Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Tee
Patent
1996-01-04
1996-10-29
Wong, Steven B.
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Tee
473396, 473137, A63B 5700
Patent
active
055691013
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a teeing apparatus for golf balls. It is particularly intended for use in golf driving ranges and in a preferred form it is intended to provide a mechanism which is or can be mounted in the floor of a driving platform in a driving range.
Most golf practice ranges include a multiplicity of driving platforms which include a mat from which protrudes upwardly a fixed rubber tee, usually comprising an upright hollow rubber cylinder, on which a golf ball is manually placed and thereafter struck with a golf club. For many such platforms, there is an adjacent holder which usually holds a large multiplicity of golf balls that can be released one at a time on to the mat. The user must stoop to pick up the ball and place it on the rubber tee. The object of the present invention is to facilitate the teeing action.
The present invention is based on a teeing apparatus which comprises two carriers each of which supports a flexible tee adapted to support a golf ball for striking, and a mechanism linking the carriers and allowing alternate up and down movement thereof.
Preferably, the apparatus includes a support frame which comprises guides for the carriers. These guides may be hollow tubes extending down from a support plate. Such a support plate may be mounted immediately beneath a mat, which has apertures which accommodate the up and down movement of the carriers and the flexible tees, and to which balls can be delivered.
The mechanism may comprise a rocker arm which may be coupled, for example by means of a sliding pivot to each of the carriers. Each carrier may comprise a flanged cylindrical holder that serves as a mount for the respective flexible tee, which may comprise a short, hollow, elastomeric or polymeric cylinder.
A further feature of the invention comprises buffer springs each of which may support a respective carrier when the carrier is in a lowered position. Such a support spring enables the tee which is a raised position to be resiliently mounted in a vertical direction. The purpose of this arrangement is to reduce the susceptibility of the flexible tee to damage.
Reference hereinafter is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of one embodiment of a mechanism according to the invention, showing a first tee in a raised position and a second tee in a lowered position;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1, the first tee being in a lowered position and the second tee being in a raised position; and
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of part of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes an illustration of the mounting of the mechanism relative to a driving platform.
The drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention by way of example only. The embodiment shown in the drawings comprises a frame which in this embodiment includes a plate 1 that may be mounted horizontally in a manner shown in FIG. 3, beneath an apertured mat in a driving platform.
Depending from the plate 1 are two guides 2, which are preferably tubular in form. Each guide 2 has a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal slots 3 extending from the bottom of each guide to a selected position near the top of each guide, for reasons to be explained.
The guides 2 are aligned with apertures 4 in the plate 1. These apertures are spaced apart by some convenient distance, which might typically be about 20 cm.
Between the locations of the guides 2 is a central pillar 5, likewise depending downwardly from the support plate 1. This pillar 5 is preferably in the form of a hollow tube and may have diametrically opposed longitudinal slots 6 extending upwards from the bottom of the pillar.
Within each of the guides 2 is a respective carrier 7 which includes a slider or piston 8 movable up and down within the respective guide 2. Each slider has a longitudinal central slot 9 across which extends a transverse pin (not shown) engaging a respective longitudinal slot 11 near one respective end of a rocker arm 12 which has a central pivot pin 13 mounted transversely
REFERENCES:
patent: 1173792 (1916-02-01), Fuchs
patent: 1525588 (1925-02-01), Moore
patent: 1779995 (1930-10-01), Trane
patent: 2127282 (1938-08-01), Beckett
patent: 2198968 (1940-04-01), Jewett
patent: 2450206 (1948-09-01), Shouse
patent: 2711321 (1955-06-01), McGraw, Sr.
Farley Walter C.
Wong Steven B.
LandOfFree
Golf ball teeing apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Golf ball teeing apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Golf ball teeing apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1781658