US3448985A - Golf ball teeing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1969 I H.A.: SCOTT I 3,448,985 A GOLF BALL TEEING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21. 1966 v Sh eet of s R4 m I /5 HOWARD A. scorr INVENTOR ATTORNEYS June 10, 1969 H, A scofi 3,448,985

GOLF BALL TEEING APPARATUS Z of 5 Sheet Filed Oct. 21. 1866 HOWARQ A. SCOTT INVENmR A HORNE VS United States Patent 3,448,985 GOLF BALL TEEING APPARATUS Howard A. Scott, 6476 N. Pleasant, Fresno, Calif. 93705 Filed Oct. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 588,518 Int. Cl. A63b 57/00 U.S. Cl. 273201 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A golf ball teeing apparatus including a tee vertically reciprocated by an electric motor which operates in cycles. A cycle is initiated when the struck ball leaves the tee and is automatically terminated when the tee with a ball thereon has been raised to its uppermost position. Balls are stored in a hopper and conveyed to the upper end of an inclined delivery tube whose exit end is aligned with the tee when the tee is in its lowermost position. A rocking lever is pivoted at the exit end to feed one ball at a time onto the tee. Insertion of a coin causes the apparatus to tee the first of a predetermined number of balls.

The present invention relates to a golf ball teeing apparatus and more particularly to such an apparatus employing a simplified structure which automatically tees a predetermined number of golf balls in any desired timed sequence with the delivery of each ball automatically effected incident to removal of a preceding ball from the tee.

Many devices have been provided by the prior art for automatically teeing golf balls. However, the commercial embodiments of these structures which are most employed at golf courses, driving ranges and the like, are of the manually operated type because of their simplicity, durability and economy of operation. The disadvantages of the manually operated teeing devices were discussed in my copending application Ser. No. 324,492, filed Nov. 18, 1963 entitled Golf Ball Teeing Device, since matured in Patent No. 3,294,402. Even though the structure disclosed in my copending application constituted a substantial improvement over such manually operated teeing devices, it is now recognized that still further improvements can be effected to simplify and improve the structure. The prior art devices generally disclose various types of complex electronically controlled teeing mechanisms which also provide complicated mechanical linkages. This is due in part to the high initial costs of such complicated systems and their further uneconomical operating and maintenance costs.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved golf ball teeing apparatus of a greatly simplified structure as compared to existing devices of this type.

Another object is to provide such an improved golf ball teeing apparatus which affords substantially troublefree operation for extended periods with a minim-um of maintenance.

Another object is to provide a golf ball teeing apparatus of the character described which is capable of delivering a succession of balls onto the tee in any desired timed sequence determinable by the individual golfer.

Another object is to provide a golf ball teeing apparatus having a simplified system to preclude more than one ball at a time being disposed on the tee.

Another object is to provide a golf ball teeing apparatus which is capable of teeing a predetermined number of golf balls during each operational cycle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention 3,448,985 Patented June 10, 1969 will subsequently become more clearly apparent upon reference to the following description in the specification and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevation of the golf ball teeing apparatus of the present invention with portions broken 'away for illustrative convenience showing the teeing apparatus disposed in partially underground installation.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the golf ball storage and supply hopper, taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged vertical section through the golf ball teeing and delivery member, taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a somewhat enlarged transverse vertical sectional through the teeing and delivery member taken on line 44 of FIG. 3 showing the tee in an upper ball striking position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the tee disposed in a lower ball receiving position.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the electrical control circuit for the teeing apparatus of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a golf ball teeing apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention provides a frame 10 having an upper rectangular box-like golf ball hopper 12 and a lower laterally outwardly and downwardly extending mounting plate 14. The mounting plate is disposed Within an underground cavity 15 and the hopper is pivotally mounted for swinging movement about a hinge 17 in a clock-wise direction, as shown in FIG. 1, to lift the mounting plate 14 from the cavity. The frame and mounting plate support a substantially flat deck or platform 20 of rigid sheet material disposed in coplanar relation with the surface of the ground. The platform provides a centrally disposed ball ejecting opening 22.

An elongated tubular golf ball guide member 24 is mounted on the plate 14, as by welding or the like, and provides an upper end 25 in registry with the opening 22 and an opposite lower end 26. An elongated tubular piston or elevator means 30 is slidably disposed for reciprocation within the guide member 24. The piston provides an upper capped end 32 and an opposite open lower end 33. A pair of upper and lower walls 35 and 36, respectively, are mounted in the piston, as by welding or the like, with the upper wall partially closing the upper end of the piston and the lower wall disposed in a position upwardly spaced a predetermined distance from the lower end of the piston. The walls include centrally disposed axially aligned bores 37 and 38, respectively.

