Automatic teeing device and cage for catching golf balls hit toward the cage

A golf ball teeing device comprising

• an elongate trough having respective proximal and distal ends, said trough being capable of supporting a golf ball for rolling motion of the golf ball along said trough when the trough slopes downwardly from its proximal end to its distal end;
• a substantially horizontal pivot axis extending transversely of said trough adjacent to said proximal end of said trough so that said trough can pivot about said horizontal pivot axis to rotate back and forth between a first position in which the trough extends generally upwardly from said horizontal pivot axis and a second position in which said trough slants downwardly from said horizontal pivot axis so that the distal end of said trough is slightly lower than the proximal end thereof so that said golf ball will roll down said trough from the proximal end of said trough to the distal end of said trough when said trough is in its said second position;
• a ball receiving chamber located below said horizontal pivot axis, said ball receiving chamber being offset to the side of a vertical plane passing through said horizontal pivot axis, said ball receiving chamber further having an opening in a sidewall thereof, whereby said opening forms a ball receiving entrance through which said golf ball is introduced into said ball receiving chamber;
• a ball-cradle member extending downwardly from said horizontal pivot axis into said ball receiving chamber when said trough is in its said first position, said ball-cradle member receives and cradles said golf ball when said golf ball enters said ball receiving chamber through the ball receiving entrance formed by the opening in the sidewall of said ball receiving chamber;
• said ball-cradle member being associated with said trough such that the ball-cradle member rotates upwardly about said horizontal pivot axis when said trough rotates downwardly from its said first position to its said second position, whereby when said trough rotates to its said second position, the ball-cradle member rotates sufficiently upward so that said golf ball cradled therein will roll from the ball-cradle member to the proximal end of the trough, with said golf ball then rolling down said trough to the distal end thereof;
• gate means associated with said ball receiving entrance, said gate means being adapted to block said ball receiving entrance when said ball-cradle member rotates upwardly, whereby a subsequent golf ball cannot enter said ball receiving chamber through said ball receiving entrance until said ball-cradle member rotates back downwardly into said ball receiving chamber;
• a circular guide loop formed at the distal end of said trough said guide loop having a diameter that will allow said golf ball to pass through the loop whereby when said golf ball rolls down said trough set on a suitable support member by said guide loop said guide loop can move upwardly around said golf ball so that said trough can move back to its said first position while leaving said golf ball setting on said support;
• means for rotating said trough back and forth between its said first and second positions;
• a cage spaced from the golf ball teeing device, said cage being adapted to catch said golf ball when said golf ball is hit from said teeing device toward said cage with a golf club, said cage comprising
• an upstanding back wall being formed of a flexible sheet material;
• a floor attached to said back wall and extending forwardly from said back wall;
• a ball return device attached to said floor, with said floor slanting downwardly in a direction toward said ball return device, so that said golf ball enters said ball return device when it rolls downwardly on said floor;
• and
• a ball return track attached to said ball return device, said ball return track having a distal end that abuts the ball receiving entrance of said teeing device so that said golf ball will roll from said ball return device to said teeing device.

A golf ball teeing device comprising

• an elongate trough having respective proximal and distal ends said trough being capable of supporting a golf ball for rolling motion of the golf ball along said trough when the trough slopes downwardly from its proximal end to its distal end;
• a substantially horizontal pivot axis extending transversely of said trough adjacent to said proximal end of said trough so that said trough can pivot about said horizontal pivot axis to rotate back and forth between a first position in which the trough extends generally upwardly from said horizontal pivot axis and a second position in which said trough slants downwardly from said horizontal pivot axis so that the distal end of said trough is slightly lower than the proximal end thereof so that said golf ball will roll down said trough from the proximal end of said trough to the distal end of said trough when said trough is in its said second position;
• a ball receiving chamber located below said horizontal pivot axis, said ball receiving chamber being offset to the side of a vertical plane passing through said horizontal pivot axis, said ball receiving chamber further having an opening in a sidewall thereof, whereby said opening forms a ball receiving entrance through which said golf ball is introduced into said ball receiving chamber;
• a ball-cradle member extending downwardly from said horizontal pivot axis into said ball receiving chamber when said trough is in its said first position, said ball-cradle member receives and cradles said golf ball when said golf ball enters said ball receiving chamber through the ball receiving entrance formed by the opening in the sidewall of said ball receiving chamber;
• said ball-cradle member being associated with said trough such that the ball-cradle member rotates upwardly about said horizontal pivot axis when said trough rotates downwardly from its said first position to its said second position, whereby when said trough rotates to its said second position, the ball-cradle member rotates sufficiently upward so that said golf ball cradled therein will roll from the ball-cradle member to the proximal end of the trough, with said golf ball then rolling down said trough to the distal end thereof;
• gate means associated with said ball receiving entrance said gate means being adapted to block said ball receiving entrance when said ball-cradle member rotates upwardly, whereby a subsequent golf ball cannot enter said ball receiving chamber through said ball receiving entrance until said ball-cradle member rotates back downwardly into said ball receiving chamber;
• a circular guide loop formed at the distal end of said trough, said guide loop having a diameter that will allow said golf ball to pass through the loop, whereby when said golf ball rolls down said trough and is set on a suitable support member by said guide loop, said guide loop can move upwardly around said golf ball so that said trough can move back to its said first position while leaving said golf ball setting on said support;
• means for rotating said trough back and forth between its said first and second positions;
• a cage spaced from the golf ball teeing device, said cage being adapted to catch said golf ball when said golf ball is hit from said teeing device toward said cage with a golf club, said cage comprising
• an upstanding back wall having opposite upstanding side edges and a substantially horizontal upper edge, said back wall being formed of a flexible material;
• two upstanding side walls that extend forwardly from opposite, respective, upstanding side edges of said back wall, said side walls being formed of a flexible sheet material;
• a top wall extending forwardly from an upper edge of said back wall, with the opposite side edges of said top wall being attached to respective upper edges of said side walls, said top wall being formed of a flexible sheet material;
• a floor having its back side edge attached to said back wall, with said floor slanting from its back side edge toward a forward, lower corner of one of said side walls so that said golf ball when hit into said cage will roll along said floor toward said forward, lower corner of said one of said side walls;
• an opening in the forward, lower corner of said one of said side walls through which said golf ball can pass as said golf ball rolls along said floor to said forward, lower corner of said one said side walls;
• a tray that slants upwardly from said opening in said forward, lower corner of said one of said side walls to the other of said side walls, said tray forming a forward side edge of said floor, said tray having an upstanding wall extending from the forward most side edge of said tray such that the tray and its upstanding wall directs said golf ball toward said opening when said golf ball rolls forward on said floor of said cage, whereby said tray and its upstanding wall prevents said golf ball from rolling over the forward side edge of said floor;
• a ball return device attached to said cage at said opening in said forward, lower corner of said one of said side walls so that said golf ball enters said ball return device when it rolls through said opening in said forward, lower end of said one of said side walls;
• and
• a ball return track attached to said ball return device, said ball return track having a distal end that abuts the ball receiving entrance of said teeing device, so that said golf ball will roll from said ball return device to said teeing device.