US3049353A

US3049353A - Golf practicing device

Info

Publication number: US3049353A
Application number: US841738A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles F Viator
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-09-23
Filing date: 1959-09-23
Publication date: 1962-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1979-08-14

Description

1952 c. F. VIATOR 3,049,353

GOLF PRACTICING DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

madam m7;

Aug. 14, 1962 c. F. VIATOR GOLF PRACTICING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1959 m mm United States Patent 3,049,353 GOLF PRACTICING DEVICE Charles F. Viator, 2465 W. 46th St., Chicago, Ill. Filed Sept. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 841,738 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-182) This is a continuation in part of the application filed September 24, 1958, Ser. No. 763,150, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to golf practicing devices, and has for its main object the provision of a dismount-able frame, capable of being easily set upon a ground or a floor, for supporting at its upper end a slanted screen capable of stopping a golf ball at its trajectory, permitting the ball to drop in a downward direction to a scoop which is supported by and upon the lower portion of the frame.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a golf practicing device, capable of being assembled and set either outdoors or indoors, whereby a golfer may practice the golf shots in privacy, with the screen supported by the frame aforesaid being capable of stopping the shot ball at its various trajectories, and being capable of catching the ball before the same hits wall or ceiling when the device is set indoors, or before the ball is propelled to any great distance from the practicing user when the device is set up outdoors.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in a golf practicing device of a frame consisting of a comparatively small number of parts capable of being easily set up or disassembled, for use and storage or transportation, respectively, and which parts, when assembled are capable of supporting an inclined screen and a scoop or trap aforesaid, for the uses and purposes hereinbefore set forth.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision in a golf practicing device of the character hereinabove indicated of a substantially U-shaped inverted frame member, slanted or inclined towards the golf practicing user, capable of receiving thereon a screen or panel capable of stopping the projected golf balls, the latter falling into a hammock-like chute or scoop disposed therebelow, which said scoop is positioned at a downwardly directed incline, whereby the golf balls falling thereon may roll ofi from the front end of the scoop and fall upon the ground and in the direction of the user in position to be hit by a conventional golf club.

With the above general objects in view and other that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel constmction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like designating characters refer to correspond ing parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled frame constituting a part of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the present device, partly broken away, illustrating the operative position of the screen and the scoop with relation to the frame and their connecting means therewith;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the frame, with the upper, U-shaped frame member, and the screen supported thereby in cross section on a vertical plane, with the scoop partly in section;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of one bar of said U-shaped frame member and the supporting post with which the former disengageably connects, further illustrating in cross section the connecting means of the scoop with the lower end of the bar of said U-shaped frame member;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the 'ice connecting joint between the lower end of one of the upright bars of said U-shaped frame member and the cooperating supporting post with which the former is disengageably connected;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of one bar of said U-shaped frame member and the supporting post with which the former dis-engageably connects, further illustrating in cross section the relationship of the front panel of the upper case and the lower scoop which defines a trap for upwardly moving golf balls.

Referring to the present drawings, there is shown therein a pair of oblong, end supporting members 10, which are interconnected by means of a pair of parallelly disposed cross bars 11, which, at their ends are connected in a superimposed relation with said supporting members 10, by means of dowel pins 12. Said supporting members 10 in the operative assembled position of the frame are adapted to contact by their lower faces with the ground or floor for supporting thereon the entire frame work of the present device. Nailed, or otherwise rigidly afiixed to the ends of said supporting members 10 are blocks 13, which by their upper ends extend above the planes of the upper faces of said supporting members 10.

Each of said blocks 13 at its upper portion which extends above the adjacent supporting member 10 is provided with a bore disposed in an angular relation with the block, both on horizontal and vertical planes thereof, for insertion therewithin in frictional relation with each of said blocks 13, of the rear end of the rear section 14 of the scoop supporting arm. The two bores in the said blocks 13 are so formed as to maintain the two scoop supporting arms in a mutually laterally divergent relation in the forward direction with relation to the frame, as well as in an angular position with relation to said supporting members 10, as is clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The scoop supporting arms also include the front sections 15 which are connected with the front ends of said rear sections 14 in an end to end relation by means of sliding sleeves 16.