An electrically powered motor 40 is mounted on the lower end of the plate 14 and has a rotatable crank arm 42 disposed in downwardly spaced centered relation with respect to the guide member 24 and piston 30. An elongated connecting rod 44 provides a lower end 45 pivotally connected to the crank arm and an opposite upper end 46 pivotally connected to the lower end 33 of the piston 30 by a pivot pin 48. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, rotation of the crank arm is effective to lower the piston from its upper ball striking position of FIG. 4 to its lower ball receiving position of FIG. 5 and upon continued rotation to return the piston to its upper ball striking position. During such movement, the connecting rod 44 is slidable through diametrically opposed longitudinally extended slots 49 in the guide member 24.

An elongated tubular tee 50 of resiliently flexible material is disposed in outward extension from the upper end 32 of the piston 30. The tee provides a flange 52 of enlarged diameter adapted to rest against the upper wall 35 of the piston and a lower depending tubular mounting end 54, both of somewhat stiifer material than the tee,

with the lower end being slidably extended through the bores 37 and 38 of the upper and lower walls and 36 of the piston. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the tee is adapted to receive and to hold a golf ball thereon in elevated ball striking position above the platform 20 of the frame. An elongated control arm provides an inner end 62 pivotally mounted on the lower end 54 of the tee and a transversely outwardly extended screw threaded distal end 64. The arm is extended through an opening 65 in the Wall of the piston and through the adjacent slot 49 in the guide member 24 for free elevational swinging movement between a substantially horizontal full line position, shown in FIG. 4, to a lower dashed line position. A weighted trigger member 67 is screw threadably adjustably received on the distal end of the arm and is locked in a predetermined position thereon by opposed lock nuts 68. The trigger member serves as a counterbalance for the combined weight of the tee and the golf ball 55. Upon removal of the golf ball from the tee, the trigger is effective to lower the arm to its dashed line position of FIG. 4 and correspondingly to raise the tee.

An elongated inclined golf ball delivery tube 70 provides an upper flared golf ball receiving end 72 disposed within the hopper 12 and an opposite lower end 74. The lower end of the delivery tube is mounted intermediate the ends of the guide member 24 in opening relation into the interior of the guide member. A golf ball blocking device 76 is mounted beneath the delivery tube closely adjacent to the guide member 24. The blocking device provides an elongated pivot arm 77 having opposite actuating and blocking ends 78 and 79, respectively. The pivot arm is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a depending bracket 82 secured to the delivery tube. The actuating end 78 of the arm is extended through an opening 83 in the guide member 24 for engagement with the piston 30. The blocking end 79 of the arm is extendable through an opening 84 in the delivery tube at a position spaced from the guide member corresponding to the diameter of a single golf ball. An elongated tension spring 86 is connected at one end adjacent to the actuating end of the blocking arm and at its opposite end is connected to a bracket extended from the guide member 24 normally to position the blocking end of the arm within the delivery tube to insure that only one ball at a time is permitted to enter the guide member 24.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the golf ball storage and supply hopper 12 provides opposite end walls 90, opposite side walls 91, and a hinged cover 92. An upright partition 93 is disposed in closely spaced relation adjacent to one of the end walls to provide a compartment 95 for an electrical control circuit, subsequently to be described, and a coin holder 96 having a coin receiving slot 97. Access to the compartment is provided by a door panel 96 disposed in the adjacent end wall 90. An upwardly inclined golf ball delivery conveyor 100 is disposed within the hopper adjacent to one of the side walls 91. The conveyor provides a lower ball receiving end 102 and an opposite upper ball discharging end 103 disposed immediately above the upper end 72 of the delivery tube 70. The conveyor has an elongated endless belt 105 mounted for circuitous movement between the opposite ends of the conveyor around a pair of upper and lower end rolls 107 and 108', respectively, journaled in the adjacent side Wall 91 and an inwardly spaced upright plate 110 within the hopper. The belt includes a plurality of equally spaced flight bars 112 providing a corresponding number of golf ball receiving pockets 114 along the upper run of the belt.

