Golf ball practice driving apparatus

Claim 2

A golf ball practice driving apparatus for successively teeing-up golf balls comprising: a. a ground supported platform having a top surface, b. a stationary tee member on said platform projected upwardly from said top surface, c. a container for golf balls having a discharge chute for a single row of balls, d. means on said platform located below said top surface for releasing only the lead ball from said row of balls to a location below said top surface, e. means for moving said released ball from said location to a position above said surface, f. means oN said platform positioned above said top surface for receiving a released ball at said position above said surface and delivering said released ball downwardly to a teed position on said stationary tee member, g. means on said platform for operating said releasing means and receiving and delivering means having a manually operated actuating member, and h. means interconnecting said releasing means and receiving and delivering means with said operating means for sequential operation in response to actuation of said actuating member.

Claim 3

A golf ball practice driving apparatus for successively teeing-up golf balls comprising: a. a ground supported platform, b. an upright tee member on said platform, c. a foot operated member movably supported on said platform having a foot engageable portion projected upwardly from the platform, d. a container for golf balls having a discharge chute for a single row of balls, e. means on said platform for releasing only the lead ball from said row of balls, f. means on said platform for receiving a released ball and delivering said released ball to a teed position on said tee member, g. means interconnecting said releasing means and receiving and delivering means with said foot operated lever for sequential operation in response to an actuation of said foot engageable portion, h. said discharge chute having a terminal end and said releasing means including a pivoted arm member, i. means pivotally supporting said arm member on said platform for up and down movement of one end portion thereof into and out of closing position with said terminal end, j. means for biasing said one end portion into said closing position, k. said ball receiving and delivering means including a pivoted ball-elevating member movable to a horizontal position normal to said arm member at the terminal end of said discharge chute with the free end thereof engageable with the arm member to move said arm member, against the action of said biasing means, out of a closing position with said terminal end whereby a released ball is permitted to drop onto said free end, and l. said ball-elevating member movable to an upright position on actuation of said foot engageable portion to elevate the released ball, whereby to permit movement of said arm member to a chute closing position by said biasing means.

Claim 4

A golf ball practice driving apparatus for successively teeing-up golf balls comprising: a. a ground supported platform, b. an upright tee member on said platform, c. a foot operated member movably supported on said platform having a foot engageable portion projected upwardly from the platform, d. a container for golf balls having a discharge chute for a single row of balls, e. means on said platform for releasing only the lead ball from said row of balls, f. means on said platform for receiving a released ball and delivering said released ball to a teed position on said tee member, g. means interconnecting said releasing means and receiving and delivering means with said foot operated lever for sequential operation in response to an actuation of said foot engageable portion, h. said discharge chute having a terminal end and said releasing means including a pivoted arm member, i. means pivotally supporting said arm member on said platform for up and down movement of one end portion thereof into and out of closing position with said terminal end, j. means for biasing said one end portion into said closing position, k. said ball receiving and delivering means including a pivoted ball-elevating member movable to a horizontal position normal to said arm member at the terminal end of said discharge chute with the free end thereof engageable with the arm member to move said arm member, against the action of said biasing means, out of a closing position with said terminal end whereby a released ball is permitted to drop onto said free end, and l. said ball-elevating member movable to an upright position on actuation of said foot engageable portion to elevate the released ball, whereby to permit movement of said arm member to a chute closing position by said biasing means.

Claim 5

The golf ball practice driving apparatus of claim 2 wherein: a. said ball receiving and delivery means includes a pivoted ball-guide means located in a vertical plane parallel to a vertical plane extended longitudinally of said arm member, b. means pivotally supporting said guide means intermediate the ends thereof at an elevated position relative to the axes of said elevating member and arm member, c. said guide means, on actuation of said foot engageable portion, being movable to a first position wherein one end thereof is located to receive a released ball from said elevating member in the upright position therefor, and to a second position wherein the opposite end thereof is located to guide the released ball onto said tee member, and, d. biasing means for moving said opposite end of the guide means away from said tee member when said foot engageable portion is released.

Claim 6

A golf ball practice driving apparatus for teeing up golf balls in succession comprising: a. a platform, b. a golf ball container on said platform having an outlet portion for discharging balls in a single file, c. an upright tee member on said platform, d. a ball elevating means movably mounted on the platform having a ball supporting portion movable from a lower ball-receiving position to an upper ball-discharge position, e. a selector unit for separating the lead ball in said file from the remaining balls in the file for reception on said ball-supporting portion in the lower position thereof, f. a track means movably mounted on the platform for up and down movement, saiD track means in the lower position therefor having one end portion located to deposit a ball on said tee member, and an opposite end portion spaced from said supporting portion in the ball-discharge position therefor, and said track means in the upper position therefor having said one end portion located remote from the tee member and the opposite end portion located to receive a ball from said ball-elevating means when said supporting portion is in the ball-discharge position therefor, g. a foot operated member movably supported on said platform having a foot actuated portion projected upwardly from said platform, and h. means interconnecting said elevating means, said selector unit and said track means with said foot operated member for sequential operation in response to an actuation of said foot portion, to provide for the movement of said lead ball from said outlet portion to a teed position on said tee member.

Claim 7

A golf ball practice driving apparatus for teeing up golf balls in succession comprising: a. a platform, b. a golf ball container on said platform having an outlet portion for discharging balls in a single file, c. an upright tee member on said platform, d. a ball elevating means movably mounted on the platform having a ball supporting portion movable from a lower ball-receiving position to an upper ball-discharge position, e. a selector unit for separating the lead ball in said file from the remaining balls in the file for reception on said ball-supporting portion in the lower position thereof, f. a track means movably mounted on the platform for up and down movement, saiD track means in the lower position therefor having one end portion located to deposit a ball on said tee member, and an opposite end portion spaced from said supporting portion in the ball-discharge position therefor, and said track means in the upper position therefor having said one end portion located remote from the tee member and the opposite end portion located to receive a ball from said ball-elevating means when said supporting portion is in the ball-discharge position therefor, g. a foot operated member movably supported on said platform having a foot actuated portion projected upwardly from said platform, and h. means interconnecting said elevating means, said selector unit and said track means with said foot operated member for sequential operation in response to an actuation of said foot portion, to provide for the movement of said lead ball from said outlet portion to a teed position on said tee member.

Claim 8

The golf ball practice driving apparatus of claim 4 including: a. means for holding said opposite end of the track means against movement away from said tee member until after said foot actuated portion has been moved to a fully actuated position.