US2329992A - Golf yardage registering device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 21, 1943. 1.. L. KING GOLF YARDAGE REGISTERING DEVICE Filed Dec. 4, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II In.

Lacy m Sept. 21, 1943. L. KING 2,329,992

GOLF YARDAGE REGISTERING DEVICE File d Dec. 4, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Jim; ill [/1],

Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES P TENT orncc 2,329,992 GOLF YARDAGE' REGISTERING DEVICE Lacy L. King, Tulsa, Okla; Q. I Application December 4. 1941, ste m. 421,653 A 3 Claims... (crass-21') This invention relates to a device for registering or indicating the approximate distance a golf ball would have traveled if the flight of said ball were not arrested by the device.

Briefly described, the present invention relates to that type of device in which a yieldable target is provided against which the golf ball may be driven, said target being so arranged that the impact of the ball driven against the same will operate a distance indicating means.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the above kind which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and highly efficient in use.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in said drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a golf yardage indicating device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the same.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in top plan and partly in section, showing the preferred manner of mounting the target for horizontal movement.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view showing details of the indicating means.

line 5 -4-5 Figure '7 is a horizontal section on line I -I of Figure 10 is a wiring diagram showing the.

manner of wiring the parts of Figure 6 to the indicating lights.

. Figure 11 isa view similar to Figure 10, with parts omitted, illustrating the parts in a different position, and I Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 with the parts in a still further position. 7

Referring in detail to the drawings, the present device includes a ball-receiving funnel which may consist of a suitable frame 5 having the sides and top covered. with sheets of canvas 6. The ball-receiving funnel is open at the back or smaller end, and disposed directly behind this open end-of the funnel is a'target consisting of a vertical "frame I having a sheet of canvas stretched-'thereover, the frame I being disposed at the front of a horizontally movable carrier frame 9 mounted for free movement in a base frame I0 and normally yielding urged forwardly by a spring I I. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, ball or antifric tion'bearings I2 are providedbetween the sides of the carrierframe 9 and the base frame IIi so as to promote the ease of movement of;the target. Disposed upon the floor or ground infront of the funnel 5, 6 is a ball-catching mat consisting of a strip of canvas I3 laid across transversely arranged spaced cleats or rails I4 disposed upon the ground or floor. At the forward' end of this mat is arranged a suitable platform I5 having ameans'fortee-ing a golf ball I6 thereonin position to be struck anddriven into the funnel sov asto strike the target. By arranging the strip of canvas I3 across the cleats or bars I4, the strip of canvasis provided with valleys or depressions, transversely ofthe mat which will aid in catching or arresting the travel of the golf ball after it rebounds from the target forwardly out of the funnel.

'Refgistering or indicating means is associated with thetarget 1 for showing the approximate distance, in yards, that the golf ball would have traveled if the flight of said ball were not arrested by the target of the present device. This means consists of certain. elements arranged upon a base plate I I of a casing I8 (see Figs..6 and 2),; and controlling the lighting of yardage. indicating lights I9 ,(Fig lO) arranged within the respective compartments of an indicating lampi '20 preferably mounted at the top of the funnel "5, 6. As shown, the light controlling means includes a contact lever 2i, pivoted intermediate its ends as at 22 upon the base plate I1, and having its outer end arranged to successfully engagean arcu ateseries of contacts 23 connected by wires 24 to one contact of each of the respective indicating lights I9; The contact lever 2 I is in turn connected by wire 25 with one side of a source of electricity, and a tension spring 26 normally yieldingly swings the lever 2I to the initial. position ofFigure 6 to one side of the s eries of contacts 23. The casing I I, I8 is arranged, and set, in place within the carrier frameifinpon .a suitable support, and behind the target-I, 8. Extending forwardly from the casmg] [1,, l8 isa plunger 21 whose forward end is connected to thetarget so as to be movable therewithftherear portion of plunger at being sliq 35 fixed upon the guide block 28.

movement of slide 3| is limited by a transverse.

ably guided in a block 28 mounted upon the base plate IT. The rear portion of plunger 21 has an upstanding rib provided with a rearwardly directed arm 29 having spaced depending lugs 30 between which is slidably guided a horizontal slide 31 of insulating material. Normally engaged spring contacts 32 and 33 are carried by said rib and extend rearwardly beneath the arm 29 in position to have the forward end of insulating slide 3| pass between the ends thereof when said slide 3| is urged forwardly. Contact 33 has an extension 34 projecting forwardly and arranged to slidably engage a further contact Rearward pin 36 engageable with one of the guide lugs 30, and this pin 36 is also arranged in the path of a pin 31 projecting upwardly from the guide block 28. The arrangement is such that when the plunger 2? is forced rearwardly, the slide 3| will engage a pin 38 risingfrom the contact lever 2|, thereby forcing the slide 3| forwardly between the contacts 32 and 33 as shown in Figure 11. Also, when the plunger 21 moves forwardly so that the slide 3| disengages from pin 38, the pin 33 will engage pin3'l and causerearward shifting of slide 3| from between the ends of contacts 32 and 33 as shown in Figure 12. In the normal forward position of plunger 21, the engaging end of contact 34 is disposed forwardly of contact 35 and out of engagement with the latter as shown in Figure 10.

, Contact 32 is connected by a wire 3311 with one side of the source of electricity or that side opposite which the wire 25 connects and to which the remaining sides of lamps I9 are connected by means of a wire 39. The second named side of the source of current is connected by wire 40 to oneside of a solenoid coil 4| whose other side is connected by wire 42 with the contact 35. A plunger 43 of the solenoid coil 4| is connected by a link 44 with the free end of a ratchet segment 45 pivoted at its other end as at 46 to the base plate ii and having ratchet teeth 41 on its inner edge arranged to be successively engaged by the adjacent shorter end of contact lever 2|. The core or plunger 43 of the solenoid coil 4| is normally yieldingly projected so as to swing the segment 45 toward the adjacent end of contact lever 2|.