An electrically powered conveyor drive motor 115 is mounted within the hopper 12 and has driving connection with the lower roller 108 continuously to motivate the belt 105 within the hopper and provides a lower inclined wall portion 122 disposed coextensively with the upper run of the belt adjacent to the lower ball receiving end 102 of the conveyor 100. The bafiie includes an upper only slightly inclined wall portion 124 which is disposed in circumscribing relation about the upper end of l the delivery tube 70 to insure that any overflow of golf balls from the delivery tube is directed downwardly along the lower wall portion to insure tunneling of the golf balls into the ball receiving pockets of the conveyor at its lower ball receiving end.

The described electrical components of the control system for the golf ball teeing apparatus of the present invention are interconnected by an electrical control circuit shown in FIG. 6. The circuit provides a pair of main leads and 131 which are connected to a source of electrical current, not shown. The main lead 130 is connected to an appropriate connecting post on each of the described electrical motors 40 and 115. The main lead 130' is also connected by way of branch lines 133 and 134 to one side of a counter mechanism 136 for determining the number of golf balls to be delivered with any one operational cycle and to one side of a timer control 140 for determining the duration of operation of the conveyor motor 115. The main lead 131 is provided with a coinoperated switch 142 disposed within the coin receiving slot 97 for initially energizing the control circuit. A branch line 144 is extended from the main lead 131 through the timer control for connection to an opposite contact on the motor 115. A second branch line 145 is extended through the counter device 136 and to an opposite contact point on the motor 40. A normally closed switch 147 is disposed within the branch line 145 and, as best shown in FIG. 4, is mounted on the plate 14 immediately beneath the golf ball delivery tube 70 which is engageable by the trigger member 67 on the control arm 60. An arm reset pin 150 is mounted on the plate 14 which, as shown in FIG. 5, is engageable by the control arm when the piston 30 and tee 50 are disposed in their lower ball receiving position.

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. Prior to use, the hopper 12 is filled with a plurality of golf balls 55 which are permitted gravitationally to descend along the battle wall 120 against the lower receiving end 102 of the conveyer 100. With the piston 30 disposed in its uppermost position blocking the delivery tube 70, any golf balls remaining therein or inadvertently dropped into the upper end 72 thereof are precluded entry into the guide member 24. Upon the introduction of a coin into the coin receiving slot 97 the coin-actuated switch 142 is closed to energize the timer control 140, the counter device 136, and the motors 40 and 115. It is noted that the control arm 60 is initially disposed in its dashed line position of FIG. 4 away from the normally closed switch 147 inasmuch as the tee is empty. Upon energization of the motor 115, the conveyor 100 is effective continuously to discharge golf balls into the upper end 72 of the delivery tube 70 with the balls gravitating in successively stacked relation within the tube. As previously noted, the timer permits operation of the motor 115 for a predetermined period sutficiently to insure that the delivery tube is filled with a number of balls corresponding to the number of balls to be delivered onto the tee, as determined by the counter device 136.

The golf ball delivery motor 40 is concurrently actuated to rotate the crank arm 42 downwardly from its upright position shown in FIG. 4. During such movement, the piston is lowered in the guide member 24 through its connection with the crank arm by the connecting rod 44. It is noted that when the piston and tee are disposed in their upper ball striking position, the actuating end 78 of the golf ball blocking arm 77 is slidably rested against the piston so as to hold the blocking end 79 of the arm in its retracted position of FIG. 4. As the piston and tee are lowered to their ball receiving position of FIG. 5, the actuating end of the blocking arm is uncovered and released by the piston to permit the spring 86 to position the blocking end 79 thereof inwardl of the delivery tube in blocking relation against the stack of golf balls disposed therein, The first golf ball, however, immediately adjacent to the guide member, is permitted gravitationally to be deposited on the upper end of the tee for movement upwardly through the guide member upon continued'rotation of the crank arm 42. During such movement, the upper end of the piston engages the actuating end 78 of the blocking arm to swing the same upwardly and retract the blocking end thereof from the delivery tube. This permits the stack of golf balls in the delivery tube to gravitate therethrough with the next ball being disposed against the side of the upwardly moving piston in position for subsequent deposit into the guide member upon the next cycle of operation and lowering of the piston and tee to the ball receiving position of FIG. 5.

