Abstract:
A combination golf ball retriever and dispenser comprises a shag bag and two tubes. The first tube is a conventional golf ball retrieving tube which may be screwed into a collar at the base of the bag. Golf balls retrieved through the tube may be stored in the bag by inverting the retrieving tube. Stored golf balls may be dispensed by removing the retrieving tube and screwing into its place a dispensing tube on an extending collar which surrounds a hole at the bottom of the bag. A selective dispenser is secured to the end of the second leg and comprises a pivotally mounted spring loaded bar having two prongs. A pivotally secured lever arm may press down on the arm thereby compressing the spring and moving one prong out of the interior of the second leg and the second prong through the slot and into the interior of the second leg.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/614,097, filed Jul. 11, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to systems and apparatus used as an accessory for sporting games. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable package and system for picking up and dispensing golf balls. The present invention is particularly, though not exclusively, useful for gathering or retrieving golf balls and then dispensing the golf balls one by one so that the user may, for example, practice with or make some other use of the dispensed balls.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Golf ball retrievers are well known devices in the prior art. Generally, such devices are intended for retrieving golf balls from such locations as fairways, practice greens, and the like. Retrievers generally comprise a hollow tube having an internal diameter slightly larger than a golf ball. The tube is connected at one end to an opening in the bottom wall of a container. The container is often referred to as a shag bag. The free end of the tube usually has means for capturing the golf ball within the tube so that when the free end of the tube is placed over a golf ball on the ground and pressure applied, the ball enters and is held in the tube so it does not exit through the free end. Once a golf ball is captured, the tube is ready to pick up the next ball. When inverted, the balls are transmitted through the tube and collected in the shag bag or other container for later use.  
           [0004]    Devices for collecting and then dispensing golf balls one at a time are known, but have many disadvantages. Thus, Liu, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,146, entitled Golf Ball Pick-Up Device, discloses a closed rigid container-like shag bag having a spiral pathway therein. The container is intended for receiving golf balls from the transmission tube. A horizontally disposed rotating disk-like slide is provided between the transmission tube, through the hole is the disk and into and the container. The slide has a hole in it. The bottom wall of the container has two holes. The slide has two positions. In the first position, a retrieved ball enters the first hole in the bottom wall from the transmission tube and into the container. To dispense a ball, the entire container must be inverted so that balls in the tube are sent through the first hole in the disk and collected in the container. The container is then returned to its upright position and the balls proceed down the spiral path to the second hole in the bottom wall of the container. To dispense the balls, the slide must be positioned so that the second hole of the container is in registry with the hole in the disk so that balls coming from the downward spiral of the container will enter the tube. In the wall of the tube, covering a dispensing hole in the side of the tube and adjacent the tube&#39;s free end, is a pivotally mounted cover. When the cover is opened, the cover blocks access from within the tube to its free or ball retrieving end and diverts dispensed balls out the cover. A disadvantage of this device is that it is highly cumbersome to use. The balls must traverse the tube when used as a retriever, enter the container, reach the top of the container, and, through physical inversion, be moved through the entire helical path within the container. To dispense requires positioning of the slide from the first to the second position in the proper sequence. If a ball is not in the proper position within the container, the process must be repeated. If not, all the balls are guided to the dispensing portion of the container, then more than one ball will be dispensed at a time.  
           [0005]    Tiller, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,101 for Golf Ball Dispensing and Retrieving System, discloses a hollow tube for collecting and dispensing golf balls. The tube has a spring-loaded latch at one open end. Pressing the one open end against a golf ball causes the ball to pass the latch and enter the tube. The collected balls are held within the tube by the latch. To dispense a ball, the tube is placed at an angle to the ground with the open end at the ground. The latch is pressed to dispense a ball. One disadvantage of the Tiller device is that the amount of balls that may be stored is limited by the length of the tube. Another disadvantage is that dispensing a ball, using the latch, requires the user to bend to the ground to dispense a ball. Additionally, while dispensing will take place on perfectly level ground, such as an indoor surface, any uneven surface may block the opening the dispenser. The support taught by Tiller (a U-shaped stand) to hold the tube at angle is inherently unstable in uneven topographical settings such as out of doors.  
