US2838238A - Golf scoring apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1958 MENES 2,838,238

GOLF SCORING APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 3 Z4 1 a E] \9 INVENTOR.

BY Maw fi J5 54 $3 I June 10, 1958 H. MENES 2,838,238

GOLF SCORING APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FT 8%? 55' T 44 J6 All,

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent GOLF SCORING APPARATUS Herbert Menes, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Clinton Watch Company, Chicago, Ill, a corporation of Illinois Application May 18, 1956, Serial No. 585,860 2 Claims. (Cl. 235-113) This invention relates to golf scoring apparatus; more particularly, it relates to golf scoring apparatus which may be attached to a golf bag or golf cart, or may be placed on the users belt or in his pocket.

Numerous golf scoring mechanisms have been heretofore proposed, but they invariably were inconvenient to use, or were unreliable in that their mechanism would easily get out of order, and, where they were sufiiciently inexpensive to reach a mass market, they would not give all of the information desired, such as hole score, as well as total score.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a golf scoring mechanism which, in a simple, reliable, inexpensive, and easy-to-use manner, provides information on both the number of strokes used on a hole being played and also the total number of strokes for the holes played.

In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention, the golf scoring device includes an almost Watch-sized casing from which extend three, preferably spring-urged and depressible, control members. Depression and release of one of the members once advances both a hole and a total score indicator, each of which is preferably a rotatable dial, one unit to bring respective numbers representing the number of strokes the hole being played and an accumulated stroke total in registry with viewing windows provided in the casing. Following completion of a hole, one of the other members is depressed to reset to zero only the dial providing the stroke total for the hole. The total score dial remains in position to indicate the accumulated stroke total. Depression of the third member after golf play is over resets to zero the total score dial. The scoring and resetting operations of the device are thus effected Without any appreciable mental or physical effort. A clip is preferably secured to the case so that it may be hung on the outside of the top of a golf bag or golf cart, or on the wearers belt.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, rugged mechanism within the case is provided which is made of a relatively small number of parts which are so inexpensive to construct and assemble-that the device can be priced to reach a mass market.

In a preferred form of the invention, there is provided three count wheel assemblies each comprising an outer indicating dial or wheel, and a ratchet wheel and cam both carried by the back of the indicating dial. One of the count wheel assemblies provides a count of hole score, and the other two assemblies respectively provide a count of the tens and units digits representing a total or accumulated score.

The ratchet wheels of the hole score and total unit score count wheel assemblies are simultaneously operated byca bell crank lever which is normally held out of engagement with both of these ratchet wheels. A resilient locking pawl shaped to permit forced rotation of the ratchet wheel in either direction holds each ratchet wheel in its proper angular position. When the depressible scoring member is actuated, the bell crank lever is turned and its respective arms engage the aforesaid ratchet 2,838,238 Patented June 10, 1958 wheels and advance them one step. The visible numbered indications on the outer faces of the hole score indicating dial and the total score units indicating dial increase by one unit. The units ratchet wheel has ten teeth, one of which projects beyond the others. Every ten steps of this ratchet wheel, the long tooth engages a transfer pawl which engages the tens ratchet wheel and advances it one step. The visible number on the outer face of the associated tens indicating dial then increases one unit. Depression of the hole score resetting control member moves a cam-engaging member against the cam of the hole score Wheel assembly to turn the cam into a zero-indicating position. Since the aforementioned bell crank lever is norm-ally out of engagement with the hole score ratchet wheel, resetting of the hole score wheel assembly does not affect the total units score wheel assembly.

Depression of the total score reset control member simultaneously moves the aforementioned transfer pawl, which is located between the total units score ratchet wheel and the total tens ratchet wheel, away therefrom to enable independent movement thereof, and a camengaging member against both the units and tens wheel assembly cams to rotate the same into a zero-indicating position.

This preferred structure just discussed is a specific aspect of the invention, and variations may be made in one or more features thereof without departing from the broader aspect of the invention.

Also, other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the specification to follow, taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of a conventional golf bag upon which is mounted the golf scoring device of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of the scoring device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the scoring device showing the mounting clip removed from the casing thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the golf bag showing the manner in which the scoring device is secured thereto;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the scoring device of Fig. 2 showing the indicating dials or wheels and part of the mechanism for imparting rotation thereto, taken along section line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section through the scoring device, taken along section line 66 in Fig. 7 and showing the ratchet wheels and cams which control rotation of the indicating dials;

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section of the scoring device taken along section lines 7-7 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 6 and shows the position of the components thereof during the resetting of the total score indicating dials; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the bell crank lever as it advances the ratchet wheel one position.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a golf bag 2 upon the rim of which is mounted the scoring device 4 of the invention. This device includes a casing 6 having a visible window or opening 8 through which the hole score may be seen and a pair of visible windows or openings 10 and 12 through which numbers are visible representing respectively the tens and units digits of the total score. Extending upwardly from the right hand side of the top of the casing 6 is a depressible scoring member 14 which when depressed and released once advances both the hole score and the total score indications one unit. Extending upwardly from the left hand side of the top of the casing 6 is a clepressible resetting member 16 which when depressed and released once resets the hole score to zero.

