Golf ball tee-up apparatus for driving range

Abstract

An apparatus for automatically setting a golf ball on a tee includes an escapement mechanism to isolate a single golf ball from a plurality of golf balls, a hingedly connected chute to channel a golf ball from the escapement mechanism to the tee, and means to raise and lower the chute from alignment with the tee to a position where it will not interfere with the swing of a golfer standing adjacent to the tee. A motor drives a pulley and chain. A cable is pivotally attached to the chain and to a free end of the chute. Rotation of the motor translates into linear movement of the cable, raising or lowering the chute. A helical coil spring may be imposed between the cable and the chute. A tab extending from the chute operates the escapement mechanism so that when the chute is in the raised position, only a single ball drops onto the chute.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for teeing up individual golf balls at a hitting station, comprising: 
 a tee for supporting a golf ball at the hitting station;    delivery means for providing golf balls at the hitting station;    a golf ball passageway for transporting the golf balls seriatim from the delivery means to the tee, said passageway being movable between a lowered position that is below the tee and a raised position wherein at least an exit end portion of the passageway is vertically higher than a top of the tee; and    means for moving the passageway between the lowered and raised positions, and    an escapement mechanism to release each golf ball from the delivery means onto the tee when the passageway is in the raised position.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising 
 a movable platform defining the passageway, and defining a tee opening that surrounds the tee when the passageway is moved between the lowered and the raised positions.  
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a fixed platform adjacent to the movable platform for supporting a person standing at a position to strike a ball on the tee with a club.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the movable platform is hingedly mounted.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the means for moving the passageway comprises motor means and control means for cyclically operating said motor means for moving the movable platform from the lowered or the raised position toward the other of the lowered or the raised position to deliver each ball in turn to the tee.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus for setting a golf ball on a tee comprising: 
 a chute defining a first end and an opposing second end for transporting the golf ball to the tee;    escapement means for separating an individual golf ball from a plurality of golf balls and delivering the individual golf ball to the first end of the chute; and    means for moving the chute between a first position clear of the tee so the ball on the tee can be struck by a swinging club, and a second position wherein the second end of the chute is vertically higher than a top of the tee.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the means for moving the chute includes a movable platform defining a free end adjacent to the chute first end, and an opposing hinged end.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the means for moving the chute further includes a mechanical assembly that moves the chute through a discrete cycle, said cycle comprising moving the chute from the first position to the second position and back again to the first position.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the mechanical assembly includes a motor, a driven pulley attached thereto, control means for cyclically operating said motor, an opposing pulley, and means to transfer motion from the driven pulley to the opposing pulley.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the mechanical assembly further includes means to extend under tension interconnecting the means to transfer motion with the first end of the chute.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the driven pulley turns in only one direction during the cycle.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the motor operates continuously during the cycle.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the escapement means includes two gates arranged such that at any given time only one gate blocks a plurality of golf balls from passing along a channel, said channel aligning at least two balls in a single file.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the two gates are spaced from each other laterally along the channel by a distance x such that d≦×<2d, wherein d is the diameter of the golf ball.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the chute comprises: 
 a stop positioned to prevent an individual golf ball from being transported beyond an axis that defines vertical alignment of the ball with the tee; and  
 a void adjacent to the stop through which the golf ball may pass from the chute onto the tee.  
 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the means for moving the chute includes a sensor that actuates a motor, said sensor selected from the group consisting of mechanical sensors, electrical sensors, load cells, optical sensors, or ultrasonic sensors.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the sensor automatically actuates the motor when the tee moves from a first position to a second position.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the tee is mounted at one end of a lever arm and the sensor is actuated by an opposing end of the lever arm.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the sensor is positioned to be operable by a person standing adjacent to the tee.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising adjustment means to fix a top of the tee at a vertical position, said adjustment means manually operable by a person standing adjacent to the tee.