US2334540A - Golf putting practice green - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 16, 1943 w s; BUFFHAM 2,334,540

GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE GREEN Filed. July 29, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM S.BUFFHAM ATTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1943.

W. S. BUFFHAM GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE GREEN Filed July 29, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q w w INVENTOR WiLLIAM S.BUFFHAM AT TORNEYS Nov. 16, 1943. w s BUFFHAM 2,334,540

GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE GREEN Filed July 29, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fxy. 10.

INVENTOR WILLIAM S. BUFFHAM ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 16, 1943 ITED: ST E PATENTw-o l E t 1 l I TLC M'. doLrlrurrmo mneizmeentes Q a sgfie eiR d ati e; I I r a nsjincaeeams zamiaseiiarnei iras'n This invention appertains to a golf game and more particularly to a practice puttingwgreen capable of use in the -home, "amusement halls,

hotel lobbies and the like.

One of the primaryobject of my invention is to provide apractice or artificial putting green in which the surface'contour ofthe playing floor or'fleld can be varied to simulate the approach of the various holes "orcups at differentgolf courses, whereby a" maximum-"amountof 'skill in puttingwillbe' developed by the users' o-f the apparatus. i 7

s Another salient-object of my inventionisto "provide 7 a practice putting green embodying a fiexible playing fielder floor with: means under the control ofthe playerior'fiexi'ng thefie ldor floor whereby to continuously change the-contour of said field 'orfloor and-thereby'efiectively simulate the difierent rolling greens of various golf courses; 1 1

A further object of my invention is the provision of a practiceputting green embodying a raised platform constituting a stand for the-player: and the ball and an elongated flexible field or floor over-which the ball is played toward a 1' cup orrhole at the endi of the: floor and rotatable eccentric members arranged adjacent to the corners ofth floor for raising and lowering the floor adjacent to said comers andrthereby et- A' further important object of my invention is the provision of a'single operated lever arrangedtrics. at one end of the floor at. a diiferent. speed,

of rotation from the speedofrotation of the eccentrics at the other end oi said. floor,.whereby the contour of the floor will-be continuously changed upon each operation of the hand-lever,

.t A further important objector my invention which drawings:

lecture and which will extenda maximum amount or pleasure to the user thereof.

with these andbther objects in'Vie-W the 111- vention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand formation ofparts, as' 'will" be 'h'ereinatter more specifically described; claimed 'nd illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

' Figure 1 is a top plan viewof'my improved device with kparts thereof broken away and in FigureSisanend elevational view of the golfv practice device showing the players end thereof. "Figure 6 is a d'etail sectional view taken on =t h''line 6 -6 of Figure; looking inthe direction is the provision of means under the: control of .the player for raisingvand lowering one end of the floor whereby the inclinationof th tiger from one end tothe other can be varied.

A further object of my invention is the prov vision or means forreturning the played ball 'to the player's stand whereby the same can beconof the arrows illustrating one form of r for one of the rotatable'shafts.- k 2 A *view A taken onthe line 9-9 01? Figure in thejdirectio-n of-the arrows.

mounting sectional view'jillustrating slightly modified form of mydnvention. 1

e Figure 81s a 'detail f-ragmentary side elevational view"i-llus't'rating the used camsfor changing the angle 'or pitch-of 'the'field onfioor "instead 9 is a fragmentary transverse'sect'ional 8 looking Figures 10450 13 inclusive are longitudi-nal secs tional views of a diagrammatic nature illustrati-ng certain contours 'the flexible playing board or field will assume during the rotation of the shafts; f 1 1.

j Figure 1-4 a; transverse sectional view a diagrammatic nature illustrating one portion of the flexible field or floor during the. rotation of .oneoftheshafts;v q r '-Referring to thedrawi-ngs in similar-i reference '1 characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates-my novel golf practice putting apparatus'and thesame includes a raised platform lifand aneio'ng'ated playing field or floor; "The field or floor it extends forwardlyvfrom the stand ISJand'the end of the field or floor remote from the. stand is provided with a -balhreceivingcupaor hole H;towardwhich the V we 7' is afragmentary' detailed transverse I detail wherein v the pulley 33.

estals, brackets or legs and these supports l8 must have. sufficient strength to support the weight of a person standing on said platform. The playing field or floor I6 is formed from. a

length of flexible board l9 such as ply wood,

wall board or the like and the entire surface of this board and the stand is covered with a con-.

tinuous piece of covering 20. This"co'vering 2|) is crank lever 35 will be alternately raised and lowered. The ratchet connection between the crank lever 36 and the shaft 26 is such that upon down- 'ward thrust of the handle 31 the shaft 26'wi1l 7 simultaneously turned a part of a revolution.

