US3096992A

US3096992A - Golf cart

Info

Publication number: US3096992A
Application number: US76676A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wallace J Fritsch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-12-19
Filing date: 1960-12-19
Publication date: 1963-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 1980-07-09

Description

y 1963 w. J. FRITSCH 3,096,992

GOLF CART Filed Dec. 19, 1960 INVENTOR.

W J. FR ITSCH 3,096,992 GOLF CART Wallace J. Fritsch, 1609 S. 33rd St., Omaha, Nehr. Filed Dec. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 76,676 1 Claim. (Cl. 280-4751) This invention relates to golf bag carriers or carts of the single wheel, and single hand actuated type, and in particular a carrier including a shaft having a handle on the upper end, a wheel on the lower end, golf bag retaining elements on the intermediate part, and a pair of legs loosely mounted on the shaft with the legs guided and actuated to folded positions by an elastic element.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a golf bag carrier that is of simple construction and relatively light weight so that it may readily be manipulated by a comparatively small person.

Carts of various designs have been used for carrying golf bags. However, substantially all carts for golf bags are made with two wheels, and being of collapsible construction, are comparatively heavy. For this reason considerable energy is required to use a conventional golf bag carrier, and, consequently, golf is very tiresome for the average golfer.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a golf bag carrier of simple construction and having comparatively few moving parts whereby very little weight is added to a conventional golf bag, and wherein a golf bag may be pushed or pulled with very little effort.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to simplify the design of a golf bag cart so that the cart may be manipulated with ease.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf bag carrier that occupies very little space in a motor vehicle.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a golf bag carrier that may be operated by one hand.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a golf bag carrier having diverging legs in which the legs are snapped to collapsed positions by an elastic element upon raising the handle of the carrier.

In view of the fact that golf bags are provided in different lengths, it is also an object of this invention to provide a golf bag carrier in which the length is readily adjustable so that the carrier may be used for golf bags of different sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf bag carrier having a single wheel and a pair of legs in which the legs are independently actuated to compensate for the uneven surface of a golf course.

A still further object is to provide a golf bag carrier in which the main portion of the frame is below the golf bag, thereby placing the center of gravity of the golf bag off of the center line between the handle and the axle of the single wheel.

in addition to the above the invention includes:

A golf bag stand having a pair of legs in which the legs automatically retract to a ground clearing position upon release of the weight being carried on the stand and in which the legs will automatically expand in two directions, laterally and longitudinally to open positions, forming an A type stand, by contacting one leg of the stand with the ground and pushing or pulling the stand a sutficient distance to extend the other leg.

A golf bag carrier in which the load is carried on top of the supporting members in transit.

A golf bag carrier in which the load is positioned on top of the supporting members while the carrier is in the free standing position.

A golf bag carrier in which the load is supported on top of the supporting member in such a manner that the "ice center of gravity of the load is below the handle in transit and while in the standing position.

A two-legged golf bag stand of the A-type which is provided with a combination guide and stop mechanism to control the lateral and longitudinal motion of each, or both of the legs throughout the total travel of such leg or legs from the retracted to an extended position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a golf bag carrier in which the center of gravity of the load is positioned to obtain the maximum of stability of the carrier.

A particular object is to provide a carrier which can be used for carrying bags or other loads of any kind whereby, in this sense, the above objectives related to a golf bag or a golf bag stand also apply to a carrier for a load other than a golf bag and having features of this invention.

A further object is to provide a carrier which can be moved from a first position in which it is pulled across the ground to a second position in which it is self-supported upon its leg means and upon its wheel withou the necessity during such movement of passing the upper end of the frame past the vertical position as has been a characteristic of such carriers in the prior art; thus eliminating the need for lifting the weight of a bag and contents along with the frame in accomplishing this change of position.

A still further object is to provide a golf bag carrier which is of a simple and economical construction.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the improved golf bag carrier, showing one of the legs in a partially folded position in broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a section taken on line 22 of FIG- URE 1, looking upwardly, with the parts shown on an enlarged scale, and with parts broken away.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, with the parts shown on an enlarged scale, illustrating the connection of the legs to a shaft of the carrier.

