US2596682A - Golf putting practice device - Google Patents

Description

y 13, 1952 G. A. HARTUNG 2,596,682

GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE DEVICE Filed April 20, 1950 Patented May 13, 1952 OFFICE 2,596,682 GQ E' EU' I JNWG AQ'EICE- DEVICE far 195 This invention relatesto, improvements in golii putting practice. devices and has for itslprincipal object to provide a simple and inexpensive device as hsb l ap a he the ho e. to permit the! a to lodge within the, hole: area. andbe retained therein. h n e ip odb nesd s gmo'ntr sums its or ginal. positi n. O e d v ce ha e raised. or mound-like area with a hole cutat. an elevated Dqlnt thereon so thatthe ball can beputted; into.

e. o e by; propelling t u wardlyelong in clined. approach. With either of these, devices, however, it. is usually necessaryfor the player to lean over and pick the ball out of the hole after he hasmade his putt.

There are also certain more. complicated golf putting practice devices wherein a special ball-- ejecting .mechanism is installed consisting of, a.

system of arms and levers connected. tola p at mountedfor vertical movement within the hole, and arranged for ejection of the ball byoperation of a vfoot lever projecting from near the. base oi he p ng device- 7 n. a in o t my pr n -inven n a impl nd. effec ive pu ingpractioe de ce. oons stspt an. elevat d. m u ef rabl rmade of; sem sflexible. material such as rubber, having a hole or cup cut in the raised central areathereoig;

and with an ejecting plate having a hinged connection beneath the rim of the cup, which, plate.

is normally held in a generally. horizontal position below the rim of the cup, but, is arranged to be depressed by the weight .of the ball whenever the latter falls into. the cup; The plate. is'further arranged so that it can. be tilted upward by.

depressing a. predetermined area on the lip or rim. of. the cup by any suitable means, such as the golf clubor the foot of the player; so that t e player can. retrieve. he ba l'f m the h le. without stooping over.

The. invention may .best be, understood. by reference to the accompanyingdrawijngdn which: Figure 1' is a perspective view'ofone embodiment ofmy invention;

Figure 2is an enlarged on line 22of Figure 1;

sectional View taken.

I igure. 3 s n nla gedfragm nt ry deta l lo. the tilting supportfor' theejector plate;

. Figure 4 visfasectiontaken .onllinertwtflof Fisure.3;'

Figure 5 is a sectional view similart Figure 2. butshowing the ejector plate in depressedposi tion after a. ball hasv been putted into the cup;

Figure dis a view similar to Figure 5 butrshowing the ejector plateinelevated position. maid in removing the. ball. fromv the hole;

Figures, '7 and 8 are topand bottom.views,,respectively, of a modified form, of 'practicedevice m odyin certain features or my in ention with rtain. portions oken. away; A

Figure 9. is a,v transverse. section takenoh line t F g re 1.0 is an enlarged detailed secti nltaken onv line 0 N1 of F gure .8 to show t e op ration or the .yieldable supporting-1 means .for .oon edse of thetiltingeiector plate of thefOImJShOM/ n in Figures 7, 8 and 9.

.Referring .now to the .embodimentsjof my invention disclosed in the drawing, onelformof practice,- device illustrated. in Figures 1.to16,-in-. clusive,.c.onsists of. a mound-like base-l0 having:

a hole or cup defined by a rim Hformediin the.

central areathereof. .The cupis preferablyof standard diameter employed for golf. holes; The base may be of any size orshapev desired, although the upper surfaces l2 surroundin the cup are preferably inclined upwardly .fro nLall directions so as to simulate in generala modem at lyinolin d approach to the cup. as is oft n he case with g lf ups ed n'reeul r outdoor pu ng g ens I thoi rm h wn-heroihysa d. baseis. generally lliptioalinplan Vie i The baseis preferably. hollow beneaththe hole. and is made, of a. semi-flexible. material, suchlas a, fabric-reenforced rubber of the kind commonly employed in so-called boots" used in reinforce ling pneumatic tires. The xp sed upp r surfa e of the base may have a. suitable. covering-.ma-H terial suchas reen .felt or the like'if desired. ball ejector plate [5 is mounted within the. hollow base for vertical movement withrespect. to the cup rim II. In the form ofdevicei shown in. Figures 1 to. 6,said ejector plate consists. of. axsubstantially fiat circular plate of sheet metal. suitably fixed on a supporting. arm' [6; one end of: which extends outwardly beyond the edge of" said plate and'isvhingedfas by aypivot' pinill. fli'r'edto thearm l6 and having its ends journaliedj in upstanding supports 18, I8 bent upwardly from opposite sides of a cross bar 19. In the term shown, the cross bar I9 spans the width of the base l0 along the bottom thereof and is-con- 3 nected as by rivets 20, 20 to the under face 22 of the base adjacent opposite margins thereof, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

