Article dispensing – With discharge assistant – Reciprocating
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-23
2003-10-14
Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3653)
Article dispensing
With discharge assistant
Reciprocating
C473S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06631828
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sporting equipment and, more specifically, to a golf ball/tee placement device. The golf/tee placement device is comprised of a housing having a hopper for the placement of a plurality of golf balls and a canister for the placement of a plurality of tee. The housing uses compressed air to move a golf ball and golf tee away from the device and drive the tee into the ground with the golf ball placed thereon.
The golf/tee placement device can be used as a portable device having enough compressed air for the placement of approximately 200 golf balls and tees. The number of placements is a variable of the user selectable setting on the depth of the placement of the golf tee.
Positioned on the exterior face of the housing is a control panel with user selectable variables such as the depth of the golf tee, the time duration for the placement of subsequent balls and tees.
The device can also be used to place golf balls without tees by leaving the tee canister empty. The device moves a tee into the extending placement arm using compressed air. In conjunction with the loading of the tee a single ball is released into the place arm. Once positioned the placement arm using compressed air extends to its full position whereupon a jet of compressed air drives the ball and tee into the ground while opening the hinged element which retracts leaving the golf ball and implanted tee behind.
The device can also be connected to a compressor having unlimited placement of golf tees and/or golf balls.
The device of the present invention provides a carrying strap for easy maneuvering and holding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other golf/tee device designed for delivery of a golf ball. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 1,868,261 issued to Spencer on Jul. 19, 1932.
Another patent was issued to Young on Nov. 28, 1933 as U.S. Pat. No. 1,937,180. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,356 was issued to Pagett on Feb. 23, 1937 and still yet another was issued on Aug. 29, 1939 to Beckett as U.S. Pat. No. 2,171,299. Another patent was issued to Jones on Oct. 10, 1961 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,770. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,204 was issued to Wilson on Jul. 29, 1969. Another was issued to Melton on Aug. 17, 1971 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,983 and still yet another was issued on Jun. 12, 1973 to Hodgin as U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,662.
Another patent was issued to Loof on May 5, 1981 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,453. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,893 was issued to Choi on Jan. 10, 1989. Another was issued to Park on Jul. 5, 1994 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,107 and still yet another was issued on Nov. 7, 1995 to Dermott as U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,223.
Another patent was issued to Wang on Aug. 27, 1996 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,518. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,325 was issued to Janier on Dec. 10, 1996.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,868,261
Inventor: Clyde Spencer
Issued: Jul. 19, 1932
The invention discloses an apparatus of the character described having the combination of a chute for holding a series of golf balls in position to roll toward one end thereof, a flexible guide at the latter end of said chute for positioning a ball for driving, said guide serving to conduct the balls one at a time by gravity to said driving position and means for controlling the delivery of the balls to said guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,937,180
Inventor: Leonard A. Young
Issued: Nov. 28, 1933
Disclosed is a golf ball teeing device, the combination with a base, of a hopper having a laterally disposed portion at its lower end, a yoke shaped hopper supporting bracket on said base disposed to embrace the laterally disposed bottom portion of said hopper, an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said bracket, and gate members connected to said lever on opposite sides of its pivot.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,356
Inventor: William P. Pagett
Issued: Feb. 23, 1937
An automatic golf ball feeding and teeing device, a spirally descending magazine having an outer and an inner vertical cylinder, a tee pivotally mounted on the magazine, delivery means mounted on the magazine for successively delivering said golf balls to the tee, comprising a weighted delivery trough suspended at one end by a hinge bearing subjacently at right angles to the discharge end of said magazine, and curving abruptly upward through a slotted opening in said outer vertical cylinder, and merging into a straight upwardly extending portion, and having at its outer end an integral annular delivery guide with an opening therethrough to permit the downward passage of a golf ball, said delivery trough being counter-weighted at its bearing end to hold it normally in said upwardly extending position, whereby the trough will be caused to swing downward and register the delivery guide with the tee when overbalanced by the weight of a golf ball delivered from said magazine to the bearing end of said delivery trough, and means operably connected to the inner end of said tee, and operated by each vertical reciprocation thereof, whereby one ball at a time is fed from the magazine to the tee, upon each vertical reciprocation of the tee, said reciprocation being caused by golf ball weight successively applied to and removed from the tee.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,171,299
Inventor: Clay C. Beckett
Issued: Aug. 29, 1939
The invention is a golf teeing machine comprising a shallow casing having an upstanding side wall and a cone-shaped bottom, a hand operable lever pivotally mounted on said casing and extending through said bottom at the apex thereof, said lever being arranged extending vertically above said side wall to a height convenient for hand operation, said side wall being provided with means defining an outlet for golf balls, a chute movable to guide balls leaving the outlet, and link means connecting said lever with said chute for movement of said chute by said lever.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,770
Inventor: Richard O. Jones
Issued: Oct. 10, 1961
In a golf ball teeing device, a vertical golf ball supply chamber formed at its lowest portion with a delivery aperture, a generally L-shaped trough pivoted in said aperture and extending therethrough, means biasing said trough to a position wherein its outer portion is elevated, a guide channel in the chamber inclined downwardly toward and registerable with the inner portion of said trough when the outer portion of the trough is elevated, a tee lever pivotally mounted below the trough in the same vertical plane therewith, an upstanding tee on the outer end of the tee lever, ball-positioning means on the outer end of the trough is swung downwardly, a feeding roller rotatably mounted in the chamber and spaced above said guide channel by a distance substantially equal to the diameter, of a golf ball, projections on the feeding roller spaced to receive therebetween a golf ball in the channel to prevent descent thereof, said trough being rotatable to lower its outer portion by gravity towards the tee lever responsive to the entry of a golf ball into its inner portion, upstanding rod means connected to the tee lever on one side of its pivotal connection and located to drivingly engage with the feeding roller responsive to downward rotation of the outer end of the tee lever caused by the weight of a golf ball on the tee lever, additional upstanding rod means connected to the tee lever on the opposite side of its pivotal connection and normally lockingly engaging the feeding roller, and means retracting said last-named rod means from the feeding roller responsive to said downward rotation of said outer end of the tee lever, whereby to provide an escapement action between the tee lever and the feeding roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,204
Inventor: James B. Wilson
Issued: Jul. 29, 1969
The invention is a golf ball feeding and ball retriever means comprising an elongated storage tube having an inner diameter not substantially greater than a golf ball for picking up and housing a supply of golf balls
U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,983
Inventor: Raymond L. Melton
Issued: Aug. 17, 1971
A golf ball dispenser disclosed herein having a h
Kroll Michael I.
Noland Kenneth W.
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