IES20100391A2 - Pitch mark repair tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green, the tool comprising a body having at least one prong mounted thereon and extending therfrom, the prong being moveable relative to the body between first and second positions. A distal end of the prong is closer to the body in the first position than in the second position, the prong being retatable relative to the bodywhen in the first position,and the prong being prevented from rotation when in the secondposition, whereby as the body is advanced to drive the prong into a golf green, the prong is moved towards the first position and is free to totate, and as the body is subsequently retracted away from the golf green, the prong is drawn to the second position and is prevented from rotation.

Description

PITCH MARK REPAIR TOOL This invention relates to a tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green.

Existing golf green repair tools usually comprise a simple pair of prongs which are manually pushed into and withdrawn from the golf green in the region of the pitch mark in an attempt to loosen and lift the compacted soil to re-flatten the green.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green.

According to the present invention there is provided a tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green, the tool comprising a body having a front surface for applying to the surface of a golf green, a handle mounted on the body behind the front surface for reciprocal movement towards and away from the front surface, and at least one prong carried by the handle which reciprocates, as the handle is reciprocated, between an extended position wherein the prong extends forwardly of the front surface for penetrating the golf green and a retracted position wherein the prong is at least partially retracted behind the front surface.

Preferably the handle is resiliently biased away from the front surface so that the front surface is biased towards the end of the prong furthest from the handle.

IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 In this way the front surface is biased to remain in contact with the golf green when the prong penetrates the golf green.

The prong may extend through an opening in the front surface of the body.

In this way, the front surface assists in removing lumps of soil clinging to the prong as it is retracted from the golf green.

The body may comprise a rod extending rearwardly of the front surface with the handle slidably mounted on the rod. In such a case the handle and the front surface may be resiliently biased away from one another by a compression spring surrounding the rod.

Alternatively, the handle may resiliently biased away from the front surface by a compression spring surrounding the prong.

As a further alternative, the prong may be carried on a rod extending rearwardly within the handle, such that when the handle is reciprocated, the rod is pushed into the handle. Preferably in such cases a spring biases the rod in the forward direction relative to the handle.

In one embodiment having a plurality of prongs the prongs are resiliently flexible and are guided by the body so that they become mutually splayed apart when in the extended position.

IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 Preferably at least a portion of the prong adjacent the tip has a non-circular cross-section and is helically twisted.

That helically twisted portion preferably extends from the tip towards the handle by a distance of between 5 and 20 mm, more preferably between 7 and 15 mm, most preferably between 8 and 12 mm.

Further preferably, a further portion of prong adjacent the helically twisted portion is not helically twisted.

The further portion is advantageously of a cylindrical cross section.

Preferably, the further portion has a maximum cross-sectional dimension which is less than a maximum cross-sectional dimension of the helically twisted portion.

In this way, when the prong is inserted in the golf green with the helically twisted portion below the surface, the resilient material of the golf green (soil, sand and/or grass roots) tends to close up around the further portion, such that the helically twisted portion, upon retraction from the golf green, has traction to pull the surface of the green upwardly. In this way it is thought that the surface is decompressed and restored to a locally flat profile.

The helically twisted portion is preferably of a generally flat profile at any given point and is twisted through between 0.25 and 2 full turns, more preferably between 0.4 IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 and 1.5 full turns, most preferably between 0. 6 and 1 full turn. In a most preferred embodiment, the twist is 0.75 turns (to within about 10 percent).

The tool may comprise one or a plurality of prongs.

In another preferred embodiment, each prong comprises a shallow corkscrew section spiraling about a central axis.

Preferably, the corkscrew section extends from a straight section, such that the corkscrew section is limited to a portion of the prong adjacent a free end.

There is also provided a method of manufacturing a tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green, comprising the steps Of: providing a handle; providing a body having a front surface; providing a prong; mounting the handle on the body for reciprocal movement towards and away from the front surface; mounting the prong on the handle for reciprocation, as the handle is reciprocated, between an extended position wherein the prong extends forwardly of the front surface and a retracted position wherein the prong is at least partially retracted behind the front surface.

