US1548289A - Golf-green cup - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 4, 1.925.

' 1,548,289 R. D. SPARKS GOLF GREEN CUP Filed' 00L 30. i922 2 Sheets-Sheet' l1" a@ j '@Wgw@ Aug'. 4, 1925. 1,548,289

- R. D. SPARKS GOLF GREEN CUP Filed Oct. 30, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. l, i925.

isaazsa .Fi-CE.

ROBERT DON SPARKS, 0F CI-IIGKASHA, OKLAHOMA.

GOLF-GREEN CUE'.

Application filed October 30, 1922. Serial No. 597,995..

The main objects of the invention are to' facilitate the removal of sand, which may drift into and accumulate in the cup, particularly in windy weather; to improve the construction of the flag-staff so ,as to secure accurate engagement with and convenient removal from the cup; and to secure rigid 'mounting of the cup inthe soil, so that it may neither settle nor work loose under the thrashing of the flag-statt' in heavy winds. f

To secure these and other incidental desirable results, I have combined the following features. I make the cup somewhat deeper than usual and fix to itone or more external horizontally extending lflanges or plates. rIhese flanges or plates give sufficient bearing surface in the soil to prevent settling or working of the cup in the soil. Within the main cup, above described, I insert a removable auxiliary cup which lits closely within the main cup, and which may be retained or latched in the mainl cup so as ordinarily to be fixed in place through capable of quick removal for `the purpose of emptying sand. The latching mechanism is mounted in a central housing projecting upward from the bottom of the inner cup, making the latch mechanism accessible for manipulation-and avoiding openings the bottom of the auxiliary cup through which sand might work.

The flag-staff is carried by ya circular I base which iits closely within the auxiliary cup and has projecting fingers which ei:- tend to the bottom of ythe auxiliary cup around the. Acentral latch housing. Since these fingers are in contact for a consider- ,able distance with the sides of the cup, this secures astad base -which though closely confined by the cup when ,in placemay yet be freely withdrawn. The parts are so .proportioned that the topof the. flagista base, is sutliciently below the rim ofthe cup to .allow balls tobe holed while the 'statt is .in place.

The extra depth of the main cup serves several useful purposes beside increasing the stability of the main cup. It offers space for the latch housing, and greater capacity for the harmless accumulation of sand, and makes it possible to ensure accurate and rigid alinenientof the flagstaff base. j

A structure conformingl to the above description has proved peculiarly satisfactory in actual use and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the complete device, the ground level being indicated in broken lines.

lJig. 2 is a side elevation showing the cup with a. cap applied :and covered with clay or soil, an arrangement adopted when the i hole is not in use.

Fig. 3 is an enlargedfragmentary plan view of the latch. i

Fig. t is a perspective view .of the flagstaff base.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the removable cup, a portion being shown broken away to disclose the arrangement ofthe latch housing.

The body of the cup consists .of a cylin drical shell 11 flanged at its bottom and connected by rivets 12 passing through such flange to a base plate 13 of substantial area. At about mid-height ofthe shell 11 is a {iange or plate 111- riveted at 15 to shell 11 and' having at its periphery a 'downward and outward flaring skirt 16. rIlhe plate 14T and skirt 16 are preferably of circular contour and serve together with plate 13 to prevent settling of the cup structure and to give it lateral stability. In some cases it isY desirable that the base plate 13 and the stabilizing plate 141 be removable from the shell 11, and in such cases I may substitute for the rivets 12 and 15, above referred to, small bolts or machine screws, as iS Obvious. These separable connections are sometimes of convenience in mounting the cup in the green. modes of connecting the parts together are obivously possible. v

Fitting closely, but freely within shell 11 is an 'auxiliary cup 17 preferably of light sheet metal, and terminating at or slightly .below the upper rim of the shell 11.V EX- cept for a small central aperture 1S the `cup 17 is closed at its bottom, and .surroundlng the opening 18 and riveted or otherwise connested to cup 17 is an .upstanding conical shell or housing 19 having at its top an opening 20 axially alined with opening 18. Consequently there is at the bottom of the c up 17 a relatively deep pocket surrounding housing 19 and offering a place for the accumulation of sand without the possibility of any leakage therefrom.

