Locks – Special application – For portable articles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-19
2001-03-27
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Locks
Special application
For portable articles
C248S096000, C211S004000, C211S070200, C312S265300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205823
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to storage lockers and more specifically to lockers suitable for temporarily storing golf bags containing clubs and other golf related equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Golf is one of the fastest growing sports. People who regularly golf usually invest in expensive equipment such as golf clubs, golf bags, and other related equipment such as shoes, gloves and golf clothing.
Golf is a sport in which delays are common. For example, if the golf course is crowded, the golfer must wait for a starting time which can be for more than an hour. He stays with his equipment or leaves the equipment in an open rack or returns it to his automobile which can be parked far away. Many golfers stop for lunch or a beverage after finishing the front nine holes and starting the back nine hole of a course or after finishing a round of 18 holes. Again, the equipment remains unattended and is many times stolen.
Private golf clubs have lockers for its members and their guests. It is not always convenient to use the lockers and the lockers are usually sized to store clothing—not golf clubs. Many courses have stands to store a bag of clubs while the golfer is eating, drinking, practicing putting or driving.
However, there is usually no security provided and anyone could walk away with the stored clubs. Ski resorts provide locking stands for skis but there is no equivalent product for golf clubs in a bag. Furthermore, the bag with golf clubs having different lengths extending from the top of the bag is not as easy to secure as a set of skis.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a secure device for temporarily storing golf bags. Each device includes a locker which may be single standing or several lockers may be attached to one another in series, back to back, or some other pattern. For security reasons, the locker is preferably secured to a hardened surface such as cement, concrete or metal strips by the use of bolts or other conventional means of attachment.
The locker of the invention includes: a base having a topside recessed surface area sized to receive the bottom of a golf bag; a bonnet having side walls and a top wall forming a bottom side recess for enclosing the portions of golf clubs extending from a golf bag. A vertical support member connects the base at one end to the bonnet at the other end. Preferably, the bonnet is hinged to the support member or at least one vertical wall of the bonnet is hinged to permit it to be either in an open or closed/locked position. Alternatively, the vertical support member may be slightly longer than in the hinged embodiment which permits the bonnet to travel upwardly along an upper portion of the vertical member so that the bonnet can be temporarily moved upwards into an open position above the head of the longest golf club and then downwards into a closed/locked position.
Preferably, the vertical support member also incorporates a locking mechanism such as a hasp which receives a lock. Preferably, the locking mechanism is a conventional coin-operated locking mechanism similar to those used at airports and bus stations in which a coin is inserted into a slot in the mechanism to permit a key to be removed from the locker face and used to subsequently open the locker or at ski resorts where a coin-operated latch gives access to a ski-storage rack.
The locker is preferably constructed of durable, substantially rigid material to prevent theft. Preferably, the bonnet and base are constructed of molded resin or fiber reinforced resin such as epoxy-fiberglass to minimize damage to the clubs and the golf bag which can occur from scratches or scraping metal edges or surfaces. Fiberglass reinforced resin materials are strong and smooth, yet are much lighter then metal and weather better outside. Although the vertical support member may also be made of either rigid plastic or fiberglass reinforced resin, it is preferably made from a durable, smooth metal such as steel or high strength aluminum.
A golfer wishing to store his bag and clubs in the locker of the invention would insert the required currency into the slot in the coin-operated locking mechanism. The bonnet would release from its locked position and become moveable upon the post or about its hinge into an open position where the bonnet becomes perpendicular with the ground level or displaced from over the base. The golfer then places his golf bag in the cavity in the base so that the bottom of the bag rests within the recessed area of the base. Next, the golfer lowers the bonnet or rotates it about its hinge into the closed, position being careful to direct the club heads into the recessed area of the bonnet so that the side walls of the bonnet will extended over the top of the golf bag in close proximity to the golf bag, yet the club heads extending from the golf bag will be disposed within the bonnet recess. Once in the closed position, the bonnet locks. The golfer removes a key from a keyhole on the locker. The minimum distance between the base and bonnet when in the closed position is such that a golf bag and clubs cannot be removed. The bonnet recess is deep enough to store the extension of the longest club within the recess.
When the golfer desires to remove the bag and clubs from the locker, he inserts the key and rotates it until the locking mechanism releases the bonnet from the locked position. The bonnet can thereafter be lifted or rotated about its hinge allowing the golf bag and clubs to be removed. The key thereafter remains secured in position in the keyhole until another patron inserts a coin to use the device.
In an alternative embodiment, a keyless locking mechanism could be utilized having a keypad and microchip. A patron would insert a coin, position his golf bag as described above, lower the bonnet and thereafter receive a password or number, either by temporary screen display or printout. When wishing to remove his clubs, the patron would enter the number or password onto the keypad attached to the locker. The microchip could provide randomly different numbers or passwords for each subsequent use thereby reducing the risk of theft from a previous user. In a third embodiment, the bonnet and base include a hasp for receiving a mechanical lock opened by a key or a number combination.
The invention provides a golf club storage locker with a simple yet pleasing appearance, suitable for installation at various locations around the clubhouse, restaurant, practice greens, pro shop, etc. A relatively large number of golf bags can be stored in a small area. The lockers are easily operated by coins and therefore accessible for any golfers to use. The locker is formed of materials resistant to sun and rain and sun and can be located outside without the need for shelter.
The golf bag locker of the invention can temporarily secure a golf bag full of clubs eliminating the risk of theft. The golf bag locker of the invention can be manufactured economically and sold or leased at relatively low cost. The golf bag locker can be installed at a variety of locations with minimal installation cost.
These and many other features and attendant advantages of the invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Barrett Suzanne Dino
Jacobs Marvin E.
Volk, Sr. Thomas
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