Made in said supporting members 10, forwardly of the rear cross bar 11 are upright bores for receiving therewithin in a frictional relation with said supporting members 10, the lower ends of posts 17.

Said supporting members 10, cross bars 11, dowel pins 12, and blocks 13 may be made of wood or any other suitable material, such as plastic, because such material more readily lends itself to quick assembly and dismounting, as well as adds to the frictional connection of the scoop supporting rear sections 14 with blocks 13 and of posts 17 with supporting members 10. Said

sections

14, 15 and posts 17 are preferably made of aluminum or any other suitable metallic tubes.

The screen supporting frame member is substantially in the shape of an inverted U, and includes "a pair of side bars 18 and the horizontal bar 19 connected in any suitable manner by its ends with the upper ends of said side bars 18. One of the connecting means between said side bars 18 and said horizontal bar 19 is suggested in FIG. 2, wherein there is shown a cylindrical member 20 inserted into and rigidly held within each of the open ends of the vertical end sections of said horizontal bar 19, past each elbow of said horizontal bar. The projecting end of each of said cylindrical members 20 freely enters the opening of the upper end of each of said side bars 18. By virtue of this arrangement said horizontal bar 19 is disengageable from the adjacent ends of said bars 18, whereby the said U-shaped frame member may be readily disassembled for the purposes of storage or transportation.

Adjacent the lower end each of said side bars 18 is bent to define elbow 21, whereby major upper portions of said side bars 18, above said elbow 21 are inclined toward the golf practicing user of the device.

Inserted within the lower upright portion of each of said side bars 18, and held therewithin in a tight frictional relation, below elbow 21, is a cylindrical member 22, the lower free end of which freely enters the adjacent open end of post 17, as seen in FIG. 5, for the purpose of disengageably interconnecting the lower ends of said side bars 18 with the upper ends of said posts 17, by virtue of which arrangement the said inverted U-shaped frame member, including said side bars 13 and the horizontal bar 19 are easily removed from or connected with said posts 17.

For reasons hereinabove indicated, the said inverted U- shaped frame member 18-19 is preferably made tubular, and if preferred the side bars 18 thereof may be integrally formed with the said horizontal bar 19.

The scoop, generally indicated by 23 in FIG. 3, defining a downwardly extending incline along which the golf balls are capable of rolling towards the user and adapted to fall therefrom to the ground to be hit by a golf club, as already mentioned, includes a horizontal hem portion 24 made in the form of a horizontal strip of any convenient width, which at its ends is provided with sleeves 25 within which the lower ends of side bars 18 are insertable prior to connecting said side bars 18 with the upper ends of posts 17 through the medium of said cylindrical members 22. Upon insertion of the said lower ends of side bars 18 within said sleeves 25, the latter are shifted therealong in an upward direction, until said sleeves 25 clear said elbows 21. Each of said side bars above elbows 21 is provided with transverse, diametric opening 26 (FIG. Sleeves 25 are provided with corresponding, diametrically alined apertures 27 (FIG. 2), for reception therethrough and openings 26 of dowel pins 28, or any other suitable fasteners, for supportin the upper end of said scoop 23 in a rigidly engaged relation with the lower end of the said inverted U-shaped frame 18-19.

The hem portion or strip 24 is connected with the lower ends of the side bars 18, by inserting the latter within said sleeves 25 and prior to joining the said lower ends of the side bars 18 with the upper ends of posts 17 through the cylindrical connecting members 22 as aforesaid. In the operative position of said strip 24 upon the lower ends of said side bars 18 the said strip is maintained in a stretched, taut condition. The said strip 24- and sleeves 25 are formed of canvas or any suitable fabric material.

