US3572696A

US3572696A - Walking golf ball

Info

Publication number: US3572696A
Application number: US745605A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald B Poynter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-07-17
Filing date: 1968-07-17
Publication date: 1971-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-30

Abstract

The walking golf ball comprises a spherical hollow casing containing a motor, and legs activated by the motor to cause the golf ball to advance with a walking motion toward a cup or other target selected by the player. Control of the motor preferably is by means of a small lever or the like projecting from the ball at a location of little prominence, and which may be manipulated more or less casually by the head of a golf club. The mechanism includes means for directing the ball along a generally straight course, with a deliberate side-to-side wobble.

Description

United States Patent Donald B. Poynter 7 Arcadia Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208 [21] Appl. No. 745,605

[22] Filed July 17, 1968 [45] Patented Mar. 30, 1971 [72] Inventor [S4] WALKING GOLF BALL 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 272/27, 273/1, 273/199, 46/150 [51] Int. Cl A63b 43/00 [50] Field of Search 272/1, 1

(B(),8,8(N);273/58,58(1),58 (3),58 (4),58 (6),58(7),58(8),58(9),58(01),199,1, 1 (E); 46/150, 149,243; 180/8, 8 (1 )-8 (9); 280/].181,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 682,928 9/ 1901 Goodier et a1. 180/8(2) Gelb et a1. 273/58(1)X 2,942,379 6/1960 Oman et a1. 273/58(9)UX 2,949,697 8/1960 Ligitis et a1. 46/243(RMO) 3,226,878 l/1966 Glass et al 46/150 FOREIGN PATENTS 583,827 9/1933 Germany 46/149 16,012 1910 Great Britain 46/150 Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerAmold W. Kramer Attorney-J. Warren Kinney, Jr

ABSTRACT: The walking golf ball comprises a spherical hollow casing containing a motor, and legs activated by the motor to cause the golf ball to advance with a walking motion toward a cup or other target selected by the player. Control of the motor preferably is by means of a small lever or the like projecting from the ball at a location of little prominence, and which may be manipulated more or less casually by the head of a golf club. The mechanism includes means for directing the ball along a generally straight course, with a deliberate side-to-side wobble.

Patg t 'd' Mmhjso, 1.971 3,572,696

INVENTOR DONALD B. POYNTER WALKING GOLF BALL The present invention relates to a walking golf ball, which is an amusement device or novelty item.

An object of the invention is to provide an amusement device in the form of a simulated golf ball which may be placed near a cup and caused to walk toward or into the cup, without guidance from the. player.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amusement device of the character stated, which includes a small motor and legs driven thereby for imparting locomotion to the device along a generally straight path modified by a wobble to opposite sides of the path of advancement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amusement device in the form of a walking golf ball, which includes a motor starter that may be actuated casually by the golfer using the head of a golf club, while the device rests upon the green or other surface. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated, which issimple and inexpensive of construction, and therefore salable at a reasonable price.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the walking golf ball as it might be placed near a cup upon the green.

FIG. 2 is a cross section showing the cup, and a walking golf ball about to be placed in motion by slight movement of a golf club head, to approach the .cup.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section through the device.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are elevational views indicating the mode of locomotion characterizing the device.

The walking golf ball comprises a substantially spherical casing closely simulating the appearance of a genuine golf ball, as shown. The casing may comprise two

separable parts

10 and 12 normally meeting along a parting line 14 to form a spherical body. The casing parts may each be substantially hemispherical, and hollow, to provide a chamber when assembled. The chamber is adapted to envelop and conceal a motor 16, which in the example illustrated, is a spring motor to be wound by means of a key 18. A winding shah 20 detachable accommodates the key in conventional manner, and said shaft is accessible through a slot 22 formed in casing part 12, FIGS. 2 and 3.

Slot 22 may be partially closed by an extending tongue v2d on part 10, which tongue may abut the winding shaft to stabilize the motor within the casing. Other tongues or friction members 26 may be fixed to one casing part or section such as 12, to frictionally engage the other part or section 10, for holding the sections in place upon one another. The sections may be joined either permanently or temporarily, in any suitable manner.

