US2106625A - Ball driving device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. '25, 1938. H. A. BODGE BALL DRIVING DE ICE Filed Aug. 5, 1936 INVENTOR Ham ca ,4. 50096 BY Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to ball driving devices for games of variable types adapted for either indoor or outdoor amusements, and includes a portable standard having a base member disposed to bear upon the floor or ground and provided with a driving-head hingedly supported from said stand and adapted to be disposed adjacent the ball to be driven thereby.

The objects of the invention include a manually operated handle slidably mounted for vertical movement within the standard and adapted by downward pressure to outwardly project the driving-head against the ball.

The objects also include manual operating means that provides a. relatively undisturbed aim for the driving force applied against the ball, and resilient means that affords both a return movement of the operating parts of the device and a measure of control for the downward operative movement of the handle.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Referring to the drawing in which similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view embodying my invention, shown partially in section.

Figure 2 is a similar View taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a reduced scale view showing the driving-head in projected dotted line position.

In Fig. 1 numeral l0 designates a tubular standard having at its lower end a base-plug ll detachab-ly secured within the tube by the removable pin l2. A manually controlled operating handle I3 is provided for the tubular standard, the upper end of the latter being disposed to slidingly receive for longitudinal guiding movement the lower end of the operating handle.

Also provided for the standard is a drivinghead [4 carried from the lower end of the arm IS, the upper end of the latter being bent and perforated at It and extended through a laterally elongated slot ll formed in a wall of the standard where it is connected to the bottom of the operating handle by the screw l8 which passes through the perforation l6.

For supporting the several parts of the device within the standard in the normal manner indicated in Fig. 1, a guide block I9 is mounted for vertical sliding movement within the standard and is provided with an upper angular face '20 engaging the bent portion of the driving-head .arm -I 5, the lower face 2| of the blockbeing flatthe driving-head arm l5 inserted through the 10 slot I] of the standard, in which positions the two members may be secured together by the screw 18 from the 'open .base of the standard, after which the block I9, spring 22 andbase-plug i! may be successively inserted andsecured tov15 gether by the pin l2.

With the several-parts thusconnected together and mounted within the standard, the driving device presents a comparatively simple and compact construction, free from exterior complica- 20 tion, readily shiftable from place to place and normally maintained in operative position whereby a manual downward pressure upon the operating handle will cause the bent end of arm I 5 to rotate about the lateral hinge slot l1 and project the driving-head M, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The projecting action of the drivinghead is effected in opposition to the spring 22, the latter suitably tensioned and cooperating with the block l9 both to return the several operative 30 parts to their normally operative positions and to efiect a smoothly operating hinge joint.

In its operation the base or base plug I I of the device is securely held by the operating handle against the floor or ground surf-ace over which 35 the ball is to be driven, the driving-head being positioned adjacent the ball and in line with the desired path thereof and in which position the driving-head is subjected to a variable manual projecting force applied by means of both hands 40 of the operator upon the handle to insure stability of the standard without disturbing said alinement or aim.

By varying the manually applied force the travel of the ball may be regulated and its action 45 readily controlled.

It is to be understood that while I illustrate and describe the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is susceptible of various changes as regards its form, proportions, detail construction, 50 and arrangement of parts without departing from the essential spirit and scope or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I claim:

1. A ball-driving device comprising a tubular 55 standard having a base member at its lower end and provided intermediate its ends with a slot extending through an outer wall thereof, a driving-head having an upwardly projecting arm provided with an inwardly bent portion extending through the slot in said standard, a guide-block slidably mounted within said tubular standard and engaging the inwardly bent portion of the driving-head arm, an operating handle slidable in the upper end of said tubular standard and connected at its lower end to the inwardly bent portion of the driving-head arm, and a compression spring disposed within said tubular standard and between said base member and guideblock and normally adapted to raise said operating handle and retract said driving-head, and upon the manual downward movement of the operating handle to compress said spring and outwardly project said driving-head from said standard to drive the ball.

2. A ball-driving device comprising a tubular standard, a driving-head normally disposed in retracted position exteriorly adjacent the lower end of said standard, the said head having an arm section extending inwardly of said standard for the pivotal support thereof, an operating handle slidable lengthwise within said standard and disposed to receive the lateral support and downward force from both hands of the operator, and coupling means between said handle and the inwardly extending arm-section of said head.

3. In a ball-driving device, a tubular standard having a slot extending through the wall thereof, a driving-head having an arm-section leading through said slot and inwardly of said standard for the pivotal support of the head, an operating handle slidable lengthwise within said tubular standard, coupling means between said handle and the inwardly extending arm-section of the driving-head, and resilient means within said standard disposed to upwardly urge said operating handle and retract said driving-head.

4. A ball-driving device comprising a tubular standard having a base member, a driving-head supported exteriorly adjacent said standard for engaging a ball, the said head having an armsection extending inwardly of said standard, an operating handle slidable lengthwise within said standard for manual downward movement, coupling means between said handle and the inwardly extending arm-section of the drivinghead, a guide-block slidable lengthwise within said standard, and a compression spring disposed between the said base-member and the guideblock and upwardly urging the latter to effect the retraction of the driving-head by the release of the downward manual pressure on the operating handle.

5. A ball driving device comprising a tubular standard, a driving-head supported thereby and normally disposed in retracted position exteriorly adjacent said standard, the said head having an arm-section extending inwardly of said standard, an operating handle manually slidable lengthwise Within said standard and having coupling means to said inwardly extending arm-section of the driving-head, and a compression spring disposed within the latter and normally acting in opposition to the inward movement of said operating handle, and upon the release of said inward manual movement to retract said driving-head by the reaction of said spring.

' HORACE A. BODGE.

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