In a first preferred method of the invention, the step of providing a prong comprises: IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 providing a length of generally cylindrical material terminating at a tip, the cylindrical material having either a circular or non-circular cross-section; flattening a portion of the length of material adjacent the tip; and imposing a helical twist on at least some of the flattened portion to thereby provide a helically twisted portion adjacent the tip.

In a second preferred method of the invention, the step of providing a prong comprises: providing a plurality of lengths of generally cylindrical material, holding said lengths of material in lengthwise adjacent contact alongside one another to provide an elongate assembly of parallel lengths; twisting said elongate assembly about its longitudinal axis to cause at least a portion of the lengths of material to twist around one another into helical forms; separating said lengths from one another to provide separate lengths each having at least a portion twisted helically into a corkscrew shape.

Preferably, the method further comprises dividing each length into two parts at a point along the helically twisted portion, to provide two parts, each terminating at a tip generated where the length was divided.

More preferably, entire assembly is divided into two parts after the twSIting step and before the separating step.

IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 There is also provided, in another aspect, a tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green, the tool comprising a body having at least one prong mounted thereon and extending therefrom, the prong being moveable relative to the body between first and second positions, wherein a distal end of the prong is closer to the body in the first position than in the second position, the prong being rotatable relative to the body when in the first position, and the prong being prevented from rotation when in the second position, whereby as the body is advanced to drive the prong into a golf green, the prong is moved towards the first position and is free to rotate, and as the body is subsequently retracted away from the golf green, the prong is drawn to the second position and is prevented from rotation.

Preferably, the prong is shaped to engage with the golf green when inserted therein in a rotating movement, whereby as it is retracted from the putting green without rotation, it engages with and pulls the surface of the putting green.

Preferably, the shape is selected from a corkscrew shape and an auger shape .

Preferably, the prong is received at a proximal end within a longitudinally extending channel in the body, within which the proximal end is free to move longitudinally.

Preferably, the prong carries a first clutch surface which rotates with the prong, and the body carries a second clutch IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 surface which is fixed to prevent rotation, the first and second clutch surfaces being disengaged from one another when the prong is in the first position and being engaged with one another to prevent rotation of the prong when the prong is in the second position.

Preferably, the first clutch surface is provided on a first collar carried on the prong towards the proximal end thereof.

Preferably, the first clutch surface is provided on a surface of the first collar facing towards the distal end.

Preferably, the second clutch surface is provided on a portion of the body housing.

Alternatively, the second clutch surface is provided on a second collar through which the prong passes, the second collar being mounted on the body.

More preferably, the first and second collars are located within a recess in the housing through which the prong passes .

Preferably, the first and second clutch surfaces are provided as discontinuities or teeth which are engaged with one another when the prong is in the second position.

Preferably, the first and second clutch members are provided as abutting surfaces on complementarily shaped collars which IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 are brought into engagement when the prong is in the second position.

Preferably, the first collar rotates with the prong and the second collar is fixed with respect to the body.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1(A) and 1(B) are side views of a pitch mark repair tool with its prongs in their retracted and extended positions respectively; Figure 2 is an underneath view of the tool; Figure 3 is a side view of the tool in the region of the front end, showing the interior construction; Figures 4(a) to 4(B) illustrate successive stages in the use of the tool; Figures 5(A) to 5(C) show alternate embodiment; Figures 6(A) to 6(B) show a further embodiment in a schematic side view,Figures 7 to 10 show successive steps in a process for manufacturing a prong; IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 Figure 11 is a perspective view of a further embodiment; Figure 12 is a side elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 11; Figure 13 is a perspective view from below of a detail of the embodiment of Fig. 11; Figures 14 to 16 show successive steps in an alternative process for manufacturing a number of prongs; Figure 17 shows a front view of a further embodiment of tool for repairing pitch marks, as it is advanced into the green; Figure 18 shows a front view of the tool of Figure 17, as it is retracted from the green; and Figure 19 shows a detail of the tool of Figure 17.

In the various figures the same or equivalent parts are given the same reference numerals.