As the shafts26 and 21. turn the eccentrics or cranks on said shafts will act to flex the playing field or floor l6 and hence this floor will be moved to various positions.

As the handle is operated again the cranks will assume another position and .ferent manner.

the playing field or floor will be flexed in a dif- Due to the fact that the speed ofrotation of the shafts 2s and 21 are different preferably of a fabric having a pile soas'to. sim-;. i

ulate grass. I characters so that a fast or slow approach can be had. Secured tothe under Sid of the'board is a pair of longitudinally extending flexiblestrips 2|. These strips 2| are disposed adjacent; to the edgesofthe board l9 andthe strips at one end aresecured to the supports was at 22. 5

Disposed below the flexible strips 2| areirigid longitudinally'extending beams or stringers; 23. The ends of these beams or stringers 23are'rigidly secured to supportnig legs or feet 24, As is-clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the supporting, legs or feet 24,are arranged adjacent to the opposite ends of the playing fieldorfioorl6.- Thegbeams.

23 are secured togetherv against. twisting movement by braces 25. These beams23 adjacent-to theiropposite ends rotatably support an; inner g shaft 26 and an outer shaft 21. These shafts; and 21' extend transversely across the apparatus.

To facilitate theassociationof the shafts with the beams the beams can b .-provided with re.- movable bearing blocks 28 (see Figure- 6); As shown in Figures,1,'2,- 3,4 and Figures 1. .to 14 inclusive, the shafts adjacent to their opposite ends can be-provided withcrank arms 29. The crank arms 28 are arranged at different angles relative to one another, for a purpose, whichwill be later set forth. Rigidly securedto the flexe ible strips'Zl are dependingbearing brackets 30;

These bearing brackets 30 are arranged adjacent to the corners of the playing;field; and, the lower ends of the bearing brackets are provided; w ith removable bearing blocks 32'v forrotatably receiving the cranks. 29, Hence the playing' field or fioor I6 is connected to the rigid base formed by the stringers 23 and the legs .24 by eccentric members or crank arms 29. Fastened to. the shaft 26 is a pulley wheel 33and asimilarrpulley wheel 34 is fastened to the shaft 21. It is to; be noted, however, (see Figure 2) that the diameter of the pulley 34' is greater'than the diameter of These pulleywheels 33and 34 are operatively connected together by an endlessipulr The fabric 20 can be of 'differentn the cranks on the two shafts will constantly change relative to one another andthis brings about the constant changing of the contour of the board. j

' -If preferred, intermediate shafts (not. shown) can be utilized for also acting on the playing field or floor. j a

7 As .shown in Figure 10, when the cranks on the shafts 26 and Zl-are moved away from one another the playing field or floor will be bowed upwardly. When thecranks move toward one another the playing field. or floor will be bowed downwardly. In,F igure13, one crank is moved inwardly andthe other crank is moved outwardly and the floor is given a double curve. In Figure 1.3, the cranks. atthe opposite end of the apparatus will turn in the same direction and the floor is given a double curve, but in a reverse direction from that shown in Figure 12. H In Figa manner that a said floor.

,Provision can alsoflbe-made for raising and transverse curveis given to 7 lowering one end of the floor or field so that the inclination of said-floor or field from one end thereofto .the' other'ca'n be changed. As shown in Figures 1-,. 2,. and 31the. shaft 21. has .rockably mounted thereon a swinging, leg 39. Thelower endof "the; leg .is provided with outwardly. extending arms-40.1 andthese arms ,car'ry antlfriction rollers for engaging the surface on which the apparatus is placed; The upperend of the .leg? 39rhas ,pivotally connected thereto an operated :link 42 whichgis.disposedcunder the ley belt 35, so that upon'the turning ofoneshaft the ther shaft will be-rotated therewith, but t;

a different speed. i I 1 Operatively connected, by means a ratchet mechanism; to one end of the shaft 26'is an operating crank lever 36. Pivotally connectedto the outer end of the crank lever '36 is an. oper- -or board is aball receiving basket 45cand a part Figure 3) be swung down'so as to lift up; the

player field or floor. and this link extends toward the stand or platform l5. This. link 42 is pivotally connected to an operating. lever 43 (see The operating lever is rockably mounted on a quadrant rack 44 and the lever can be latched to said-rack by means of a finger grip operated dog. This lever43 is also arranged adjacent to the player's stand or platform and obviously by manipulating the lever the leg,39 can outer end of saidplaying field or board.- 1 i Carried by the outer end of the playing field of this basket extends under the playing field so that as the balls. drop off the outer;:end of the floor or fieldor drop through the opening I! the same will be caught; The bottom wall of the basket inclines toward aconveyor tube 46; 1 This conveyortube 46 isinclined downwardlyfrom the basket toward the players platform. Asagball rolls downthe tube 46 the same is received ina trough 14-1. This trough .4'l'is rigidly securedto a short operating lever 48 that is rockably mounted intermediate its ends on the platform I as at 49. By pressing down on the outer end of the lever 48 the trough ll can be raised and a received ball will then roll down the trough toward the inner end thereof. This inner end is provided with an arcuate guide lip 50 which directs the ball onto the platform l5 and the player can position the ball with his club on said platform to the desired place.

