US3508756A

US3508756A - Variable surface putting device

Info

Publication number: US3508756A
Application number: US699157A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Bedford Jr
Original assignee: Microdot Inc
Current assignee: Microdot Inc
Priority date: 1968-01-19
Filing date: 1968-01-19
Publication date: 1970-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1987-04-28

Description

April 1970 w. A. BEDFORD, JR 3,508,756

VARIABLE SURFACE PUTTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 19. 1968 X M JXAX lQl/WXJK/X United States Patent O US. Cl. 273-176 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A C-shaped golf ball putting cup is supported on a sheet of tensioned cloth which forms a putting surface. The edges of the cloth are vertically adjustable relative to a supporting frame so that flat or undulated cloth putting surfaces may be formed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various devices have been employed heretofore for practicing putting but these are used on fiat areas and were useful to improve skills for straight putts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A knockdown frame is provided embodying U-shaped cross members interconnected by straight portions at the side for maintaining the arms at the ends in vertical position. The upstanding arms are of cylindrical shape having a washer thereon the aperture thereof having a slight clearance therewith. The washers have an aperture for receiving the end of a coil spring the opposite end of which is secured in a grommet provided in the hem of a strip of cloth which is supported between the arms under tension. A pair of arms extend forwardly from the front frame and converge toward each other. The ends are bolted to the cloth and provide an outward force to maintain the cloth in tension therebetween. The cloth may extend forwardly of the arms to rest on the floor to provide an area from which the ball will be putted.

The cloth will slope upwardly from the portion resting on the floor and extend rearwardly at the height at which the springs support the cloth between the arms. When all of the washers are at the same height on the arms, a flat surface will be provided between the arms. By adjusting the washers to different heights, different shapes can be given to the cloth requiring the ball to travel over a curved path to reach the cup. The cup is C shaped having an open face which may be set at different angles, depending upon the point from which the final approach of the ball will take to reach the cup. The open face of the cup has a swinging wire thereacross to permit the ball to pass thereby when moving into the cup and for retaining the ball therein after its entrance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an undulatable putting green embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 44 thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3, taken on the line 5-5 thereof;

FIG. 6 is a broken plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, as viewed from the point 6 thereof;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 6 showing the ball entering the cup; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of the cup illustrated in FIG. 7.

'ice

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The putting device of the present invention comprises: a knockdown frame 11 having like U-shaped

sections

12 and 13 and a separable frame section 14 at the end. The

sections

12 and 13 are of tubular construction having web portions 15 which are bent upwardly to form arms 16 at each side. Tube sections 17 are welded to the sections 12 beneath the arms 16 which receive reduced extending ends 18 of spacing tubes 19 to retain the sections 12 and 13 a predetermined distance apart.

The end section 14 has upright arms 21 welded to a tube section 22 having right angle portions 23 and 24. A tubular section 25 has its reduced ends 18 extended into the portion 24 to space the arms 21 a predetermined distance apart such as to be aligned with the arms 16 of the

sections

12 and 13. A tubular section 19 has reduced end portions 18 inserted into the portions 23 and 17 to space the arms 21 a predetermined distance from the section 12. It is to be understood that other sections besides

sections

12 and 13 may be employed to lengthen the frame to increase the length of the putting area.

The forwardly extending portions 27 of the tube sections 17 of the front section 13 are bent inwardly to converge toward each other. Tubular sections 28 have reduced ends 18 which project within the tubular sections 27 with the forward ends provided with a slot 29 through which a bolt 31 in a grommet in the putting green cloth 32 extends to provide an outward force to stress the cloth therebetween.

The cloth, as illustrated in FIG. 5, has an edge hem 33 containing grommets 34 which are disposed opposite to the

frame sections

12 and 13, the ends of the tubular sections 28 and at the corners adjacent to the arms 21. Washers 35 are placed on the arms 16 and 21 having an extension 36 at one side containing an aperture 37. One end of coil springs 38 is hooked into an aperture 37 the opposite end being hooked into a grommet 34 to provide a tension between the edges of the cloth and with the ends of the tubular section 28. This provides an upward slope to the cloth between the bolts 31 and the arms 1 and a fiat surface between the arms 16 and 21 when all of the washers 35 are in the same plane. The forward portion 41 of the cloth provides an area on which the ball may be placed and the putter stand when direct ing a ball toward a cup 42.

The cup 42 may be placed anywhere upon the cloth 32 in the area between the front section 13 and the rear section 14. The cup, as illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, has a metal body portion 43 which is semicircular in shape having a ridge 44 to provide strength and extending ends 45 to form stops for a gate 46. The gate 46 is made of a piece of wire bent in U-shape, having extending ends 47 which pivots in apertures at the top forward ends of the body 43. The front portion is extended downwardly at 48 to provide feet and legs 49 are lanced out of the body to have the end disposed in the plane of the feet 48 providing four points of support for the cup on the putting cloth 32. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the cup may be located on the rear center of the putting cloth or may be disposed, as illustrated in dot and dash line, outwardly thereof and faced in the direction from which the ball is to approach the cup. The ball passes the gate 46 and is trapped within the cup when the gate drops down to its initial position. When the ball is trapped in the cup in this manner, there can be no argument but what the putt was made.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the washer 35 on the arm 16 of the frame 13 on the remote side of the device has been lowered while the washer 35 on the arm 16 of the frame 13 on the forward side has been raised sloping the cloth downwardly from the forward side. The washers 35 on the arms 16 and 21 of the

frame sections

12 and 14 have been raised thereby sloping the cloth toward the forward side. The putter must therefore consider the path which is uphill between the nuts 32 and section 13 and which slopes toward the rearward side of the frame and the section of the cloth between the

sections

12 and 14 which slopes to the forward side of the frame to figure the path which the ball must take to enter the cup 42. When considering such a path the cup could be in the position shown in dot and dash line of FIG. 3. By raising and lowering the Washers 35, an undulation may be provided to the cloth surface which would require greater and greater skill for the putter. By being able to place the cup in any position on the cloth further interest and difiiculty to make the putt is thereby provided.

What is claimed is:

1. In a putting device, a frame, a cloth supported at different points by the frame, means for adjusting the height of the supporting points of the cloth on the frame to provide an undulated surface to the cloth, and a putting cup supported by said cloth.

2. In a putting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame has upstanding arms, washers on said arms,

and springs connecting the washers to the edges of said cloth.

3. In a putting device as recited in claim 2, wherein a pair of forwardly extending arms is provided on the frame, and means for securing the forward end of said last mentioned arms to the cloth to stretch the cloth therebetween.

4. In a putting device as recited in claim 3, wherein the cloth extends forwardly of the forwardly extending arms to form an area from which the putting is to occur.

5. In a putting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said cup is of C-shape and is movable to any desired spot on the cloth with the open face directed toward the area from which the ball is to enter the cup.

6. In a putting device as recited in claim 5, wherein a swingable gate is provided on the open face of the cup for trapping the ball in the cup when a successful putt is made.

7. In a putting device as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame is made in sections which are removably secured together providing spaced upright arms at the sides, washers adjustable up and down on the arms, and springs interconnecting the washers with the edges of said cloth to provide a tension thereto which permits a change from a fiat to an undulated surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 898,530 9/1908 Treadwell. 1,612,291 12/1926 Jackson. 3,139,283 6/1964 Lester. 3,420,528 1/1969 Day.

GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273-l77