Referring first to Figures 1(A) and 1(B), a tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green comprises a body 10 having a circularly symmetric front end 12 and a rod 14 secured to the front end 12 by a screw thread 16 and extending rearwardly thereof. The front end 12 has a shallow concave front surface 18 with a rounded peripheral edge 20 for applying to the surface of a golf green in use (Figure 4). The tool further includes a hollow, generally IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 cylindrical handle 22 slidably mounted on the rod 14 behind the front end 12 for reciprocal movement towards and away from the front surface 18. The handle 22 is resiliently biased rearwardly away from the front surface 18 by a spring 24 which surrounds the rod 14 and is under compression between the front end 12 and the handle 22.

The front 26 of the handle 22 carries three equiangularly disposed spring steel prongs 28 which extend forwardly through respective openings 30 in the front end 12. Thus, as the handle 22 is reciprocated on the rod 14 the prongs 28 reciprocate between an extended position, Figure 1(B), wherein the prongs extends forwardly from the front surface 18 for penetrating the golf green, and a retracted position, Figure 1(A), wherein the prongs are retracted into the front surface .

Approximate dimensions of the tool are: overall length = 75mm, projecting length of prongs = 20mm, diameter of front surface 18 = 25mm.

Although not visible in Figs. 1(A) and 1(B), the prongs have a generally circular, square, triangular hexagonal, or other generally regular cylindrical cross-section along their length except over the final 10mm or so towards the tip of each prong, which is helically twisted to provide an auger tip in the manner described later.

In use, Figure 4(A), the front end 12 of the tool is applied, with the prongs 28 retracted, to the surface of the golf IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 green 32 where a pitch mark 34 is to be repaired. Next, Figure 4(B), the handle 22 is pushed down against the bias of the compression spring 24 so that the prongs 28 are extended to penetrate and grip the soil. Finally, Figure 4(C), the handle 22 is pulled upwards away from the soil so that the spring 24 causes the front end 12 to remain in contact with the soil as the prongs are retracted. As the prongs retract they exert an upwards force on the soil with which they are in contact, decompressing the pitch mark and pulling the soil, sand and/or roots of the grass upwardly towards the locally flat level of the green. This process may be repeated to flatten the surface of the green as far as possible .

The spacing between the prongs 28 is chosen to optimise the degree to which soil is gripped and pulled up on release of the handle 22. If the spacing is too narrow the prongs simply combine to make a hole in the soil; if too wide, then the prongs may not adequately grip the soil. However, it is to be stressed that due to the auger tip on each prong, the individual prongs will individually pull soil upwardly, and thus in other embodiments to the described further below, a single prong provides adequate upward force as it is withdrawn out of the soil. Withdrawal of the prongs 28 into the openings 30 will remove any lumps of soil clinging to the prongs as they are retracted.

Other embodiments are shown, in highly schematic form, in Figure 5 where in each case the tool is shown with the IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 prong(s) retracted on the left hand side of the figure and extended on the right hand side.

Figure 5(A) shows a tool with only one prong 28. In this case it is highly desirable that the single prong should have a helical twist as mentioned above, to provide a good grip of the soil. The compression spring 24 is not shown in Figure 5(A).

In Figure 5(B) the prongs 28 are made of resiliently flexible spring steel and the opening 30 in the front end 12 are mutually divergent so that the prongs 28 become mutually splayed apart when in the extended position. Again the compression spring 24 is not shown.

In Figure 5(C)t an embodiment is shown in which individual compression springs 24' surround each prong 28 to bias the handle 22 away from the front end 12, rather than having a single spring surrounding the rod 14. However, the rod 14 is preferably retained to stabilise and guide the handle 22, but it may be omitted if other stabilising means are provided.

An alternative embodiment is shown in Figs. 6(A) and 6(B), which is somewhat similar to that of Fig. 5(B). The front end 12 has a single enlarged opening 30 through which the three resiliently flexible spring steel prongs emerge (two of which are visible in Fig. 6). As the handle 22 is depressed within the body 10 from the retracted prong position (Fig. 6(A)) to the extended prong position (Fig. 6(B)), the prongs are forced through the opening 30, while simultaneously they .

IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 are bent towards a more acute angle at a respective corner point 35 on each prong. When the handle is withdrawn back towards the Fig. 6(A) position, the prongs are restored to a more relaxed position, and the restoring spring force thus biases the front surface away from the handle.

While any surface of any of the embodiments may be provided with permanent or removable indicia, the top surface 36 of the tool shown in Figs. 6(A) and (B) is provided with a removable metal disk 37 which is normally retained, as shown in Fig. 6(A), by a magnet 38 embedded in the top surface 36. The disk 37 may be removed, as shown in Fig. 6(B) in order to be used as a ball marker, and the disk 37 may carry any desired indicia 39.

Figs. 7-10 show successive steps in the manufacture of a preferred prong from a length of wire 40. The wire is cut to an appropriate length which terminates at a tip 42 (see Fig. 7). (In reality the wire will be somewhat longer, and the proximal end 44 is shown shorter than it will be in reality.

As shown in Fig. 8, the wire is flattened at the tip end for a length 46 of about 10-12 mm, such that a paddle shape is created.

In Fig. 9, the sharp corners 48 of Fig. 8 have been removed by grinding against a grinding disk or in any other suitable way, so that the tip has a rounded end surface 50.

IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 Next, Fig. 10, the end surface 50 is grasped and the cylindrical portion 52 adjacent the flattened length 46 is also grasped, before a twisting force is applied to twist the flattened length, as shown in Fig. 10 by approximately a three-quarters turn, resulting in a helically twisted augur section 54 adjacent the tip 42.

In other embodiments, not shown, the compression spring 24 or springs 241 may be omitted, and the handle 22 manually pushed forward and pulled away from the front end 12 without spring assistance.

Figs. 11-13 show a further embodiment of a device 70 in which parts common to the earlier embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals. In Figs. 11-14 the prongs 72 are provided with a shallow corkscrew spiral at the section 74 adjacent the tips 76 (Fig. 13). The openings 30 in front end 12 are enlarged somewhat to accommodate the greater lateral dimensions of such prongs, although this can also be catered for by the flexibility of the prongs themselves or by permitting the front end 12 to move laterally by small amount s.

The corkscrew prongs 72 of Figs. 11-13 have been found to work very well and are furthermore preferred because they accommodate a further alternative method of manufacture, which will now be described with reference to Figs. 14-16, which show successive stages in the manufacture of a set of three prongs .

IE 1 003 9 1 In Fig. 14, a wire assembly is created by taking three equal lengths of steel wire 80, gripping them tightly against one another at either end section 82,84, and twisting the end portions relative to one another so that the three pieces of wire in a middle portion 86 are tightly wrapped around one another. Preferably, three full twists are created, i.e. a relative rotation of 1080 degrees between the two end sections .

The dimensions of the wire, and the boundary point between the end portions 82,84 and the middle portion are chosen so that the straight part of the finished prong and the corkscrew section at the end of the finished prong have the correct lengths for the device in question.

In Fig. 15, the wire assembly of Fig. 14 has been chopped in half, and Fig. 15 shows one of the two resulting halfassemblies 88. The other half-assembly (not shown) is a mirror image and is processed in exactly the manner described below to provide three further prongs, so that the assembly of Fig. 14 provides six finished prongs in total.

The chopping of the assembly reveals three free ends 88 (which become the prong tips 76 of Fig. 13).

To generate the three prongs 72 shown in Fig. 16, the halfassembly of Fig. 15 is simply pulled apart into its three constituent parts, each of which has a straight portion 82 and a corkscrew portion 74 adjacent the tip 76.

IE 1 0 0 3 9 1 A further embodiment is shown in Figs. 17-19. Referring to Figs. 17 and 18, there is provided a body 100 which is designed to be gripped by the hand of a user and which has a pair of prongs 102,104 each having a proximal end 106 and a distal end 108.

While the embodiment shows just two prongs 102,104, the number can be varied, with at least one prong provided and preferably two or three prongs, or indeed more than three.