Scoop 23, formed of canvas, netting or any other suitable fabric material, has a substantially trapezoidal form when in a level spread condition, with its upper, narrower end extending from the lower edge of said strip 24, with which it is either integrally formed or connected thereto by stitches.

Adjacent each side of the trapezoidal sheet, on the underface thereof, and in the proximity of the longer, front end of the sheet, is a pocket, including sleeve 29 and end wall 30, the latter blocking the front end of said sleeve 29. In effect said sleeve 29 and end wall 30 define a cap insertable upon the front end of each scoop supporting arm 14-15, for thereby supporting the front, wider end of scoop 23 in the operative position upon the frame of the device. Pocket 29-30 may be easily disengaged from the said supporting arms 14-15, by shifting the former in a forward direction until cleared from the front sections of the said supporting arms.

By virtue of the angular and mutually outwardly divergent relation of the scoop supporting arms 14-15, in the direction away from the supporting blocks 13, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the nonparallel sides of the trapezoidal sheet that go into the formation of said scoop 23, remain in a mutually divergent relation in the direction away from said strip 24, and towards the front ends of the said scoop supporting arms 14-15, for defining outwardly flaring flaps 31, which extend laterally from the central body portion of scoop 23, and which are narrower at their upper ends and wider at their lower ends, as is clearly seen in FIG. 2.

Due to the fact that said scoop supporting arms 14-15 are in an angular relation with the ground upon which the frame is set up, with their front ends being spaced farther away from the ground than their rear ends are, the front end of scoop 23 is supported in a spaced relation with the ground, as seen in FIG. 3.

Note is made of the fact that the front ends of the scoop supporting arms 14-15 are not spaced from each other so as to cause any undue stretching of scoop 23, thereby permitting a degree of sagging of the fabric material of which the scoop is made along the longitudinal center of the scoop, thereby effecting a hammock-like chute, the bottom perimeter of which is upon a longitudinal are as at 32, which substantially coincides with the longitudinal center of scoop 23, and which is upon a plane spaced in a downward direction from the plane upon which the marginal edges of said flaps 31 are located. On transverse plane said flaps 31 and the central body portion of scoop 23 are also arcuate.

Due to the stress exerted upon the front end Strip of scoop 23 in a transverse direction brought about by the connection thereof with the front ends of arms 14-15 through pockets 29-30 and the comparatively greater degree of sagging of the scoop at its portion rearwardly of the said strip, the latter resulting from the greater weight of the scoop body portion rearwardly of the front strip thereof and hence from the greater gravitational force thereon, the front end of scoop 23 along its bottom flares upon an arc in an upward direction, as at 33 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The dip resulting from the sagging portion 33 of the scoop has a tendency of slowing the rolling ball as it returns to the user so as to facilitate fast and easy placement of a golf ball for repeating the shot thereof.

An envelope-like case, generally indicated by 34 in FIG. 2, is of a substantially rectangular formation corresponding to the outline of said inverted 'U-shaped frame member 18-19, and is closed on its three sides, having its bottom side open, as at 35 (FIG. 3). Said case 34 is insertable over the upper end of said frame member 18-19 until its upper closed side comes in contact with the horizontal bar 19 of the said frame member to assume an operative position therewith shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In that operative position said case 34 defines a forwardly disposed panel 36 and a reaiwvardly disposed panel 37, with the marginal lower portion thereof, adacent its open side, assuming an alined, skirting relation with strip 24 and sleeves 25, completely enclosing the latter in a superimposed relation, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, in its operative position upon the said U-shaped frame member 18-19, said case 34 remains in an ensheathing relation therewith and with the said strip 24 and sleeves 25. In the operative position of the said case 34 upon the said U-shaped frame member 18-19, the front panel 36 of the case functions as a screen capable of stopping in their trajectories golf balls projected thereagainst by a golf club.

