US3411788A

US3411788A - Golf game apparatus with electrical scoring means

Info

Publication number: US3411788A
Application number: US582840A
Authority: US
Inventors: Don M Blanding
Original assignee: Don M. Blanding
Current assignee: DON M BLANDING
Priority date: 1966-09-29
Filing date: 1966-09-29
Publication date: 1968-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1985-11-19

Description

Nov. 19, 1968 D. M. BLANDING 3,411,788

GOLF GAME APPARATUS WITH ELECTRICAL SCORING MEANS Filed Sept. 29, 1966 .uwillrl III I N VEN T013. 9022 M ihfldl? ATTOR/VA'Y United States Patent 3,411,788 GOLF GAME APPARATUS WITH ELECTRICAL SCORING MEAN Don M. Blanding, P.0. Drawer 1527, Sumter, S.C. 29150 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 437,505, Mar. 5, 1965. This application Sept. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 582,840

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-176) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A transparent sheet material barrier including a golf ball target opening is positioned forwardly of a decorated impact curtain. Movement of the impact curtain causes a tension element to close an electrical switch which actuates a scoring device. A ball return trough extends between target and tee-off areas.

This invention is a continuation-in-part of my prior copending application Serial Number 437,505, filed Mar. 5, 1965, now abandoned, for Golf Game Apparatus Having Impact Curtain.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a golf game or practice apparatus of the type disclosed in said prior application and including several improvement features. In said prior application structure, the user of the apparatus stands at one end of the apparatus and with a preferred golf club propels a golf ball at a target opening in a first curtain or barrier near the remote or target end of the apparatus. If the user is successful in propelling the ball through the target opening, the ball then strikes a second freely suspended impact curtain somewhat rearwardly of the first curtain and the second curtain stops the flight of the ball and allows it to fall gently into a return trough leading back to the front of the apparatus.

The present invention adds two key improvements to the above apparatus, the first of which consists of making the first curtain or barrier with the target opening transparent and applying suitable scenery to the second or impact curtain behind it, giving the user the illusion of depth and increasing the sensation of reality. The scenery on the impact curtain may consist of elements of a golf course, such as traps, trees and a green.

The second improvement feature consists in connecting a switch to the suspended end of the impact curtain and having this switch electrically connected in a circuit which includes a source of current and any suitable electrical scoring device in easy view of the user. Whenever the golf ball strikes the suspended impact curtain, it will tension a member which has the switch connected therein and close the normally open switch to complete the circuit with the scorin device. The impact curtain relaxes again, after being struck with the ball, and tension is relieved in the switch-supporting element and the switch returns automatically to the open condition, ready for the next scoring cycle of operation when the next golf ball strikes the flexible impact curtain.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this applicatiion and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a golf game apparatus embodying the improvements;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2. In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration 1s shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a suitable base which slopes upwardly gradually to a crest 11 spaced a substantial distance forwardly of a player station 12 near the front of the apparatus, the player station 12 adapted to receive golf balls which are to be driven toward the target at the remote end of the apparatus.

Beyond the crest 11, the base 10 slopes downwardly as at 13 toward a transversely inclined ball return gutter 14 on the forward side of a transparent preferably somewhat flexible barrier curtain or sheet 15 which extends fully across the width of the apparatus and for its entire height substantially as disclosed in said prior application.

The apparatus further comprises an enclosure including a roof 16 and preferably mesh side walls 17 and a rear wall 18, all suitably supported above the base 10 and preferably constructed so that the apparatus may be easily assembled and disassembled.

Rearwardly of the transparent barrier or curtain 15, there is suspended a flexible material impact or target curtain 19 which is opaque and has suitable scenery 20 imprinted thereon, as shown, this scenery preferably constituting typical elements of a golf course such as a putting green and surrounding traps, etc. The impact curtain is suspended from the roof 16 at its top, as indicated by way of example at 21. The forward transparent curtain 15 has a target opening 22 formed therethrough centrally of the impact or target curtain 19 so that a ball 23, FIGURE 3, passing through the opening 22 will strike the impact curtain 19 centrally and drive the impact curtain rearwardly tending to stretch it, as shown in FIG- URE 3.

