Abstract:
An apparatus at a driving tee for golf balls or the like, comprising a raisable and lowerable ball support a so-called peg, on which a ball may be placed for driving thereof after lifting of the ball support with the ball to the desired level above the tee, the ball support being disposed on means for switching of the ball support from a low position for loading of the ball support with a ball to a higher position of said desired ball driving level, the ball support being disposed on the switching means via positioning means which are disposed to permit pivoting of the ball support in at least the driving direction, wherein the positioning means include a substantially U-shaped bracket between whose shanks the ball support is pivotal.

Description:
The present invention relates to an apparatus at a driving tee for golf balls. 
     Most driving tees or driving bays at driving ranges and similar practice facilities lack a ball support or peg which has the possibility of optional level adjustment and preferably also automatic teeing-up of the ball. These shortcomings are particularly manifest at facilities with a high load factor, where it is desirable that the time for occupying each driving bay should be as short as possible. For many people, it is further desirable to be able to avoid altering position between driving several balls in sequence, and to be readily able to select the level of the ball which is to be addressed. It has further proved to be desirable to be able to arrange a so-called pegging device preferably concealed beneath the tee site so that no ball discharging and pegging devices have any effect on the driving tee which instead substantially has the same appearance as any other driving tee whatever. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The task forming the basis of the present invention is to satisfy the above-outlined needs in the art and, to as high a degree as possible, obviate the drawbacks in prior art arrangements. 
     This task is solved according to the present invention in the apparatus indicated by way of introduction in that it has been given the characterising features as set forth in appended Claim  1 . 
     As a result of the present invention, it is possible, using the apparatus disclosed by way of introduction, to select the desired level of the ball peg and also to realise an automatic pegging of the ball on the peg in that the peg, after driving of a ball, is lowered to a starting position for pegging a ball, and is thereafter raised to the desired ball level. As a result of this adjustment of the peg, there is made possible an extremely simple, fully automatic pegging of the ball thereon, in that, for example, a ball discharge tube leads to the ball peg in its low, lowered level. As a result of the present invention, it is moreover possible to position the entire apparatus completely concealed beneath the driving tee, whereby this will be given the same appearance as any other driving tee whatever. Moreover, the apparatus according to the present invention is not exposed to the elements, whereby it will be considerably more reliable in operation than prior art apparatuses. An apparatus according to the present invention further imparts to the peg or ball support considerably longer service life and permits rapid and simple replacement of any possibly damaged or worn peg. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a photographic view of an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention at a driving tee. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of parts of a ball raising device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of a ball raising device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a view from beneath of the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is an end elevation from the left of the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 . 
         FIG. 7  shows a section taken in the direction of the arrows A-A in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevation of a part of the device of  FIG. 2  on a larger scale and without a ball. 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevation of a part of the peg or ball support of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevation of another part of the ball support of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  is a view of the part shown in  FIG. 10  obliquely from beneath. 
         FIG. 12  is a view of the part shown in  FIG. 10  obliquely from above. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the present invention will be described in greater detail hereinbelow in connection with use thereof at a driving tee which, as is apparent in  FIG. 1 , consists of a platform  1  which is raised from a substrate  2  with a frame  3  and feet  4 . On the platform  1 , there is placed a main mat  5  and a mat  6  through which extends the peg  7  with a ball  8 . On each side of the mat section  6 , there are disposed two additional mat sections  9  and  10 , essentially for marking purposes. In front of the mat section  6  with the peg  7  and the ball  8 , there is disposed an additional mat section  11  which is provided with holes  12  and  13  which are provided with sensors for adjusting the height of the peg  7  and thereby the height of the ball  8  above the mat  6 . The sensors may, for example, be of optical and/or magnetic type and be actuable by means of a golf club or the like. The sensors are connected to electronic circuits for switching the ball support or peg level and will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. 
     In front of the mat section  11 , there is disposed a golf ball magazine  14  which is of a conventional type and has a discharge opening  15  which is directed towards the peg  7  and which releases a golf ball on the mat section  11 , whereafter the ball may roll under its own force towards the peg  7  after driving-off of the illustrated ball  8 , when the peg  7  is located in its lowered position, whereafter the released ball can be placed in the opening above the peg  7  for subsequent lifting up to the desired level by means of the peg  7 . A channel may be disposed in the mat sections  6  and  11 , the channel not being shown, and possibly extending between the discharge opening  15  and the peg  7 . As a rule, the peg  7  may be raised in that the sensor in the hole  12  is actuated by means of the player&#39;s club, and be lowered in that the sensor in the hole  13  is actuated by means of the club proper, which implies that the club face is placed quite simply above the openings  12  and  13 , respectively, since the sensors therein are in all likelihood optical or magnetic, e.g. photo sensors. 
