US2824450A - Golf practice apparatus - Google Patents

Description

D. PARA GOLF PRACTICE APPARATU S Feb. 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nqv. 1955 Fig./

Dante Para v INVENTOR.

Feb. 25, 1958 D. PARA 2,824,450

GOLF PRACTICE APPARATUS Filfld NOV. 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4 I

Dante Para INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofiice 2,824,450 Patented Feb. 25, 1958 My invention relates to improvements in golf practice apparatus of the type in which a rotatable spinner to be struck by a golf club is operatively connected to a rotary indicator for indicating theoretical distances a golf ball would have traveled under the force of the strike against the spinner, the spinner being manually settable into starting position.

The primary object of my invention is to provide in such apparatus for resetting of the indicator to zero starting position independently of resetting of the spinner so that the indicator may be accurately reset notwithstanding inaccurate resetting of the spinner.

Another object is to provide in such apparatus for the player standing at a level when striking the spinner corresponding to that at which he, or she, would strike a golf ball on a golf couse.

Still another object is to provide apparatus for the above purposes which is simple in construction, durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my invention in a preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view partly in horizontal section and partly in plan;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view in vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary enlarged view in vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 77 of Figure 2; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the spinner designated generally by the numeral 1 comprises a horizontal shaft 3 journaled at its ends in anti-friction bearings 4, 5 in front and rear upstanding end flanges 7, 9 on a base panel 11, and a spinner head member 13 on the shaft 3 adjacent the frontflange 4. The spinner head member 13 comprises a pair of resilient balls 15 for striking by a golf club and which are fixed by nuts 17 and washers 19 on reduced outer ends 21 of a pair of arms 23 extending from diametrically opposite sides of a bushing 25 fixed by a set screw 27 on said shaft 3.

A hood 29 straddles the rear flange 9 and the sides of the base panel with a front wall 31 vertically slotted as at 33, and straddling the shaft 3 and forms with the flange 5 and base panel 11 a closed housing in the rear of the spinner head member 13 for drive means, presently described, operatively connecting the shaft 3 to an indicator drum 35.

The indicator drum 35 is freely rotatable in the upper front portion of the hood 29 on a drum carrying cross shaft 37 in said hood having reduced ends 39 journaled 'in bearings 41 on the sides 42 of said hood. The indicator drum 35 projects forwardly through a sight opening 43 in an upwardly and rearwardly slanting front portion 45- of the hood 29.

As is conventional the indicator drum 35 is graduated and numbered from zero, as at 47, 49 to display through the sight opening 43 members representing theoretical distances a golf ball would have traveled when struck blows of different force.

The before-mentioned drive means comprises a worm 51 fast on the shaft 3 meshing with a subjacent worm wheel 53 fast on a cross shaft 55 journaled in bearings 57 on the base panel 11. A gear wheel 59 fast on the cross shaft 55, and smaller in diameter than the worm wheel 53, meshes with a relatively larger diameter gear Wheel 61 fast on another cross shaft 62 journaled in bearings 63 on the base panel 11. The gear wheel 61 meshes with another gear Wheel 65, smaller in diameter than the first gear wheel 55, and which is fast on the drum carrying shaft 37 and provided with a clutch disk 66 having side ratchet teeth 67 engaging ratchet teeth 69 on one side of the drum 35. A helical tension spring 71 on the shaft 37 bearing against the other side of the drum 35 and against a collar 73 on said shaft 37 yieldingly urges the drum 35 toward the clutch disk 66 to maintain the teeth 67, 69 engaged.

A rectangular platform 75 is provided for the golfer to stand in for striking the uppermost ball 15 when the spinner head member 13 is in vertical position. The: platform 75 is of box type for strength and lightness: and is of a height to support a golfer at the usual level? relative to a golf ball on a tee. A resilient pad 77 is; provided on the platform 75 to prevent a golfer from slipping. A pair of slide rods 79 slidable horizontally in sockets 81 in the front end of the base panel 11 provide for adjustment of the platform 75 toward or from the spinner head member and for said platform resting on the ground. A set screw 83 in the panel 11 engageable with one of the rods 79 locks the platform in adjusted position. By loosening the set screw 83 the platform 75 may be detached from the panel 11.

The operation of the described apparatus will be readily understood. The spinner is set into starting position by rotating the spinner head member 13 by hand until said member 13 is substantially vertical. The indicator drum 35 is then rotated by hand to register zero at the sight opening 43 by rotating said drum in a direction such that the ratchet teeth 69 thereon will ratchet over the ratchet teeth 67 on he clutch disk 65. The uppermost ball 15 is then struck by the golfer standing on the platform 75. As the spinner 1 rotates under the force of the blow the indicator drum is rotated to indicate the distance a golf ball would have traveled under the force of the blow struck by the golf club.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur 'to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. v

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a base panel, a housing on said panel having a front sight opening, a rotatably mounted first shaft extending into said housing and forwardly of said housing, a spinner head fast on said shaft in front of and outside said housing adapted to be' struck by'a golf club to impart rotation to said shaft, a second shaft in said housing, a drum in said housing freely rotatable and slidable laterally on said second shaft and extending out of said opening for manual rotation-andslidingthereof, said drum having peripheral numbers'thereon to-intlicate upon rotation of the drum from a starting: position the distance a golf ball would have traveled under blows struck against said spinner head, means in said housing operatively connecting said first shaft to the second shaft, clutch devices on said second shaft and drum disengaged by manual sliding of said drum in one direction, and spring means on the second shaft opposite said drum slid ing the same in an opposite direction to engage said devices, said drum being manually rotatable when said devices are disengaged to provide for manual rotation of the drum into starting position.

2 The combination of claim 1, including a platform in: front-ofsaid spinner head for supporting a golfer and horizontal rods slidably mounted in said panel for adjustment toward and from said spinner head and carrying said platform for adjustment therewith toward and from said spinner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,529,933 Stokoe Mar. 17, 1925 1,634,896 Cogswell July 5, 1927 1,889,332 Jones Nov. 29, 1932 2,275,568 Smith Mar. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 442,241 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1936

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