Patent ID: 7037207

Claim:
A golf ball dispensing apparatus comprising: a frame; a dispensing housing disposed within the frame, said housing including: an inner housing wall disposed within the housing and defining a dispensing chamber, said dispensing chamber having: a feed port adapted to receive golf balls into the dispensing chamber by gravity feed; a dispensing port adapted to discharge golf balls from the dispensing chamber by gravity feed; and a plunger port; a ball stop disposed within the housing beneath the dispensing port, said ball stop adapted to receive and hold in a chambered position beneath the discharge port such single golf ball as received by the ball stop; and a lifting plunger received within the dispensing chamber through the plunger port, the lifting plunger being operably adapted to lift such golf ball above the ball stop to a discharge position adjacent the discharge port, each operation of the lifting plunger discharging into the dispensing port such single golf ball as is held in a chambered position; a tubular arm adapted to pass a golf ball, said tubular arm having: a proximal end adapted to receive a golf ball; a distal end forming a dispensing mouth for dispensing a golf ball therefrom; a pivot portion between the proximal and distal ends, the tubular arm pivotally disposed upon the frame at the pivot section; and a counterweight disposed upon the proximal end so as to bias the tubular arm towards an upper position, the tubular arm rotably movable between the upper position and a lower position; and a lifting actuator in mechanical communication with the lifting plunger, said lifting actuator adapted to receive the proximal end of the tubular arm as the tubular arm rotates toward the lower position so as operate the lifting plunger, wherein, with the tubular arm in the lower position, the proximal end is aligned along and proximate to the dispensing port so as to receive such golf ball as is discharged by the dispensing housing, and the dispensing mouth is adapted and arranged to deposit the golf ball being discharged from the dispensing mouth onto a tee centered with respect to the mouth.