     The device illustrated in  FIG. 2  for raising a golf ball or the pegging device, is placed under the platform  1  and has, as shown in  FIG. 2 , an arm consisting of two parts  31  and  32 , the part  31  being secured by means of a spring plate  33  on a flange  34  and having a large U-shaped cross section with short downwardly directed shanks. The arm portion  31  further supports an adjustment member  35  with a spring F ( FIG. 7 ), which pivots the arm portion  32  about an axis  36  counterclockwise in  FIG. 2  into abutment against the inside of the arm portion  31  as long as the arm portion  32  is unbiased. Pivoting of the arm portion  32  clockwise is restricted by a bridge B between the shanks on the arm portion  31 . The arm portion  31  is provided with a guide  39  for a crank  40  which is pivotal by means of a motor  41 . A sensor  42  is rehearsed to decide whether a golf ball  8  is placed on the peg  7 ,  38 , or has left the peg  7 ,  38 . Without the loading of a golf ball  8  on the peg  7 ,  38 , the arm portion  32  pivots to the position illustrated in  FIG. 2 . On placing of a ball on the peg  7 ,  38 , the arm portion  32  will pivot clockwise in  FIG. 2  and thereby downwards for actuation of the sensor  42  which indicates that a ball  8  is placed thereon, whereafter the motor  41  and the crank  40  will pivot the arm portion  31  with the arm portion  32  to the desired driving level. The driving level is adjustable with the aid of the sensors in the openings  12  and  13 . These thus control the motor  41  for adjustment of the crank  40  in the desired position and thereby the arm portion  31  via suitable software and electronics. The software is suitably rehearsed to remember the set level between a number of drives, whereby it is unnecessary to carry out an adjustment between each drive, while the motor  41  returns to the same starting position, or ball collecting position, between each drive. The motor  41  may be a stepped motor. 
       FIGS. 3 to 7  show yet a further embodiment of parts of a ball raising- or pegging device. The same parts carry the same reference numerals.  FIG. 7  shows the adjustment device in greater detail and it will be apparent that the arm portion  32  is urged down by a spring F, which in turn is compressed by means of a set screw  44  which extends through a nut  35  secured on the arm portion  31  via a tubular portion  45 . It is clearly apparent from  FIG. 5  that the arm portion  32  is provided with so-called weight relief holes  46 . The weight relief holes may possibly be omitted if the arm portion is manufactured from such a light material as aluminium. The free end of the arm portion  32  supports a substantially U-shaped bracket  47  which, by means of a screw union  48 , is secured on the arm portion  32 . The bracket  47  is advantageously manufactured from a spring steel material so that the upstanding shanks are resiliently urged against the golf ball support  38  proper or the peg  7 . On the inside of the upright shanks of the bracket  47 , there are advantageously provided ball-shaped bulges or bights and corresponding ball-shaped bulges or bights on the golf ball support  38  or the peg  7 . The bulges on the inside of the shanks of the bracket  47  may suitably consist of steel balls which are welded in position on the shanks. The inward bights on the support  38  or the peg  7  are, in such instance, recesses corresponding to the configuration of the balls. By such means, pivoting of the golf ball support  38  or the peg  7  is made possible about the axis extending between the shanks of the U-shaped bracket  47 , the axis extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the arm portions  31 ,  32 . At the end of the arm portion  32 , there is further secured a leaf spring  49  by means of a screw union (unreferenced). The spring  49  is a leaf spring and abuts against the underside of the golf ball support  38  or the peg  7  with a substantially planar portion which is substantially parallel with the arm portion  32  so that the golf ball support  38  is held in a desired position substantially at right angles to the arm portion  32 . The support  38  in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  6  is of a different type than the type shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , as will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. 
     Thus, the above-described mounting of the golf ball support  38  will permit a pivoting thereof in the longitudinal direction of the arm portions  31 ,  32  against the action of the leaf spring  49  which returns the golf ball support  38  or the peg  7  to the desired starting position. 
     This arrangement has proved to impart to the golf ball support  38  considerably improved service life. In addition, it is extremely simple to replace the golf ball support, since no tools whatever are required, but simply an outward flexing of the shanks on the U-shaped bracket  47 , whereafter the leaf spring  49  is pressed down somewhat so that the bights and bulges may snap into the correct position. The bights and bulges may possibly be replaced by, for example, a pin and a corresponding recess in the mating part. 
       FIGS. 8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12  and  FIG. 8  show a part of  FIG. 2  on a larger scale and the bracket  47  as well as the ball support  38  differ from the corresponding parts described in connection with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 7 . The bracket  47  is U-shaped and the upright shanks each have an L-shaped groove  50  whose horizontal section is directed away from the arm portion  32  and is open, while the vertical section of the groove  50  is closed. The ball support  38  proper is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 9 to 12  and, in this embodiment, consists of an upright  51  ( FIG. 9 ) and a cradle  52  ( FIGS. 10 to 12 ). The upright  51  is cylindrical and has a foot  53  in a part with the upright  51  proper, which has a through-going hole  54  and is thus tubular. The foot  53  has a hole  55  for the draining of any possible water. The cradle  52  in  FIGS. 10 to 12  is cup-shaped and has two mutually registering pins  56  and  57 . The cradle  52  has a recess  58  and a hole  59  for the upright  51 . The foot  53  fits in the recess  58  and the upright  51  fits in the hole  59 . The pins  56  and  57  each fit in their one of the grooves  50 . 
     It is clearly illustrated in  FIG. 8  that the leaf spring  49  urges the cradle  52  with the upright  51  by abutting against the foot  53  and possibly also the cradle  52 , or both against the foot  53  and the cradle  52  against the closed end of the vertical section of the groove  50 . 
     Also in this embodiment, the ball support  38  will be pivotal in the longitudinal direction of the arm portions  31  and  32  and is extremely simple to replace, and the risk that it is removed unintentionally is extremely slight. 
     Many modifications are naturally possible without departing from the scope of the inventive concept as this is defined in the appended Claims.