Abstract:
Disclosed is a device for teeing up golf balls having a hopper, a cycle start button, and an adjustable rubber tee. The hopper is operatively connected to the teeing up device to supply golf balls through the gravity fed supply tube to the rubber tee. The teeing up device comprises an air cylinder for raising and lowering in a cylinder tube to receive golf balls one at a time.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a golf ball teeing-up device for teeing-up golf balls. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Many teeing-up apparatuses have been devised throughout the years; however, research has shown that so far very few have been placed on the market. 
     This device is an excellent training aid since repetition plays a significant part in learning the art of driving a golf ball. This repetition is improved by concentrating on the swing and upper body control since the operator never moves their feet, never takes their hands off the club and never bends over. The ball hopper and the switch is designed for use by either left or right handed operators. This design having an extreme low profile and narrow surface provides the golfer to exercise and to learn upper body control. For this reason, I have developed the ultimate tee-up device. 
     Some of the previous apparatuses have many mechanical moving pails and many are electrically operated. If these apparatuses are faulty or become wet, the operator may be harmed or receive electrical shock. The many moving parts also require regular maintenance. If regular maintenance is not performed, premature failure may occur due to lack of lubrication or adjustment. One example of such a device is by Hellmann, Bill W., U.S. Pat. No. 5415409. 
     Other known apparatus such as the vacuum operated device by Bobby J. Gould, U.S. Pat. No. 5016886 is short lived because a tight seal is required between the golf ball and the rubber tee. After striking several times, especially with irons, the rubber tee tends to get cut thereby preventing a tight seal. 
     In addition to many moving parts, possibility of electrical shock and premature failure due to loss of vacuum, there is ground water. Water will always find its way inside a hole in the ground and must either be carried away or prevented from entering the golf ball teeing-up device. My invention has a wiper blade designed to prevent moisture from entering the air cylinder when no pressure exists below the typical air cylinder seal. The Simplified mechanism for automatically teeing practice golf balls by John F. Elder, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5356148 is also short lived since it does not wipe the air cylinder shaft of moisture to prevent failure when water is allowed into the air valve system. The second and most obvious problem with John Elder&#39;s mechanism is that only the proprietor or driving range operator can adjust the ball height with special tools whereas my invention requires no tools and is adjustable by the golfer. Additional advantages of my invention is total control over the cycle and dwell time from air alone. The use of flow control valves gives my invention this ability whereas John F. Elders&#39; invention requires a switching mechanism connected to timers. 
     Objects and Advantages 
     Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention provides a simpler and more reliable golf ball teeing-up device. 
     The air operated switch with a momentary pause allows the gravity led golf balls to drop onto a rubber tee in an extremely smooth traveling manner from tee-up position to tee-up position. Since this product is most often installed below ground level, water is an extreme obstacle. Having only a single moving part and requiring no lubrication or scheduled maintenance, makes this device the ultimate golf ball teeing-up apparatus. Other inventions having many moving parts and/or electrically operated devices are impractical when installed below ground level because of moisture. 
     The vacuum style apparatuses are short lived since the end of the rubber tee deteriorates allowing air to seep by causing a slow death. 
     Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view illustrating the device in a tee tip position. 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the adjustable sleeve mechanism used to adjust ball height of the tee up device. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the lift sequence of the device (cylinder at full retraction) 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the lift sequence of the device (cylinder at mid extension) 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the lift sequence of the device (cylinder at full extension) 
     FIG. 6 illustrates air control valve system at rest--inactivated 
     FIG. 7 illustrates air control valve system activated 
     FIG. 8 illustrates air control valve system at mid cycle 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the rod seal/mounting nut 
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS 
     
         ______________________________________    FIG. 1     1 Base Plate (Ground Level)     2 Ball Hopper     3 Air Filter Regulator     4 Gravity Ball Supply Tube     5 Cycle Start Button     6 Control Valve System     7 Port     8 Port     9 Cylinder Tube    10 Lift Cylinder    11 Locating Disc    12 Anchoring Nut    13 Thrust Disc    14 Adjustable Sleeve    15 Vertical Slot    16 Artificial Turf    17 Rod Seal/Mounting Nut    18 Rubber Tee (tube)    19 Lift Cylinder Shaft    20 Anti-Rotation Key    FIG. 2    14 Adjustable Sleeve    18 Rubber Tee (tube)    19 Lift Cylinder Shaft    21 Keeper Pins    22 Bayonnet Slot    23 Spring    24 Adapter Shaft    25 Bayonnet Pin    FIG. 3 4 &amp; 5 - Lift Stroke Illustration    FIG. 6 7 &amp; 8     3 Air Filter Regulator     5 Cycle Start Button     7 Port     8 Port    10 Lift Cylinder    19 Lift Cylinder Shaft    65 Director Block    66 Four way valve    67 Three way valve    68 Needle valve    69 Flow control valve    70 Flow control valve    FIG. 9     7 Port     9 Cylinder Tube    11 Locating Disc    15 Vertical Slot    17 Rod Seal/Mounting Nut    19 Lift Cylinder Shaft______________________________________ 
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention uses compressed air either from a compressor or a pressurized tank used solely for activating an air cylinder thus raising a golf ball from a predetermined point. This predetermined point is low enough to provide the minimum incline to allow the ball once fed into the supply tube via the ball hopper to become gravity fed enabling the ball to drop onto the tee. This provides a continuous gravity feed of all balls previously fed into a supply tube to be raised one at a time above the operating surface. The ball, once in position on a rubber tee attached to the end of a rod protruding from an air cylinder, can be height adjusted to allow the operator to simulate a fairway lie or a tee off lie. The device is activated by using the club sole to tap a control switch which initiates the automatic cycle. This eliminates the need for the operator to bend over, move their feet, and take their hands off the club thus improving golf skills by eliminating lower body movements. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings of the golf practice device, hereinafter is referred to as golf ball teeing up device FIG. 1. 
     A rectangular base plate (1) lying horizontally at ground level is used to anchor the artificial turf (16) and the ball hopper (2). The cycle start button (5), the control valve system (6), the gravity ball supply tube (4), and the cylinder tube (9) are connected to the bottom of the rectangular base plate (1). The cylinder tube (9) holds the lift cylinder (10) vertically in position. The locating disc (11) keeps the lift cylinder (10) held in position (centered). The anchoring nut (12) holds the lift cylinder (10) against the bottom of the lift cylinder tube (9). The rod seal/mounting nut (17) holds the locating disc (11) in place. Attached to the lift cylinder shaft (19) is a thrust disc (13) with an anti-rotation key (20) mounted opposite the gravity ball supply tube (4) that rides in a vertical slot (15) located in the cylinder tube (9). This provides a means for adjusting the ball height by preventing the lift cylinder shaft (19) from rotating when turning the adjustable sleeve (14) from tee off lie to fairway lie height. Air is supplied by an air compressor or air tank thus providing a continuous flow of air pressure through the air filter regulator (3) to a control valve system (6). When the cycle start button (5) is momentarily pressed, air is directed to a pilot port (7) on the control valve system (6). This shifts the valve to allow air to pass through the port (7) of the lift cylinder (10) retracting it until the lift cylinder shaft (19) is fully retracted. Air pressure is held in the control valve system (6) allowing air pressure to pass through the port (8) keeping the lift cylinder shaft (19) extended when the control valve system (6) is at rest. The rubber tee (18) remains in the tee up position for adjusting the tee height if desired. 
     Operation--FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 
     A base plate (1) is shown in FIG. 1 which will have artificial turf (16) on the top surface. A ball hopper (2) is positioned near the end of base plate (1) so as to be clear of a left or right hand golfer driving golf balls. Golf balls placed in the ball hopper (2) drop into the slightly inclined gravity ball supply tube (4) providing the means for continuously feeding balls onto the rubber tee (18). Once the balls are loaded, the operator simply touches the cycle start button (5) with the sole of the golf club. This automatically activates the control valve system (6) which is totally air pressure operated having air supplied through air filter regulator (3) from a air compressor or pressurized tank, portable or otherwise. The control valve system (6) is normally at rest position 
     Operation--FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 (continued) meaning that the rubber tee (18) is normally above the artificial turf (16). This allows the operator to adjust the height of the rubber tee (18). Fairway lie height is adjusted by pushing down and turning clockwise one-quarter turn against the adjustable sleeve (14). Tee off height is adjusted by pushing down and turning counter clockwise one-quarter turn against the adjustable sleeve (14). 