Longitudinally slidable in the openings 18 and 20 is the latch rod 21 having the finger piece 22 (shown as a loop) above the top of housing 19 and the spring seat 23 within the housing 19. Surrounding rod 21 and below spring seat 23 is a coil spring 24` which seats at its upper end against the lower side of seat 23 and at its lower end against a washer 25 surrounding rod 21 and restingon the bottom of cup 17. The rod 21 carries at its lower end a cross-arm 25, which when properly positioned mayV pass through a slot 26 in plate 13.

To latch the cup 17 in shell 11 the cup is introduced into the shell. and the rody 21 is turned by finger piece 22 until cross-arm 25 enters slot 26. Finger piece 22 is then pushed downward compressing spring 24 and causing cross-arm 25 to pass through slot 26 until it is wholly below plate 13. Rod 21 is then yrotated in either direction about a. quarter turn and released. The parts are so proportioned that the spring 24 will now act to hold the cup 17 tightly against plate 13. It is desirable. but not essential, so to proportion the parts that in the highest position of rod 21, cross-arm 25 projects far enough below the bottom of cup 17 to-engage the top face of plate 13, as this facilitates alining cross-arm 25 with slot 26 by feel.

The base for the flag-staff consists of a circular casting 30 having an upward extending peripheral ange 31 and several downward projecting fingers 132 curved inward at their lower ends as shown at 33. A tube 34 screwed into the central boss 35 offers means to receive the wooden staff 36 held by a rivet or pin 37.

The flange 31 and fingers 32 serve to hold the base, and hence the staff, upright and the inward curvature of the fingers at 33 guides the entering movement of the base.V The flag-staff base when in place straddles the housing 19, and yet because of the depth of sleeve 11 and cup 17 leaves space above it to receive balls which maybe holed while the base is in the cup. l

The base 30. because of its circular flange,

will catch such small quantities of sand asV drift into the cup under ordinary conditions betweenV successive matches. Hence, by dumping the base each time the flag iswithdrawn, `the frequency withV which the auxcan be greatly reduced. Y Y What is claimed is :f I p c 1. A cup for golf greens,comprisingin iliary cup must kbe withdrawn and emptied combination a cup-like shell; and a horizontally extending plate rigidly connected with said shell extending a substantial distance from the periphery thereof and so located as to be embedded in the earth when said cup is in position in a green.

2. A cup forgolf greens, comprising in combination a cup-like shell; and a plurality of outward extending stabilizing members rigidly connected with said shell extending a substantial distance from the periphery thereof and'sopositioned as to be embedded inthe earth when said cup is in position in a green. i

3. A cup for golf greens, comprisingin combination a cup-like shell; and a plurality of horizontally extending flanges rigidly connected with said shell and` so positioned as to be embedded in the earth when said cup is in position in a green, one of said plates extending a. substantial distance from the periphery of said shell and having a flange-like skirt. Y y y .4. A cup for golf greens, comprising in combination a main cup; an auxiliary cup closely fitting within said main cup and removable therefrom; a releasable latch'oper able to connect said auxiliary cup with said main cup; and a resilient member associated with said latch and arranged to permit limited relative movement of said cups while said latch is engaged. y

5. A cup for golf greens, comprising in combination a main cup; anauxiliary cup closely fitting within said main cup and removable ktherefrom a housing mounted` on the bottom of auxiliary cup and extending fupward wit-hin the same; and a locking mechanism mounted in said housing, accessible for manipulation at the upper end thereof and operable to engage a portion ofV said main cup and thereby lock said auxiliary cup in place. y

6. A cup for lgolf greens. comprising in combination a main cup; an auxiliary cup closely fitting within said main cup and removable therefrom; a housing mounted on the bottom of auxiliary cup and extending upward within the same; a locking mechanism mounted in said housing, accessible for manipulation at the upper end thereof and operable to engage a portion of said main cup and thereby lock said auxiliarycup y therefrom; a housing mounted onthewbottom of said auxiliary cup andextending upward within the same; a lockingmechanism mounted in said housing, accessible for manipulation at the upper end thereof and operable to engage a portion of said main Shell and thereby retain said auxiliary cup in place; and a flag-staff base closely but removably fitting Within said auxiliary cup and having a portion which surrounds said housing.

8. The combination with a sand green of 10 a main cup set with its rim below the level of the green; an auxiliary cup removably mounted in the main cup; and a cover closing the top of said main cup and buried beneath the surface ot' the green, he parts being so arranged that such cup is complete but out of play, Without intertering with play on the green.

In testimony wher-eo;F I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT DON SPARKS.

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