US1717318A

US1717318A - Golf tee

Info

Publication number: US1717318A
Application number: US205585A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Pugh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-07-14
Filing date: 1927-07-14
Publication date: 1929-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 1946-06-11

Description

W. J. PUGH June 11, 1929.

GOLF TEE I Filed July 14, 1927 jzvengari ZMZ'ZZZZUR j g Q Patented June 11', 1929.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. PUGH, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

eons r1111.

Application filed July 14,

This invention relates to improvements in golf tees.

It contemplates more especially the provision of a golf tee capable of sustaining a golf ball at a uniform elevation without impairing the driving efl'ort imparted thereto.

Numerous types of golf tees having heretofore been proposed, but these havenot proven entirely satisfactory in that they are usually embedded in the soil or grass by virtue of a peg which does not insure a uniform elevation of a ball sustained thereon.

Further, driving tees are of varying hardness and in some instances it is quite impossible to readily embed a golf tee therein without exerting a tremendous effort. Moreover, golf tees are usually displaced responsive to driving a ball therefrom, and a new tee is ordinarily required with each drive in'that the discovery thereof is futile in most instances.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is the provision of a tee for sustaining a ball at a uniform elevation above surfaces of varying hardness.

Still another object is the provision of means in association with a tee which enables the latter to be embedded a uniform distance for sustaining a golf ball thereon.

A further object is the provision of a tee having embedding means merged therein to define an abrupt shoulder for limiting the extent of embedment.

A still further object is the provision of a finder in association with a golf tee effective to enable the discovery thereof, and to serve as a guide for the assumption of a proper body stance.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illus trated embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view in elevation of a device embodying features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1; a

Figure 3 is a modified embodiment of the device which enables a tee to be soil-embedded for a predetermined extent only, thereby insuring the support of a ball at a uniform elevation; and

Figure 4 is a view showing the function of the finder as an indicationof the proper stance 1927. Serial No. 205,585.

to be assumed with .respect to the ball sustained on the tee.

The structure selected for illustration comprises a body 10 of any suitable material such as rubber shaped in an suitable manner to define a substantially circular base 11 which conically terminates in an upstanding, axially disposed neck 12 diverging gradually to present a substantially circular, disk-shaped v supportlng' surface 13. The surface 13 is preferably provided with a concavity 14 of sufiicient depth to properly sustain a golf ball thereon without permitting the accidental re moval thereof. It is important to provide a comparatively shallow concavit which will not interfere with thedriving e ort imparted to the ball, since the interference offered by the concavity 14 to the ball should bereduced to a minimum in that it would otherwise retard the drive and incidentally result in a marked displacement of the tee responsive to a blow imparted to the ball.

It is necessary or at least highly desirable that the tee be of comparatively light weight so that it will not unnecessarily encumber the player. The weight thereof is materially decreased, in this instance, by providing a conical cavity 15 in the base 11 of the member 10, efiective to receive any obstruction such as grass which is likely to be on the surface otherwise contacting therewith. Thus the cavity 15 serves a dual purpose, in that it insures the proper instantaneous support of the tee upon which'the golf ball rests, and also materally decreases the weight thereof.

To enable the tee to be readily located subsequent to driving the golf balltherefrom, a finder 16 is associated with the body 10 in any appropriate manner, the finder consisting preferably of a tape or cord of any suitable material such as rubber, cotton, or the like, which is discernibly colored with respect to the grass or soil usually appearing on a golf course. The finder 16 is attached, in this instance, to the base 11 of the body 10 by virtue of an aperture 17 provided therein to receive the finder 16 therethrough, the finder having a knotted extremity 18 to enable the string to be conveniently anchored thereto.

The finder 16 not only serves the purpose of enabling the tee to be conveniently located responsive to a drive, but also serves to assist the player in addressing the ball correctly in that the finder 16 may be disposed normal to the direction in which the ball is selectively d ri ren (Figure 4) so as to enable the player to position himself with respect to various well detincd rules known to all professional golfcrs, since the closed, open and square stance are well recognized positions supposed to be eonsistient with good driving. Further, the tinder may be of suflicient length to permit its attaclnnent to the body of the player, thereby avoiding the discomfort of looking for the tee subsequent to driving.

The modified embodiment disclosed in Figure 3 is especially adapted for use on grass and mat tees, it comprising a body having a frusto-conical portion defining a neck 12 which merges into a disk 13' provided with a concavity 14 for sustaining the ball thereon. As shown, the body 10' terminates in an enlarged portion 19 which surrounds an axially embedded pin 20 therein to serve as an obstruction for limiting the extent to whichthe peg can be embedded in the soil. In this manner, the body 19 serves to insure the support of a golf ball on the disk 13 at a uniform distance from the soil, in that the extremity of the portion 19 contacts with the soil when the tee is properly positioned.

To enable a suitable finder to be attached thereto, the enlarged body portion 19 is provided with an annular groove 21 which receives the looped extremity 22 of the finder 16'. The finder 16' is preferably composed of elastic material so that the looped extremity 22 thereof will snugly embrace the groove 21, thereby rendering the tinder readily detachablo therefrom.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention described in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A golf tee comprising a head, the upper surface of which is provided with a rest for a golf ball, said head being supported upon a downwardly divergent neck leading to an enlarged base, the lower surface of which is frusto-couically formed with a blunt apex extending downwardly; and a pointed peg lead ing from the apex of the bottom of said base.

2. A golf tee comprising a head, the upper surface of which is provided with a rest for a golf ball, said head being supported upon a downwardly divergent neck leading to an enlarged base, the lower surface of which is frusto-conically formed with a blunt apex extending downwardly; a pointed peg leading from the apex of the bottom of said'base; and a finder having a looped elastic extremity embracing said base, said base being provided with an annular groove to receive the loop of said finder.

WILLIAM J. PUGH.