           [0006]    Another device is disclosed by Fowler et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 2,962,321 for Device for Retrieving and Storing and Dispensing Golf Balls, in which the tube used to retrieve balls has a latch at the end so that the retrieved balls are retained and then may be dispensed by manipulating the latch. The disadvantage of this device is that the balls exit the same end of the tube through which they are retrieved. To dispense balls means that the entire tube, with the captured balls, must be elevated. This is can prove clumsy, particularly when the tube retains a great many balls. The device also requires a number of manipulative steps to work, including picking the tube up and holding it elevated while dispensing balls, then putting the device down so that the dispensed ball may be used.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is an object of this invention to provide a golf retriever/dispenser to provide a device for efficiently retrieving and dispensing golf balls.  
           [0008]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide a golf retriever/dispenser for reprieving golf balls through a first tube and dispensing the balls through a second tube.  
           [0009]    It is still another object of this invention to provide a dispensing mechanism for selectively dispensing one ball at a time.  
           [0010]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide a golf ball pick-up device that can be used as a golf ball dispenser.  
           [0011]    In accordance with one of the teachings of this invention there is provided a golf ball collection and dispensing system of the type having a hollow container for receiving and dispensing therefrom golf balls for use upon a support or playing surface, the container has at least one hole in a wall thereof so dimensioned as to allow the collection or dispensing of golf balls. The system comprises first and second hollow transmission tube means being so dimensioned so as to receive therethrough golf balls. The first and second transmission tube means each have one end for being alternatively releasably connectable to the container and in communication with the container hole. The first transmission tube means having an opposed free end comprises means for receiving at least one golf ball at a time therein such that, upon a golf ball being inserted into the free end, the receiving means retains the golf ball and are capable of accepting therethrough and retaining therewithin the next golf ball. A second hollow transmission tube means is provided which comprises means for dispensing therefrom at least one golf ball at a time.  
           [0012]    In yet another embodiment of this invention there is provided a dispensing means of the type which may be used to dispense rotatable objects such as, for example, balls having predetermined dimensions, in which the balls are passed through a tube or similar conduit. The dispensing means comprises the tube. There is also provided first and second blocking means for, in a first position, holding all balls from being dispensed from the free end of the tube and, in a second position, the blocking means selectively dispensing from the tube at least one ball at a time. There is further provided means for moving said first and second blocking means between said first position to said second position.  
           [0013]    In still another novel aspect of this invention there is provided a device for dispensing balls of the type having a bag or container at one end for retaining balls and a conduit through which the balls are dispensed. The dispenser comprises a spike fixedly joined at one end of the dispenser for removably attaching the dispenser to a play surface to thereby provide stability for the dispenser.  
           [0014]    The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawing taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0015]    In the drawing:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ball retriever partially sectioned to show the retrieving of a golf ball and constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a side view of the ball retriever;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a side view of the ball dispenser mode of the invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a section taken along line  4 - 4  and looking in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 3;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the golf ball holder;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a section taken along line  6 - 6  in FIG. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a section through the ball dispenser with the release mechanism in a ball dispensing position; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a section through the ball dispenser with the release mechanism preventing golf balls from being dispensed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]    In accordance with this invention there is provided a ball retriever/dispenser  10  (FIGS.  1 - 4 ) in which a golf shag bag  12  may comprise a generally cylindrical container  14  (FIGS.  1 - 4 ). The exterior wall  14  of the bag  12  may be made of a flexible fabric material, such as nylon or the like, or may be constructed of a rigid plastic. Integrally formed with the exterior cylindrical wall is a top wall  16  and bottom wall  18  of the same fabric or rigid material. These walls  14 ,  16 ,  18  form a container or shag bag for receiving golf balls. The shape of the bag  12  may be any desired shape and preferably cylindrical. The shape of the bag  12  may maintained by an upper and lower disks  20  and  22 , respectively (FIG. 4). The exterior top and bottom walls  16  and  18  are generally the same dimensions as the disks  20  and  22 . The disks  20 ,  22  may be made of any rigid material, such as plastic. Generally C-shaped side bars  24  (only one is visible in FIG. 4) having an elongated linear center section  2 , 6  provides support for the side wall  14  so that the side wall  14  maintains its generally cylindrical shape. A generally U-shaped handle  28 , has screw threaded ends  30  which extend through apertures (not visible) in the top wall  16  of the bag  12 , and through holes (not visible) in registry in the top disk  20  and a hole (not visible) in the bent end  32  of the C-shaped bar  24 . Nuts  34  are used to secure the bolt ends  30  of each leg  36  and  38  of the top end  32  of the C-shaped bar  24 , the top disk  20  and top fabric wall  16 . In a similar fashion, threaded bolts  40  are inserted through apertures  42 ,  44  (FIGS. 5, 6) in the bottom disk  22  and through apertures (not visible) in the bottom ends  46  of the generally C-shaped bars  24 . The two opposed C-shaped bars  24 , secured to the top and bottom disks  20  and  22 , maintain the cylindrical shape of the side wall  14  of the bag  12 . The bottom disk  22  (FIGS. 5 and 6) may have extending right angle triangularly shaped fin elements  48  to give strength and rigidity to the bottom disk  22  and forming a directional path from the outer wall  14  toward the disk center. The ends  46  of each C-shaped bar  24  fit within two substantially parallel arranged fins  50  (FIG. 5) which are intended to properly orient the bottom ends  46  of the C-shaped bars  24 .  
         [0025]    The cylindrical outer wall  14  of the bag  12  may have there through an opening closed by a vertically disposed zipper  52  (FIGS. 1 and 3) to provide access to the interior  54  (FIG. 4) of the bag  12 . Attached to the outer wall  14  may be a container, such as, for example, a substantially rectangular net bag  62  secured thereto, as by stitching or the like, for receiving such articles as golf balls, Ts, or one of the tubes  68  or  74  (when such tube  68  or  74  is not in use), or the like (FIGS.  1 - 3 ). The bag  12  may also have attached thereto, as by stitching, an extending tang  64  with a hanging C-hook  66 . The tang  64  with its hook  66  may be attached at the juncture of the top wall  16  and side wall  14 , as is commonly known, for the purpose of hanging up the retriever/dispenser  10 .  
         [0026]    The bottom disk  22  may have a centrally disposed circular aperture  56  sufficiently large enough to admit a golf ball. Integrally formed with the bottom disk and extending downwardly may be a golf ball dispensing and receiving collar  58  of sufficient diameter to permit the passage there through of one golf ball at a time. The exterior wall of the collar  58  may be threaded  60  (FIG. 6).  
         [0027]    There is provided a golf ball retrieving tube  68 , having a golf ball retriever mechanism  70  of well-known configuration at one end, for retrieving golf balls  72 . The opposed end  74  may have an enlarged and internally threaded collar for being received by the threaded end  60  of the lower disk collar  58 .  
         [0028]    A dispensing tube  74  (FIGS. 3, 4,  7 , and  8 ) may comprise a substantially L-shaped dispensing tube  76 . The vertical leg  78  and laterally extending leg  80  of the L-shape dispenser  76  (i.e, the first and second legs  78 ,  80 ) may be joined as at an integrally formed elbow  82 . The interior of the hollow tube  74  is so dimensioned that golf balls  72  may pass easily between the bag  12 , past the elbow  82  and out the second or laterally extending dispensing leg  80 . The dispensing leg  80  may extend downwardly at an acute angle from the horizontal to aid in the dispensing of balls  72 . The vertical leg  78  may continue below the elbow  82  to form a dimensionally uniform vertical tube  84 . The end of the tube  84  may be fixedly terminated in a spike  86  which is secured to the free lower end of thee tube  84  by attachment means such as screws or the like (not shown).  