A second section 24 of ball return trough is located below the impact curtain 19 and on the rear side of transparent barrier 15. The two

trough Sections

14 and 24 lead into a longitudinal ball return gutter 25 at one side of the apparatus, said gutter leading back to the front of the apparatus as shown in FIGURE 1, substantially as described in said prior application.

In the present invention, the lower edge of suspended curtain 19 is connected with a tension element 26, such as a cable or rope, as shown at 27. The other end of this tension element 26 is firmly anchored as at 28 to one side of the apparatus or housing. Suspended bodily within the tension element 26 is a normally open electrical switch 29 adapted to close for completing a circuit when the element 26 is placed under tension due to a golf ball striking the flexible impact curtain 19. When the curtain again relaxes after being struck, the switch 29 reopens automatically. The switch per 'se is a conventional item but its mounting within the tension element 26 with the latter anchored between the impact curtain and a rigid part of the structure constitutes a novel feature of the invention.

The switch 29 has its terminals connected in a simple circuit having a suitable source of current and a cable 30 leads from the switch to a conventional electrical scoring device 31 of any preferred type mounted upon one side of the apparatus enclosure and preferably grounded as depicted generally in FIGURE 1. Whenever the switch 29 closes momentarily due to tensioning of the element 26 when a golf ball strikes the curtain 19, a current impulse passes to the scoring device 31 to indicate visually that a golf ball has successfully passed through the opening 22 and struck the target. The number of such hits may be accumulated visually on the device 31 or other suitable scoring indicia may be employed. After completion of play as determined by particular rules, the unit 31 may be reset manually or automatically and the unit 31 per se may be a conventional commercial item.

In other respects, the apparatus closely resembles the apparatus in the mentioned prior application and it is thought that no further description of the general construction is necessary herein.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be re sorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A golf game apparatus comprising-an elongated base having a target end and a player end, an enclosure for said base including side walls and a roof, a first golf ball barrier formed of transparent sheet material near the target end and having a golf ball target opening formed therethrough generally centrally, a second barrier spaced rearwardly of the first barrier and having scenery imprinted thereon viewable through the transparent sheet material of the first barrier and being aligned with the target opening so that a golf ball passing through the target opening will strike the second barrier tending to move it, a tension element connected with the second barrier, a normally open electrical switch connected in the tension element adapted to be closed to complete a circuit when the second barrier is moved by the golf ball striking it and stretches said tension element, and an electrical scoring device viewable by the player connected with said switch.

2. The invention as defined by claim 1, and wherein the second barrier is a flexible impact barrier suspended at its top from said enclosure and said tension element is a single element connected with the lower edge of the second barrier and with a stationary structural part of said apparatus, said switch connected in said element being bodily supported by the element.

3. The invention as defined by claim 1, and a return trough for golf balls extending from a point near said target end to a point near said player end of the apparatus.

4. A golf game apparatus comprising a body portion including an elongated base and an enclosure including a roof, a forward golf ball barrier curtain of transparent sheet material arranged substantially vertically near one end of the body portion and extending for substantially the full height and width of the body portion and having a golf ball target opening therein, a suspended flexible opaque decorated curtain spaced rearwardly of the transparent curtain and being substantially vertical and being in alignment with the target openin to receive the impact of a golf ball propelled through the target opening, an electrical switch, an electrical scoring device connected with said switch and mounted to be viewable by the player, and an element interconnecting the suspended decorated curtain with said switch and causing actuation of the switch to energize the scoring device when a ball strikes the suspended curtain causing tensioning of said element.

5. The invention as defined by claim 4, and wherein said element is a flexible cable-like element having a direct connection with the switch and a direct connection with the suspended decorated curtain near the lower end thereof.

6. The invention as defined by claim 4, and wherein said switch is connected within said element and the ends of the element are secured to the suspended curtain and a fixed member of the body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,660,339 2/1928 Kaufmann 273l82 1,889,813 12/1932 Smith 273-185 3,310,310 3/1967 McKee 273182 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,020,204 2/1966 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE J. 'MARLO, Assistant Examiner.