US2451311A - Golf tee - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 12, 1948 ANDREASEN, 5 2,451,311

GOLF TEE Filed Jan. 22, 1947 FIG. 5 r

/4 INVENT HARRY N. ANDREASE R.

BY am ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 12, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to golf tees of the character used to support a golf ball above the ground.

Many of the people who play the game of golf consistently, desire to tee the ball substantially the same distance above the ground for each drive, and it is a primary object of my invention to enable this to be accomplished by affording a novel unitary tee which has such characteristics that it may be readily used, either on hard or soft ground, to support a ball in the proper manner and at the same desired height.

Another object of my invention i to afford a novel golf tee having two elongated projecting members, either of which may be used to support the tee on the ground and the other of which may then act as a pointer to indicate the direction the ball should follow when driven therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to so construct a golf tee that it is relatively small and compact so that it may be readily carried on the person of the golfer, and also has sufiicient innate strength and rigidity to effectively withstand the normal abuse to which a golf tee is subjected,

Another object of my invention is to construct a golf tee in such a manner that if, in the execution of his swing, a golfer tops the tee, the tee will tend to stick into the ground at his feet rather than slide or roll away as has been the tendency of tees heretofore known to the art.

Yet another object of my invention is to afford a novel golf tee that may be easily and economically. manufactured commercially.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a golf tee embodying my invention as it would appear when used in soft ground;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a golf tee similar to the view shown in Fig. 1 but showing the tee as it would appear when used in hard ground;

2 Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the tee shown in Fig.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

The tee shown in the accompanying drawing may be made of any suitable material such as, for example, wood or a synthetic resinous plastic material such as a phenolic condensation product and of which the acrylic acid resin known as Lucite is a specific example, and comprises two legs H and I2 which are joined together at one end to form an enlarged body member l4, and which extend substantially at right angles to each other. The enlarged body member l4 comprises a head Ma and a web lib which, together form a strong reinforced connection between the two legs II and I2.

Both of the legs H and I2 are formed with a relatively large cross section at their joined ends and taper gradually therefrom to a relatively sharp point at their free ends. The leg H is preferably made somewhat longer than the leg II for reasons which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.

Two indentations 0r sockets l6 and I1, having substantially circular-shaped rims l9 and 20, respectively, are formed in the body member l4 and are in substantial axial alignment with the legs II and I2, respectively. The indentations I6 and H are of such size that a standard golf ball will firmly rest on the rims l9 and 20 thereof when the tee is placed in such a position that the rim [9 or 20 on which the ball is to rest is in a substantially upward facing, horizontal position,

In using my novel tee either the leg H or the leg I2 is stuck substantially vertically into the ground with the other one of the two legs pointing toward the green toward which the golfer is to drive. A ball, such as the ball indicated generally at A in the drawings, may then be placed on the rim of either indentation H5 or I! depending upon which of the legs I l or I2 is stuck into the ground. The legs H and I2 are each of such length that whichever one is pointed toward the green in the aforesaid manner the outer end thereof is readily visible to the golfer as he addresses the ball, and serves as a pointer indicating the direction of flight the ball must follow to alight on or adjacent the green. Thus it will be seen that, when using my novel tee, it is unnecessary for the golfer, in addressing the ball, to glance toward the green for the purpose of properly adjusting his stance and properly posi- It will be noted that my novel tee is so con-' structed that one leg I2 is considerably longer than the other leg I i, so that when using my tee on soft ground, where it is desirable for moreof th tee to have purchase in the ground so as to adequately support the ball A thereon, the longer leg l2 may be struck into the ground, and when" using my tee on hard or firmer ground, whereeit' is unnecessary for so much of the tee to have purchase in the ground, the shorter leg-l I maybe stuck into the ground. Thus it will be seenthatv by making the one leg [2 longer than the other leg II, I have provided a tee wherein the ball may be adequately and properly supported at the same desirable height above the groundfwhether the ground be hard Or soft.

It willbe noted that when my tee is in use-an the golf ball is driventherefrom in the direction indicated by the pointer, in :such a manner that the club head not only strikes the ball but also tops the tee, the impactwill tend to drive-the direction indicating pointer'into the? ground so as toretard movementaof' theteeand thereby prevent loss thereof.

Thus, it is clear from the drawings that my golf tee comprisesa rigidzone piece body including" a'head'having rounded sides; spaced right-angularly disposed ends and a rounded top between" and spacingtheends from each other. The ball-- receiving sockets l6 and I! are tapering and formed: entirely within the: area ofth'ehead. These sockets terminate in: apexes which are-in spaced relation to one another within? the-head, the solid" area of the head between the sockets formin'gastrong reinforcing connection therebetween.

'Ihe roundedv sides of the head project'beyond the sides of the web and the right-angularly disposed tapering legs H and [2 are integralwith and extendifrom the web inalignment'with the sockets. The transverse cross sectional area of both legs diminishes toward their outerextremi tiesin continuation of the diminishing'transverse cross sectional area of the web. It is clearly seen-j therefore, that the solid area of the head between the socketsand the web that is integral with the head and the respective legs, respectively providea strong reinforcing connection between the sockets and' between the head and the. re-

spective legs.

The web Mb having smooth exterior sides and of diminishing-cross sectional area is integral with the head and depends therefrom.-

4 From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a novel tee which may be readily used by a golfer to support a golf ball when he is making a drive, is structurally strong, and has certain novel structural features that will be of considerable assistance to a golfer in properly executing a stroke, and will tend to improve his game.

Furthermore it will be'noted that my novel tee is adapted to function well in either hard or soft ground, has certain novel'featur'es' which tend toprotect it from being lost, is easy to use, and may be readily manufactured commercially.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to b'e-urrderstoodthat this is capable of variation andmodifioatiomand I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the :purview of the following claim: I

liclaim zi I A golf tee comprising a rigid one piececbody; including: a. head havingirounde'disides; spaced right i an'gularly. dispo'sed'i ends: and a; rounded-2 top: between: and: spacing thei ends I from; each; other; the said ends having: recessed tapering: sockets therein, the' area ofi said sockets: being? entirely within the head, said' sockets: terminating in ap'eXes which are in spaced relation to: 0118 another within theihead, a web'having smooth exterior sides and: diminishing itransverseicrossi sectional area; and of lessi transver'se cross sectional area than: the transverse cross sectional areaiof the head; integral with the head and de pen-ding therefrom; theside's 0f the head proj cot-' ing beyond the sides of' the web; and right angui larly dispo'sed tapering'=legs integral with and ex tending from the said web in alignment with the sockets; one ofsaid legsi beingi'longer than: the other "and' the transverse cross, sectional area-Tori both legs diminishingiowardtheir outer extremiJ-* ties incontinuation of the diminishing transverse crosssectional areaof the web; the solid area of the head between the -sockets; and the said'web integral with the head" and I the respective legs, respectively providing'a strong reinforcing connection between the sockets". and between the head and the respective legs; 1

' HARRYN; ANDREASEN, Sm

REFERENCES CITEDJ The following references are of record in the file of'this pjaten-t'z.

UNITED STATES PATENTS" Number. Name. 7 Date 2,074,519 L Shephard MBQYT'ZB ,"1937

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