US1650141A - Golfing tee - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,141

w. LOWELL GOLFI NG TEE Filed Aug. 26. 1925 Ei/gni.

IENTOR.

W/LL/HM Lam/ELL BY vr "5 ATTORNEY.

-' be propelled with a momentum 'after use,

Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM lLO'WELL, OF MAPLEWOOD,

INC., OF NEW YORK, N.

NEW J ASSIGNOR TO THE NIEBLO MFG. C0. Y., lA CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GOLFING TEE.

Application led August 28, 1925. Serial No. 52,629.

This invention relates to articles of manufacture known as golfing tees, a device t0 conveniently and effectively support a golf ball for the initial stroke or drive-off in the gameof golf. Particular features of this invention involve the provision of such an article that can be made very light in weight, suliciently strong for its purpose, that will be applicable to readily position on the ground, particularly in the case of hard ground, and such a device which will involve no objectionable Vcharacter-istie in use. The device aims to provide such a device that if accidentally struck it will not that would endanger any one by impact, a device which will not injure the turf if left on the gronn or will not injure lawn mowers, and particularly a device which will offer no resistance to the stroke of a golf club accidentally hitting the tee insteadof the ball, and will thus avoid any chance of interfering with the aim and action of the player by being then invisible. It provides also for such a device which is portableA and capable 0f manufacture at low cost, and can therefore be discarded at slight expense, while also o f a. nature permitting reuse by those who desire. i Othertees invented by me and shown in patents and other pending applications have become known as the peg tee, and are stuck into the -ground and in some forms adjustable as to height, and I have found that under certain conditions the groun on tees makes diliicult or impossible the ready insertion of peg tees, or if inserted in very hard ground they may offer a resistance if struck, and for that reason I have devised for such special occasions the very light and economical tee that can be set on the ground and has the various advantagesv herein set forth.

A particular form of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Fig. l shows the tee in perspective on the ground with a golf ball resting thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a top view substantially the same as the bottom view.

Fig. 4: is a section on the axis.

Fig. 5 is a section on the axis of a modified form.

Fig. 6 shows a tee with a golf ball and with a retaining connection to the ground to prevent the flight of the tee if accidentally struck, and thereby facilitate its recovery for reuse.

Fig. 7 is a modified form providing for adjustment of length, that is height of the tee.

The tee consists of preferably integral material throughout having a concave end 1 and a converging supporting body 2 merglng into a flaring body portion extending to the other end 4 also having a concave snrface. At the one end the periphery 1a isof such a height as to engage a golf ball on the rim with the concave surface so as to slightly exceed the curvature of the smaller size golf ball. Likewise the opposite end or bottom of the rim 4 provides for the support of a golf ball, but may be made of a different curvature so as to fit more closely to the surface of the standard or largerv sizes of golf ball, while at the same time the rim la may be referred to as on the bottom of the tee and cooperates with the recess in the bottom which may or may not be curved, but assures a base support so that the tee will be held upright irrespective of slight inequalities which would interfere with a perfectly flat base surface.

The middle portion 5 is made small so as to cut down the weight of the tee to a minimum consistent with the necessary strength to provide a rigid support and an article that will not break or chip away at the side d when handledr in the pocket or shipped,or

in the course of manufacture. In the modiication shown in Fig. 5 the recesses at either end may be extended for the purpose of still further reducing the weight and still maintaining strength of material in the manufacture of the article and for the rough handling to which such devices are liable.

In some cases reuse of the tees is desired, or it is desired to avoid the promiscuous scattering of tees in the vicinity of the teeing ground, and therefore I provide in some eases a very light, preferably green or invisible string 6 attached to the middle portion of the tee where it does not interfere in any way with the usual functioning, and at a suitable distance away I attach this string to a peg 7, which preferably has a head 8 of a sufiieiently large size for easy handling for insertion and pulling out of the ground and made with a color contrastdepressed lil ing with the green grass or the color of the earth, in order that the holding-pin or peg may be readily seen, as in the case of a bright red or bright yellow, and at the same time such head is made so that it will not break when the pin is driven into hard ground by the heel, or otherwise. Such vconnection with the tee may also be flexible,

but in any event is of suflicient length so that the holding peg is not in a position close to the tee where it will be disconcerting to the player when addressing the ball and aiming.

The preferred form of this tee for hard teei-ng grounds, as in cold weather, consists ot' an integral light wood, but of sufficient strength to provide the necessary characteristics but offering facilties for manufacture with economy. lt may, however, in some cases be made of more durable material even hard wood, in which case more expensive tees will be saved from loss by the method of conservation shown in F ig. 6. rllhey` are preferably of stiff construction so that the baserim and the ball-supporting rim are to all intent and purpose rigid so as to assure the steady support of the ball, without flexibility that would permit the ball in the case of wind or jarring to be upset. llr may also make the top and bottom identical so that it is immaterial which end is up, and the similar end rims provide in either case for a perfect ball support and a steady support on slightly uneven ground, while if desired a slight pressure and turning of the tee when placed in position impresses the rim into the ground and to a firm and level base support, which may be aided by an irregularrim as at 4. Such irregular rim may be scalloped leaving points, or having notches to cut into the ground, but in any case they leave a rim though interrupted, which would be suitable for ball support particularly if the notches are not too wide.

Thus both ends of the tee may be notched if desi-red.

As some players desire to adjust the height oit support, the form shown in Fig. 7 provides one end 2a with a recess, and the other end 3a with a tight-fitting shank so that the length of the article can be varied before setting it on the ground. Such smooth shank and recess provide a cheap though'efective construction, but a rough screw and thread may be used if a more expensive tee, as, for example, in the case of a hard Wood, is desired. v

It will thus be seen that when these tees are made of wood throughout the form permits strength and at the same time livhtness of construction. The recessed sides provide easy handling, particularly when forcing the tee to a level seat on the ground.

The entire tee, while giving the proper steady support, is so small that it is entirely under the ball and invisible from the osition of the player when addressing the all, and therefore in no way is disconcerting for his aim or play in general, particularly as the use of the device assures him that an accidental hitting of the tee with the ball can result in no harm to a bystander and no jar to the club, particularly as the small size of the tee and its light weight insure its movement with no resistance, when touched by the club.

While various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A golfing tee adapted to stand on the ground without enetrating it, comprising two parts of su stantially equal diameter each having a recessed end one adapted to hold the tee upright on the ground and the other adapted to support the ball, interconnecting means ott lesser diameter than the ends providing for adjustment of the distance between the two supporting ends.

2. A goliing tee adapted to be supported upon the ground without penetrating it, comprising two parts of substantially equal diameter each having a recessed end interchangeably adapted one to support the tee upon the ground and the other to support a golf ball, a. recess in one part at the end opposite its supporting end, a shank on the other part at the end opposite its supporting end, said shank fitting tightly but slidably into the last named recess in the other part, whereby the height of the tee may be adjusted.

3. Agoling tee comprising a double-ended reversible wooden support for a golf ball ot a maximum diameter less than one third the diameter of the golf ball, both ends of the support being recessed so that either end may serve as a base and the other as a rest for the ball, the rims of the recessed ends being serrated to render the tee more steadily supportable upon the ground by pressing the serrations into the surface thereof, said ends being joined by a constricted body portion, a ground-penetrating peg having an enlarged distinctively visible head, and a flexible connection attached at one end to the constricted body portion of the tee and at the other end of the peg, the head of said peg being formed with a constricted port-ion whereby the peg may be readily extracted from the ground.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 21st day of August, 1925.

WILLIAM LOWELL.

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