Automatic golf ball dispenser and teeing apparatus
First Claim
1. An automatic golf-ball supplying device comprising:
- storage means for storing a plurality of golf balls;
a ball chute;
a set arm;
means for lining up golf balls from said storage means on said ball chute;
means for swinging said ball chute in a vertical direction between first and second angles;
said first angle being effective for permitting a ball to move onto said set arm;
said second angle being effective for preventing a ball from moving toward said set arm;
said set arm including a ball-receiving end and a ball-supplying end;
means for rotating said set arm between a home position and a tee position;
mixing means for mixing balls in said storage means, andmeans for synchronizing said mixing means with a swing of said ball chute.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic golf ball dispenser dispenses golf balls to a tee for driving or directly to a mat for iron shots. The dispenser includes a breakaway captive setting arm that sustains minimal damage when hit by a club. The dispenser also includes a series of baffles and means for rotating stored golf balls to prevent clogging. A stopper retards balls in a supply chute while one ball is being teed, and while a setting arm is being returned to a ball-receiving position. This avoids interference with setting arm movement by the supply of balls. In addition, an automatic countdown sequence regulates the number of balls dispensed in accordance with a card reader that checks prepaid user cards.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An automatic golf-ball supplying device comprising:
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storage means for storing a plurality of golf balls; a ball chute; a set arm; means for lining up golf balls from said storage means on said ball chute; means for swinging said ball chute in a vertical direction between first and second angles; said first angle being effective for permitting a ball to move onto said set arm; said second angle being effective for preventing a ball from moving toward said set arm; said set arm including a ball-receiving end and a ball-supplying end; means for rotating said set arm between a home position and a tee position; mixing means for mixing balls in said storage means, and means for synchronizing said mixing means with a swing of said ball chute. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An automatic golf ball supplying device comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of golf balls; a ball chute; means for swinging said ball chute between first and second vertical angles; means for discharging one golf ball when said ball chute is in said first vertical angle; a rotatably mounted set arm having a home position and a teeing position; means for horizontally rotating said set arm from said home position to said teeing position; means associated with said set arm for receiving said one golf ball, when said arm is in said home position; means for setting said one golf ball on one of a tee and a practice mat when said set arm is in a teeing position; a plurality of partition plates dividing an inside of said means for storage; and said partition plates being positioned to let said plurality of golf balls flow smoothly from a top to a bottom of said means for storing.
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5. An automatic golf ball device comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of golf balls; a ball chute; means for swinging said ball chute between first and second vertical angles; means for discharging one golf ball when said ball chute is in said first vertical angle; a rotatably mounted set arm having a home position and a teeing position; means for horizontally rotating said set arm between said home position and said teeing position; means associated with said set arm, for receiving said one golf ball when said set arm is in a home position; means for setting said one golf ball on a tee when said set arm is in said teeing position; and said means for setting including means for permitting said one golf ball to roll from said means for receiving into a position over a tee.
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6. An automatic golf-ball supplying device comprising:
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means for storing at least one golf ball; a ball chute; means for swinging said ball chute between first and second vertical angles; means for discharging one golf ball when said ball chute is in said first vertical angle; a set arm having a home position and a delivery position; means associated with said set arm for receiving said one golf ball, when said set arm is in said home position; means for delivering said one golf ball to a using position when said set arm is in said delivery position; said delivery position being one of a first delivery position and a second delivery position; means, when said set arm is in said first delivery position, to deliver said one golf ball on a tee; and means, when said set arm is in said second delivery position, to deliver said golf ball on a mat, whereby practice with an iron is enabled.
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7. An automatic golf-ball supplying device comprising:
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a stocker unit; said stocker unit including means for storing a plurality of golf balls; a ball chute; said ball chute including means for permitting lining up golf balls supplied from said stocker unit; means for swinging said ball chute between first and second vertical angles; means ;
for discharging one golf ball when said ball chute is at said first vertical angle;a set arm; said set arm including a ball-receiving end and a ball-supplying end; means for moving said set arm between a home position and a tee position; and agitation means, synchronized with swinging of said ball chute, for giving a back-and-forth shaking to golf balls lined up on said ball chute. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An automatic golf-ball supplying device comprising:
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a stocker unit; means in said stocker unit for storing a plurality of golf balls; a ball chute; means for lining up a plurality of golf balls on said ball chute; means for swinging said ball chute between first and second vertical positions; means for discharging one golf ball when said ball chute swings to said first vertical position; a set arm; said set arm including a ball-receiving end and a ball-supplying end; means for horizontally rotating said set arm to position said ball-supplying end between a home position and a teeing position; and a holding means for holding said set arm at said home position and at said teeing position.
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10. An automatic golf-ball supplying device comprising:
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a stocker unit capable of storing a plurality of golf balls; a chute unit including means for lining up golf balls from said stocker unit on a ball chute rotatably supported on said chute unit and for discharging golf balls, one ball at a swing of said ball chute; a set arm including first and second ball delivery positions; said set arm receiving discharged golf balls from said ball chute; means, effective when said set arm is in said first ball delivery position, for delivering a ball on a tee; and mat-delivery means, effective when said set arm is in said second ball delivery position, for delivering at least one ball on a mat. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification