Apparatus for ball placement on a golf tee

• US 5,326,107 A
• Filed: 05/21/1993
• Issued: 07/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Forty Four International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Forty Four International, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Hyo C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoll, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/065,665
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 273/201
• US Class Current: 473/132
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/0006 Automatic teeing devices devices for automatically dispensing balls in general A63B47/002

Abstract

The invention relates to a golf ball storage and dispensing apparatus including a horizontally movable arm member. A housing covers the arm member in a retracted position and stores the golf balls above the arm member. A guide wire supports a golf ball during movement of the arm member from the housing towards the tee. When the arm member is in a fully extended position, the arm member moves over the guide wire for releasing the ball onto the tee.

Claims

1. A golf ball dispenser for dispensing golf balls one at a time to a golf tee comprising:

a housing for holding a plurality of golf balls; and

a horizontally movable arm member, said arm member movable between a first position within said housing and a second position above a tee said first position and said second position having a equal vertical height, said arm member including a guide wire for supporting a golf ball at a first end of said arm member;

wherein said arm member releases a supported golf ball when said movable arm member is moved to said second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said arm member is hollow and said guide wire is positioned with said arm, said guide wire extending from said arm when said arm is in said first position for supporting a ball and said arm slidably moving over said guide wire when said arm is in said second position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

ball guiding means positioned at said first end of said arm member for guiding a ball onto a tee when said arm is in said second position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said ball guiding means includes a cylinder having a side opening for receiving a tee.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said housing has an upper and lower portion and a ball receiving tray positioned at said upper portion.

6. The apparatus for claim 5 further comprising:

a ramp housing positioned within said housing for receiving balls, said ramp having a first and second end, said first end connected to said ball receiving tray and said second end of said ramp positioned adjacent said arm member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

motor means for moving said arm between said first and second position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a first and second switch positioned on said arm member,

said first switch actuating said motor in a forward direction and said second switch actuating said motor in a reverse direction.