US3333848A

US3333848A - Golf tee leveling and driving instrument

Info

Publication number: US3333848A
Application number: US430809A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel M Budzinski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-02-08
Filing date: 1965-02-08
Publication date: 1967-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-01

Description

Aug. 1, 1967 o. M. BUDZINSKI GOLF TEE LEVELING AND DRIVING INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 8, 1965 FIG. 2

FIG!

NTOR

M. BUDZINSKI wL NE N A D BY M,

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,333,848 GOLF TEE LEVELING AND DRIVING INSTRUMENT Daniel M. Budzinski, 15 Springbrook Road, Auburn, Mass. 01501 Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 430,809 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-33) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A golf tee leveling and device for setting the same in the ground comprising a relatively solid member having a recess in it to receive the head of the tee, together with a clamping means for clamping the shank of the tee as it extends from said recess so that the object can be grasped in the hand and the means for engaging the shank of the tee holding the same steady and straight, the golf tee is easily set into the ground.

This invention relates to an instrument for a golfer to accurately set up his tee where desired quickly and accurately and at the same desired height each time the instrument is used for this purpose.

Among the objects of the invention in this case there are included the provision of an instrument which comprises in general a main frame or the like and in this frame there is provided a receptacle for the reception of the head end of the tee to a certain desired and adjustable extent, with the point of the tee extending out of the recess ready to be inserted in the ground; in combination with resilient clamping means holding the shaft of the tee in correct alignment with respect to the frame so that the tee is placed perpendicular with respect to the ground in which it is driven and extending a certain desired amount from the ground so that it is always placed the same, so that the golfer therefore becomes used to striking the ball ata uniform level every time he drives the ball from the tee.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the device in use;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG. 1 and showing the tee clamping means in clamping position, the tee being shown in section, and

FIG. 4 is a similar View with parts removed, showing the tee clamping means in open position.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention which is used to illustrate the same herein, the instrument comprises in general a ball-like member 10. It is of course clear that the device does not have to be spherical and it can assume any shape, but it has been found that the spherical shape is convenient and fits the hand. This balllike member is provided with a relatively large cylindrical radial recess 12 which is provided with screw threads and preferably extends past the center of member 10. In this recess there is screw threaded a stop member or abutment 14 which is provided with a screwdriver receiving slot of any kind as may be desired in order to adjust the same in an axial direction along the recess. Member 14 as indicated in FIG. 2 abuts the head of the tee which has been indicated by the reference numeral 16, the shaft of the tee being indicated at 18, and it will be seen that merely by turning the screw by a conventional screwdriver or any other convenient tool, the projection of the point of the tee from the device can be controlled but will always be constant, depending upon the adjustment of member 14 at the will of the operator, see FIG. 2.

3,333,848 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 "ice provided with heads for the purpose of holding at their ends

resilient strips

22 and 24 to the device in the relationship as best shown in FIG. 1. The

resilient members

22 and 24 are turned in or bent at 26 and 28 respectively so that they form tWo fiat overlapping

tee clamping members

30 and 32. The member 30 is provided with turned up ears 34 at the side edges thereof to slidingly receive therebetween the slightly narrower member 32, and it is to be noted that the

members

30 and 32 are flat, parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the recess 12 and to the diameter of the ball-like member that is preferably coincident therewith.

The member 32 is provided with an aperture preferably circular but not necessarily so, and indicated by the reference numeral 36. The member 30 has a similar aperture 38. The

members

30 and 32 are so formed that when they are in their relaxed position, the apertures fail to coincide, and the clamp is therefore substantially closed. However, upon squeezing the

members

22 and 24 together so that

members

30 and 32 ride over each other, the apertures tend to coincide and this opens the clamp, see FIG. 4. When the parts are in this position, the head of the tee can be inserted through the combined

openings

36, 38 with the head of the tee abutting the member 14. The point of the tee extends out through

members

30 and 32 to the desired amount depending on the position of member 14.

When the user relaxes his fingers, the

clamp members

32 and 30 retract automatically and grasp the shaft of the tee, see FIG. 3, holding the same in position and exactly in axial alignment with respect to the recess 12.

After the user has selected the area Where the tee is to be placed, he can proceed to drive or press the tee into the ground with the leveling instrument in the palm of the hand without touching the

resilient members

22 and 24, the inturned portions of which clamp the tee. After having positioned the tee to his satisfaction, the golfer exerts manual pressure once more, aligning the openings in the clamp as in FIG. 4 and the instrument can now be moved leaving the tee in its leveled position, driven into the ground at proper height. The leveling instrument can then be placed in a bag or pocket without damage and it will be seen that the tees are always at the same height and are perpendicular with respect to the ground.

A bubble level may be inserted in the device as indicated by the reference numeral 40 so that if the user desires he can make sure that the tee is precisely perpendicular, but in many cases the user will acclimate himself sufliciently to the device so that the bubble level, although very useful at times, is not always necessary.

The instrument of the present invention is very easy to use by anyone, it is inexpensive to manufacture, and is sturdily constructed so that it is not easily broken or distorted in any way. The member 10 can be made of any size and shape desired that fits comfortably into the palm of the hand and it is also of a size so that it is conveniently carried in the pocket.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A golf tee leveling and driving instrument comprising a frame, an elongated recess in said frame, said recess having an open end, a member in said recess, means for adjusting said member along said recess for the disposition of a golf tee head thereagainst at a selected position of the tee point relative to the open end of the recess, clamp means mounted on said frame adapted to hold the extending shank of the tee in general alignment with reher, said apertures being selectively substantially aligned but normally misaligned to provide for the insertion of a tee therethrough into the recess or selectively to clasp the shank of the tee.

2. The golf tee leveling and driving instrument of claim 1 including means maintaining the center of the combined apertures in central alignment with respect to said recess so that the shank of the golf tee is always held in axial alignment with respect to said recess.

3. The golf tee leveling and driving instrument of claim 1 including means maintaining the center of the combined apertures in central alignment with respect to said recess so that the shank of the golf tee is always held in axial alignment with respect to said recess, said clamping members each comprising a resilient strip having an end adapted to be mounted on said frame and including means for mounting said strips on said frame in separated spaced condition with respect thereto at either side of said recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,902,682 3/1933 Walrath 27333 2,943,856 7/1960 Eirnerman 273-33 3,074,719 1/1963 McKee 27333 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Examiner.

R. I. APLEY, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A GOLF TEE LEVELING AND DRIVING INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A FRAME, AN ELONGATED RECESS IN SAID FRAME, SAID RECESS HAVING AN OPEN END, A MEMBER IN SAID RECESS, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID MEMBER ALONG SAID RECESS FOR THE DISPOSITION OF A GOLF TEE HEAD THEREAGAINST AT A SELECTED POSITION OF THE TEE POINT RELATIVE TO THE OPEN END OF THE RECESS, CLAMP MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ADAPTED TO HOLD THE EXTENDING SHANK OF THE TEE IN GENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID RECESS AS THE TEE IS DRIVEN INTO GROUND BY MANUAL PRESSURE ON SAID FRAME, THE TEE CLAMP MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF OVERLAPPING MEMBERS, MEANS FORMING A TEE SHANK-RECEIVING APERTURE IN EACH OVERLAPPING MEMBER, SAID APERTURES BEING SELECTIVELY SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED BUT NORMALLY MISALIGNED TO PROVIDE FOR THE INSERTION OF A TEE THERETHROUGH INTO THE RECESS OR SELECTIVELY TO CLASP THE SHANK OF THE TEE.