     The adjustable sleeve mechanism (14) FIG. 2 slides over adapter shaft (24) that is attached to the lift cylinder shaft (19) allowing the operator to adjust the height of the rubber tee (18). Fairway lie height is adjusted by pushing down and turning clockwise one-quarter turn against the adjustable sleeve(14). Tee off height is adjusted by pushing down and turning counter clockwise one quarter turn against the adjustable sleeve (14). The ease of adjustment is accomplished by tension held against the adjustable sleeve (14) by the spring (23) allowing the bayonnet pin (25) pressed into the adapter shaft (24) protruding outward into the bayonnet slot (22) to ride and lock in the bottom of the bayonnet slot (22) for the tee off lie or at the top offset position of the bayonnet slot (22) for the fairway lie. The rubber tee (18) is held in position by two keeper pins (21) located at right angles to each other on the adjustable sleeve (14) to provide a means of holding the rubber tee (18) in position until replacement is necessary. 
     The inactivated air control valve system (6) FIG. 6 allows air to pass through X fitting director block (65) into four way valve (66) to port(8) of lift cylinder (10) keeping it extended. 
     The activated air control valve system (6) FIG. 7 is activated by pressing cycle start 
     Operation--FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 (continued) button (5). Air is directed to pilot operator B on four way valve (66). This shifts the four way valve to allow air to pass to port (7) of the lift cylinder (10). During the inactivated condition and until the lift cylinder shaft (19) is fully retracted, air pressure is held on pilot port A of normally open three way valve (67). After lift cylinder shaft (19) fully retracts there is no pressure at pilot port A of normally open three way valve (67). The normally open three way valve (67) returns to its normal position allowing air to pass to pilot operator A of four way valve (66). This shifts four way valve (66) allowing air to pass to port (8) of lift cylinder (10) extending the lift cylinder shaft (19). The system is now ready for another cycle. 
     The key to the air logic system is the normally open three way valve (67) which maintains pressure while the lift cylinder shaft (19) is retracting and pushing air out of FIG. 7, port (8) through the &#34;T&#34; in the four way valve (66) into port A of the normally open three way valve (67) holding the normally open three way valve (67) closed. Once the lift cylinder shaft (19) is fully retracted, pressure is eliminated in the normally open three way valve (67) allowing the normally open three way valve (67) to return to normal condition (normally open thus allowing air to pass through). 
     The mid cycle air control valve system (6) FIG. 8 begins with air passing through normally open three way valve (67) through the needle valve (68) into pilot operator A of four way valve (66) shifting the four way valve (66) back to its inactivated position causing the lift cylinder shaft (19) to extend. 
     Operation--FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 (continued) 
     The other three primary elements to the total operation of the air control valve system (6) are the three flow control valves (68, 69, &amp; 70). Two flow control valves (69 &amp; 70) located on four way valve (66) control the upward speed and retracting speed by releasing the air from the four way valve (66). 
     The third flow control valve (68) (FIGS. 6, 7, &amp; 8) located between the four way valve (66) and normally open three way valve (67) controls the dwell or the time the rubber tee (18) is at the bottom of its stroke (mid-cycle). This enables the ball to drop onto the rubber tee (18) from the gravity ball supply tube (4). 
     FIG. 9 rod seal/mounting nut (17) is especially designed to prevent moisture from entering the lift cylinder (10) by using a non spring loaded seal. This seal wipes all liquid from the lift cylinder shaft (19) shaft thereby preventing moisture from penetrating around the guide bushing located at the end of the lift cylinder (10) where the lift cylinder shaft (19) slides in and out.