US 6,742,982 B2 · Golf ball stacking and dispensing apparatus and method

Abstract

A golf ball stacking and dispensing apparatus comprising a hopper having two pyramidal shells each of different dimensions. Each of the shells is truncated and has a respective open substantially rectangular rim defining a respective open base of a different dimension than that of the other. The shells are joined together where each is truncated so as to converge together and define a funnel opening between the shells. Each of the shells is configured to form a self-supporting stack of golf balls atop each other as a stacking tray closes the open base of one of the shells and the golf balls are poured through the other of the shells. A method of forming different size pyramidal stacks of golf balls by pouring golf balls through one pyramidal shell of a hopper to fill the other pyramidal shell thereof. The filled pyramidal shell has an open base that is closed by a tray, thereby forming a self-supporting pyramidal stack of golf balls on the tray after filling the applicable shell, and removing the hopper from the tray. Further golf balls may be poured through the other shell onto a further tray. This other shell has a differently dimensioned open base that is closed by the further trays to form a further self-supporting pyramidal stack of golf balls after pouring in the golf balls to fill two other of the shells.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A golf ball stacking and dispensing apparatus, comprising a hopper having two pyramidal shells, wherein:

each of the two pyramidal shells is truncated and has a respective rim defining a respective open base;
the two pyramidal shells are joined together where each of the two pyramidal shells is truncated so as to converge together and define a funnel opening between the two pyramidal shells;
a first of the two pyramidal shells is configured to form a self-supporting stack of uniformly-sized golf balls arranged in a plural number of layers atop each other as a stacking tray closes the open base of the first of the two pyramidal shells and golf balls fill the first of the two pyramidal shells after pouring through a second of the two pyramidal shells;
and
the second of the two pyramidal shells is configured to form a further self-supporting stack of the uniformly-sized golf balls arranged in a different plural number of layers atop each other as a further stacking tray closes the open base of the second of the two pyramidal shells and the golf balls fill the second of the two pyramidal shells after pouring through the first of the two pyramidal shells.

2 more elements

A method of forming different size pyramidal stacks of golf balls with a hopper having first and second pyramidal shells, comprising:

closing an open base of the second pyramidal shell of the hopper with a stacking tray;
pouring golf balls through the first-pyramidal shell of the hopper to fill the second pyramidal shell of the hopper so as to form on the stacking tray a self-supporting pyramidal stack of a plural number of layers of uniformly-sized golf balls, the second pyramidal shell and the first pyramidal shell each being truncated and being joined together where each is truncated so as to form a funnel opening between the second pyramidal shell and the first pyramidal shell;
removing the hopper from the stacking tray to leave the self-supporting pyramidal stack of uniformly-sized golf balls alone on the stacking tray;
closing an open base of the first pyramidal shell of the hopper with a further tray;
pouring further golf balls through the second pyramidal shell of the hopper to fill the first pyramidal shell so as to form on the further tray a further self-supporting pyramidal stack of a further plural number of layers of uniformly-sized golf balls that is different than that of the first-mentioned plural number of layers, the stacking tray and the further stacking tray being of different dimensions;
and
removing the hopper from the further stacking tray to leave the further self-supporting pyramidal stack of uniformly-sized golf balls alone on the further stacking tray.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Golf ball stacking and dispensing apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Golf ball stacking and dispensing apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27