The pivot pin II, on which the arm |6 has rocking movement, is disposed at a point substantially below the rim ll of the cup. Said arm l6 has an integral lever portion 2| projecting outwardly of the pivot pin I! with its end extending beneath the overlying portion of the base adjacent the rim The ejector plate I5 is normally supported by the arm H5 in a substantially horizontal position at a sufficient distance below the rim II of the cup to permit a ball to lodge within the cup when it is fairly holed out" therein at a moderate speed. The normal putting position of the plate I5 is substantially horizontal, as illustrated in Figure 2, wherein it will be noted that the outer end of the lever portion 2| is positioned adjacent to, but not in contact with, the under face 22 of the base l at a point intermediate the rim H and the outer edge of the base I0.

Suitable means are provided to aid in holding the plate l and its supporting arm IS in this normal generally horizontal position, the means disclosed in Fgures 1 to 6 consisting of a tongue 25, which may for convenience consist of a depressed portion formed integral with and cut out of the main body portion of the arm l6 and depressed from said body portion adjacent the axis of the latter. The end of the tongue 25 is arranged to engage the upper surface of the cross bar l9 inwardly of the axis of said plate so as to form a stop to limit the downward swinging movement of the plate l5 and hold it normally in its generally horizontal putting position. The tongue 25, however, is preferably sufficiently narrow and yieldable to permit the plate l5 to be depressed against the yielding tension of said tongue whenever a ball, as indicated at A in Figure 5, is "holed out in the cup.

It will be noted further'from Figure 5 that, when a ball is so holed out as to depress the plate l5, the ball will roll down the tilted plate away from its hinged axis. The rocking movement of the supporting arm l6 thus produced is such as to raise the outer end of the lever portion 2| substantially into engagement with the under face 22 of the base H), or at least closely adjacent thereto.

After the ball has been holed out, and the parts have assumed their positions shown in Figure 5, the device may then be operated for ejecting the ball from the hole as indicated in Figure 6, wherein the head of a golf club, indicated at 30, or any other similar means, such as the toe of the player, may be brought into engagement with the area of the base It) above the lever portion 2| so as to flex and depress the body of the base downwardly in this area and thereby depress the lever portion 2| to move the plate I5 into an oppositely inclined position, indicated in Figure 6. The amount of force exerted by the player in this area may, of course, be varied as desired.

If sufiiciently sudden pressure is exerted, plate l5 may, in some instances, be flipped upwardly with sufficient rapidity to eject the ball bodily from the hole. But, as a preferred method of operation, pressure may be gradually applied to tilt the plate l5 so that the ball is caused to roll toward the pivoted edge of the plate IS with suflicient impetus to roll over the rim at or adjacent the depressed area. Even though the ball may not be given suflicient impetus in this manner, it can be moved to an elevated position near the lip of the cup, in position to be knocked away from the cup, either by. the club head or the foot of the player, as the case may be.

From the above description, it will be understood that the area of the base adjacent the rim of the cup immediately above the lever portion 2| is sufliciently rigid to support a golf ball when the latter is putted thereover,-but that said area is sufi'iciently flexible to permit the ejector plate to be actuated in the manner described when sufllcient positive pressure is applied to this area, or even to an area immediately adjacent and exterior to the lever portion 2|.

In the modified form of device shown in Figures 7 to 10 inclusive, a hollow base 24, generally mound-like in shape and having a hole or cup defined by a rim 26 in the central area thereof, may be substantially similar to the base and cup described in connection with the form shown in Figures 1 to 6. In the modified form, however, an ejector plate so is mounted on a pivot bar 3| supported at opposite ends in trunnion bearings 32, 32 secured to the under face of the base, as shown in Figure 8.