A total score depressible resetting member 18 depends from the bottom of the casing 6 and when depressed and released once resets the total score to zero. Thus, the hole score and total score indications are reset independently of one another so that the resetting of the hole score does not alfect the total score. This feature is desirable because the hole score is reset at the end of each hole so that the score for a succeeding hole may be readily obtained directly by the number visible through the hole score window 8 while the total score is reset only after completionof a golf game which may be 9 or 18 holes.

The golf scoring device 4 is provided with a clip 20 so that it may be readily mounted upon the rim of a golf bag, upon a golf cart or on the wearers belt. The detailed construction of the components making up the preferred form of golf scoring device illustrated in the drawings' will now be described.

The casing 6 comprises two telescoping casing sectrons 22 and 30. The outermost casing section 22 has square-shaped peripheral walls 23 made of metal or other suitable material, and secured to the inner surface of these walls is a faceplate 24 of metal or similar material. The faceplace 24 contains the aforementioned hole score and total score indicating windows 8, 10 and 12. A trans parent glass plate 26 is sandwiched between a forwardly ofiset perimeter portion 27 of the faceplate 24 and a turned-in forward end 28 of the peripheral casing walls 7 23. The inner casing section 30 is disposed within the rear open end of the outer casing section 22 and includes a squarerear central panel 31 fromthe perimeter of which forwardly extends peripheral walls 32 three sides of which engage the inner surfaces of the outer casing section 22. The depressible scoring and reset control members 14, 16 and 18 extend through respective slots 34 formed in the casing sections. A tongue 35 depends from the rear casing wall 31 and braces the rear of the reset control member 18.

The clip 20 for securing the casing to the golf bag or other mounting surface includes a fiat vertically extending tongue 36 which joins at its top a forwardly curved portion 38 which terminates in a horizontal flat mounting strip portion 40. The mounting strip portion 40 extends between the top Wall portions of the inner and outer casing sections and is provided with a pair of slots 4242 through which pass the scoring and resetting members 14 and 16. The mounting strip 40 portion is secured to the casing by screws 44 which pass through aligned unthreaded holes 45 and 45 in the mounting strip portion 40 and the top of the outer casing section and thread into corresponding threaded holes formed in the top of the inner casing section 30. The casing sections are thus also secured together by these screws 44 and by other screws 44 extending through the bottom wall of the outer casing section and threading into corresponding threaded holes in the bottom wall of the inner cas ing section.

Extending from and secured to the rear wall 31 'of the inner casing section are three pivot pins 46, 48 and 50 which respectively rotatively receive a hole score count wheel assembly 52, a units total score count wheel assembly 54 and a tens total score count wheel assembly 56. These count wheel assemblies respectively have count indicating wheels or dials 58, and 62 on the outer faces of which numbered indicia from zero through nine are arranged along circles which are respectively concentric with the axes of rotation of the associated count wheel assemblies. The casing windows 8, 10 and 12 are so positioned that one of the numbers on each of the indicating dials 58, 60 and 62 are respectively opposite the windows 8, 12 and 10. Carried by the rear of these indicating wheels are ratchet wheels 64, 66 and 68 respectively. The ratchet wheel 64 associated with the hole score indicating dial. 58 has ten ratchet teeth. of substantially the sarne size whereas the units total score ratchet wheel 66 has nine teeth of substantially the same size and a tooth 69 which is substantially longer than the other teeth thereof. The tens total score ratchet wheel 68 has ten teeth of substantially the'same size.

Carried by the rear of the aforementioned ratchet wheels are respective resetting cams 70, 72 and 74 to be described in more detail hereafter. Suffice it to say at this point, these cams are used respectively to reset or to position to zero-indicating positions the count wheel assemblies with which they are associated. Each of the count wheel assemblies is rotatably secured in place upon the pivot pins 46, 48 and 50 by means of screws 76 which thread into the pivot pins.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 6, the depressible scoring member 14 has a transverse tab 80 at the upper end thereof which forms a convenient pressing surface and a relatively long shank 82 which is movably secured to the rear casing wall 31 of the inner casing section by a screw 84 passing through a vertical slot 86 in. the shank 82 and threading into the wall 31. The hole score resetting member'16 has a transverse tab 88 at the upper end thereof and a shank 90 which is movably secured to the casing wall 31 by a screw 92 passing through a vertical slot 94 in the shank 90 and threading into the wall 31. The total score resetting member 18 has a transverse tab 96 at the bottom thereof and a shank 98 backed by the casing tongue 35 connecting with a cam plate 99 whose construction will be described more fully hereafter. The cam plate 99 has a vertical slot 102 through which extends a securing screw which threads into the rear casing wall 31 to movably secure the reset member 18 in place.

