US1405081A - Device for use in play or practicing certain games, such as golf - Google Patents

Description

C. A. WHITNEY.

DEVICE FOR USE IN PLAY 0R PBACTICING CE BTAIN GAMES, SUCH AS GOLF.

APPHCATION FILED APR. i7, 1920. 7

1,405,081 Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

. IN VE N TOR. GecL'Z JZrZ/zurW/Ez'ihsy A rromvtx when the ball is propelled UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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nnvrcn FOR USE IN PLAY on rnncncme onaum GAMES, soon AS com.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan; 31, 1922.

Application filed Apri1'17, 1920. serial No. 374,578.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it-known that I, 011011. ARTHUR WH r- NEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 40 Victoria Avenue, Remuera, Auckland, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improved Devices for Use in Fla ing or Practicing Certain Games, such as 01f, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved device for use in playing or practicing certain games, such as golf and refers especially to nets for stopping balls thrown by hand or struck by a club, bat or other propell ng agency.

The object of the invention is to prov1de a device having means whereby a ball or other object thrown or propelled with even moderate force against the same will be caught and held at or nearthe point at which it struck. I

I accomplish this object by providlng a device which consists of a net or the like against which a ball is projected havin means at the back thereof whereby the ball is held in a pocket formed by a portion of the said net .being carried on by the ball. The most convenient form of device for effecting this purpose comprises the combination of? a not having a mesh through which the ball can freely pass and a net or piece of textile material of smaller mesh than the diameter of the ball suspended in front of the first mentioned net whereby against the front net or textile material it will carry a part thereof through a mesh in the rear net and form a pocket in which the ball will be held and the direction of flight thereby indicated.

The front net can be made the same length as or longer than the rear net to meet or overlap side or wing nets set "at right angle or oblique angles to the main double nets and a top net can be arranged to project forward (as a'roof) from the top of the said main double net. The sides or wings form obstructions for badl aimed balls and they may comprise single or double nets as preferred.

In this specification the term ball is intended to include a golf or other ball or object which when thrown at the not will carry a portion of the front not through the rear net and form a pocket in which it will be supported.

which it is used.

' In order that the invention may be read- 11y understood reference will now be had igure 3 is a view in sectional side elevation of portions of the rear and front nets showing portion of the front net projecting through a mesh of the rear net and holding a bal Figures 4 and 5 are views in plan and perspective of a modified arrangement of the nets and means for supporting the same.

In these drawings like characters of reference are employed to indicate the same or g corresponding parts in the different views and the letter a designates the rear net which is made of suitable size and has a mesh larger than the ball to be stopped by the device.

The said rear net is suspended from a horizontal cord 6 which is stretched between two posts cwhich may be driven into the ground and stayed b guy ropes d and pegs e as shown in the rawings or form part of a suitable framework having an approved supporting base.

The mesh of the rear net at preferabl is made rectangular in shape and the sides thereof are set squarely, that is to say, they are arranged parallel to the cord b and posts a but various other forms of mesh will e found more or less satisfactory in use.

The front net f is suspended from a cord 9 stretched horizontally between the posts a in front of the cord 12 and this net. may be of the same length as or longer than the rear net a.

The mesh of the front net f preferably is shaped in the form of a narrow diamond and the said net is hung with the longest diagonal or acute angles of the mesh in a vertical line. Although the front net is described and illustrated as being formed with a diamond shaped mesh a net having a mesh of a different shape will provide a certain amount of eflicienc for the purpose for he front net f is made of much finer twine or cord than the rear net or to ensure it giving freely to the force of a ball h impelled against the same so, that it will be easily passed through a mesh in the said rear net and form a pocket 2' m which the said ball will be held.

Side or wing nets j are arranged at right angles or at oblique angles to the main double nets and the said side or wing'nets.

' The side or wing nets j'and the overlapping end portions of the front net are suspended from cords 7: and Z, respectively, which are stretched between the posts a and m, the posts mbeing driven into the ground in advance of the former and stayed by suitable guy ropes or and pegs 0 or theymay form part of a supporting frame.