Said case 34 may be made of canvas or similar comparatively soft fabric material and need not be supported upon the said U-shaped frame member 18-19 in a greatly stretched, taut condition thereon so that the front panel 36 presents a cushioned, non-deflecting surface for golf balls projected thereagainst, depriving impetus thereto as they strike the said front panel 36, causing the golf balls to fall in a downward vertical direction upon scoop 23 to roll off therefrom as was hereinabove mentioned. Golf balls of lesser trajectories hitting any point of scoop 23 will have a tendency to roll in an upward direction. In order to prevent such balls from rolling upon said panel 36 in an upward direction and thereupon uncontrollably falling therefrom, the lower end of panel 36 may be spaced away from said strips 24 to permit such latter balls to be directed within said case 34, from which due to gravity they will roll back in a downward direction and fall back upon scoop 23 through the opening defined by the spaced end of panel 36.

The downwardly flaring flaps 31 also present the ball arresting surfaces for golf balls of low trajectories, especially for golf balls projected at lateral angles when struck not squarely against the central body portion of scoop 23 or screen panel 36.

It is further observed that the rear section 14 of the scoop supporting arms 14-45, in the assembled condition of the frame, remain in an outward contactual relation with posts 17, as is clearly seen in FIG. 1, by virtue of which arrangement any undue flexing of the front ends of the said arms, when weighted by the said scoop 23, is prevented, thereby obviating any undesirable degree of sagging of the front end of said scoop 23, tending to maintain the front end of said scoop 23 in an elevated position from the ground, as is seen in FIG. 3.

Golf balls to be shot or projected against the device may be supported or teed upon a rubber pad or the like laid upon a floor or any ground surface at any desired distance from the device.

The device is capable of easy and uncomplicated assembly or dismounting. To assemble, first the base is laid upon the supporting ground, including the supporting members 10, then crossbars 11 are connected thereto by means of dowel pins -12. Thereupon the scoop supporting arms l4-15 are connected with blocks, 13, and posts 17 are set up upon said supporting members by driving the lower ends of the former within the bores made in said supporting members 10, with the rear sections 14 of the scoop supporting arms positioned outwardly of said posts 17, all as shown in FIG. 1. Then the front ends of said scoop supporting arms 1415 are inserted within pockets 2930. Prior to connecting of the U- shaped frame member 18-19 through the connecting cylindrical blocks 22 with the upper ends of post 17, sleeves 25 are engaged with the lower ends of the side bars 18 by means of dowel pins 28, for positioning strip 24- therebetween. This having been done, the U-shaped frame member 1S19 is connected with the upper ends of posts 17, as aforesaid. Finally, case 34 is slipped on the said U-shaped frame member 18-49. Dismantling of the device is in the inverse order of the procedure just described.

The dismantled parts of the device will constitute a comparatively compact bundle lending itself to easy storage, packing and transportation.

Optionally, pockets or sockets 29-30 may be substituted by sleeves, such as sleeves 29, open at both of their ends, with the front ends of the forward sections of the scoop supporting arms freely slidable therein. This arrangement, shown in FIG. 2, will permit a longitudinal shifting movement of the sleeves 29 upon said sections 15 in both directions, thereby permitting adjustment of the degree of sag or dip of the portion of scoop 23 adjacent the front end thereof. Due to the weight of the scoop material, as sleeves 29 are shifted upon sections 15 in a rearward direction, a gerater degree of sag will result in the portion of the scoop adjacent the front end thereof, than would ensue when sleeves 29 are shifted upon said sections 15 in a forward direction. By virtue of this arrangement, and the resulting regulation of the sag of scoop 23 adjacent the front end thereof, will regulate the degree of force or velocity of the downwardly rolling golf balls, thereby in turn regulating the distance at which the rolling golf balls will stop upon the ground in a forward direction with relation to the device.

The two alternative modes of connecting the front end of scoop 23 with the scoop supporting arms. 14-15 are for illustration merely, as obviously various other means may be employed, such for instance as pairs of tapes connected with the front end of the scoop to be knotted upon said sections 15. As is obvious, due to the connection of the front end of scoop 23 with said sections 15, and also due to the spaced relation of the scoop supporting arms 14-15 with the ground, the front end of scoop 23 will be supported upon said arms 1415 in an adjusted distance from the ground as may be required by the user of the device and as convenience may dictate.

