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US 6,368,229 B1Granted
Golf ball delivery system
OwnerBruce B. Wetherellinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Lifting golf balls in a vertical tube from a cleaning station using sufficient air pressure from an air blower to lift the golf balls in the vertical tube and allowing the golf balls to fall by gravity from an apex of the vertical tube to a diverter for directing the golf balls to a particular dispenser apparatus. An electromagnetic switch controls the movement of the diverter to determine which dispenser apparatus receives the golf balls.
Claims14
A golf ball delivery system comprising:
- (a) a first cylindrical tube having a diameter sufficient to accommodate a golf ball, the cylindrical tube mounted in a substantially vertical direction over a means for retaining multiple golf balls;
- (b) a source of blown air to push the golf balls upwardly into the substantially vertical tube from the means for retaining multiple golf balls;
- (c) the source of blown air generating sufficient air pressure to lift a golf ball in the substantially vertical tube to a topmost apex from which the golf ball thereafter falls by gravity into a first end of a second cylindrical tube positioned at a slight incline to a surface below the second cylindrical tube;
- (d) a second end of the second cylindrical tube leading to a golf ball diverter, the diverter directing the golf ball in response to an electromagnetic signal to one of two or more golf ball dispensers located in a golf practice area and from which golfers can obtain practice golf balls.
1 more element
A method of automatically delivering a golf ball from a cleaning station to a dispenser, the steps comprising:
- (a) providing a first vertical cylindrical tube with an interior diameter suitable to accommodate a golf ball and having a bottom opening located in the cleaning station adjacent a golf ball repository, the golf balls pushed by blown air into the first vertical cylindrical tube bottom opening;
- (b) lifting the golf balls within the first vertical cylindrical tube by sufficient blown air from an air blower to lift the golf balls vertically in the first vertical cylindrical tube to an apex;
- (c) providing a second cylindrical tube for the golf balls, the second cylindrical tube leading from the apex on a downward slope towards a diverter, and
- (d) the diverter directing the golf balls to any one of two or more golf ball dispensers in response to an electrical signal from the dispenser.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.