How to Design a Ball Throwing Mechanism That Only Intakes One Ball at a Time?

[Shuja]

So I am designing a mechanism where balls have to be fed from a feeder into a mechanism which can only intake 1 ball at a time. I have thought of multiple designs but all of them end up having the same problem i.e. the entry hole is choked if 2 balls try to enter at the same time. Does anyone have any idea to get around this?

One idea that seemed promising was the use of "magazine" type containers to allow 1 input at a time. In this mechanism balls in the right most column move out first and then corresponding column on the left is emptied. The colored "flaps" remain shut due to the presence of balls in the common duct until no balls remain beneath the flaps.The problem with this mechanism is that:

1) The mechanism might stop altogether if the pressure exerted on the flap by the balls in a particular column increases the friction in the common duct
2) If this mechanism was to be implemented in 3-dimensions then how can we ensure 1 common exit.

CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS:
This mechanism is to be placed in an area where:

1) Only a small battery is available to provide power (preferable if the mechanism doesn't need ANY power)
2) Ball size is limited to 2-3 cm dia

I am open to ideas. Any mechanism that achieves the above objectives would be helpful.

 

[Baluncore]

Welcome to PF.
One sloping side of a bulk ball container is a thick disk. The disk has a circle of holes, each hole sufficiently large to hold one ball. As the disk slowly rotates, balls fall into the holes and are carried around and up, to fall out through a hole into the launcher mechanism. It is possible, but unusual to not pick up a ball, but it will not jam with two.