35) descend.
PCT/GB1994/000238 1993-02-09 1994-02-08 Appareil de golf WO1994017865A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU59771/94A AU5977194A (en) 1993-02-09 1994-02-08 Apparatus for teeing-up golf balls

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9302491.7 1993-02-09
GB939302491A GB9302491D0 (en) 1993-02-09 1993-02-09 Golf apparatus
GB939325165A GB9325165D0 (en) 1993-02-09 1993-12-08 Golf apparatus
GB9325165.0 1993-12-08

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1994017865A1 true WO1994017865A1 (fr) 1994-08-18

Family

ID=26302416

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1994/000238 WO1994017865A1 (fr) 1993-02-09 1994-02-08 Appareil de golf

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU5977194A (fr)
GB (1) GB2274788B (fr)
WO (1) WO1994017865A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE29501463U1 (de) * 1995-01-31 1995-03-16 Stier, Michael, Dipl.-Ing., 64720 Michelstadt Golf-Abschlag-Matte
US5611737A (en) * 1995-06-28 1997-03-18 Rau; Timothy P. Golf training device
JPH0924130A (ja) * 1995-07-13 1997-01-28 Kansei Corp ゴルフボールの自動ティーアップ装置
CN111714857A (zh) * 2019-03-18 2020-09-29 (株)阿尔迪泰 供球装置

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1952113A (en) * 1932-11-22 1934-03-27 Clay C Beckett Golf ball teeing device
US2013881A (en) * 1930-07-07 1935-09-10 Walter P Fleming Mechanical golf tee
US2618480A (en) * 1948-02-18 1952-11-18 Earl E Williams Golf ball teeing apparatus
US5016886A (en) * 1990-09-24 1991-05-21 Gould Bobby J Automatic golf ball tee apparatus

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2013881A (en) * 1930-07-07 1935-09-10 Walter P Fleming Mechanical golf tee
US1952113A (en) * 1932-11-22 1934-03-27 Clay C Beckett Golf ball teeing device
US2618480A (en) * 1948-02-18 1952-11-18 Earl E Williams Golf ball teeing apparatus
US5016886A (en) * 1990-09-24 1991-05-21 Gould Bobby J Automatic golf ball tee apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU5977194A (en) 1994-08-29
GB2274788B (en) 1996-03-06
GB2274788A (en) 1994-08-10
GB9402382D0 (en) 1994-03-30

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