US2400019A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 7, 1946.

FiledDec. 20,-1 944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 100/5 W. PAGEL May 7, 1946. L, w PAGEL 2,400,019

GAME APPARA TUS Filed Dec. 20, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm 100/5 IV- PAG May 7, 1946. w. A L 2,400,019

GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20, 1944' s Sheets-Sheet s 100/5 W. PAW-F Patented May 7, 1946 GAME APPARATUS Louis W. Pagel, Denver, Colo.

Application December 20, 1944; Serial No. 569,050

4' Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in game apparatus and more particularly to a golf players stroke measuring machine.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus including a golf club driven element and indicating means whereby the practising golfer can determine the force of his stroke in characters corresponding to the yardage a olf ball would have carried in actual play.

Another important'object of the invention is to provide a golf stroke measuring machine wherein the parts are positive acting, durable and foolproof at all times.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf stroke measuring machine of balanced construction and which because of this simplicity should be of low cost to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golfers stroke measuring machine wherein the computation of the machine is substantially accurate and closely relative in indication to the actual yardage that would result from the same impact on a regulation golf course. I

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention shall become apparent to th reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the machine shown embedded in the ground with portions broken away to disclose the internal discs.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line t3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a Vertical sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the outer disc showing the counter-balancing and rotation retarding vanes.

Figure 7 is a section taken substantially on line 'll' of Figure 6. i

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a portion of the driven member in section.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary exploded sectional view of the driven member.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the peripheral walls of the discs to show the relation of the stops.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inner disc.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary inside elevational view showing the inner disc and the ratchet release associated therewith.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that reference character A denotes ground. which is excavated to receive the present invention, the same including a narrow case 15 having a rounded bot tom 6 and a detachable elongated cover plate I. The cover plate I has an elongated slot 8 therein to accommodate the protruding driven member of a rotary assembly generally referred to by numeral 9.

Thus as is clearly shown in Figure 4, the axial portion of each side wall of the case 5 has an outstanding hub ill, and a fixed shaft i! is disposed through the case 5, and hubs Ill, and secured against rotation by pins [2;

Within the case 5 and rotatable on the fixed shaft II are inner and outer shallow cups l3, l4 provided with telesooped peripheral walls l5, l5 respectively.

As is clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5, the'inner cup [3 has a smaller circular and concentric wall I1 around the inner side of which is a row of ratchet teeth l8.

Between the cup 13, I4 and the walls l5, I1 is a flat coiled spring l9, having its inner end secured by pin 20 to the inner cup l3, while its outer end is secured by a pin 2| to the outer cup l4.

As can be seen in Figure 10, the inner cu wall I5 carries a stop lug 22, while the opposed side of the wall [6 of the outer cup 14 carries a stop lug 23, cooperative with the lug 22.

The outer side of the outer cup M, at one side of its center is provided with several radially disposed and obliquely projecting fins 24, which not only add additional weight to this oif center portion of the cup H but also serve to slow up rotation of the assembly after the cups have locked together.

The added weight of the fins 24 will of course cause gravitation of the cup 14 with the fins at the lower portion thereof, and this will serve to always bring about the projection of the driven member through the slot 8 of the cover plate 1 when the rotary assembly 9 has ceased to rotate. The driven member consists of a streamlined body 25 projecting outwardly from the peripheral wall l6 and the large end of this body 25 has a reduced and threaded projection 26, having a concavity 21 for partly receiving a resilient ball 28. Numeral 29 denotes a half socket, internally threaded for disposition over the projection 26 and this has a transverse arcuate flange portion 30 for abutting the ball 28, leaving an opening 3| through which a portion of the ball can bulge or project, as in the manner shown in Figure 8.

Theupper portion of the body 25 has an upstanding foot en ageable lip 32, the purpose of which shall be explained hereinafter.

