Onboard golf ball washer for the golf range picker

Abstract

Whereas, the problem which exist today in the field of the invention is within the golf driving range facility, the main problem is that golf balls that are picked from a golf driving range go through a rigorous and unsafe process, which is timely and inefficient to perform. The Onboard Golf Ball Washer, will reduce the 5 steps in picking and washing soiled golf balls collected from a Golf Driving Range to 1 single step.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] It would not be prudent to spend money on good golf clubs, invest time in practicing your golf swing and in taking golf lessons to only to have your performance negatively impacted because of a “driving range” with dirty and soiled golf balls. Hitting a clean golf ball will help ensure the best possible outcome for things like shot distances and accuracy, for any type of a golf shot. Today, in order to clean dirty golf balls from the golf driving range, every golf driving range picks their golf balls, unloads the golf balls from the driving range picker unto a huge plastic basket which holds about 300 soiled golf balls. These baskets which weigh in excess of 50 lbs., are then transported to a cart barn where golf carts are stored where one will find a golf ball washing machine. The current process of cleaning soiled golf balls is inefficient, takes time to transport the golf balls to the cart barn, takes time to clean them, and after this process takes place, the now clean golf balls must be re-loaded onto the same 50 lbs. plastic baskets and then re-transported back to the driving range location, where the golf balls are then dispensed to a golf ball dispenser or directly dumped onto golf ball crates which are spread across the driving range. The current golf ball washing process is a safety OSHA issue and is a labor intensive and inefficient process.

[0002] Listed below are the 5 steps involved in picking dirty golf balls from a golf driving range:

[0003] 1. After picking the range balls with the Golf Picker, the attendant dumps the soiled golf balls to a Large Golf Ball Basket

[0004] 2. Attendant then drives the Large Soiled Golf Balls to the Golf Ball Cleaner usually located at the Golf Bag storage area or Cart Barn, where all Golf Carts & Golf Bags are stored

[0005] 3. Attendant then takes the Large and Soiled Golf Ball Basket and dumps them into the golf ball cleaner equipment for washing

[0006] 4. Attendant re-loads the cleaned golf balls onto the Golf Ball Basket and drives them back to the Driving Range by lifting and loading the Golf Baskets onto the “Work Horse Cart—a utility Golf Cart flat bed such as a Toro flat bed,

[0007] 5. the Attendant dumps the clean Golf Balls onto the Golf Crates or Golf Ball Dispenser Unit on the Driving Range. These five steps are repeated daily on every golf course range, 3 to 5 times per day, depending on the Driving Range volume. In order to reduce the 5 labor intensive steps to 1, is where the Onboard Golf Ball Washer for the Golf Range Picker can be introduced. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to improving how dirty golf balls picked from a golf driving range with a picker which soiled golf balls can be quickly washed, and immediately dispensed to the driving range golf ball dispenser and driving range golf ball crates. The onboard golf ball washer for the golf range picker will ensure safety integrity, improve golf ball cleaning efficiency and reduce labor cost. This invention will impact public golf driving range only facilities, public golf courses that have a golf driving range and private golf courses that have a golf driving range.Description of the Related Art

[0008] The Onboard Golf Ball Washer for the Range Golf Picker (the invention) is mounted to an existing Picker which picks the soiled and dirty golf balls off a golf driving range, as the golf balls enter the picker when picked, the rotating grooved plastic wheels, will move the golf balls onto a rotating commercial brush that will rotate along a rotating cylinder brush that is sprayed with a mist of water housed below the cylindrical brush, the cleaned and washed golf balls are then ejected to a gang basket. The brush pushes the cleaned and washed golf balls to the adjacent front end gang golf ball basket. Water is retained and housed below each cylindrical brush which will assist in washing the golf balls as they rotate inside the housing chamber and as each golf ball rotates inside and is expelled by the motion of the bristle on each brush. The brush moves in the opposite direction or counter clockwise, creating the force that will clean the golf balls and move them to the adjacent gang basket in front of the Onboard Golf Ball Washer system.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0009] Reference to the drawing in particular to FIG. 1, a sealed housing is where the cylindrical brush and water mister will reside. As the plastic wheels turn when picking golf balls, the picked golf balls are first dumped into the onboard golf ball washer utility bin, the golf balls are cleaned by the rotating cylindrical brush and pushed out or expelled onto the gang baskets for immediately dispensing at the golf ball driving range.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The invention will simultaneously wash the soiled golf balls as they are being picked by the golf ball driving range picker. Each gang basket that would hold the soiled golf balls will be retrofitted with the Onboard Golf Ball Washer system so that each gang basket is equipped to wash golf balls as they are picked. When the golf ball driving range picker is in motion, and as the soiled golf balls are picked, the onboard golf ball washer will simultaneously and expedite the golf ball washing step and process as the golf balls are picked from a golf driving range.Prior Art

[0011] Referenced below are USPTO issued Patents for Golf Ball Range Picker(s) and Golf Ball Washer(s) which are not considered as Prior Art but are the current methods used today in delivering picked and washed golf balls:Golf Ball Washer USPTO Patents (PN—Patent Number)U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,251

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,389A

[0014] PN: 103356643

[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,058A

[0016] PN: 203507A

[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,996A

[0018] PN: 373363A

[0019] PN: 38220183AGolf Ball Range Picker USPTO Patents (PN—Patent Number)U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,727A

[0021] U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,136ASubstitute Specification

[0022] The invention consist and comprise of an (1) oscillating rush cam on one end, with a (2) compression spring on the other end. The (3) brush will be misted with water from a (4) water source pump. The brush will use a tube with a helical slots to rotate and wash each soiled golf ball. The cleaned golf balls will be Deposited onto a gang basket that will be removed when filled and subsequently dispensed onto the golf ball crates on the Golf Driving Range. The Onboard Golf Ball Washer will be integrated with a Golf Range Picker, thus reducing the number of redundant, inefficient and labor costly steps from picking soiled golf balls from a Golf Driving Range. The Integrated Golf Ball Washer for the Picker System will seamlessly and autonomously reduce the washing cycle steps and thus deliver clean golf balls that can be re-routed to the Driving Range Ball Crates or Dispenser Unit (RFP—Ready for Practice). By capitalizing on NEW technological innovation, critical golf ball washing and cleaning steps will be reduced from (5) costly cycle times to (1), critical cycle times and labor intensive steps are eliminated after picking and cleaning the soiled golf balls from a Golf Driving Range, thus resulting in an continuous, always topped off and clean golf balls for the Driving Range golf ball Crates and Dispensers used in Public Golf Range.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

[0023] FIG. 1. 1—Picked soiled golf balls are washed and ejected by a cylindrical brush onto the forward 2—Gang Baskets. Onboard Golf Ball Washer for the Golf Range Picker is installed and configured with a sealed Housing, the water tight Housing will hold and circulate water in motion from gushing out.

[0024] The Onboard Golf Ball Washer for the Golf Range Picker will be embedded as permanent attachment to the golf gall picker that will continuously wash soil golf balls with a water pump mister and cylindrical brush. A drive train mechanism will drive the internal cylindrical brush as the picker is in motion.

Claims

1: (canceled)2: a oscillating brush on one end.3: a compression spring on the other end.4: a brush will be misted with water from a water source.5: a water source pump.6: a brush will use a tube with a helical slots to rotate and wash each soiled golf ball.

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