Patent GB-1499884-A (GB)
Title: Automatic ball supplying mechanism
Inventor: IZUMI KOJI
IPC: A63B57/00
Filed: 1975-02-19
Abstract: 1499884 Ball supplying apparatus IZUKI FUDOSAN CO Ltd 19 Feb 1975 7058/75 Headings A6D An automatic device for delivering balls to a station or stations comprises a ball storage means adapted to dispense a controlled number of balls in sequence, a main supply conduit, to divert balls from said main supply conduit to one of at least two secondary ball supply conduits, means to take balls from said at least one secondary ball supply conduit and present them at a respective station or respective stations (e.g. golf tee or tees) and control means to control the supply of replacement balls to said stations. A ball reservoir 10 (Fig. 1) comprises a body 11 (Fig. 2) enclosing a series of sloping plates 15 each provided with plates 16 which provide a serpentine path for balls which may be accepted through a receiving pipe 14. Balls leave the reservoir via a flexible pipe 19. The body 11 is supported on springs 12a and may be caused to oscillate, to keep the balls moving freely, by an electromagnetic vibrator 13. The number of balls dispensed from the reservoir 10 is controlled by a ball sending device 20. This is attached to pipe 19 and the main supply conduit 30 and comprises a shell 21 (Fig. 4) having an aperture 22 through which the tip of a vane 23 may protrude to arrest the motion of balls through said shell. The vane is acted upon by a flat spring 24 but may be acted on by a solenoid 27 to withdraw the tip of the vane from said aperture 22 in which case balls may freely flow through said shell. Flow change - over devices 40 direct balls from the main supply conduit 30 to respective secondary ball supply conduits, 51. Each device 40 comprises a chamber 41 (Fig. 5) and a shell 43, and an aperture 42, is provided in the wall of chamber 41. Said aperture may be substantially obturated by a vane 44 pivotally mounted at 44a and maintained in said obturating position by a flat spring 44b. A solenoid 45 can act to move said vane 44 into the chamber 41 (to the position indicated in broken lines) to achieve deflection of balls, which enter the chamber (from the left in Fig. 5) into the respective secondary ball supply conduit 51. A pivotally mounted guide plate 44c, linked to the vane 44 is also provided. To prevent balls becoming trapped between the vane 44 and the chamber wall, the vane and chamber wall are provided with semi-circular cut-outs (44g) and 44h respectively. Ball level insepection devices 60 are provided each comprising a bascule bridge 71 (Fig. 7) comprising a bridge body 72, pivotally supported at one end on a shaft 75 with the other end positioned in a ring 76. Balance weights 73b are mounted on an arm 73 attached to the body 72. When the bridge body 72 is full of balls the said other end of the bridge rests on the lower surface of ring 76. As the number of balls in the body 72 decreases (from right to left in Fig. 7), the balance weights 73b cause the bridge 71 to pivot about shaft 75 causing the contacts 82 of a switch 81 to close. A spring 77 is provided to absorb any extraneous vibrations. Solenoids 27, 45 of the ball sending devices 20 and flow change over devices 40 resepectively are actuated by a control system in response to signals received from switches 81 of the ball level inspection devices. The control system comprises a flow path control circuit, which controls the distribution of balls which have been dispensed into the main supply conduit and a ball sending control circuit which controls the number of balls dispensed and the time at which they are dispensed. Details of the circuitry of the control system and the ways in which it functions are disclosed. Golf balls are placed on tees by respective ball-serving devices 90 of known design.