The scoring member 14 operates a bell-crank 104 which is rotatably mounted on the rear wall of the casing by a screw 106. The upper arm of the bell-crank member 104 is urged into contact with the bottom of the shank 82 of thescoring control member 14 by a spring 108 anchored to the rear casing wall by a screw 110.

The arms of the bell-crank 104 have transversely ex tending ends 112 which, when the scoring member 14 isdepressed, engage the gradually sloping sides of the teeth of the hole score and units total score ratchet wheels. The movement of the bell-crank 104 is limited by a pin 111 extending from the rear casing wall. Normally, the arms of the bell-crank are out of engagement with the ratchet wheels 64 and 66.

The hole score ratchet wheel 64 is held in any one of its ten positions by a spring metal arm or pawl 114 anchored at one end to a post 116 secured to the casing wall 31. The other end of the spring metal arm 114 is V-shaped at 117 and has a bottom surface 118 which inclines at the same angle as the gradually sloping side of the contiguous tooth against which it is to bear in one of the ten desired positions of the ratchet wheel. The end of the spring arm 114 thus earns the ratchet wheel into its proper angular portion 117 has an inclination which is not as steep as the steep side of the adjacent ratchet tooth and it contacts only the end of this tooth. This construction enables the ratchet wheel to be rotated in either directionfor resetting purposes.

The units total score ratchet wheel 66 is held in one of its ten desired positions in a similar manner by a spring metal arm 119 anchored at one end to a post 120 secured to the rear casing wall 31. 'The other end of the spring metal arm 119 is V-shaped at 120 to cam the associated ratchet wheel to one of its desired ten positions and to permit movement of the ratchet wheel in either direction in the same manner described above.

For each ten steps of advancement of the units ratchet wheel 66, the tens ratchet wheel 68 is advanced one step by'means of a transfer pawl member 122 which is rotatably secured to the cam plate 99 by a screw 123. This transfer pawl 122 has a short arm 126 which. is in the path: of. movement of only the long tooth 69 of the ratchet wheel position. The outer end of the V-shaped 66. As the long tooth 69 is moved clockwise into engagement with the arm 126, the latter is pivoted counter clockwise to bring a long arm .28 of the pawl member 122 into engagement with the gradually sloping side of a tooth of the ratchet wheel 68. The degree of movement impartable to the transfer pawl member 122 is limited by a pin 129 extending from the plate portion 99.

As in the case of the other ratchet wheels, a spring metal arm 130 is provided which is anchored at one end to a post 132 which is secured to the casing wall 31. The arm 130 has a V-shaped end 134 which is urged into camming engagement with the ratchet wheel 6 to position the ratchet wheel in any one of ten desired positions thereof. Also, the V-shaped end 134 permits rotation of the ratchet wheel in either of two directions.

Since all of the ratchet wheels are integrally connected to the associated count indicating dials, any movement imparted thereto results in a similar movement of the associated indicating dial and the advancement of the number visible through the windows 8, 1t and 12 by one unit.

The means for resetting the hole score count wheel assembly 52 will now be described. Associated with the reset member 16 is a resetting lever 136 which is rotatably anchored to the rear casing wall 31 by a screw 138. The lever 136 is urged into engagement with the shank 90 of the reset member by a spring 139 anchored to the casing wall 31 by a screw 146. The lever 136 has an end providing a flat inclined camming surface 142 which, when the reset member 16 is depressed, is forced against the reset cam 76. The cam 74) is substantially heartshaped and accordingly when engaged by the camming surface 142 will be rotated into a position where the camming surface 142 engages both short projecting portions 141-441 of the cam. The direction in which the cam will be rotated depends upon which side of the line of symmetry of the heart-shaped cam member the camming surface 142 initially makes contact. During resetting therefore, the cam may be rotated in either direction, so that the retainer spring metal arm 114 associated with the ratchet wheel 64 must permit forced rotation of the count wheel assembly 52 in either direction. Note that since the bell-crank lever 104 is normally out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 64, that resetting of .the latter will have no effect upon the units and tens ratchet wheels 66 and 68. When the hole score count wheel assembly 52 is in its reset position, the zero numeral on the outer face of the hole score indicating wheel 58 will be visible through the window 8 of the face plate 24 of the casing 4.

