US20050137033A1

US20050137033A1 - Golf ball and tee placement and retrieval apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20050137033A1
Application number: US10/736,759
Authority: US
Inventors: John Ketcham; Clifton Ketcham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-12-17
Filing date: 2003-12-17
Publication date: 2005-06-23

Abstract

A golf ball and tee placement device and retrieval apparatus formed from a hollow shaft in which is placed a first plate fastened to one end of the shaft and a second plate fastened to the end of the elongated rod. Two support members fixedly secure a third plate having a tee-receiving recess. The support members pass through the first and second plates to maintain the second plate in alignment with the first and third plates. Resilient elements such as springs engage the first and second plates biasing the second plate away from the first plate. The second plate is movably toward the first plate until the distance between the second plate and the third plate permits the placement of a golf ball and a cooperating tee therebetween. The second plate is movable toward the third plate to position the tee into the playing surface and the ball in a playable position on the tee when the rod and second plate are moved upwardly and away the ball and tee.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf accessories and more particularly to a golf ball and tee placement and retrieval apparatus for use on a playing surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many golfers have a difficult time bending over to position a golf ball and tee into the ground during a round of golf. This may be due to factors such as bad backs, knees, hips or any number of similar ailments. This invention seeks to relieve such persons from the stress these acts place on their bodies.
Prior art devices for assisting golfers to retrieve a golf ball or tee presents a number of problems. For example, there is not a size small enough to fit into one pants pocket. One prior art reference shows a tee positioning apparatus that requires a spring and plunger mechanism to provide functionality. Additionally, it cannot be readily transported on the golf course because of its size.
Another reference shows a device that shows a spring for functioning and requires a permanently affixed pole and cannot be used to properly position the ball and tee without many attempts.
In golf, the ball sometimes is to be put on a very small pedestal to elevate it from the ground. The pedestal, called a “tee” is made of wood or plastic and its top is a dish-like cup on which the golf all is placed. The opposite end of the tee is pointed so that it may be inserted into the ground for stability with the ball sitting on the dish end. This allows the golf ball to remain stationary approximately 1½″ to 2″ above the ground. In instances when the ball must hit as far as possible to make subsequent shots easier, one club designed to accomplish this task is the “driver”. This club's face has only 10 to 12 degrees of loft so that the ball can be hit on a relatively flat trajectory for distance. It would be virtually impossible to hit the ball with a driver if the ball simply rested on the ground and even skilled golf professionals use a tee to elevate the ball when appropriate. Without a tee to put the ball into position for a drive, the amateur golfer would find the game almost impossible to play well.
Since “teeing” the ball requires that the player bend close enough to the ground to touch the ground with the ball and tee, a reasonable amount of flexibility is required of the golfer. For the golfer who, through the stiffness associate with age or a disability, finds that he or she can no longer tee the ball, the penalty is so great that they give up the game or else hit a ball dropped on the ground with an “iron”. The iron does not require teeing but there is a consequence loss of distance, competitiveness and satisfaction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a golf ball and tee placement and retrieval apparatus formed from a hollow elongated shaft within which is positioned a first plate that is secured to one end shaft and a second plate is secured at the end of the elongated rod. A third plate has a tee receiving recessed and two support members fixedly secured thereto. Each support member passes through an apertures in the first and second plates to maintain the second plate in alignment with the first and third plates. Resilient means are positioned between and engaging both the first and second plates and normally bias the second plate away from the first plate. The second plate is movable by the elongated rod upwardly toward the first plate until the distance between the second plate and third plate is sufficient to receive a golf ball and cooperatively positioned tee. The second plate is movable toward the third plate by displacing the elongated rod downwardly toward the playing surface and thereby positioning the tee into the playing surface and the ball in a playable position on the tee when the elongated rod and second plate are moved upwardly and away from the ball and tee.
Thus there has been outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In that respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its arrangement of the components set forth in the following description and illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.
It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting in any respect. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of this development. It is important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent methods and products resulting there from that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The application is neither intended to define the invention, which is measured by its claims, nor to limit its scope in any way.
Thus, the objects of the invention set forth above, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are noted with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific results obtained by its use, reference should be made to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.
The drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. They illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the placement and retrieval apparatus with a ball and tee positioned therein for placement;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the placement and retrieval apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the placement and retrieval apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the complete placement and retrieval apparatus making up the invention;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the placement and retrieval apparatus comprising the present invention having an attached support member in a collapsed condition; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the placement and retrieval apparatus shown in FIG. 5 with the support member maintaining the handle of the apparatus in an elevated condition away from the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 4, a golf ball and tee placement and retrieval apparatus shown generally as 10 is made of a hollow elongated shaft having a body portion and first and second ends 14, 16. An elongated rod 18 is cooperatively received and slightly movable within shaft 12. A first plate 20 is fixably secured to the elongated shaft second end and has spaced apart apertures 22 (FIG. 3). A second plate 24 is secured to the elongated rod second end 26 and also has spaced apart apertures 28. A third plate 30 has a tee receiving recess 32 best shown in FIG. 3. First and second support members 34 are secured to third plate 30 and extend upwardly to pass through apertures 28, 22 in the second and first plates thereby maintaining second plate 24 in alignment with first and third plates 24.
Resilient means such as springs are positioned between and engage both first and second plates 24 and normally bias second plate 24 away from first plate 20. Second plate 24 is movable by rod 26 upwardly toward first plate 20 until the distance between second plate 24 and third plate 30 is sufficient to receive a golf ball 38 and a cooperatively positioned tee 40.
Second plate 24 is movable toward third plate 30 by displacing elongated rod 26 downwardly toward the playing surface and thereby positioning tee 40 into the playing surface and the ball 38 in a playable position on tee 40 when elongated rod 26 and second plate 24 are moved upwardly and away from ball 38 and tee 40.
A convenient stand 42 is shown in FIG. 5 in the retracted or stored position and, in FIG. 6, in the active position maintaining the upper end of rod 18 in an elevated position for convenience to the user. Utilizing stand 42 in this manner will keep moisture from the ground away from the end of the device being used by the player.
From the proceeding description, it can be seen that a golf ball and tee placement and retrieval apparatus for use on a playing surface has been provided that will meet all the advantages of all prior art devices and offer additional advantages not heretofore achievable. With respect to the foregoing invention, the optimum dimensional relationship to the parts of the invention including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation use and assembly are deemed readily apparent to those skilled in the yard, and all equivalent relationships illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed herein.
The foregoing is considered a illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the yard, and it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. All suitable modifications and equivalents that fall within the scope of the impended claims are deemed with the present inventive concept.