Each prong is in the form of a corkscrew with a corkscrew section 110 of a very long pitch provided over approximately the final third of the length of the prong towards the distal end 108. The proximal ends 106 are received in respective longitudinal channels 112, 114, within which the proximal end is free to move longitudinally as the prong travels between a first position, shown in Fig. 17 (in which the distal ends 108 are closer to the body 100), and a second position, shown in Fig. 18 (in which the distal ends 108 are slightly further from the body 100).

The prongs extend in a forward direction, i.e. downwards in Fig. 17 and 18. Accordingly, the proximal ends 106 are at the rearward end of each prong and the distal ends 108 at the forward end of each prong.

The body has a recess 116 through which each prong 102, 104 passes as it extends from the channels 112, 114 through a forward wall 118 of the body.

Each prong 102,104 is provided with a first collar 120 which is mounted thereon and which is free to rotate with the prong, as indicated in Fig. 17. Each prong passes through a second collar 122 within which the prong is free to rotate about its longitudinal axis, the second collars 122 being mounted in the forward wall 118 of the body and fixed against rotation.

As seen best in the detail shown in Fig. 19, the first collar. 120 mounted on prong 102 has a set of radial teeth 124 provided on a forward facing surface (not visible in Fig. 19), and the second collar 122 mounted on the forward wall 118 (not shown in Fig. 19) has a further set of teeth 126 provided on a rearward facing surface 128 which is complimentary to the forward facing surface (not visible) of the first collar 120.

Thus it can be seen that the prongs are free to rotate about their longitudinal axes when the prongs are in the first position shown in Fig. 17. Similarly it can be seen that when the prongs are in the second position shown in Fig. 18, the forward displacement of the first collars 120 brings them into engagement with the second collars 122, and the teeth 124, 126 thus lock together preventing further rotation of the prongs 102, 104 relative to the body about their longitudinal axis .

In use, therefore, the distal tips 108 are driven into the soil 134, by pushing the body 100 in the forward direction (downwards) into the golf green, as shown in Fig. 17 and IE 10 0391 denoted by arrow 130. During this forward movement, the prongs are in the first position and thus are free to rotate and corkscrew into the soil, with this corkscrew shape 110 ensuring that the prongs engage with the soil with minimum resistance .

As seen in Fig. 18, when the body 100 is pulled upwards, in the reverse direction indicated by arrow 132, the prongs 102, 104 are locked from further rotation by the collars 120, 122 engaging with one another, and the corkscrew shape of the prongs 102,104 thereby grips and pulls the soil 134 upwards, thereby restoring the soil and repairing the pitch mark depression 136 seen in Fig. 17.

It is appreciated that the effect of the corkscrew may be to pull the soil surface above the level of the putting green as the prongs are removed, in which case the user can simply tamp down the soil to a normal level condition using the hand or foot.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

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Claims (5)

Claims:

1. A tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green, the fool comprising a body having at least one prong mounted thereon and extending therefrom, the prong being moveable 5 relative to the body between first and second positions, wherein a distal end of the prong is closer to the body in the first position than in the second position, the prong being rotatable relative to the body when In the first position, and the prong being prevented from rotation when in the second position, whereby as the body is advanced to drive the prong Into a golf green, the prong Is moved towards the first position and Is free to rotate, and as the 10 body is subsequently retracted away from the golf green, the prong is drawn to the second position and is prevented from rotation.

2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the prong is shaped ta engage with the golf green when inserted therein In a rotating movement, whereby as it is retracted from the 15 putting green without rotation, it engages with and pulls the surface of the putting green.

3. A tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the prong carries a first clutch surface which rotates with the prong, and the body carries a second clutch surface which is fixed to prevent rotation, the first and second clutch surfaces being disengaged from one 20 another when the prong is in the first position and being engaged with one another to prevent rotation of the prong when the prong is in the second position.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 31, wherein the first clutch surface is provided on a first collar carried on the prong towards the proximal end thereof and the second clutch surface 25 is provided on a portion of the body housing.

5. A tool for repairing pitch marks on a golf green, substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 17-19 of the accompanying Drawings.