The plate 30 is circular in form so as to conform generally with the size of the cup. The arrangement is such that the plate is pivoted about the axis defined by the pivot pin 3| disposed a slight distancebelow the rim of the cup and along a chord which is approximately midway between the center of the cup and one edge thereof. The major portion of the plate, indicated at 34, is substantially flat and extends toward and beyond the center of the hole from its pivotalaxis. The larger portion 34 merges into a bent portion 35 at a slightly rising angle to the portion 34. In the form shown, the pivot pin 3| is secured to the under face of the upwardly bent portion 35. Beyond the latter portion 35, the plate is again bent to form a terminal portion 36 disposed in a plane substantially parallel with the larger portion 34 of said plate. I

The ejector plate 30 is normally held in putting position by'a suitable flexible detent, herein consisting of a coil spring 31 having its opposite ends secured to the under face of the hollow base 24 on the opposite side of the hole from the pivotal support of said plate. The spring 31 is disposed in a horizontal position in spaced relation below the rim of the cup and is normally under tension so as to provide a support for the edge of the plate 30 at a point removed from the hinged axis of the latter. The arrangement is such, however, that a very moderate downward pressure exerted on the larger portion 34 of said plate, such as that imposed by the weight of the golf ball, is sufficient to move the spring outwardly from its plate-supporting position shown in dotted lines in Figure 10, so as to permit the plate to swing downwardly until it engages and rests upon a cross bar 38 at the bottom of the base Ill. Should the cross bar 38 be omitted, the free end of the plate will be limited by engagement with the floor or other surface on which the base may be supported.

As will be seen in Figure 9, the larger portion 34 of the ejector plate 33 is preferably disposed at a slight, upwardly-inclined angle to the retaining spring 31 when the plate is supported in putting position, but it will be understood that said larger portion 34 will assume a downwardlyinclined angle at its lower limit of movement, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 9. As a result,

when a golf ball is putted fairly into the cup, the weight of the ball will release the plate 30 into a position tilted away from the pivotal axis of said plate toward the opposite side of the hole.

This tilting movement of the plate portion 34 results in an upward-tilting movement of the shorter terminal portion 36 of the plate with respect to the lip of the cup. The terminal portion 36 is arranged with respect to the pivot pin 3| so that its extreme edge will be elevated in the fully tilted position of the plate to a point where said terminal portion 36 is substantially at the same level as, or slightly above, the adjacent lip of the cup, as desired. In either case,

the entire ejector plate may be bodily rocked,

about its axis by depressing the terminal portion 36 by any suitable means, such as a golf club or the foot of the player.

Although such rocking movement may, in some instances, be effected by direct engagement of terminal portion 36, yet in practice it will usually be found preferable to depress the flexible area of the cup immediately adjacent the terminal portion 36 of the plate, while simultaneously exerting pressure directly on said terminal portion.

The slightly inclined portion 35 is arranged to give the ball a slight upward hop as it approaches the depressed portion of the cup, so as to aid in causing the ball to roll out of the hole.

It will be understood now that, while the modified form of device shown in Figures 7 to 10 varies slightly as to details of construction, yet in the main this modified form can be operated on substantially the same principle as the form in Figures 1 to 6; that is to say, the ejector plate in both instances is normally supported in putting position substantially below the rim of the cup. A well-aimed putt which lodges the ball within the cup will depress the main portion of the ejector plate about a hinged axis, and said plate can thereafter be flipped upwardly by depressing a semi-flexible area of the base immediately adjacent the rim of the cup to engage and depress a member rigid with the ejector plate, thus facilitating the ejection or removal of the ball from the cup, and finally restoring the plate to its normal putting position.

Although I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact 6 construction shown and described, but that various changes and modificaions may be made without department from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a golf putting practice device, a moundlike base having smooth inwardly and upwardly inclined approach surfaces terminating in an overhanging circular lip defining a hole simulating a conventional golf cup hole, said hole being shallow in relation to the diameter of a golf ball, a portion of said overhanging lip being semiflexible but of suflicient rigidity to support a golf ball when the latter is rolled thereover, a supporting member within said base and connected to the latter in spaced relation below said overhanging lip, a plate hinged on said supporting member in spaced relation below said overhanging lip, and rockable on an axis substantially below and adjacent said flexible lip portion, said plate being of sufficient size to support a ball deposited in said hole and normally disposed below the rim of the cup and tiltable upwardly on its axis into an elevated position at an angle to the lip of the cup to facilitate removal of the ball from the latter, and an actuating member for said plate extending outwardly beneath the flexible lip portion of said base in position to be depressed for tilting said plate into such elevated position when such overhanging flexible lip portion is positively depressed.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the actuating member for the plate consists of a lever arm rigid with said plate and extending laterally therefrom beyond its point of pivotal connection to said support.

GEORGE A. HARTUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:'

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,287,903 Daily Dec. 17, 1918 1,723,547 Hart Aug. 6, 1929 1,776,161 Lockwood Sept. 16, 1930 1,823,487 Clear Sept. 15, 1931 2,508,100 Clarke May 16, 1950

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