When the piston 30 and tee 50 reach their upper ball striking position coincident with the completion of one full rotation of the crank arm 42, the trigger member '67 on the control arm 60 engages the control switch 147. Such engagement opens the switch, thereby interrupting the flow of electrical current to the tee elevating motor 40 with the golf ball 55 on the tee elevated above the platform 20 in ball striking position. This position is maintained until such time as the golf ball is removed from the upper end of the tee. The period which the ball remains in such striking position is determined solely by the golfer and thereby does not restrict the number of practice swings the golfer may wish to execute prior to striking the golf ball. The electrical system is then automatically reactivated immediately upon such removal of the golf ball from the tee. After removal of the golf ball, the weight of the tee is sufliciently decreased to permit the Weighted trigger member 67 gravitationall to swing the control arm 60 to its lower dashed line posi-, tion, as shown in FIG. 4, out of engagement with the switch 147. This permits the normally closed switch 147 to re-establish the flow of electrical current to the golf ball elevating motor 40 for lowering the piston and tee to their lower ball receiving position of FIG. 5 in the identical manner as the preceding ball teeing sequence. When the predetermined number of teeing sequences have been completed, the counter device 136 is effective automatically to open the switch 142 to terminate the recycling of the piston 30. Thereafter, the system can only be reactivated by the subsequent introduction of a coin to close the switch 142,

In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the structure of the present invention provides an improved golf ball teeing apparatus which i 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 under the control of the golfer since the electrical control system is not actuated until the golf ball is removed from the tee. It is significant to not that only one golf ball at a time is permitted entry onto the tee which precludes jamming of balls in the delivery tube from the hopper. The actuation of the golf ball teeing mechanism is accomplished with substantially no manipulation by the golfer and does not require any direct handling of the golf balls.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, 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 apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be disposed in underground position having an exposed upper platform providing a golf ball ejecting opening therethrough, an elongated tubular golf ball guide mounted on the frame in registry with said opening and providing an elongated longitudinally extended slot below said opening, a source of golf balls, an elongated inclined golf ball delivery tube having a lower end connected to said guide in downwardly spaced relation from said platform and an upper open end adapted to receive golf balls from said source of golf balls, an elongated piston reciprocably disposed within said golf ball guide providing opposite upper and lower ends, a tubular tee of resiliently flexible material having a lower end mounted for longitudinal relative sliding movement within said piston and an opposite upper end disposed in upward extension from the piston, an electrically powered motor mounted on the frame in spaced relation adjacent to said lower end of said guide, a connecting rod pivotally interconnecting said lower end of the piston and said motor in reciprocal driving relation for motivating the piston between a lowered retracted position with the tee disposed below the lower end of the delivery tube gravitationally to receive a golf ball thereon and an upwardly extended position to dispose such a golf ball thereon in ball striking position above the platform with said elevating member blocking the golf ball delivery tube during movement of the elevating member to said upper ball striking position, a coin actuated electrical control circuit connected to said motor, an elongated arm pivotally connected to said lower end of the tee having an outer distal end extended therefrom through said slot in the guide, a weighted trigger member longitudinally adjustably mounted on said outer end of the arm in a position to counterbalance the weight of a golf ball on the upper end of the tee and being effective automatically gravitationally to swing the arm to a lower retracted position upon removal of said golf ball from the upper end of the tee, and an electrical switch disposed in said control circuit and being mounted on the frame in a position for engagement by said trigger member when disposed in said counterbalancing position for interrupting the flow of electrical current to said motor when said tee and piston are in their upper ball striking position and being adapted to re-establish a flow of electrical current to said motor incident to the removal of a golf ball from the upper end of the tee upon said gravitational movement of the arm and trigger member to their retracted position displaced from the switch.

2. The golf ball teeing apparatus of calim 1 including a counter mechanism disposed 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.

8. The golf ball teeing apparatus of claim 2 in which said source of golf balls comprises a hopper, power driven conveyor means disposed within the hopper having a lower golf ball receiving end and an opposite upper golf ball discharge end communicated with said upper open end of a golf ball delivery tube, and bathe means within the hopper to receive any overflow of golf balls from said upper end of the delivery tube and to direct said golf balls toward said receiving end of the conveyor means.

4. The golf ball teeing apparatus of claim 3 wherein said conveyor means comprises an elongated upwardly inclined endless belt providing a plurality of equally spaced golf ball receiving pockets thereon for movement between a lower golf ball receiving position and an upper golf ball discharging position, said baffle means providing a lower wall portion having an elongated slot to receive said golf ball receiving end of the conveyor and an upper inclined wall portion below and circumscribing said upper end of the delivery tube, an electrically powered motor mounted in the hopper in driving relation to said conveyor belt, and timer means disposed within said electrical conveyor circuit energized by initial actuation of said coin operated control circuit and which automatically de-energizes the conveyor motor upon delivery of a sufficient number of golf balls to said delivery tube corresponding to the number of said predetermined ball elevating cycles of the piston.