From the hereinabove description it will be clear that the device herein disclosed is capable of being set up in limited space quarters for permitting the user to practice various shots in privacy until perfection in proper ball stroking and club swinging is attained. The practice in limited quarters encourages making of easy shots, and once these are mastered, expertness in more difficult shots follows. With the aid of the device herein disclosed each golf shot can be observed and repeated in quick succession, to the end that the well executed shots may be duplicated or repeated until fully mastered and the improperly executed shots corrected.

While there are described herein preferred embodiunents of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. A golf practicing device comprising a base adapted for positioning upon a supporting surface, an upright frame extending from said base, a pair of arms supported by their rear ends upon said base in a mutual spaced relation, said arms being upon an incline gradually diverging in an upward direction from the sup porting surface so as to maintain the free front ends of said arms in a spaced relation with the supporting surface, the front ends of said arms being upon a horizontal plane which is in :a spaced relation with the horizontal plane extended through the upper end of said frame, an oblong sheet of fabric material, means for affixing the rear end of said sheet to the upper end of said frame, and means for supporting the sides of said sheet adjacent the front end thereof upon the free front ends of said arms, said front end of said sheet being of greater length than the distance between said arms so that the front end of said sheet depends between said arms in a substantially arcuate shape, the center of said arcuate shape being tangential to a horizontal plane between the arms and the supporting surface defining a discharge area for return of golf balls midway of said base, and said arms being limited in movement toward each other by said upright frame.

2. A golf practicing device comprising a base, said base being adapted for positioning upon a supporting surface, :a pair of arms supported by their rear ends upon said base in a mutual spaced relation, said arms being upon an incline gradually diverging in an upward direction from the supporting surface so as to maintain the free ends of said arms in a spaced relation with the supporting surface, a pair of vertical posts extending upwardly from said base, a U-shaped frame member having legs releasably connected to the upper ends of said posts, said U-shaped frame member being upon an upward incline in the direction of the free ends of said arms, a scoop, said scoop consisting of a substantially trapezoidal sheet of fabric, means for supporting the shorter end of said trapezoidal fabric upon the legs of said U-shaped frame member adjacent their connections with said posts in a downwardly depending relation therefrom, means for supporting the opposite longer end of said fabric upon the free ends of said arms, said arms being spaced apart a distance less than the length of the longer end of said fabric whereby said longer end extends in a depending are between said arms, the mid point of said are being tangential to a horizontal plane between said arms and said supporting surface, and a screen panel of fabric material supported by said U- shaped frame member.

3. A golf practicing device comprising a base adapted for positioning upon a supporting surface, a pair of vertical posts extending from said base, said posts being in a mutually spaced relation, a U-shaped frame memher, said U-shaped frame member including a pair of vertical side bars and a horizontal bar connected by its ends to the ends of said side bars, means for rigidly interconnecting the free ends of said side bars with the upper ends of said vertical posts, said posts limiting movement of said side bars towards each other, a strip of fabric material, means for engaging the ends of said strip with the lower ends of said side bars for maintaining the former in a stretched, taut condition, a scoop, said scoop being made of a substantially trapezoidal sheet of material having sides of equal length and an upper end shorter than the lower end, said scoop having its upper end connected with said strip whereby said scoop is supported in a downwardly hanging relation, arms extending forwardly from said base for supporting the lower end of said scoop, said arms being spaced for maintaining said lower end of said scoop in an arcuate shape between said arms with the lowest portion of said arcu-ate scoop spaced from the supporting surface, and a substantially rectangular case of fabric material closed on three sides and open along one side thereof, whereby the free end of said U-shaped frame member is capable of insertion into said case, in the operative position of said case upon said U-shaped member, the marginal portion of the former along the open side thereof overlying said strip in such a manner as to provide a lateral space between the marginal portion of said casing and said strip.