         [0029]    The dispenser tube  74  is provided with a dispenser mechanism  88 . The mechanism  88  may comprise a slot  90  (FIG. 3) through the upper wall of the laterally extending second leg  80 . The slot  90  may be spaced from the elbow  82  and may extend to the dispensing free end  98  of the leg  80 . A substantially planar bar member  92 , which may be made of any rigid material, such as plastic, may have two downwardly blocking means such as extending prongs  94  and  96 . The prong  94 , positioned closest to the elbow  82 , is shorter than the prong  96  disposed closest to the dispensing end  98 . Integrally formed on opposed sides of the slot  90  and to the upper portion  78  of the L-shaped dispensing tube and the laterally extending dispensing leg  80  may be two parallel support brackets  100 . The bar  92  may be pivotally secured between the brackets  100  as by a pivot pin  102  which may be disposed between and substantially perpendicular to the prongs  94 ,  96 . The rear most prong  94  extends into and adjacent the end of the slot  90  proximate the elbow  82 . A spring  104  may have one end disposed on the upper surface  106  of the dispensing leg  80  and its opposed end abutting the underside of the end  106  of the bar  94  adjacent the elbow  82 . The spring  104  may be held in position as by engaging bosses molded into the respective outer surface  106  of the leg  80  and the bar  94 . A lever arm  108  may be positioned above the bar  94  and pivotally secured to the brackets  100  as by a pivot pin  110  so that one end of the lever  108  engages the upper surface  112  of the bar  94  proximate th elbow  82 .  
         [0030]    The free upper end  114  of the L-shaped dispensing tube  76  may be fitted with a collar which is internally threaded  116  for engaging the threaded end  60  of the collar  58 .  
         [0031]    In operation, the golf ball retrieving tube  68  is releasably secured to the collar  58  by being threaded into position. Golf balls  72  are retrieved through the golf ball retrieving mechanism  70  in a manner well known in the art. Balls  72  are then stored in the bag  12  by inverting the tube and allowing the balls  72  to roll into the bag  12 . When a desired number of balls  72  have been collected in the bag  12 , the bag  12  is inverted and the retrieving tube  68  is unscrewed from the collar  58  and the dispensing tube  74  is screwed on in its place. The bag  12  is then set upright and the balls  72  fall through the central aperture  56  and are guided by the right angle fins  48  in the bottom disk  20  through the disk collar  58  and into the dispensing tube  76 . The spike  86  is pushed into the ground to provide a steady positioning and securing means for the dispenser  10 . The spike  86  also spaces the dispensing end  98  of the L-shaped dispenser from the ground. The balls  72  are prevented from leaving the L-shaped dispensing leg by the longer prong  96  of the pivotally mounted bar  92 . To dispense a ball  72 , the lever arm  108  is depressed at its forward end  116  in the direction of the arrow  118  (FIG. 7). This movement depresses the end  106  of the bar  94  adjacent the elbow  82 , compressing the spring  104 . The space between the prongs  94 ,  96  is such as to admit one ball  72  at a time. If desired, the space may be so dimensioned as to allow more than one ball so that more than one ball will be dispensed each time. The shorter prong  94  enters the slot  90  in the dispensing downward tube  80  just behind the ball  72  ready to be dispensed, blocking the ball  118  immediately behind it. The shorter prong  94 , therefore, substantially simultaneously enters the interior of the second leg to hold the ball  118  back while the first ball  72  is dispensed because the longer prong  96  has been pivoted out of position. When the lever arm  108  is released, the spring  104  pushes up the end  106  of the bar  92 , dropping the longer prong  96  into the slot  90  to thereby block the next ball  118  from being dispensed. The process is repeated each time the golfer wishes to have a ball dispensed and, as preferably configured, only one ball can be dispensed at a time.  
         [0032]    When the golfer finishes using the retriever/dispenser, the dispensing tube  74  and retrieving tube  68  may be conveniently stored in the bag  12  by means of the zipper opening  52 . Thus, the combination of all parts in the single dispenser  10  results in a self-contained and efficient retriever/dispenser.  
         [0033]    While the particular golf ball dispensing and retrieving system, as well as the particular ball dispensing device, as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that same is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of the construction or design herein shown other than is defined in the appended claims.