Description :

Owing to the increasing popularity of the sport of golf an increasing number of practice facilities are being constructed to enable people to acquire skills in this sport. The practice facilities are being constructed

increasingly often in densely populated areas and built-up areas in villages and towns. Since space is scarce in areas of this type, such a practice facility must be constructed as compactly as possible. When practicing this sport, use is normally made of golf balls which are hired from the

operator of the golf premises. These golf balls may then be hit toward a field designated for this purpose. The number of balls hired can amount to fifteen million per premises. The golf balls that have been hit are usually collected again by the operator of the premises. These golf balls are then often soiled by grass and sand and have to be cleaned, since golfers prefer to practise with clean golf balls which look like new. The golf balls are sometimes washed with a golf ball washer, as known from for instance the American patent 3,083,389 and the Swedish patent 0700639. All these devices have the drawback however that the electrical drive is placed relative to the brush such that this results in a relatively large device taking up a great deal of space, while it is precisely at compact practice facilities that this space is often lacking. A further drawback of these devices is that the brush with which these devices are equipped soon become clogged with dirt and blades of grass. Cleaning of these clogged brushes is time-consuming because the brushes are built in such that simple cleaning of these brushes is not possible. Another further drawback is that these golf ball washers cannot be adjusted in the height, whereby medical complaints such as back disorders can occur among staff because the golf ball washer is not at the correct working height. Yet another drawback is that cracked balls remain in the device during the cleaning process, whereby they can cause damage to the device.

This invention has for its object a new device in which spherical objects, such as for instance golf balls, can be cleaned and which is constructed such that it is more compact, whereby it takes up less space, and wherein

cleaning of the device itself need take place less often and, if this process must take place, it becomes simpler, while staff can adjust the desired working height of the device. The device further provides a solution to the problem of damage by cracked and/or broken golf balls and/or golf ball parts by already removing them during the cleaning process .

A preferred embodiment of the invention consists of a reservoir for cleaning liquid such as water, wherein guide rails are situated on the water reservoir. Placed in the water reservoir is a cage in which is situated a drum provided on the outside with for instance brush bristles. The central axis of this drum is situated just above the edge of the water reservoir. The drum can rotate and is driven by an electric motor situated substantially in the interior of this drum. Placed on top of a spiral is a bin into which golf balls can be deposited and which has an opening on the underside through which golf balls can enter the spiral from the bin and there be cleaned by means of a rotating brush.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device as in Fig. 1 wherein an upper part is removed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device as in Fig. 1 wherein a subsequent upper part is removed.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device as in

Fig. 1 wherein an upper part and a lower part are removed.

Fig. 5 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the device as in Fig. 1 roughly along the line A-A.

The device has shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 5 consists of a reservoir 1 for cleaning liquids, such as for instance water, wherein guide rails 2 are arranged on the side of this reservoir. These guide rails serve to place and hold a bin 3 in position without any other fixing means being necessary for this purpose, such that an outlet 4 on the underside of the bin is positioned above inlet 5 of a washing assembly 6. Adjustment options 7 are arranged on the underside of these guide rails, whereby the infeed height of the bin can be varied and modified to the desired working height of staff. Situated in the bin is a removable grid 8 through which the first larger pieces of dirt and grass can drop, whereby this does not enter the washing assembly. On the rear side of the bin is an opening 9 so that, when the grid has been removed, the bin can easily be wiped clean without the bin first having to be removed. The top side of the guide rails is sealed, whereby no dirt can enter the interior of the guide rail. The sides 11 of the bin are rounded and therefore have no sharp edges which can cause injury. The bin has one or more bottom surfaces 12 lying at an angle such that golf balls cannot remain lying thereon. Arranged on the reservoir are supports 13 which are of a form such that they have to some extent a clamping action on the washing assembly, whereby the washing assembly remains in position without other fixing materials being required for this purpose. The washing assembly consists inter alia of a spiral 14 having a pitch such that undamaged golf balls just cannot pass therethrough, while cracked or broken golf balls or parts of golf balls can pass therethrough, after which these cracked or broken golf balls or parts of golf balls enter the reservoir. Situated in the spiral is a drum 15, on the outer side of which bristles 16 are arranged. The drum is clamped onto an electric motor 17. The motor is located for the most part in the interior of the drum.

Situated in a bottom plate 20 of the reservoir is an outlet 18 which can be closed by means of a plug 19 and which is recessed relative to the bottom plate of the reservoir such that this outlet lies lower than the bottom plate. The golf balls are cleaned in that, after they have been deposited into the bin, they will roll by means of the force of gravity to the inlet, after which they are carried along between the spiral and the brush by the rotating drum. If the reservoir is filled with cleaning liquid, the drum with bristles hangs partially in the water. In order to optimize the washing result, bristles of differing composition, hardness, length and thickness can be present simultaneously on the drum. The whole drum with bristles becomes wet through rotation of the drum. An outfeed 21 is present at the end of the spiral. Extension pieces 22 can be attached to this outfeed.