GB2403156A

GB2403156A - A golf ball elevator

Info

Publication number: GB2403156A
Application number: GB0314621A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ebenezer Adedayo Adewale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-06-23
Filing date: 2003-06-23
Publication date: 2004-12-29
Also published as: GB0314621D0

Abstract

A golf ball elevator comprises a golf hole 2a supported by an extendable antenna. A pressure sensitive surface 23 is activated by the weight of the ball, extending the antenna 21 and lifting the ball out of the hole, making it easier to retrieve the ball. The elevator is powered by batteries 14. A drill suitable to create a hole for the invention is also provided.

Description

24031 56 GoLFHoLEELEvATOR AND DRILL The invention relates to golf holes

which constitutes the sole aim of all golf players; to play the golf ball into the golf hole in as few number of times as possible. The golf hole elevator is cylinder shaped equipment measuring about 2 feet in length that can be used to replace the traditional golf hole with the use of the accompanying golf hole elevator drill. The hole on the golf hole elevator is exactly the same size as that of any standard golf hole.

The Golf Hole elevator is aimed at eliminating the need for a player to have to bend down to retrieve the golf ball from the hole after having played the ball into the hole. It further aims at introducing something new, exciting and contemporary to the often believed to be boring game of golf as well as creating a kind of compensatory leveler to all players since it means that whether you make a hole in one, an eagle, under par, par or bogey, the hole still gives you recognition by responding to the fact that you eventually get the ball into it. This encourages all players and essentially gives life and feeling to the golf hole making it less of an adversary.

Also watchers from afar will not have to stretch their necks to see if a favorite player has made a hole, since the hole itself will come up into eye view to literally announce that the ball is in it. The possibility of a player losing orientation, becoming dizzy or feeling queasy after having bent down to retrieve a ball from the hole is also eliminated.

The object of this invention is to create a golf hole which responds to a golf ball coming into it by extending out from ground level to a height where it would be both visible to far and near watchers of the game as well as place the golf ball within an easy arm's reach of the player so that the ball can be retrieved without having to bend down.

The Golf hole elevator is installed using the accompanying hole drill, which essentially drills the hole into which the golf hole elevator will be implanted. The hole drill does this while maintaining the minimum possible disturbance to the adjoining/surrounding field/terrain.

Essentially, this makes it possible to remove traditional golf holes and replace them with the golf hole elevator without anybody being able to tell the difference at first glance after the installation has been completed.

Accordingly this invention provides a golf hole with a weight sensitive contact surface and a telescopic extendable arm, which rises auto:natically as soon as the golf ball gets into it and returns to its normal position for the next player as soon as the golf ball is removed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawingsin which FIG 1. Shows a cross section through the side view of the invention when at rest i.e. without contact with a golf ball FIG 2. Shows a fully extended golf hole elevator which has been activated by a golf ball entering it (Golf ball not shown) FIG 3. Shows the electrical connections inside the Golf Hole Elevator FIG 4. Shows a cross section through the Golf hole Elevator drill.

As shown in Fig 1, The Golf hole elevator consists of 5 equal length cylinders of differing diameters (A, B. C, D, and E). These cylinders, which may be made of any lightweight material, are arranged to form a telescopic system if necessary using studs F as shown. The innermost cylinder E has the golf pole flag hole 6 also made of a cylinder with one end sealed. This is suspended at the center of E by means of stabilizers 4 and 5 which are circular discs made of lightweight material fixed to the inside of E. The top of the hole consists of an inner/lower reactive hole surface 23 and surface 2A and 2B, which are the outer and inner surfaces of the upper and outermost golf hole. Surfaces 23 and (2A and 2B) have an empty space maintained between them measuring up to 2 mm. This space is maintained by hook 3, which is made of an inert material. If an elastic material capable of conducting electricity is used then 2A and 2B might be made of the same material The surfaces 2B and 23 have electrical connection points 24 and 22 respectively.

"3 is attached by means of an adhesive material to E at 3A to keep it stable and static.

