US2793037A - Indoor golf equipment - Google Patents

Description

May 21, 1957 W INDOOR GOLF EQUIPMENT Filed May 17, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY y ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. A. SMITH INDOOR GOLF EQUIPMENT 3. m4 F E w a L 6 x2; 2: 2 x 4 3 D 2 4 2/ a J6 7 4 wm m mm m a a 5 2 M 9 4 5 5 f w \kr U i. 1. if z a May 21; 1957 Filed May 1'7, 1954 f 7 ATTORNEY United States Patent o INDOOR GOLF EQUIPMENT Luther A. Smith, Burlington, N. C.

Application May 17, 1954, Serial No. 430,070 11 Claims. (Cl. 273-8.).2

This invention relates to indoor golf equipment and more particularly to a device for impelling or driving a 2,793,037 Patented May 21, 1957 "ice.

These and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent in the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a device embodying the principles of the invention and illustrates its external appearance;

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged, partly sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the actuating mechanisarias sembled for a right-handed player, as seen with the front ball so that a game similar to golf may be played. The

invention constitutes an improvement upon the invention disclosed and claimed in my prior Patent No. 2,399,711, issued May 7, 1946, for a Ball Impelling Device.

This prior patent discloses a ball impellin-g device comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in a substantially upright position, the housing supporting a club or driving member and means for actuating the driving member. In the operation of the prior patented device, the club is caused to revolve about a fixed pivot under the camming action of an arcuate slot in an upper portion of the club and a pin in said slot, which may be manually reciprocated along the housing. The position of the pivot maybe adjusted to cause the club to strike the ball either at or below its horizontal median plane, but when actuated, the club rotates about a fixed pivot.

-In distinction to the prior device, the present invention includes actuating means which causes the club to rotate on a pivot which is also subjected to a translational motion. The actuating means for effecting this compound motion is, of course, substantially different from that set forth in the prior patent. The actuating means of the present invention is reversible so that the apparatus may be assembled for use by either a righthanded or a left-handed person. The present invention also includes means for selecting the initial level of the club pivot which incorporates a unique arrangement for ensuring intimate, smooth and positive functioning of the elements of the actuating mechanism. Moreover, the device of the present invention includes a gauge whereby the initial position of the ball with respect to the club may be accurately selected, and in addition includes means for adjusting the angular relationship between the club and the actuating means. It will become apparent hereinafter that the present invention allows greater control of the trajectory of the ball, responds more readily to the skill of the player and inspires more interest in the game.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved object impelling device which may be employed to simulate the game of golf.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a ball impelling device wherein the ball driving member executes a. compound rotational-translational movement.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved actuating mechanism for moving an object impelling device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for driving spherical objects wherein the path and initial position of the driving member and wherein the ini-j tial position of the spherical object may be accurately determined.

-Still another object of the invention is to provide an actuating mechanism for a ball driving device, which mechanism may beassembled reversibly to allow use of the device by either left-handed or right-handedpersons.

half of the housing removed;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, partly sectional view of the preferred actuating mechanism assembled for a left-'. handed player, as seen from the side with half of the housing broken away;

Figure 5 is a detail of the actuating mechanism taken along line 5-5 in Figure 4 and illustrating the scale. or gauge for positioning the ball;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of improved means for supporting the actuating mechanism;

Figure 7 is a detail of a modified actuating mechanism including means whereby the angular position of the driving member may be adjusted; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the mo di-. fied actuating mechanism of Figure 7 as seen from the front. 1

Referring to the drawings, the improved ba'll impelling device comprises a tubular housing or stand generally esignated by reference numeral 10 and formed in two identical sections 12, 14 as shown in Figure 2. These sections may be joined adhesively as well as by a pair of rivets 20 and may be fixed adhesively within a shoulder 28 (see Figs. 3 and 4) of a base generally designated by reference numeral 24 and including portions 26, 27 (see Figs. 2 and 5). The exact configurations of the housing and the base are not critical, and these members serve primarily to support and enclose the active elements of the invention. The housing is preferably symmetrical, however.

A 'ball driving member or club 80 includes a shaft portion 82, a hub portion 84 and a head portion 88..

In Figure 1 the head 88 is illustrated in juxtaposition with a ball 90, which constitutes the object to be driven or impelled. The hub 84 is supported on a stub shazft $4 which passes through an elongated slot 16 in the housing and which may be formed integrally with a pinion gear 52 as seen in Figures 3 and 4. The hub is splined to the shaft 54, as by the square key 58 illustratedin Figure 3, so that the driving member 80 rotates as/a unit with the pinion 52. A bolt 56, which may 'be threaded into the pinion, maintains the driving member on the shaft 54.