The lower section 12 may be provided with a substantially flat circular base 28 upon which the device may rest normally, as in FIG. I. Said base has formed therein a pair of spaced parallel slots 30, 30 (FIG. 2), through which may project in alternation the legs or

impellers

32 and 34 activated by motor 16. The base portion of the device may be weighted by means of a stabilizer 36 which has an aperture 38 formed therein to accommodate motor 16 and

legs

32, 34. The stabilizer may be a weight of heavy metal shaped to conform with the chamber of ball section 12, and will preferably have a flat bottom 40 to rest upon the slotted base of the lower section.

The spring motor 16 includes a terminal shaft 42 rotatable in one direction, the shaft extending through the housing of the motor to expose opposite shaft ends upon which the legs or impellers are fixed. Rotation of the shaft 42 is controlled by a control lever 44 having one end pivoted at 46 upon the motor housing, and an opposite end 48 adapted to intercept a flywheel 50 for stopping the motor. The interceptor end 48 may be moved into and out of contact with flywheel 50, by means of a small actuator or projection 54 of lever 44 which passes through a small aperture 52 formed in the lower section 12 of the ball.

As indicated upon FIG. 2, the motor control projection 54 may be manipulated using the head 56 of a golf club, to start or stop the motor 16. This may be accomplished in a casual manner, as will be understood.

The legs or

impellers

32 and 34 are fixedly mounted upon opposite ends of motor shaft 42, and each may comprise a flat plate of metal or other suitable material, serrated at one end to provide a series of long prongs 58. The prongs of a leg are separated by deep intervening spaces 60, which permit blades of grass to enter as the device travels, thereby improving traction and stability of the device as it advances over a grassy surface such as a golf green.

As best indicated upon FIG. 4, the pronged ends of the legs are diametrically opposed to one another, and will therefore be exposed alternately through the slots of base 28, to propel the walking ball. According to FIGS. 5 and 6, propulsion by a leg 34 will be accompanied by dragging of a remote portion of base 28 upon the green, and this occurs also while leg 32 is extended and moved. As the result of this condition, the ball will be advanced toward a cup 62 or other target along a generally straight line, modified however, by a slight wobble to opposite sides of the line of advancement. The resulting apparent uncertainty of direction enhances the amusement factor, but does not in the final analysis detour the ball from a target at which it may be pointed by the player.

The motor 16 may be one operated by miniature electric batteries or dry cells, if desired. It is contemplated also that control of the operating motor may be efi'ected by means other than projection 54, and the motor control means may be exposed at various locations, such as in the base 28, or on the top of the ball. These and other modifications and changesin structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lclaim:

1. A self-propelled ball, comprising: a spherical casing; a motor confined within said casing, said motor including gear means, a shaft within said casing connected to be rotated by said gear means, said shaft disposed to one side of the center of said casing and rotatably supported at its opposite ends on said casing; a substantially flat circular base on an external surface portion of said casing adjacent said shaft, said base having a perimeter less than the perimeter of said casing; a pair of spaced parallel slots in said base located on opposite sides of a perpendicular plane bisecting the plane of the base; a pair of propelling legs connected to said shaft adjacent opposite ends thereof within said casing for rotation with said shaft, said legs comprising elongate members each connected at one end to said shaft and extending perpendicularly therefrom, said legs extending in opposite directions from said shaft with the free ends thereof adapted to project alternately through said slots externally of said casing to alternately engage a surface upon which said ball is resting to propel said ball along said surface, the ball being supported upon the surface by one of said legs projecting through an associated slot and by a portion of the marginal periphery of said base generally opposite said projecting leg, whereby said ball is caused to advance with a wobbly side-to-side motion.

2. A self-propelled ball as in claim 1, including means for selectively starting and stopping said motor.

3. A self-propelled ball as in claim 2, wherein said means comprises a movable projection including a portion for locking said motor and a projection exposed exteriorly of the casing for actuation by the head of a golf club.

4. A self-propelled ball as in claim 1, including weight means in said casing for maintaining said ball oriented with said base in a down position.

5. A self-propelled ball as in claim I, wherein said free ends of said legs are serrated.

6. A self-propelled ball as in claim 1, wherein said casing is in two substantially hemispherical parts joined together.

Claims

5. A self-propelled ball as in claim 1, wherein said free ends of said legs are serrated.