In. operation, the parts will be set normally as shown in Figures 6 and 10, the slide 3| being.

disengaged from between the contacts 32 and 33; the contact 34 being disengaged from contact 35, and pin 38 of contact lever 2| being engaged with the adjacent end of slide 3|. carried by plunger rod'27. When the golf ball I6 is driven intotl'ie funnel and, against the target, the im-- pact of the ball against said target causes rearward movement of the latter and corresponding rearward movement of plunger rod 21. As pin 36 leaves pin 31, lide 3| is forced forwardly between the contacts 32 and 33 as shown in Figure 11, thereby breaking the circuit of the solenoid coil 4| so that the latter will not be operated even though the contact 34 engages contact 35 during the rearward movement ofplunger rod 21. During this rearward movement of plunger rod 21, the contact lever 2| is swung to. the left for a distance corresponding to the impact against the target, and when rearward movement of plunger 21 ceases and forward swinging move-. ment of contact lever 2| also ceases, saidc ntact lever 2| will be maintained in its furtherest swung position by engagement of the ratchet segment 45 therewith. The light in circuit with the contact finally engaged by the lever 2| will remain lighted and will give an indication as to the approximate distance the golf ball would have traveled if the flight of said ball had not been arrested by the target. This distance can be denoted in yards on the lens of the light compartment, the successive lights being suitably graduated in yards. As soon as the ball leaves the target, the latter will return to its forward normal position as shown in Figure 12, leaving the contact lever 2| in its shifted position and finally causing movement of the slide 3| from between the contacts 32 and 33 by engagement of pin 3Bwith pin 37 as shown in said Figure 12. When another ball is driven against the target, the rearward movement of plunger rod 21 will cause engagement of contact 34 with contact 35 before the contacts 32 and 33 are separated by forward movement of slide 3| to its engagement with contact lever 2|. Thus, solenoid coil 4| will be momentarily energized so as to retract its core or plunger 43 and momentarily release the ratchet segment 45 from said contact lever 2| so that the latter will be automatically returned toward normal position by spring 26, if the plunger 21 is not driven rearwardly sufliciently far to cause further forward swinging of said lever 2|, but is only driven rearwardly a lesser distance than previously driven. Thus, a proper yardage indication will be had under the circumstances and particularly if the travel indication is less than a previous travel indication in whichthe contact lever 2| has been left. As soon as contact lever 2| engages slide 3| and forces it forwardly, the contacts 32 and 33 will be separated to break the circuit of the solenoid coil 4| and permit the segment 45 to promptly engage the adjacent end of the lever 2| again.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages of the present. invention will be readily appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art. Minor changes are contemplated in the details of construction illustrated and described. such as fairly fall withinthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. A golf yardage registering device comprising a funnel adapted to guide a golf ball, a rearwardly yieldable target arranged at the rear of said funnel for arresting the flight of said golf ball, and means operative in conjunction with said target for indicating the distance of an uninterrupted flight of the golf ball, means yieldingly urging said target forwardly toward the funnel, said indicating means including a plunger attached to and extending rearwardly from the target, a contact lever operable by said plunger, a plurality of contact points in operable relation with said contact lever for-completing electric circuits when said contact lever isswung by said plunger, a ratchet segmentyieldingly engaging said contact lever to releasdbl'y retain the same in any position to which it is swung by said plunger, a solenoid connected to said ratchet segment and operable for releasing the latter from said contact lever, and switch means operable upon rearward movement of said plunger for closing the circuit of said solenoid'to releascsaid ratchet segment.

2. A golf yardage registeringdevice comprising a funnel adapted to guide a golf ball, a rearwardly yieldable target arranged at the rear of said funnel for arresting the flight of said golf ball, and means operative in conjunction with said target for indicating the distance of an uninterrupted fiight of the golf ball, means yieldingly urging said target forwardly toward the funnel, said indicating means including a plunger attached to and extending rearwardly from the target, a contact lever operable by said plunger, a plurality of contact points in operable relation with said contact lever for completing electric circuits when said contact lever'is swung by said plunger, a ratchet segment yieldingly engaging said contact lever to releasably retain the same in any position to which it is swung by said plunger, a solenoid connected to said ratchet segment and operable for releasing the latter from said contact lever, switch means operable upon rearward movement of said plunger for closing the circuit of said solenoid to release said ratchet segment, and further switch means operable upon continued rearward movement of said plunger for breaking the circuit of said solenoid and permitting retention of the contact lever in the position to which it is fully swung by means of said ratchet segment.

3. A golf yardage registering device comprising a funnel adapted to guide a golf ball, a rearwardly yieldable target arranged at the rear of said funnel for arresting the flight of said golf ball, and means operative in conjunction with said target for indicating the distance of an uninterrupted flight of the golf ball, means yieldingly urging said target forwardly toward the funnel, said indicating means including a plunger attached to and extending rearwardly from the target, a contact lever operable by said plunger, a plurality of contact points in operable relation with said contact lever for completing electric circuits when said contact lever is swung by said plunger, a ratchet segment yieldingly engaging said contact lever to releasably retain the same in any position to which it is swung by said to which it is fully swung by means of said ratchet segment, said last named switch means comprising normally engaged contacts, a slide arranged in the path of and operable by the contact lever for separating said normally engaged contacts upon rearward movement of the plunger, and stop means to limit movement of said slide by said contact lever to permit engagement of said normally engaged contacts with each other upon return of the plunger to its forward position.

LACY L. KING.

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