In the preferred form of the invention (Fig. 3) the pinion 52 is supported within a yoke 41 having identical halves 40 which may be joined adhesively and by rivets 48.v Each half of the yoke is provided with a bore through which the shaft 54 may be passed (see Figure 5). The yoke is provided with upper and lower sleeve portions 42, 44, which receive the ends of shafts 36, 46,

. respectively. The shafts may be secured within the sleeves iiig portion 66. The extremity of the latter as by rivets 50. The upper shaft 36 passes through a bore.22 in theupper, tapered portion of the housing and the exterior end of the shaft is providedwith a'knoib formed as a sleeve to receive therewithin one end of a resilient member such as spring 72. The other end of the spring is supported by the base 24, and is positioned by a protuberance 32 which may be formed integrally with the base. It can thus be appreciated that the rack is supported resiliently within the housing 10 and is urged toan uppermost position. The end of lower shaft 46 and the resiliently mounted lateral extension 62 of the rackprovide complementary bumper surfaces so that the pinion is' limited in its descent along the rack. Rivets 20, which engage yoke 41 in its uppermost position limit the ascent of the pinion.

A pedal member 74 which extends exteriorly of the housing through a slot 76 formed therein is formed with a pair of arm members 70, which are suitably bored to receive the ends of a pin 68 which also passes through the depending portion 66 of the rack. A wedge 30, formed integrally with the base, serves as a stop for the pedal and also strengthens the base. It will be appreciated that depression of the pedal will cause the rack to move downward against the bias of resilient member 72 to a lower position. In this manner the level of the point at which the head of the club strikes the ball may be adjusted.

Referring to Figure 6, it can be seen that the bore formed in the depending portion 66 to receive pin 68 forms an angle other than 90 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the depending portion 66 and the longitudinal axis of the housing 10. In the case illustrated the divergence is 3. Because of this divergence, the pressure of spring 72, which may be as much as 10 to 15 pounds, urges rack 60 against the pinion 52 and presses yoke 41 against the inside of housing It). (Lateral portion 62 of the rack may be cut away as shown at 64 to allow the rack to move freely.) This ensures intimate contact of the moving portions of the actuating mechanism and results in smooth operation of the apparatus as a whole. Moreover, because of the resultant friction between the yoke and the housing, the club may be positively maintained in any desire position along the path of its stroke. Yet the friction is not sufiicient to impede the operation of the apparatus.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of the actuating mechanism. In this embodiment an auxiliary rack 39 is substituted for the pinion yoke 41 of Figures 3 and and a rack 61 of modified cross-section (as seen in Fig. 7) is substituted for rack 60. Racks 39 and 61 may be substantially identical, and each has extensions, such as the extensions 62, 66 of rack 60, to receive and secure the end of shaft 36 and the spring 72, respectively, as in Figure 3. The lower rack mounting may include the tilted pin 68, in which event rack 61 will be .urged against pinion 52, pinion 52 will be urged against rack 39, and rack 39 will be urged against the housing 10. A plurality of longitudinal ridges 63 may be formed on the inner surfaces of housing 10 to co operate with corresponding grooves formed in the racks to guide and position the racks. Pinion 52 is suspended between. the racks 39, 61 and may be termed floating.

While the pedal 74 may be depressed to adjust the height of the head of club 80 with respect to the ball 90, the lateral position of the ball with respect to the pivot of the club may be gauged by the markings 34'on the base, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 7. Moreover, the angular position of the driving member 80 with respect to shaft 54 and pinion v52 may be adjusted if the driving member is splined to the shaft by cooperating serrated surfaces as indicated at 5.7 in Fig. 7. This arrangement can of course be employed with either embodiment of the actuating mechanism.

To simplify the construction and manufacture of the device of thepresent invention all of the principal parts of. the invention. are formed from plastic, materials (but, of course, other materials such as sheet metal may be employed). This includes the housing, the base, the driving member, the bah and the actuating mechanism.

The halves 12 and 14 of housing 10 and the halves 40 of the yoke 41, respectively, may be pressed together by first softening juxtaposed surfaces with a suitable plastic solvent, and the housing may be secured within the shoulder 28 of the base in a similar manner. The restrictive effect on the actuating mechanism of any burrs which may form when the halves of the housing are joined may be eliminated if the yoke is shaped to provide a groove as at 43 in Fig. 5 and the racks of Fig. 7 are grooved as at 65. The ball 90 may be formed with in dentations similar to those of the conventional golf ball and may be suitably decorated for identification purposes. The impelling device and ball may have any convenient dimensions for example, 32 to 36 inches overall height for the impelling device, and one inch diameter for the ball.

In the operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention, housing 10 may be mounted in an upright position and a foot of the player may be placed on the extension 27 of the base to stabilize the apparatus. Shaft 36 may be manually adjusted until the club is in the position shown in Figure l. The ball may be placed opposite one of the markings of the gauge on the base so that the club will strike the ball at the bottom of its stroke or as it is rising from the bottom. The height of the head with respect to the ball may be ad justed by depressing the foot pedal 74. In this manner the spin and elevational component of the trajectory of the ball are determined.