As shown further in FIG I the apparatus described above is mounted unto a fully automatic antenna comprising of the motor 9, the coil 11 and the antenna control system panel 20. 20 has on it the positive connection terminal 17, the on and off switch terminal 18, and the negative terminal 19.The antenna arm 21 is attached at the tip 26 with a holder/stabilizer 28(which may be made of any hard and consistent solid material) to the second lower stabilizer 5 inside the innermost cylinder E. Ash' Conneclor; res 5 fat in 5q l t) ash, lr c r F,1l Lower still below the antenna is the electricity supply system, which is made up of rechargeable battery cells 14,capable of supplying the power to operate the antenna for a reasonable period. The battery cells 14 consist of the positive terminal 13 and the negative terminal 16.

The complete apparatus described above are housed in a double-layered compartment made up of the inner cylinder 7A and the outer cylinders. The inner cylinder 7A is made up of 3 separate compartments to house the battery, the antenna engine and the uppermost section comprising of the telescopic arm and golf hole surface.

The inner cylinder 7A also has a hinge 12 on it where the battery compartment can be opened whenever the battery needs I.' be recharged or replaced. The inner cylinder 7A also has a retracting clip 25 on it, which is hidden under a circular patch 27 made of synthetic grass. This grass may or may not be used depending on the terrain in which the golf hole elevator is to be installed. Clip 25 functions as a means of removing the golf hole elevator completely from its place while leaving the outer casing 8 behind. The outer casing 8 should preferably be made of stainless steel or some other metal.

Inside the battery cell compartment there is also a battery housing packing/insulator 15 which serves to enhances battery stability in keeping it firmly in place and restricting its movement.

FIG 3 shows the electrical connections needed to make the Golf Hole Elevator functional. The positive terminal 13 on the battery is connected to both the positive terminal 17 on the antenna electrical control panel AND the electrical connection point 24 on the outer reactive golf hole surface. The negative terminal 16 on the battery is connected to the negative terminal 19 on the antenna electrical control panel 20. The third connection from the antenna electrical control panel 20 leads from the on/off switch terminal 18 to the electrical connection point 22 on the inner reactive golf hole surface. The two wires to 22 and 24 are passed through the holes 29 and 30 on the first stabilizer 4 and the second stabilizer 5 respectively.

Connections 18 to 22 and 13 to 24 are basically interchangeable. i.e 13 can be connected to 22 while 18 is connected to 24. The essence is to create an on/ off switch to the system between the upper golf hole layer and the inner reactive surface.

The system is activated when the golf ball falls into the hole landing on the upper elastic surface 2. The weight causes the surface 2B to make contact with surface 23 and the system is switched on. This causes the inner electric antenna 21 to be extended, carrying cylinders A, B. C, and D along with it. The outermost cylinder A is prevented from moving by joining /fixing it to the inner retractable waterproof casing 7A at point 7. The cylinders A, B. C, and D extend to their maximum allowed lengths as shown in FIG 2 and the antenna control system stops the movement, maintaining the cylinders at this height for as long as the golf ball remains in the golf hole. )( - ) Y chat brown f:((lf 2) Holes could be made on the sides of A, B. C and D to assist their stability in windy conditions so that the wind can have free passage and also so that they are even lighter in weight. The weight factor affects the battery; the lighter the weight the less work for the antenna to do in raising the cylinders and the less electrical power is consumed by the electrical antenna.

When the golf ball is removed from the hole the contact between the inner reactive surfaces is cut off and the antenna retracts back to rest position. Note that the flagpole hole mouth is slightly curved; this is to prevent the golf ball from being able to remain there on landing in the golf hole. It ensures that any ball landing in the golf hole eventually rests on the flexible reactive surface 2.

Installing the Golf Hole Elevator requires an equipment capable of making a hole adequate in size and depth such that the system can be easily and smoothly installed/implanted while ensuring that the surrounding ground surface remains as undisturbed as possible; ideally intact at the completion of the installation. The Golf hole Elevator Drill; FIG 4, is made for the above purpose.

It is slightly larger in diameter than the Golf Hole Elevator and the length of the drilling cylinder is such that when adjustable iron studs 56 and 57 are at ground level it shows the depth required has been reached.

