WO2004106836A1

WO2004106836A1 - Golf ball shooter

Info

Publication number: WO2004106836A1
Application number: PCT/US2003/014430
Authority: WO
Inventors: Williams J. Adams; Brian R. Gagliana
Original assignee: Adams Williams J; Gagliana Brian R
Priority date: 2003-05-07
Filing date: 2003-05-07
Publication date: 2004-12-09

Abstract

A golf ball shooter for projecting golf balls, which has provisions for varying the distance the balls are projected, which may include a spring actuated sled (50) having a striker (57) to a hit a golf ball in a ball holder tube (60), with the initial sled position varied to determine the distance the ball is to be projected, the positioning mechanism (15') being battery operated.

Description

GOLF BALL SHOOTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a golf ball shooter of the type which may be spring actuated, has an adjustable range of distance, with an electric motor retracting mechanism, to retract a sled that is engaged by a trigger and when released is propelled to strike a golf ball in a tube, and propel it out the tube onto a golf course. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

For a person who has a bad back or bad knees or hips or another physical handicap, and who is a golf enthusiast, there aren't any suitable devices available that will propel a golf ball down a golf course and onto the green. Such persons who desire to be players are therefore not able to participate. There is a demand for a device for those who are injured and handicapped, and wish to chip or putt a golf ball. In other words a device that would enable them to go around a golf course, and play a limited game at each hole, and to have the ability to propel a golf ball between holes.

There are various devices shown and described in the prior art which may be relevant to address the needs of those who wish to play a limited game of golf. Typical devices are those shown in the U.S. patents to Grace et al. no. 3,917,280; Bozich, no.

4,335,701; Prokupek, no. 3,850,157; Mosser no. 4,852,543; Ivy, no. 5,447,144; and Wooten et al. no. 6,112,733.

None of the available prior art devices however are suitable for the described use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been found that a golf ball shooter is available, which permits the user to accurately propel golf balls for varying distances down a golf course, and which is usable by persons with various injuries or physical handicaps. The principal object of the invention is to provide a golf ball shooter which can be used by virtually anyone.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf ball shooter which has an adjustable distance range.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf ball shooter that has multiple safety features.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf ball shooter which is easy to use, and maintain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf ball shooter which is easy to load. A further object of the invention is to provide a golf ball shooter which is simple to construct, and durable in use.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof in which; FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the golf ball shooter of the invention mounted to a tripod;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the golf ball shooter of the invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the internal mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the internal mechanism of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a frontal view of a portion of the internal trigger mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the trigger mechanism of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the trigger mechanism of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the trigger mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the trigger and range adjustment portion of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectioned side elevational view of a portion of the trigger mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the golf ball holding portion of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view in partial phantom of the golf ball holding portion of FIG. 4; FIG. 13 is a front view of the golf ball holding portion of the invention; FIG. 14 is a top elevational view of the golf ball holding portion of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view of the movement of a golf ball as it exits ⁵ the golf ball shooter of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15 but in greater detail and of a smaller scale, and;

FIG. 17 is a top view of the golf ball shooter showing it in various operating positions. ' 0 It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are merely illustrative and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structures disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT ^ When referring to the preferred embodiment, certain terminology will be utilized for the sake of clarity. Use of such terminology is intended to encompass not only the described embodiment, but also technical equivalents which operate and function in substantially the same way to bring about the same result.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 - 16 of the drawings, one embodiment of the golf ball shooter 10 of the invention is therein illustrated.

The shooter 10 includes an outer molded plastic housing of two piece construction with a bottom half 11 and a top half 12. The top and bottom halves 11 and 12 enclose the internal operating mechanism 14 of the shooter 10. The internal mechanism 14 has a rear back plate 15 to which a battery operated motor/gear box assembly 15¹ is attached in well known manner, such as by welding. The motor/gear box assembly 15¹ is provided with a pistol-grip handle 16, which has a rechargeable battery 17 detachably engaged therewith, a forward/reverse switch 13, and a trigger 18 to actuate the motor. The handle 16 has a housing 20 extending therefrom, which contains an electric motor (not shown) and a reduction geartrain (not shown), connected to an output shaft 21. The output shaft 21 has a worm gear 22 thereon, which shaft is journaled in a plate 23, which is secured to and spaced from backplate 15 by plate 24, with a pair of lower plates 25 extending from plate 15, with a shaft 26 extending therethrough carrying a worm gear 28, which is engaged with gear 22, and has a sled positioning cable 29 engaged therewith. The cable 29 extends forward and is engaged with a pulley 30 carried on a shaft 31, which is journaled in a pair of L shaped plates 32, which are fastened to a front plate 33. The front plate 33 and back plate 15 have four support rods 34 engaged therewith, and are preferably constructed of metal. The cable 29 is engaged with a trigger block 35, whic includes linear bearings 36 carried on two shafts 37, which extend between and are engaged with backplate 15 and front plate 33. The block 35 has a trigger handle 40 pivotedly carried on a pin 41, which is engaged with block 35. The trigger handle 40 has a trigger latch 42 extending therefrom, and a torsion spring 43, which urges the handle 40 forwardly against a spring stop 44. The shafts 37 have a sled 50 carried thereon by linear bearings 51, which sled is selectively engaged by the trigger latch 42. The sled 50 has two extension springs 52 engaged therewith urging it towards the front plate 33, which springs 52 are each engaged with a pulley 53 in a slot 54 in plate 32 and carried on a shaft 55 in plate 33. The springs 52 extend back and are attached to eyes 56 extending through backplate 15.