When shaft 36 is drawn upward, the club will swing upward and away from the ball as pinion 52 rotates and moves upward along the rack. When shaft 36 is pushed downward by the player, the club will swing in a downward arc, about a constantly descending center, strike the ball, and continue in an upward are or follow-through which is limited by the engagement of lower shaft 4'6 with lateral extension 62 of rack 60. The ball will, of course, follow a path determined by the adjustments described above and by the force with Whichthe shaft 36 is driven downward.

The operation of the modification illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 will be substantially the same as that described above. When shaft 36 is driven downward, the resultant downward motion of rack 39 will cause the floating pinion 52 to revolve and move downward along rack 61. It will be noted that here, as in the operation of the preferred embodiment, head 88 of the club will describe an are about a center of rotation which is changing. In other words, the club 80 executes a compound rotationaltranslational motion.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the apparatus has been assembled for a right-handed person. In Figure l a downward thrust of the knob 38 will cause the club- 80 to rotate counterclockwise. In Figures 4, 5 and 7 the actuating mechanism has been reversed so that a downward thrust on the knob 38 will cause the club 80- to revolve in the opposite sense. Reversal of the actuating mechanism is facilitated by the symmetry of the housing 10, the yoke in Figure 5 and of the racks in Figure 6. It will be noted that the yoke and the racks conform to the shape of the housing. Thus the yoke may be assembled to encompass the rack 60 on the right as shown in Figure 5, or the yoke and rack may be reversed so that the rack appears on the left. In Figures 7 and 8 the parts may be reversed so that the lower rack appears on the left and the upper rack on the right. Each of these reversals will cause the club to change its sense of rotation. The head 38 of the club may be formed with a pair of rectangular bores to receive the rectangular end of shaft 82 so that the direction of the head on the shaft may be reversed to correspond with. the placement of the actuating mechanism or separate left and right-hand heads may be manufactured. In this manner the apparatusmay be assembled for either righthanded or left-handed players, resulting in manufacturing economy.

The embodiments shown and described are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, and should not be construed as limiting. Modifications may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for impelling objects, a stand adapted to be mounted in a substantially upright position, an object impeller element, an actuating shaft reciprocatively mounted on said stand, one end of said impeller element being operatively connected to said shaft, and drive means for causing said impeller element to rotate and to reciprocate with respect to said stand simultaneously in response to a single reciprocative actuation of said shaft.

2. In a device for projecting objects, a tubular housing, means for mounting said housing in an upright position, an elongated rack, means for mounting said rack longitudinally within said housing, a pinion engaging said rack, an object driving member, means connecting said driving member to said pinion for motion therewith, and actuator means separate from said rack for causing said pinion to move along said rack relative to said housing, thereby to swing said driving member about said moving pinion as a center so that it has a compound rotary and translatory motion relative to said housing.

3. The device of claim 2, said last recited means comprising a reciprocative yoke supporting said pinion.

4. The device of claim 3, said means for mounting said rack including means for urging said rack toward said pinion and said yoke against said housing, whereby said rack and pinion are maintained in positive engagement and said driving member may be maintained in a predetermined position.

5. The device of claim 2, said last recited means comprising a second rack engaging said pinion.

6. The device of claim 5, said racks extending from opposite extremities of said housing and engaging said pinion at opposite sides thereof, said pinion being suspended between said racks.

7. The device of claim 2, means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said rack within said housing.

8. The device of claim 2, means for limiting the reciprocation of said pinion.

9. The device of claim 2, said rack being adapted for mounting in said housing on either side of said pinion whereby said pinion may be rotated in either direction for a given direction of motion along said rack depending on which side of the pinion the rack is mounted.

10. The device of claim 2, further including means for adjusting the angular position of said driving member with respect to said pinion.

11. In a device for impelling a ball, a. stand adapted to be mounted in a substantially upright position, a ball driving club having a head end and a pivot end, a motive element supported on said stand for simultaneous rotatory and reciprocatory motion with respect thereto, said pivot end being connected to said motive element for unitary motion therewith, and a single actuator means operatively connected to said motive element for imparting said simultaneous motion to said element in response to a single actuation of said actuator means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 739,506 Purdum Sept. 22, 1903 945,484 Anderson Jan. 4, 1910 1,561,178 McGrann Nov. 10, 1925 1,657,388 Gorman Jan. 24, 1928 1,739,468 Klutho Dec. 10, 1929 2,399,711 Smith May 7, 1946 2,548,837 Wright Apr. 10, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 362,066 Great Britain a- Dec. 3, 1931

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