US1924473A - Golf tee - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 29, 1933- V w. c. WALSH GOLF TEE Filed Sept. 16, 1930 INVENTOR WILLIAL Q E! -WAL 51 1 Patented Aug. 29, 1933 GOLF TEE William C. Walsh, Omaha, Nebr.

Application September 16, 1930 Serial No. 482,236

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-33) My present invention relates to the art of golfing equipment, and more specifically to a golf tee.

v In the past it has been customary to use damp 5 sand upon which to peak a ball so that in driving it would be possible to strike well down on the golf ball so as to give it loft even with a comparatively straight-sided club, such as a driver. This method was-found inconvenient and various devices have been produced to eliminate the same. Among these the most common is a little pin having an enlarged head, which is counter sunk to provide a seat for the ball. These are made of wood, paper or metal. These devices are rather expensive when it is considered that they are rarely recovered after being hit with a driver, in addition to which they are quite often broken with the stroke. This condition led to the production of tee devices, most common among which is a rubber strip which terminates in a raised cuplike portion and which because of its size cannot be easily lost. This has the disadvantage of presenting considerable mass, which seriously interferes with thesmooth follow-through which most golfers endeavor to effect.

In my'present invention I have produced a de- A further object is to provide a golf tee which is so constructed that the member which actually supports the golf ball has very little mass and will not interfere in anyway with the completion of the golf stroke.

A further object is to provide a golf tee which is so constructed that it is practically indestructible.

A final object is to provide a golf tee which admits of very economical manufacture so that its retail selling price may be kept quite low.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in conthe same with a golf ball held in the most favorable position for driving the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view to better nection-with the accompanying drawing, whereshow'the method of attaching the bearing washer and support.

Referring to the drawing throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, numeral 10 designates the pin portion of my device. This I normally prefer to form with a chisel like point 12. This prevents the pin turning and in this way there is little tendency to loosen the pin in its contact with the ground. This feature I have found of considerable value as a number of similar devices have been observed in use wherein the pin 10 was formed as a continuation of the ball holding member and was thus caused to revolve each time the ball was struck. This proved to be very unsatisfactory, particularly at driving 7 courses where it is desired to drive a large number of balls from a single point.

Secured to pin 10 is a bearing washer 14. I believe it will be apparent that this washer might be formed as part of pin 10, but I have found it may be more economically produced by using a separate washer 14, and securing it at a point as illustrated in Figure 3, by any of the various means known in this line of work. I have illustrated a shoulder 16 formed in the pin 10. 0 A cut washer 14 is then pressed upon pin 10 and comes to rest against this shoulder. Beneath washer 14 I force up the metal in two or more places to form the bosses 18. These I have found will retain the washer 14 rigidly in place.

As a convenience in manufacture I form the upper end of pin 10 with a body portion 20 and a head 22. The body portion 20 forms a bearing or journal for the end of the ball support member 23. To save manufacturing costs I have provided that the end of member 23 be wound heli- .cally about journal 20, as will be most clearly the form of a screw which would be tapped into the upper end of pin 10. This would be a very satisfactory construction, but would be more expensive and would have the disadvantage of possibly working loose through use.

The opposite end of member 23 is formed as a loop which can be best observed in Figure 1.

This provides a circular support into which the ball can be securely seated.' I have found it most satisfactory to face the bend as illustrated in Figure 1. In this way there is no danger of the 0 golf club tending to distort the loop 24 by catching the extreme end.

Method of use In using my device, the pin 10 may be put in place when driving off the tee at any desired spot within the limits provided. When used on fair-, ways, however, as is quite common in certain golf courses, during those periods when the course is soft from rain or frost, the loop 24 is placed over the center of-the ball and the pin 10 is then located. This provides that the position of the ball itself will not be materially afl'ected. Assuming the tee in place with the ball B located on loop 24, the person driving should take a position,

so that the ball will be supported on a line between his feet and the pin 10. In this way when club C strikes the ball, the ball in raising out of loop 24 will carry member 23 around to the position indicated in Figure 1 by the dotted line posi-- tion, or often much beyond this. In this way member 23 is not actually struckv by the club at' ail, is thus not subject to damage and in no way ber 23 atthe point 28 so as to provide the most desired height for the ball. Some players prefer to have the ball but slightly raised from the ground, while others, given to raising up slightly during their drive, may wish to have the ball held at considerable height. By providing a point as indicated the user will naturally make the adjustment at this point and will thusnot interfere with the workings of the device.

} The foregoing description and the'accompanying drawing are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of. my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claim:

What I claim is: In a golf tee, the combination with a pin having an enlarged head, a washer on the pin spacedbelow the head, an annular shoulder rigid with the pin and-located above the washer, and a rezontallydisposed arm of resilient wire integral with the coil and extending in a plane above the coil, and a ball-supporting loop at the free end of the arm.

' WILLIAM C. WALSH.

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