The springs 52 can be replaced by a suitable elastomeric material (not shown) if desired. The sled 50 has a striker pin 57 extending forwardly and into a golf ball holder tube 60, carried on front plate 33, with a shock absorber housing 61 carried in plate 33, with a shock absorber shaft 62, a spring 63 and a nut 64 to retain the shaft 62 in the housing 61.

The ball holder tube 60 is open at each end, with four slots 65 in the front end 66, and ball clips 67 in the slots 65 to grip a golf ball 70 for use. The holder tube 60 may also be provided with a protrusion 71, to offer resistance to the ball 70 leaving the tube 60, and to impart a spin to the ball 70.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 9 and 10 the top half 12 of the housing has a longitudinal slot 75 with indicia 76 therealong, which are intended to provide a range estimation for the user. An indicator flag 77 is provided, which has a pointer 78 and is carried on block

35, which flag moves in slot 75 to indicate the sled 50 position, and the expected range of a golf ball 70 propelled by the shooter 10. The trigger block 35 also has an electronics box 80 thereon, with an angle sensor (not shown) of well known type and connected to a solenoid 81 on the trigger block 35. The solenoid has a shaft 82 to block movement of trigger handle 40 unless the end of the shooter 10 is at a 45° or greater vertical angle.

Referring now to FIG. 1 a golf ball shooter 10 as described for FIGS. 2-16 is shown, which is mounted to a tripod 85 of well known type. The tripod 85 enables the user to fire the shooter 10 from any flat surface such as a stool, or table or the ground as described above.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out. To use the golf ball shooter 10 the trigger 18 is squeezed to cause the motor gear box assembly 15 to turn shaft 21 and the worm gears 22 and 28 to turn to move the cable 29, which moves the trigger block 35 forwardly until the trigger latch 42 is engaged with sled 50. The switch 13 is actuated to reverse position, and trigger 18 squeezed to cause the cable 29 to move the trigger block 35 and sled 50 rearwardly stretching springs 52 until flag 77 is opposite the indicia 76 for the desired range. A golf ball 70 is inserted into ball holder tube 60 and the shooter pointed upwardly at at least a 45° angle, and trigger handle 40 pulled back to release the sled 50, which moves forwardly on shafts 37 until the striker pin 57 enters the ball holder tube 60 and impinges on the ball 70 driving it out tube 60 and down the golf course. The user may then chip or putt the ball as required. The operation continues as described. It will thus be seen that a golf ball shooter has been described with which the objects of the invention are achieved.

Claims

WE CLAIM

1. A golf ball shooter for projecting a golf ball into the air comprising: ball holder tube means for retaining a golf ball for projection; sled means having a striker to hit said ball and propel it out said tube; said sled means having at least two springs means engaged therewith to cause said sled means to urge said striker forward to hit said ball; trigger means to engage said sled means and restrain said sled means from movement until release; and positioning means to position said trigger means and said sled means for varying the distance said ball is to be propelled.

2. A golf ball shooter as defined in Claim 1 in which; said baU holder tube means includes a hollow tube open at each end, with spaced slots having ball clips therein to grip and retain a ball to be propelled.

3. A golf ball shooter as defined in Claim 1 in which; said sled means being slidably carried on at least two shafts, said trigger means having a trigger block with a trigger latch to selectively engage said sled.

4. A golf ball shooter as defined in Claim 1 in which; said positioning means includes a cable engaged with said trigger block, said cable is engaged with a pulley carried on a shaft, a first worm gear is engaged with said shaft, a second worm gear is engaged with said first worm gear, said second worm gear is carried on an output shaft which is driven by a motor.

5. A golf ball shooter as defined in Claim 4 in which; said shooter has an outer housing enclosing said sled means and said trigger 5 means, said outer housing has a top half and a bottom half, said top half has a slot extending partially longitudinally therealong, said top half has indicia adjacent said slot, for determining the range of said shooter, ' 0 a flag is engaged with said trigger block and is in said slot for positioning therealong opposite the indicia.

6. A golf ball shooter as defined in Claim 1 in which; said trigger block has angle sensor means therein to respond to the vertical angle of said shooter ball holder tube, 5 said angle sensor means includes a shaft to block movement of said trigger unless said shooter is at at least a 45° angle.

7. A golf ball shooter as defined in Claim 1 in which; a tripod is provided onto which said shooter is mounted.

8. A golf ball shooter as defined in claim 1 in which; 0 said tube has a protrusion to engage said ball to cause it to spin upon discharge from said tube.

9. A golf ball shooter as defined in claim 1 in which; said spring means is- of elastomeric material.