4. In a golf practicing device comprising a base adapted for positioning upon a horizontal supporting surface,

a substantially rectangular frame supported upon said base in a perpendicular relation therewith, a substmtially trapezoidal sheet of fabric material supported by its shorter parallel side upon said frame in a transverse relation therewith and in a spaced relation from the upper end of said frame, a pair of arms connected by their rear ends with said base, said arms being in a mutually divergent relation and extending forwardly of said frame, said arms being limited in movement towards each other by said frame, means carried by said trapezoidal sheet adjacent each lateral side thereof and in the proximity of its longer parallel side for engaging the free ends of said arms, the longer parallel side extending between the free ends of said arms in a depending arcuate shape defining a hammock-like chute which extends in a downwardly divergent relation with a plane coextensive with said frame, the lowermost portion of said arcuate chute being tangential to a, horizontal plane between the free ends of the arms and the supporting surface, and a panel of fabric material supported by the upper end of said frame in a coextensive relation therewith, said panel filling the space at the upper portion of said frame above the shorter parallel side of said sheet.

5. A golf practicing device comprising a base adapted for positioning upon a supporting surface, a pair of vertical posts extending from said base, said posts being in a mutually spaced relation, a U-shaped frame memher, said U-shaped frame member including a pair of vertical side bars and a horizontal bar connected by its ends to the ends of said side bars, means for rigidly elf) interconnecting the free ends of said side bars with the upper ends of said vertical posts, a strip of fabric material, means for engaging the ends of said strip with the lower ends of said side bars for maintaining the former in a stretched, taut condition, a scoop, said scoop being made of a substantially trapezoidal sheet of material having sides of equal length and an upper end shorter than the lower end, said scoop having its upper end connected with said strip whereby said scoop is supported in a downwardly hanging relation, arms extending forwardly from said base for supporting the lower end of said scoop, said arms being spaced for maintaining said lower end of said scoop in an arcuate shape between said arms with the lowest portion of said arcuate scoop spaced from the supporting surface, a substantially rectangular case of fabric material closed on three sides and open along one side thereof, whereby the free end of said U-shaped frame member is capable of insertion into said case, in the operative position of said case upon said U-shaped member, the forward marginal portion of the former along the open side thereof overlying said strip and spaced therefrom and the back portion of said case being attached to said strip for providing means to trap any ball which may be directed upwardly from said scoop.

6. A golf practicing device comprising a base, said base being adapted for positioning upon a supporting surface, a pair of arms supported by their rear ends upon said base in a mutual spaced relation, said arms being upon an incline gradually diverging in an upward direction from the supporting surface so as to maintain the free ends of said arms in a spaced relation with the supporting surface, a pair of vertical posts extending upwardly from said base, a U-shaped frame member having legs releasably connected to the upper ends of said posts, said U-shaped frame member being upon an upward incline in the direction of the free ends of said arms, a scoop, said arms being positioned outwardly of the plane defined by said vertical posts, each of said arms being in contactual relation with the adjacent vertical post for thereby limiting the flexing of the free ends of said arms towards each other when weighted by said scoop, said scoop consisting of a substantially trapezoidal sheet of fabric, means for supporting the shorter end of said trapezoidal fabric upon the legs of said U- shaped frame member adjacent their connections with said posts in a downwardly depending relation therefrom, means for supporting the opposite longer end of said fabric upon the free ends of said arms, said arms being spaced apart a distance less than the length of the longer end of said fabric whereby said longer end extends in a depending are between said arms, the midpoint of said are being tangential to a horizontal plane between said arms and said supporting surface, and a screen panel of fabric material supported by said U- shaped frame member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 849,941 Titus Apr. 9, 1907 920,907 Bolton May ll, 1909 1,430,280 Bolton Sept. 26, 1922 2,803,291 Meyer Aug. 20, 1957 2,895,737 Blees July 21, 1959