US2876473A

US2876473A - Golf ball washer

Info

Publication number: US2876473A
Application number: US452100A
Authority: US
Inventors: Reed F Fox
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-08-25
Filing date: 1954-08-25
Publication date: 1959-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1976-03-10

Description

March 10, R. F. FOX

' GOLF BALL WASHER Filed Aug. 25, 1954 Reed 5 Fox INVENTOR.

United States Pat GOLF BALL WASHER Reed F. Fox, Bryan, Uhio Application August 25, 1954, Serial No. 452,100

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-21) Thepresent invention relates to cleaning devices and more particularly relates to devices for cleaning golf balls.

At present golf ball cleaning devices are stationary, disposed adjacent the tees of certain holes spaced around the golf course or at the clubhouse necessitating interruption or interference with the golfers game, and providing only sporadic ball cleaning possibilities.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide golf ball cleaning devices which will in no event interfere with the golfers playing time, which will enable the golfer to keep the balls cleaned at all times over all portions of the golf course before, during and after playing the course, and which will provide the golfer with a convenient, easily accessible place for carrying balls while he is playing the course.

The basic object of the invention is to provide golf ball cleaning devices for use with golf or caddy carts which devices scrub the balls during the movement of the cart from place to place.

A highly important object of the invention, ancillary to the basic object, is in the provision of a hollow device for mounting on a golf cart for rotation during the movement of the golf cart from place to place and carrying the golfers bag which hollow device is provided on the interior thereof with golf ball scrubbing means, the interior of the device thus serving both as a golf ball carrying housing and as a golf ball scrubbing chamber.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of a hollow, golf ball cleaning device having an axial opening through one web or side thereof for the insertion into and the removal from the device of golf balls to be cleaned and carried, which hollow device is extremely simple, and economical and which is capable of quick and simple attachment and demounting.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the caddy cart with an auxiliary golf ball cleaning wheel mounted on one of the ground engaging Wheels thereof;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane of section line 22 of Figure 1 but with the supporting structure removed;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hollow golf ball cleaning wheel taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 2 but with the cap removed.

In Figures 1-3 of the drawings there is shown a golf cart of a conventional nature including a golf bag supporting body 12, wheel supporting frame 14 secured to the body and ground engaging wheel 16. In the operation of these devices, the golf bag is supported on-the body member 12 and golf cart 10 is moved along the surface of the ground by virtue of the rolling action of the ground supporting wheel 16.

2,876,473 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 Noting Figure 2, the ground engaging supporting wheel 16 of the cart is provided with a hub 18, web 20 and rim 22 carrying a rubber tire 24. The hub 18 of the wheel is of course mounted on an axle of the wheel supporting frame 14 of the cart 10.

Secured to the outer surface of the web 20 of the wheel is a golf ball cleaning device made in accordance with the present invention.

This cleaning device is composed basically of an auxiliary hollow wheel 26 having a body provided with inner and outer webs or sides 28 and 30 respectively, interconnected by an integral rim portion 32. Material for the wheel is preferably some flexible, and tough resilient material which is sufiiciently stiff to retain its shape under ordinary conditions. The auxiliary hollow wheel 26 as shown in the drawings is of less diameter than the' wheel 16 and is provided on the central portion of the inner web 28 thereof with means 34 for attaching the same to the web of the ground engaging wheel 16 of the golf cart 10.

In the particular golf cart shown, the ground engaging wheel 16 is provided with a bore 36 through the hub thereof and with a pair of diametrically opposite apertures 38 through the web 20 thereof on adjacent sides of the hub through which extend fasteners 40 which ordinarily secure hub cap 42 over the end of the axle which extends through the hub bore 36. Hub cap 42 is made of a concave-convex member with its convex surface facing inwardly of hollow wheel 26.

In order to take advantage of this construction in the particular embodiment of the hollow auxiliary wheel 26 shown, the inner web or side 28 of the wheel is provided with registering

apertures

44 and 46 with the hub bore 36 and web apertures 38 respectively, the auxiliary wheel 26 being first disposed with the inner web 28 against the outer surface of the web 28' of the ground engaging wheel 16, the fasteners 40 and passed through the

apertures

38 and 46 and screwed into the hub cap 42. The hollow wheel 26 is thus held fixedly to the outer surface of the ground engaging wheel 16 of the golf cart by being clamped at its inner web 28 between the hub cap 42 and the outer surface of the web 20 of the wheel.

The outer side or web 30 of the hollow auxiliary wheel 36 is dished or tapered inwardly toward the axis of the auxiliary wheel 26 and toward the inner side or web 28 of this auxiliary wheel.

The outer side 30 is provided with an axial enlarged opening48 for the insertion of a golf ball into the interior of the hollow wheel 26. By inwardly tapering or dishing the outer side 30 of the hollow auxiliary wheel, in crosssection the wheel is provided with an arcuate pocket into which the balls drop, this pocket concentrically surrounding the golf ball insertion and removal opening 48 and constituting the washing chamber or scrubbing chamber for the balls.

To provide this arcuate effect, the rim portion 32 of the hollow wheel 26 is arcuate in cross-section and joins the sides or webs 28 and 30 in a smooth curve.

Golf ball scrubbing means 50 are provided on the inner-surface of the rim portion 32 and in the inside surface of portions of the webs 30, 28, these scrubbing means consisting of a plurality of inwardly projecting knobs or cleats.

Obviously, with different type golf cart wheels, the auxiliary wheel 26 will be modified at its inner web 28 to provide for its attachment to the ground engaging wheel without modification of this ground engaging wheel. The use of the device is relatively simple, the same being attached to the wheel and then when the golf cart 10 is moved, golf balls such as the ball 52, deposited within the hollow wheel 26 will be cleaned by the scrubbing action of the knobs or cleats 50 either alone or in conjunction with some cleaning fluid.

" ihe ti'iifwhe'el as "used in this specification is not to "be li'r'nit'edtoa 'iz'ifciil'afr "pefiph'ery since polygonal peripheries would in many instah'ces work just as well.

, From the tqregoing, the construction and operation of the device will he readily understood 'a'ndfurther 'eipl'anatioh is believed to he mm'ec'essai' However, since nufrierou s modifications and changes will "readily occur to those skilled in t'he'art, it is not desiredto limit the inven- 'tion to the enact construction shown and described, and

'iiccordi'ngly all suitable 'modifications and ehuivalents 'ih'ay befstb fted to, falling within the scope of "the appended claims. 7 I

What is claimed as new is as follows:

-1. A" golf ball washer adapted to be attached to a ground engaging'wheel of a golf cart, said golf ball "'washe'rcomprising a hollow body having a back wall adapted to fit'against a faceof-said wheel, a front wall, and'ap'eripheral Walk-said front wall having a concave -captive while said hollow body is rotating, a concaveconvex member in said hollow body'and attached to the back "wall thereof with its "concave surface facing in- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,758,011 Reach May 13, 1930 1,827,668 Musselman Oct. 13, 193i 1,938,539 Lyman Dec. 5, 1933 2,026,161 Collins Dec. 31, 1935 -2,'67-2; 637 Allen Mar. 23, :1-954 26955047 Ruck l l.- Mar. '6, 1-1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 486,374 France Mar. 28, 1918 486,375 France Mar. 28, 1918 555,912 France Apr. 4, 1923 697,358 Great Britain Sept. 23, 1953