Abstract: A ball dispenser dispenses balls into a flow line leading into a well. The ball dispenser has a subassembly that slides into and out of a cylindrical housing. The subassembly has a shaft that rotates within an array of vertical guide members. A helical flight is secured to the shaft. The subassembly will slide into a loading sleeve for loading purposes. The loading sleeve has a long vertical slot on one side to load the balls onto the flight.

Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for dispensing balls and a method of loading balls into the apparatus. The apparatus has a housing, a shaft, and a helical rib mounted on the shaft. Rods are mounted in the housing, between the rib and the housing, to keep the balls from rolling down the rib. As the shaft and the rib are rotated, the balls are pushed out the lower end of the housing. A cylindrical loading sleeve fits over the shaft, the rib, and the rods. The balls are loaded onto the rib through a longitudinal slot in the side of the sleeve. The sleeve is then placed on the housing, and the shaft, rib, rods, and balls are lowered into the housing.