A top net p is arranged to pro ect forward horizontally or at a suitable angle from the top of the main double nets a and f and this said top net will prevent a badly aimed and rising ball passing over the said main doublenet. I

The top net p is supported on cords q stretched between the posts '0 and m and entirely covers the. space bounded on three sides by the main double nets and the side or wing nets.

In lieu of arranging the maindouble nets a and f in a straight llne as-hereinbefore described andas shown in'Figure 1 of the drawings they may be supported in a curve as shown in Figures 4: and 5 of the drawings.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings the main double nets are shown supported ona curved'bar of a frame r and in the former figure the dotted line 8 serves to' indicate the front edge of a top net which is stretched overthe frame tov cover the space bounded by the same.

The use of a curved supporting frame obviates the necessity ofv employing side nets as j but if preferred main double nets a and f can be suspended only from the centre part of the frame and wing or side-nets can be suspended from the end parts thereof.

In a modification of the invention (not shown in the drawings-but which will be easily understood without the aid of illustrations) the rear net a may be made of. wire and suspended as hereinbefore described and apiece of fabric of suitable texture can be substituted for the front net f.

A device constructed as hereinbefore described will be found particularly useful of flight of the ball from the by golfers in practicing driving and other long distance shots as when a ball is driven into the net it will be caught and held at or near the point at which it struck the same and thereby serve to indicate the direction point at which it was hit with the club.

The ball is removed from the net by pulling the portion forming the pocket back through the mesh of the rear net or by inserting a finger through the nets below the pocket and pushing the ball and pocket part of the net forward through the mesh of the rear net.

The invention can be adapted for use in various games as for instance the main double nets can be marked to serve as a target and a ball or other object thrown at the same will be caught and held at the point at which it struck and the accuracy or otherwise of. the aim'will be clearly registered,

' The construction and arrangement of the nets and means for supporting the same shown in the drawings are those which have been found highly satisfactory in practice but it will be obvious that any ordinarily intelligent person will be able to modify or rearrange the parts to suit particular requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise constructionsv and" arrangements herein before described.-

I claim 1 A device for use in playing or practicing certain games consisting of a net or the like of such mesh or texture that a ball, will pass freely therethrough and a net of small mesh suspended loosely in front of and close to the net of larger mesh, whereby when a ball is projected against the loosely suspended net a portion thereof will be carried rearwardly through a mesh in the rear net" to form a pocket to hold the ball.

2. A device for use in playing or practicing certain games comprising a stout net of large mesh, and a net of finer mesh made of soft material suspended in front of the first mentioned net whereby a ball propelled againstthe front net will carry part thereof through a mesh in the rear net and form a pocket at that point to hold the ball.

3. Adevice for use'in playing or practicing certain games comprising a stout net of large mesh suspended vertically between two posts, wing nets of small mesh supported between posts at an angle to the ends of the first mentioned net, and a net of fine mesh posts, wing nets of small mesh supported between posts at an angle to the ends of the first mentioned net, a net of finer mesh suspended in front of the first mentioned net and having its ends overlapping part of the wing nets, and a top net supported above the space surrounded on three sides by the double nets and the wing nets as for the purposes herein specified.

5. A device for use in playing or practicing certain games comprising a stout net of large mesh suspended vertically between two posts and a piece of flexible textile material suspended in front and close to the net whereby a ball propelled against the textile material will carry part thereof through a mesh in the net and form a pocket on the rear thereof to hold the ball.

6. device for use in playing or practicmg certain games comprising a rear net havlng a large rectangular mesh the sides of -which are arranged horizontally and Vertically, and a net of smaller mesh suspended in front of the first mentioned net and having a mesh formed in the shape of a narrow diamond the said net being hung with the longer diameter of the mesh in a .vertical In testimony'whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CECIL A. WHITNEY.

l/Vitnesses:

WM. A. HACK, G. F. CULLEN.

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