Claims

1. Golf ball and tee placement and retrieval apparatus for use on a playing surface comprising: a hollow elongated shaft having a body portion and first and second ends; an elongated rod cooperatively received by and slidably movable within the shaft having first and second ends, a first plate fixedly secured to the elongated shaft second end and having spaced apart apertures; a second plate secured to the elongated rod second end and having spaced apart apertures; a third plate having a tee receiving recess therein; first and second support members secured to the third plate, each support member passing through a aperture in the first and second plates and maintaining the second plate in alignment with the first and third plates; resilient means positioned between and engaging both the first and second plates and normally biasing the second plate away from the first plate, the second plate being movable by the elongated rod upwardly toward the first plate until the distance between the second plate and the third plate is sufficient to receive a golf ball and cooperatively positioned tee, and the second plate being movable toward the third plate by displacing the elongated rod downwardly toward the playing surface and thereby positioning the tee into the playing surface and the ball in a playable position on the tee when the elongated rod and wsecond plate are moved upwardly and away from the ball and tee.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a notch in the elongated rod first end sufficient in size to snugly receive a tee lying flat on the playing surface and retain it as it is raised from the playing surface.

3 The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third plate tee-receiving recess is configured to receive and maintain the tee in a vertical condition substantially parallel to the position of the support members.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the resilient means are springs each having first and second ends fixedly secured to the first and second plates over the aligned apertures of each plate.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the springs and apertures are of a size to cooperatively and slidably receive the first and second support members when the elongated rod and secured second plate are displaced to grip and release the ball and tee.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first plate has a top and a bottom and the second plate bottom is configured to receive the circular surface of the ball and thereby prevent it from rolling when a ball is positioned thereagainst.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the third plate tee-receiving recess is configured to receive and maintain the tee in a vertical condition substantially parallel to the position of the support members.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the resilient means are springs each having first and second ends fixedly secured to the first and second plates over the aligned apertures of each plate.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the springs and apertures are of a size to cooperatively and slidably receive the first and second support members when the elongated rod and secured second plate are displaced to grip and release the ball and tee.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second plate has a top and a bottom and the second plate bottom is configured to receive the circular surface of the ball and thereby prevent it from rolling when a ball is positioned thereagainst.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 further comprising: a notch in the elongated shaft first and sufficient in size to snugly receive a tee lying flat on the playing surface and retain it as it raised from the playing surface.