Secured to the stationary shaft H is a collar 33 having a tooth 34 at the top portion thereof. Engageable with the tooth 34 is a tooth 35 on the dog 36. A rocker 31a on the outer cup 14 has one end pivotally connected to the dog 36 and. its other end connected to a link 310, the link in turn being pivoted to one end of a, second rocker 3111 on the disc M. The other end of the rocker 31b is connected to one end of a link 38, while the other end of the link 38 is connected to one end of a rockable dog 39 engageable with the annular row of ratchet teeth 40 at the inside of the inner disc wall ll. (See Figure 3.) A tension spring 4! serves to hold the dog 39 in a position engaging the ratchet teeth 18.

The periphery of the inner cup l3 has indicia thereon in the form of graduations preferably progressing from zero to four hundred, these corresponding to yards.

In the operation of the machine, the golfer, with the use of a golf stick, drives against the resilient ball 28. This impact of the club head against the driven member sets the outer cup It in rotary motion. The spring I9 absorbs the impact of the drive and then begins to set the inner cup I3 in motion along with the outer cup. The distance the wall E6 of the outer cup travels over the wall 15 of the inner cup 13 and before the inner cup begins to rotate is indicative of the force of the impact and corresponds by reading of the scale (see Figure 11) to the actual yardage a golf ball would have carried on a golf course, subject to the same impact.

When the inner cup begins to rotate with the outer cup, while locked by the ratchet means shown in Figure 12, the cups will remain in this locked position, coming to a stop when the fins 24, due to the increased weight of this portion of the cup M reaches a low point. Then the driven member will have assumed an upright position as shown in Figure 1. The outer cup H! in gravit-ating to this position will carry the locked cup !3 with it and the score indicative of the yardage of the stroke will appear from the scale on the wall through an opening 42 in the Wall l6 adjacent the driven element 28.

When the practicing golfer has satisfied himself as to his score for the particular stroke, he may engage one foot against the upstanding lip 13 on the driven member body 25 and push the outer cup in a clockwise direction, that is toward the right in Figure 1. This will result in the actuation of the dog 36, which in turn will actuate the dog 39, allowing the inner cup l3 to be rotated back to zero position by the spring H), which until this act, has been under compression. The inner cup will stop at its zero" position when its stop lug 22 abuts the top lug 23 of the outer cup 14. (See Figures 3 and 10.)

The machine is now set for another practicestroke.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. A golf practicing machine comprising a pair of independently rotatable elements, a driven member carried by one of the elements, one of said elements being provided with indicating means, the other element being provided with graduations cooperative with the indicating means, spring means connecting the elements and releasable locking means for the elements, said indicating means consisting of a window in the driven member carrying element, the graduations on the other element progressing from zero to a high score and stop means between the elements for stopping the elements with the zero position of the graduations exposed through said window.

2. A golf practicing machine comprising a pair of independently rotatable elements, a driven member carried by one of the elements, one of said elements being provided with indicating means, the other element being provided with gradu-ations cooperative with the indicating means, spring means connecting the elements and releasable locking means for the elements, said locking means comprising ratchet teeth on one of the elements, a stationary member having a tooth, a dog engageable with the stationary member tooth, a dog engageable with the ratchet teeth, pivotal connections between the dogs, said dogs being adapted to be released upon rotating the driven member carrying element in a direction opposite to its normal driven direction of rotation.

3. A golf practicing machine comprising a pair of independently rotatable elements, a driven member carried by one of the elements, one of said elements being provided with indicating means, the other element being provided With graduations cooperative with the indicating means, spring means connecting the elements and releasable locking means for the elements, and means for counter-balancing the elements with the driven member in upright position, said elements being provided with a housing having a top, said top having a slot therein through which the driven element projects.

4. A golf practicing machine comprising a pair of independently rotatable elements, a driven member carried by one of the elements, one of said elements being provided with indicating means, the other element being provided with gr-aduations cooperative with the indicating means, spring means connecting the elements and releasable locking means for the elements, said driven member consisting of a protuberance on said member provided with a sectional socket and a resilient driven element held by said socket.

LOUIS W. PAGEL.

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