Apparatus for compression testing and sorting golf balls

An apparatus for testing the compressability of golf balls and sorting them in accordance with predetermined compression ratings, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) drive means defining at least a portion of one side of a golf ball movement path and for driving the golf balls to be tested one at a time through at least that portion of the golf ball movement path;
• (b) lever means in spaced relationship with said drive means for defining the opposite side of the golf ball movement path, said lever means being movable toward and away from said drive means;
• (c) biasing means in engagement with said lever means for yieldably biasing said lever means toward said drive means;
• (d) stop means for limiting the biased movement of said lever means toward said drive means to form a restricted gap in the golf ball movement path which is smaller than the diameter of the golf ball to be tested so that upon driving of the golf balls through the restricted gap, said lever means will be deflectingly moved away from said drive means amounts indicative of the compressability of the golf balls being tested;
• (e) sensing means in engagement with said lever means for detecting the amounts of the deflected movements of said lever means when the golf balls to be tested are driven one at a time through the restricted gap defined by said drive means and said lever means, said sensing means producing first indications for amounts of deflected lever means movements between a relatively low predetermined value and a relatively higher predetermined value and producing second indications for amounts of deflected lever means movements above the relatively higher value;
• (f) a control circuit means coupled to receive the first and second indications from said sensing means for producing first control signals in response to received first indications and for producing second control signals in response to received second indications;
• and
• (g) golf ball sorting means for receiving the golf balls to be tested subsequent to the testing thereof and having first, second and third golf ball outlet openings, said golf ball sorting means having means coupled to receive the first and second control signals from said control circuit means for selectively directing the receivable golf balls to said first golf ball outlet opening upon receipt of the second control signal, to said second golf ball outlet opening upon receipt of the first control signal and to said third golf ball outlet opening in the absence of any signals received from said control circuit means.