The Drill consists basically of two cylinders of different diameters. The outer cylinder 39 and the inner cylinder 50. The two cylinders have serrated cutting edges 42 and 43 on one end and at the upper end they are joined to a central iron rod 49. Suspension holders 46 and 35 join the outer cylinder while suspension holders 33 and 47 join the inner cylinder. The suspension holders join the central iron rod 49 to the inner and outer cylinders by means of connecting iron rods 36A, 36B 36C and 36D. These connecting rods are joined to the cylinders at ball and socket joints as shown in 44 and 38 on the outer cylinder. These joint balls allow the two cylinders to rotate on their own axis when the central iron rod is held on the left handle51 while the right handle 37 is turned. The ball joints pass through an inner groove on the cylinders as is shown in 48 on the outer cylinder. The two cylinders also have at the upper end as shown in FIG 4, grooves 45 and 54, while on the central iron rods 49 there are circular discs 32 and 55 for the outer and inner cylinders respectively. These discs also have grooves on them as shown in 31 and 52. The discs are attached to the iron rod by welding or by means of inner studs 34 and 53 for the outer and inner discs respectively. The inner drilling cylinder 50 has sharp flat drilling and excavating blades welded in a screw like form along its length. The cylinder also has on it flat stabilizing blades, which hold the inner and outer cylinders, parallel and maintain the inner cylinder in the exact center of the outer one.

When the handle 37 is turned with a downward force exerted, the grooves on the discs key into those on the cylinders and the serrated cutting edges cut into the surface being drilled. Adjustable external studs 56 and 57 serve to denote when the required depth for the Golf Hole Elevator has been reached.

Claims

1. A golf hole that extends above ground level to a height of up to 4 feet or more whenever a golf ball enters the hole and retracts back to the ground as soon as the golf ball is removed

2. A golf hole as claimed in Claim 1 where the contact surface of the golf hole is weight sensitive due to an elastic material, which may be a solid, liquid or gaseous material.

3. A golf hole as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 where the golf hole extends automatically to elevate the golf ball to a height of up to 4ft or more

4. A golf hole as claimed in claim 3 where the golf hole is raised to a height of up to 4ft or more by means of an internal electrical, mechanical or electromechanical means or equipment

5. A golf hole as claimed in claim 4 where the internal electrical, mechanical or electromechanical equipment is an antenna

6. A golf hole as claimed in claim 5 where the antenna is a fully electric automatic antenna

7. A golf hole as claimed in any proceeding claim, which is made from paper, metal, plastic materials, synthetic substances, or from a combination of these materials.

8. A golf hole substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings

9. A golf hole as described in any of the above claims that uses a golf hole saw for its installation 10. A golf hole lftdl made of any material or substance which creates a hole appropriate or adequate for the installation of a golf hole as claimed in any of claims 1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,and 8 Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A golf hole that is identical to an ordinary golf hole in all its external features including the hole for the pin/golf hole flag and only differs in that it extends above the ground level to a height of up to 4 feet or more whenever a golf ball enters the hole/cup and retracts back into the ground as soon as the golf ball is removed 2. A golf hole as claimed in claim 1 where the entire surface on which the golf ball can rest around the pinhole is weight sensitive due to an elastic material, which may be a liquid, solid, or gaseous material.

3. A golf hole as claimed in claim 2 where the contact surface is weight sensitive and extends all round the hole around the pin/golf hole flag 4. A golf hole as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 where the pin/flag pole hole, has a rounded edge which makes it impossible for a golf ball to rest there after landing into the golf hole.

5. A golf hole as described in claim 1, 2, 3, and 4 wherein the entire golf hole is raised above the surface of the surrounding green by a system of concentrically arranged cylinders 6. A golf hole as described in claim 5 where some of the concentrically arranged cylinders extend above the ground whenever a golf ball lands on the weight sensitive surface of the golf hole carrying the golf ball in the cup at the top.

7. A golf hole as claimed in claim 6 that is powered by an automatic power antenna 8. A golf hole as described in claim 7 where the source of power for the system is fully incorporated into the golf hole with no external source of power while in operation 9. A golf hole as described in claim 8 where the source of power is a rechargeable battery.

10. A golf hole/cup as claimed in any proceeding claim which is made from paper, metal, plastic materials, synthetic substances, or from a combination of these materials A golf hole/cup substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.