Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Ball feeding means and tee
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-23
2001-01-16
Wong, Steven (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Ball feeding means and tee
C473S134000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174243
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf ball feeder for use in a golf practice court and, more particularly, to a golf ball feeder which can feed golf balls onto a tee or a mat only with one-touch movement of a golf player without using any electrical energy, and enables the golf player to selectively practice a tee-shot or a second shot.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, in the usual golf practice court, a golf ball feeder is provided at each mat to continuously feed golf balls thereto. This allows a golf player to selectively practice a tee-shot or a second shot.
The golf ball feeder is usually driven by using a separate motor as its power source. In addition, this motor-based golf ball feeder should be inevitably installed with relevant facilities incidental to the separate motor. These facilities may include an elastic member and a rotating arm for picking up the golf ball.
However, in the above structure, electrical energy should be consumed for operating the motor and noise can occur. Furthermore, the incidental facilities cause complicated structure or device failure. For example, the elastic member is liable to lose its tensional strength, resulting in abnormal operation of the device and making the need of repairing. The rotating arm may be broken in a collision against the golf club and the abrasive resistance working at its rotating portion may lead to extravagance in energy.
On the other hand, the golf ball feeder is usually provided with a hopper for storing golf balls therein and relaying them to a golf ball feeding mechanism. The size of the hopper is practically limited so that the golf balls contained therein are liable to be stuck by their own weights or tares. This prevents the golf ball from being smoothly fed to the suitable place.
In this case, the golf player should hit a main body of the golf ball feeder by the golf club to release the stuck state of the golf balls. With repeated hitting operations, the main body of the golf ball feeder is deteriorated in its durability, resulting in the device trouble.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf ball feeder which can feed golf balls onto suitable places without using any electrical energy.
It is another object to provide a golf ball feeder which can release the stuck state of golf balls merely by one-touch movement of a golf player.
These and other objects may be achieved by a golf ball feeder having a hopper for storing a plurality of golf balls therein. The hopper has an opening. A guide chute is positioned below the hopper to receive the golf balls from the opening of the hopper. The golf balls flow along the guide chute. An outlet chute is connected to the guide chute to pass over the golf balls flowed from the guide chute to the outside. A stopper is formed in a boundary region between the guide chute and the outlet chute to stop flowing of the golf balls. A golf ball lifting unit is positioned below the stopper to free one of the golf balls from the stopper. The golf ball lifting unit has a rod. A tee up member is hinged at an outlet side of the outlet chute to receive the golf ball from the outlet chute and put the golf ball on a tee.
The golf balls are liable to be stuck in the hopper. Therefore, the golf ball feeder may further include a golf ball releasing unit to release the stuck state of the golf balls in connection with the rod of the golf ball lifting unit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3003770 (1961-10-01), Jones
patent: 4265453 (1981-05-01), Loof
patent: 4957296 (1990-09-01), Turnidge et al.
patent: 4981299 (1991-01-01), Petrillo
patent: 5348305 (1994-09-01), Lowe
patent: 5674130 (1997-10-01), Egan
patent: 5971862 (1999-10-01), Yates
Baker & Botts L.L.P
Wong Steven
LandOfFree
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