Resetting of the ratchet wheels 66 and 68 is effected in a manner similar to that just described. The cam plate 99 of the reset member 18 has a pair of outer arms 146-146 which slidably engage the inner defining side walls of the casing 4. The plate 99 has a central projecting portion 147 from which the transfer panel member 122 is rotatably mounted. At the base of this projecting portion 147 is formed a pair of oppositely inclined camming surfaces 148 and 149 which are respectively arranged to cooperate with cams 72 and 74 associated with the units and tens count wheel assemblies 54 and 56, respectively. These cams are heart-shaped and, when the reset arm 18 is depressed, the camming surfaces 148 and 149 are brought into engagement with the cams 72 and 74 to rotate the same by camrning action into positions where the camming surfaces abut both the short projecting portions thereof as illustrated in Fig. 8.

The cam plate 99 is normally urged into its lower position by a retainer spring arm 154 which is anchored to the casing wall by screw 156. The end of the spring arm 154 bears against the upper projecting end 147 of the cam plate to urge the cam plate into engagement with the casing bottom.

The golf scoring device above described is extremely rugged, and its simplicity of design results in reliability of operation and low cost. Further, both the total score and hole score is advanced one unit by the operation of a single control 14, which greatly simplifies the problem of scoring with this device. Also, resetting of the hole score or the total score is accomplished by a single depression of a reset control member.

It should be understood that although the above described embodiment is the clearly preferred form of the invention, variations of the preferred form of the invention may be accomplished without departing from the spirit of the broader aspects of the invention.

It is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. Golf scoring apparatus comprising: a pocket-sized casing, manually operable stroke-scoring means extending from one side of said casing, hole stroke counting means in said casing coupled to said manually operable means for operation thereby, said hole stroke counting means advancing one step for each elemental movement of said manually operable means, externally visible hole score-indicating means coupled to said hole stroke counting means for indicating the number of strokes taken per hole, a total stroke counting means in said casing coupled to said manually operable means for operation thereby, said total stroke counting means advancing one step for each elemental movement of said manually operable means, externally visible total score-indicating means coupled to said total stroke counting means for indicating the total strokes for the previous holes played, manually operable hole score resetting means extending from the same side of said casing as said manually operable stroke scoring means for resetting said hole score indicating means to Zero, independently of the total score indicating means, and manually operable total score resetting means extending from a different side of said casing for resetting said total score indicating means to a start position.

2. Golf scoring apparatus comprising: a casing having a visible face providing window means for viewing the hole score and the total score, a single manually operable spring-urged stroke-scoring member extending from one side of said casing, pawl means mounted in said casing for actuation by said stroke-scoring member, a hole stroke counting ratchet wheel and a total units stroke counting ratchet wheel both mounted in said casing said pawl means being normally out of engagement with said hole stroke and totals units ratchet wheels to enable independent resetting thereof and being moved into engagement therewith to simultaneously advance them one unit when said stroke scoring member is actuated, a total stroke tens counting ratchet wheel mounted in said casing, means coupling said tens counting ratchet wheel to said units counting ratchet wheel together so that the tens counting ratchet wheel is advanced one sep for each ten steps of advancement of said units counting ratchet wheel, a hole score-indicating wheel with consecutively numbered indicia thereon mounted behind said casing window means for movement with said hole strokecounting ratchet wheel, the numbered indicia being positioned to be successively brought into view in said window means as said indicating wheel is turned, total units and tens score-indicating wheels with consecutively numbered indicia thereon mounted behind said casing window means for movement with the associated ratchet wheels, the latter numbered indicia being positioned to be successively brought into view in said casing Window means as the associated indicating wheel is turned, re spective resetting cams coupled with said indicating wheels, hole score resetting means including manually operable spring-urged means extending from said one casing side and cam-operated means connected thereto for movement thereby, said cam-operating means having a cam-engaging surface which engages said resetting cam associated with the hole stroke-counting ratchet wheel and rotates the same into a reference position, and total score resetting means including manually operable spring-urged means extending from another side of said casing and cam-operating means connected thereto for movement thereby, said last-mentioned cam-operating means having cam-engaging surfaces which engage said resetting cams associated with said total score units and tens indicating wheels and rotate the cams together with the associated indicating. wheels to their zero-indicating positions, said means which couples said units and tens counting ratchet wheels being mounted for movement away from said latter counting ratchet wheels upon movement of said latter cam-engaging surfaces into their cam-engaging positions to enable said units and tens ratchet wheels to move independently of one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 496,688 Houghton May 2, 1893 519,180 Gearhart May 1, 1894 619,529 Andrews Feb. 14, 1899 638,304 Weston Dec. 5, 1899 1,078,385 Saehrendt Nov. 11, 1913

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