Various changes can be made in my apparatus and for instance, in lieu of using crank arms on the shafts I can employ cams 5! as is clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9, Where I employ cams the playing field carries depending cam straps for receiving said cams. If preferred the cams can be held in any desired adjusted position on the shafts by means of set screws.

In lieu of providing a hand lever for operating the leg 39 to change the angle of inclination of the playing field or board I can provide legs 52 (see Figure 7) disposed on each side of the apparatus and these legs can be mounted on operating cranks 53 formed on the outer ends of the shaft 21.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided a golf practice putting green which will extend a player a maximum amount of amusement and develop his skill in putting over courses of different contours.

What I claim as new is:

1. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a raised players platform, an elongated flexible playing field extending forwardly from said platform, said field having at least one opening therein at a point remote from said platform, and means under the control of the player for changing the surface contour of said field.

2. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a raised players platform, an elongated flexible playing field extending forwardly from said platform, said field having at least one opening therein at a point remote from said platform, eccentric members engaging the lower face of the field and supporting the same adjacent to the opposite corners thereof, and means for simultaneously operating all of said eccentric memers,

3. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a rigid base, front and rear transversely extending shafts carried by said base, a flexible playing field disposed above said base, eccentric members on said shafts adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, depending bearings carried by the lower face of the playing field receiving said eccentric members, and means for simultaneously turning said shafts.

4. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a rigid base, front and rear transversely extending shafts carried by said base, a flexible playing field disposed above said base, eccentric members on said shafts adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, depending bearings carried by the lower face of the playing field receiving said eccentric members, and means for simultaneously turning said shafts at different speeds.

5. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a rigid base,front and rear transversely extending shafts carried by said base, a flexible playing field disposed above said base, eccentric members on said shafts adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, depending bearings carried by the lower face of the playing field receiving said eccentric members, and means for simultaneously turning said shafts, said means including a single operating lever.

6. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a rigid base, front and rear transversely extending shafts carried by said base, a flexible playing field disposed above said base, eccentric members on said shafts adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, depending bearings carried by the lower face of the playing field receiving said eccentric members, and means for simultaneously turning said shafts and means independent of said eccentric members for changing the inclination of said field from one end thereof to the other.

7. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a raised players platform, a rigid base extending forwardly from said platform, front and 7 rear transversely extending shafts rotatably carried by the base, means operatively connecting the shafts together for simultaneous rotation, a flexible playing field arranged above said base and extending forwardly from said platform, eccentric members arranged on said shafts adja-- cent to the opposite ends, depending bearings carried by the field receiving said eccentric members, and means arranged adjacent to the players stand for rotating one of said shafts.

8. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a raised players platform, a rigid base extending forwardly from said platform, front and rear transversely extending shafts rotatably carried by the base, means operatively connecting the shafts together for simultaneous rotation, a flexible playing field arranged above said base and extending forwardly from said platform, eccentric members arranged on said shafts adjacent to the opposite ends, depending bearings carried by the field receiving said eccentric members, and means arranged adjacent to the players stand for rotating one of said shafts, a swinging leg carried by one end of the playing field, and means arranged adjacent to the platform for moving said leg into and out of ground engaging position.

9. A golf practice putting apparatus comprising a raised players platform, a rigid base extending forwardly from said platform, front and rear transversely extending shafts rotatably carried by the base, means operatively connecting the shafts together for simultaneous rotation, a flexible playing field arranged above said base and extending forwardly from said platform, eccentric members arranged on said shafts adjacent to the opposite ends thereof, depending bearings carried by the field receiving said eccentric members, and means arranged adjacent to the players stand for rotating one of said shafts,

additional eccentric members on the rear shaft, and ground engaging legs carried by said additional eccentric members.

10. A golf practice putting green comprising" a raised players platform, a forwardly extending playing field having at least one ball receiving opening therein at a point remote from said platform, a basket carried by said playing field for receiving played balls, a conveyor tube extending toward said platform from said basket, the bottom wall of the basket being inclined toward said tube to lead the collected balls thereto, a trough for receiving balls from the tube, a swinging lever for raising and lowering said trough, and a guide lip on the inner end of said trough for directing the balls laterally from said trough toward said platform.

WILLIAM S. BUFFHAM.

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