US2943856A

US2943856A - Golf ball and tee handling devices

Info

Publication number: US2943856A
Application number: US722722A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gustave F Eimerman; Florence G Melter
Original assignee: GUSTAVE F EIMERMAN; RUTH E BECKER
Current assignee: GUSTAVE F EIMERMAN; RUTH E BECKER
Priority date: 1958-03-20
Filing date: 1958-03-20
Publication date: 1960-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 1977-07-05

Description

NWT

y 5, 1960 s. F. EIMERMAN 2,943,856

GOLF BALL AND 'I'EE HANDLING DEVICES Filed March 20, 1958 haw/Zr.- fiusfare 1 E'memvan United States Patent 9 GOLF BALL AND TEE HANDLING DEVICES Gustave F. Eimerman, Milwaukee, Wis.; Florence Gr -Me lter, administratrix of said Gustave F. Eimerman, giss Bgnog of one-half to herself and of one-half to Ruth ec er Filed Mar. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 722,722

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-33) which includes a holder adapted to receive a golf ball and equipped with a set of openable and closable arms for supportably engaging a golf tee placed under the ball when the arms are in their closed position, such device being adapted for attachment to an elongated handle such as for example, the handle end of a conventional golf club, so that by pressing the same downwardly, the tee held by the arms may be easily and conveniently inserted in the ground.

An important feature of the invention involves the provision of means, responsive to the pressing of the device against the ground, for automatically opening the arms to disengage the same from the tee, whereby the tee may remain inserted in the ground with the ball already positioned thereon in readiness for use, all this being efiected while the player remains in a straight, upstanding position.

Another important feature of the invention involves the provision of means on the device whereby inserted golf tees may be withdrawn from the ground, also without the necessity of stooping or bending over for that purpose.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its The back of the holder 11 is formed with a downward extension 16, the lower portion of which is substantiallytubular in form and internally screw-threaded as indicated at 17 to receive an externally screw-threaded bushing 18. The lower end, of the bushing is formed with an enlarged shoulder or flange 19, as shown. I

A pair of coacting

arms

20, 21 are pivoted at their upper ends by a pin 22 in a recess 23 formed at the confluence of the extension 16 with the holder 11. The

arms

20, 21 are preferably curved as shown and are movable toward and away from each other on the pivot pin '22, between the closed and open positions shown in Figures 1 and 4, respectively. The lower ends of the

arms

20, 21 are formed with forwardly projecting jaws 24 which are recessed as indicatedat 25 whereby to receive therebetween I and supportably engage the head portion of a golf tee 26 relatively small size and easy portability, in its efficient v operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the invention, the arms of the holder being shown in their closed position and a golf ball and tee being illustrated by dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device per se, that is, with the handle thereof removed;

Figure 4 is .a rear elevational view showing the arms of the device in their open position; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view on an enlarged scaleof the plunger used in the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the golf ball and tee handling device is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and embodies in its construction a holder 11 formed at the top thereof with a blind bore or socket 12 for reception of an end portion of a suitable, elongated handle 13, such as for example, the handle portion of a conventional golf club. The underside of the holder 11 is provided with a concavity defining an inverted socket 14 for the reception of a golf ball 15.

when the arms are in their closed position. The arrangement of parts is such that when the tee 2 6 is supported by the jaws 24, it engages the underside of the ball'15 in the socket 14.

A plunger 27, formed from wire rod, is slidable vertically in the bore of the aforementioned bushing 18 and is provided at its lower end with an enlarged head 28. The upper end portion of the plunger is split or bifurcated as indicated at 29, the furcations 29 terminating in forwardly angulated portions 30 which are pivotally connected to the

arms

20, 21 adjacent the pivot pin 22. It is to be understood that the furcations 29 of the plunger 27 are movable toward and away from each other and that when they are together they may slide into the bore of the bushing 18 when the plunger is slid downwardly. In so doing, the furcations 29 will draw the

arms

20, 21 to their closed position as shown in Figure l, but when the plunger is slid upwardly, the furcations 29 move the arms to their open position shown in Figure 4.

When the invention is placed in use, the device is applied to the handle portion of a conventional golf club or some other suitable handle and the plunger 27 is slid downwardly after positioning of the ball 15 in the socket 14 and of the tee 26 under the ball. The resultant closing movement of the

arms

20, 21 will cause the jaws 24 to support-ably engage the tee and retain both the tee and the hall in place in the device. Without stooping or bending over, the player may then press downwardly upon the handle 13 so as to insent the tee into the ground,

indicated at 31. As downward pressing of the handle continues, the head 25 of the plunger 27 will contact the ground, resulting in upward sliding of the plunger which, in turn, Will automatically move the

arms

20, 21 to their open position shown in Figure 4. Thereupon, the entire device may be removed while the tee remains inserted in the ground together with the ball positioned thereon, in readiness for use.

If desired, a hook-shaped member 32 may be provided at the lower end of the extension 16 for engagement with the head portion of the tee to Withdraw the same from the ground after playing, it being noted that the entire procedure of inserting the tee, placing the ball thereon and withdrawing the tee, may be effected while the player is standing straight.

A. suitable clip 33 may be provided on the holder 11 whereby the device may be attached to a golf bag or to wearing apparel of the player, for convenient portability 7 ngages the ground.

"socket, 12. pair of icoacting arrnspivoted to said holder ttor' tlosirrg openingmoveinenttovvalrdnfid away from ,eiich'e' her,- saidi'r ms' extending dow'nwrdly' from the i holdef je-ws provided efthelower endsofi said am for V sfijipoftnbly engaging :a' teeplace'd" under a 'ball'in said i socket wh'en the arms vare'elosed, a downward extension provided on the holder centrally reltive to said arms, and a plunger slidable' in said extension and having its.

lower end erigalgezrble" with-the" ground, the upper end :portiqn of said plu'ngerheing bifiir'c' ited and providing a of resilient fureatioi'l's opetatively connected to fliefresp fiveegime:afid firgingjthe sgime apart when s'e'id plungr-isiupwa'rdly slid in 's'afid extension by downward p'fissilre onsaidhomer while the l'ewe'rend of the plunger 2'. devre asdefined in claim 1- wherein said eX- tension open'u e'r' end cpe'rativel engageable -wma' said exams for vamul the same and the cated arms together during downward sliding of. said 7 plunger in the extension. t

3. The device as defined in claim 1 together With an elongated handle secured to and extending upwardly from said holder, whereby dovvnward pressure on thelatter may be exerted. v

4. The device as defined in clairn 1 together with t adj-listalale s't'oji means for 'lifin'iting the extent 6f Sliding of said, plunger upwardly in said extension. 7 it.

References fc'iiea neare qr fins psi-tent UNITED. STATES PATENTS? 683,244 Bode 1,863,140 I h Iulvany June 14,1932 1,902,682 Walrath Mar. 21,1933 3,606,764 'Mason Aug. 12, 1952,

Sept. 24,