Golf ball tee-up mechanism for golf driving range

摘要

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. In an alternative embodiment the tee is movable so a fixed ball delivery path can provide balls seriatim to a ball support opening in the platform where the tee lifts the balls up where it can be struck by the golfer. The drive means for moving the tee is similar to that for moving the chute and is triggered by the ball provided on the tee, or the absence thereof.