5. A golf ball teeing apparatus comprising an elongated tubular golf ball guide adapted to be disposed in underground position in a substantially upright attitude and having an upper end extended above the ground; an elongated inclined golf ball delivery tube having a lower end connected to said guide and an upper end adapted to receive golf balls into the delivery tube; an elongated golf ball elevating member reciprocably disposed within said guide; a tubular tee mounted within the elevating member in upward extension therefrom; powered means having driving connection to said elevating member for motivating the same between a lower retracted position with the tee disposed below the lower end of the delivery tube gravitationally to receive a golf ball thereon and an upwardly extended position to dispose such a golf ball thereon in ball striking position above the ground with said elevating member blocking the golf ball delivery tube during movement of the elevating member to said upper ball striking position; golf ball blocking means mounted on said delivery tube closely adjacent to said guide and having opposite ends alternately extendable into said guide and into said delivery tube in predetermined spaced relation to said guide in blocking relation to golf balls therein to insure that only one golf ball is permitted to enter the guide member when said elevating member and tee are disposed in their lower retracted position, said blocking means being retractable from said delivery tube incident to engagement by said elevating member during its upward movement toward said ball striking position to permit the next golf ball in the delivery tube to gravitate against the elevating member during said upward movement of the elevating member for subsequent deposit in the guide member upon return downward movement of the elevating member to its retracted position; and biasing means urging said blocking means toward said blocking position within the delivery tube.

6. The golf ball teeing apparatus of claim in which said golf ball blocking means comprises an elongated arm providing opposite actuating and blocking ends pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the delivery tube, an elongated tension spring connected to said actuating end of the arm normally urging said blocking end into said delivery tube in blocking relation to golf balls therein at a point spaced from the guide corresponding to the diameter of a single golf ball, said actuating end of the arm being extended into said guide member for engagement with said elevating member to pivot the arm during upward movement of said elevating member to its ball striking position to retract said blocking end of the arm from said delivery tube so that a subsequent golf ball is disposed against the elevating member for entry into said guide member upon return downward movement of the elevating member and tee to their lower retracted position.

7. An apparatus for teeing golf balls comprising a frame having an exposed upper platform including means defining a golf ball ejecting opening, a tubular guide vertically mounted beneath and in registry with said opening adapted to deliver golf balls to said opening, an elongated inclined delivery tube having a first end adapted to receive golf balls and a second end communicating with said guide adapted to deliver the balls to said guide when the said second end of the tube is in an open condition, an elongated ball elevator reciprocally disposed within said guide including a surface adapted to engage and block delivery of balls from said delivery tube and to reciprocate across said second end of the delivery tube for effecting opening and closing conditions therefor, an elongated tee concentrically mounted for limited reciprocaldisplacement within said upper end of the elevator including an upper portion extending upwardly and terminating in a ball receiving and supporting surface and a downwardly extending lower portion terminating in a pivot connection, power means mounted on said frame in a spaced relation to the guide, a link extending from said elevator pivotally interconnecting said elevator withsaid power means, pressure responsive means linked to said pivot connection and in communication with said power means for initiating a reciprocal displacement of the elevator in response to removal of a ball from the tee whereby the elevator first is displaced to a lower retracted position wherein the delivery tube is in an open condition and the receiving surface of the tee is disposed below the lower end of the delivery tube in a ball receiving disposition, and then to an upper extended position wherein the elevator effects a closed condition for the delivery tube and the received golf ball is displaced by the tee to a position to be removed by a golfing stroke.

8. The golf ball teeing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said pressure responsive means includes an elongated arm pivotally joined to said pivot connection and having an outer distal end extended therefrom, a weighted trigger member adjustably mounted on said outer end of the arm, and a control switch connected in said electrical circuit and mounted on the frame for engagement by said trigger member on the arm to interrupt the flow of electrical current to said powered means coincident with the tee reaching said upper ball striking position and being adapted to close the circuit for energizing said powered means upon removal of the golf ball from the tee permitting disengagement of the trigger member from the switch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,127,282 8/1938 Beckett 273-201 2,335,280 11/1943 Hogeberg 273201 2,696,985 12/1954 Hogeberg 273-201 RICHARD C. P'INKHAM, Primary Examiner.

THEATRICE BROWN, Assistant Examiner.

Images