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view taken on line 4--4 of FIGURE 1, showing the wheel mounting at the lower end of the shaft of the golf bag carrier.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout, and in which the numeral lil refers to the invention in its entirety, numeral 12 indicating a shaft for retaining the parts in assembled relation, legs pivotally mounted on a U-shaped bracket 18, numeral a bearing for mounting the bracket 18 on the shaft 12, numeral 22 a hub mounted on the shaft 12 and from which

guides

24 and 26, having

elongated slots

28 and 30 therein, extend, numeral 32 a yoke for connecting an elastic member 34 to the bracket 18, numeral '36 a hook for connecting the elastic member to the shaft 12, and numeral 38 a base in which the lower end of the shaft is mounted and which also provides means for mounting a wheel 40 on the lower end of the carrier.

The shaft 12 extends from the upper surface 42 of the base upwardly and the upper portion is provided with an offset section 44 from which a handle carrying stem 46 extends and the upper end of the stem is provided with a knob 48 providing a handle.

The bracket 18 is pivotally mounted in a hub 50 of the bearing 20, and the bearing is secured, such as by welding, to the shaft 12. The bracket is provided with

arms

52 and 54 that extend through

hubs

56 and 58 on upper ends of the legs 14. and 16, respectively, and, as illustrated by the broken lines 60 in FIGURE 1, the legs are free to swing inwardly to nested or folded positions. The upper ends of the legs extend through the

guide slots

28 and 30 by which the legs are retained in operative positions. The hub 22, from which the

guides

24 and 26 extend is secured to .the shaft by welding or the like.

The lower end of one :of the legs is provided with a prong 62 that may readily be pressed into the ground to provide an anchor for retaining the legs in spaced relation, whereby three points of support are provided. Upon lifting the handle 48 the prong 62 is withdrawn from the ground and the legs are snapped inwardly by the elastic member 34, the upper end of which is attached to the yoke 32 by an S hook 64. Ends 66 .and 68 of the yoke are secured to the ends of the

arms

52 and 54 by riveting over the ends of the arms to provide heads 70 and 72.-

The base 38 on the lower end of the shaft 12 is provided with a bifurcated portion providing

side walls

74 and 76 between which the wheel 40* is mounted by the axle '78 on the ends of which nuts 80 are threaded. The upper surface of the base is provided with a semi-circular recess 82 in which .a collar 84 on the lower end of a golf bag 86 is retained by a band 88, ends 90 of which are retained in sockets '92 of the base. a

The upper end of the golf bag is retained in position on the shaft by a strap 94 having a buckle 96 therein, and theends of the strap are secured to loops 98 extended from a set collar 100, which is retained in adjusted positions on the shaft to compensate for golf bags of different 7 lengths, by a set screw 102.

With the parts assembled as illustrated and described, and with lower ends of the legs free, the legs are retained in nested positions on the lower side of the golf bag, whereby the carrier may be transported over a golf course,

numerals

14 and 16 indicating or to a suitable position for teeing off, and with the carrier in such position the leg with the prong in the lower end is pressed downwardly, forcing the prong into the ground. With the prong penetrating the ground the carrier is moved forwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 1, and with the parts in this position the upper end of the carrier may be moved laterally for positioning the other leg in spaced relation to the leg anchored by the prong. The Weight of the carrier may then be dropped upon the said other leg, and the carrier will be rigidly supported at three points.

To move the carrier it is only necessary to raise the handle whereby the lower ends of the legs are released and the legs are free to be actuated to nested positions against the lower surface of the bag or shaft by the elastic member 34.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a golf bag carrier constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modifications without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

In a golf bag cart, the combination which comprises a frame having an offset upper end providing a handle, a guide including diverging arms with slots therein extended from a hub mounted on the frame, a U-shaped bracket pivotally mounted by a bearing on the frame and positioned above the guide, legs extended through the slots in the arms of the guide and pivotally mounted on 'arms of the bracket, a yoke extended from ends of the arms of the bracket, a hook positioned on the shaft and located below the guide, an elastic member attached to the hook and yoke for actuating the legs to retracted positions, an anchoring prong extended from the lower end of one of the legs, a base mounted on the lower end of the frame, a wheel rotatably mounted in said base, a band on the base for retaining the lower end of a golf bag on the base, and a strap having a buckle therein adjustably mounted on the frame for retaining the upper end of a golf bag in position on the frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,638,794 Aldrich Aug. 9, 1927 2,476,718 Foley July 19, 1949 2,613,952 Lannon Oct. 14, 1952 2,857,168 'Neaverson et al Oct. 21, 1958