US1783211A - Golf tee - Google Patents

Description

Patented' Dec. 2, 1930 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAMv n. BALDWIN, or NEW Yoax, N. Y.

GOLF TEE Application med October 10, 1928. Serial No. 311,675.

Im ortant objects of the present invention are, 'rst, to provide an extremely simple, compact, chea and satisfactory golf tee; second, to provi e such a golf tee designed to in- 5 dicate the direction of a drive; third, to pro- .vide a tee formed of readily severable sheet material so that if left upon the grass a lawn mower may berun over it without injury; and fourth, to provide a tee designed to serve l as a cheap and effective advertising means.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tee with a golf ball resting upon it;

Fig. 2 a side view of the tee; Fig. 3 a top plan view of the tee; Fig. 4 a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

ig. 5 a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fi .3;

F ig. 6` a bottom plan view of the tee; Fig. 7 a top plan view of a slightly modied form of tee; and

Fig. 8 a section taken on the line 8--8 of as Fi y eferrin to 1 to 6 inclusive, my improved gol tee is ormed of a single sheet of stiff material which is cut and pressed to form a shell-likebody 1 having a convex upr surface, a concave ,lower surface and a substantially elliptical contour in lan. At the 'top of its `conveiiity the body 1s formed with a small circular opening 2 to form a seat for a golf ball. This opening lies on the Ina.

l jor axis of the oblong plan of the body and 1s spaced slightly o center, toward what will be referred to as the rear end of the tee. The upper convex surface is provided with a dimotion-indicating mark -3 vwhich extends from the hole 2 outwardly along the major axis to the opposite orufront en of the tee. In the resent instantie the mark 3 is ,in the form o? an arrow whose head extendsfto., the front edge of the tee. -However, any other suitable mark ma be used. Rearwardl of the hole 2 the bo y 1 is cut and pressedy inwardly to-'dene a tail 4 for the arrow mark 3. The arrow tail is formed by notching the rear end of the sheet formin the bod 1, as at 5, and pressing inwardly a ong two 'nes 6 -gether in a small s ace for carrying and which diverge outwardl from the hole 2. The bifurcated form of t e arrow tail makes it clearly visible under the shadow 0f a ball upon the tee. Also, the inwardly pressed form of the tail forms a ridge within the tee which reinforces or stitfens it. The arrow head and tail are in direct alinement along the plan of the major axis and, in effect, they form two cooperating sights at opposite ends of the tee for lining up the direction of flight of the ball. Location of the point of ballsupport toward' the rear end of the tee, and the depression of the latter to provide the arrow tail, provide a good clearance at the back of the ball for the golf club.

I prefer to make the tee of cheap sheet material having suilicient stiffness to retain the shape of the tee. It is desirable that the material be readily severable so that if left upon the grass the tee will not injure a lawn mower. In practice I have found that the stiff, water-proofed paper usually used to make paper spoons serves thepurpose very satisfactorily. Other sheet materlals such as celluloid, rubber, tin etc. may, however, be used.

The tee forms an excellent carrier' for an advertising legend. In Fig. 6 a legend 7 is shown upon the under side of the tee. It is preferably placed upon the concave under surface for protection to revent its being washed off or obliterated by impact of the golf club.' The tee is exceedingly cheap to manufacture and its shell-like form adapts a large number 'of tees to nest compactly toshipment. They ma e very acceptable, eective and inexpensive advertising articles for freev distribution.

The use of the tee materially aids the golf player. He places the tee upon the ground with the arrow pointing in the direction of the drive, and places the ball upon the tee. The tee is slightly longer than the diameter of a golf ball and the two registering sights extend outwardly suiliciently to be clearly visible to the layer from his stance osition.

vThey relieve im of the necessity o looking along the course repeatedl to get his drive direction properly and ena le him to concentrate his gaze'in the direction of the ball. 100

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a tee 1a similar to the form just described except that an arrow 3", a ball-receiving depression 2a and an advertising legend 7 are all im ressed or indented in the upper convex sur ace of the tee.

The impressed arrow and ball-receiving depression serve to reinforce and stiffen the tee, and the impressed advertising matter may be more conspicuously located upon the 10 upper surface of the tee without danger of vsahing off or obliteration by impact of the c u While I have shown and described two very satisfactory forms of my invention I do not wish to be limited strictly to this disclosure, but reserve the right to make such changes as will lie Within the scope of the claim.

What I claim is: A olf tee comprising a still, shell-like body ormed of a single sheet of readily severable sheet material, substantially elliptical in plan, having a convex upper surface and formed to support a ball at a high point of its convexity, said ball support being located at an intermediate point on the major axis of the body; an arrow on the upper surface of the body co-incident with the major axis thereof and extending from the ball su port longitudinall to the opposite front an rear margins of t e body, the tail-of the arrow being formed by a tapered depression in the shell extending from the ball support to the margin of the shell and defining a substantially V-shaped cleft in the outline of the rear margin directed toward the ball support to cooperate with the portion of the arrow at the o posite side of said support for indicating the direction of a drive.

o In testimony whereof I hereunto alx my signature.

WILLIAM E. BALDWIN.

Images