US2523805A - Mechanical golf ball projector - Google Patents

Description

S. A. ANTHONY MECHANICAL GOLF BALL PROJECTOR Sept. 26, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 23. 1946 5mm?! 4. A rzthony,

Sept. 26, 1950 s. A. ANTHONY MECHANICAL GOLF BALL PROJECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 23, 1946 I uueutor Jar/we! ,4. Anzizazzy,

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MECHANICAL GOLF BALL PROJECTOR Filed Aug. 23, 1946 l 3 Sheets-Sheet I live/1 tor Samuel 4. 4rzZ/z0rg u,

nameys Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,523,805 MECHANICALGOLF BALLrnoJE-o'roR 7 Samuel A. Anthony, Tucson, Ariz. Application August 23, 1946, Serial No. 692,475 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in mechanical golfing devices for projecting golf balls.

An object of theinvention is to providean improved mechanical golfing device for shooting a golf ball when playing golf rather than using regulation gOlf sticks.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved wheeled mechanical golfing device which will include a compressible spring mechanism for projecting a ball to simulate driving when playing golf.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved spring operated golf ball projecting device which may be variably tensioned to shoot a golf ball varying distances from one place to another, as, for example, from a driving tee to a golf course green.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, mechanically compressed spring mechanism for projecting a golf ball, said mechanism being provided with an improved cocking trigger device whereby the same may be released upon the operation thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanical golf ball driving device which will be highly efficient in operation, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and produce.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved mechanical golf device;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the improved'mechanical golf device;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an end elevational View looking from the right of Figure 3; I

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a rear view of the improved mechanical golf device; and

Figure'8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 1.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a pair of supporting wheels I and 2, the same being suitably mounted inthe forks 3 and 4, which are open at their upper ends and are adapted to support the inverted U-shape frame member 5 with its oppositely disposed depending arms 6 and 1 telescopically received within the open ends of the said forks 3 and '4, and held in the desired vertically adjusted positions by means.

of the bolts and win nuts 8 and 9. The transversely extending bracing arm [0 is connected between the opposite side arms 6 and I and is arranged in spaced position below the said upper arm 5 and extends parallel therewith.

The housin H is supported upon the transversely extending arms 5 and I I], and supports the elevating pinion l2 upon a transversely mounted shaft therein, which, in turn, supports the crank handle 13 on its outer extremity. The vertically extending rack bar I4 is disposed in a vertical slot formed through the housing II and supports the spring projecting gun mechanism upon the cross pivot pins l5 at the lower end of said rack bar I l.

The barrel I 6 of the device is supported by means of the spaced bands or yokes l1 and I8 which are secured about the same, and extend upwardly therefrom, and are connected by means of the connecting arm l9 disposed above said barrel l6 and in spaced relation thereto. A pulley 2B is mounted transversely at the forward end of said connecting arm between the same and said barrel I 6, while the rear pulley 2| is supported at the rear end of the said connecting arm IQ for purposes hereinafter described.

The barrel I6 is tubular in shape, and is internally threaded at its rear end, as at 22, and is adapted to receive the externally threaded rear closure member 23, as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. A cylindrical hard wood guide 24 is mounted in the forward end of the barrel l6, and is supported therein by the screws 25 extending through said barrel and into said guide. The opposite ends of the hard wood guide '24 are flared so that the head member 26 on the forward end of the golf ball projecting rod 21 will slide within the hollow bore through said guide. The rear end of the rod 2'! is threaded to receive the bearing disk 28, which is threaded thereon. A second bearing disk 29 is loosely mounted upon the rod 21 forwardly of the bearing disk 28, and serves with said bearing disk 28 to limit the position of the cushioning spring 30 disposed about said rod 21, to take up the impact of the rod as it is projected forwardlyat a high rate of speed to drive the golf ball 31 which will be supported upon the rubber tee '32 on the arm 33 which is pivotally supported at the forward end of the arm 34 whose rear end is pivoted at 35 to the lug 36 on the lower portion of said barrel 16.

A trigger bracket 38 is provided which slides over the surface of the barrel Iii. The trigger bracket 38 is provided with the forwardly extending, oppositely disposed arms 39, in which the vertical shafts 4B are mountedfor rotary movement. The rearwardly extending links 4| are secured to the vertical shafts 40 and are mounted in slots in the transversely adjustable trigger members or keepers 42, which normally extend inwardly through the slots 46 in the barrel I6 directly in front of the rear bearing disk 28 so that movement to the rear being had by the trigger member 42 will cause the bearing disk 28 to move rearwardly also to compress the powerful coil spring 43 disposed between the rear surface of the bearing disk 28 and the rear closure member 23,. The inwardly directed trigger arms M will be secured to the upper ends of the vertical shaft i and will be tied together by means of the link 45, in such a manner that when the arms 44 are moved rearwardly, the trigger keepers or members 42 will move outwardly from the sides of the barrel to release the bearing disk 23 on the rear end of the projecting rod 21, thereby permitting the same to be projected at a high rate of speed to the forward end of the barrel, at which time the cushioning spring 30 will act as a shock absorber to take care of the shock incident to the forward movement of said rod.

The reel 4'. will be provided with a hand operating crank 48, and said reel will be supported above the rear end of the barrel Is by means of the U-shape clip 49 secured to said barrel.

The inverted V-shape casing 50 will be supported by the clamping member 5| about the barrel :6 slightly forward of the reel 41, and will support the pulley 52 in its upper end, and will be provided with the aperture 53 through which the trigger actuating cable 54 will extend. Opposed pulleys 55 and 55 will be supported respectively 0n the front and rear of the casing 50 to support the said trigger actuating cable 54 in a manner later to be described. The trigger lever 5'! will be pivoted at 58 to the casing 50 and will be provided with the arm 59, which will be connected by the link or arm 60 to the bell crank lever B! pivoted at 62 in the casing 50. A rod 63 will be secured to the lower arm of the bell crank lever 5! and will support the sheave 54 which will be disposed below the trigger cable 54 and in contact therewith, whereby, when said trigger lever 5? is pulled rearwardly, the associated linkage will cause the sheave 64 to move upwardly to pull backward upon the trigger actuating cable 54, which movement will be transmitted through the cable 54 which is connected to the link 45 so as to move the trigger arms 44 rearwardly, thereby moving the trigger keepers or members 42 outwardly to release the golf ball projecting rod. A coil spring 65 will be disposed in the trigger actuating cable line 54 to allow a small amount of expansion in the otherwise taut trigger actuating cable.

The setting cable 66 will be secured to the eyes 61 in the rear of the trigger bracket member 38, and will be secured to the reel so that rotation of the operating crank 48 will pull backwards upon the trigger bracket member 38 until it reaches the desired position to project the ball the necessary distance. If desired, the trigger keeper or bracket member 38 may be pulled all the way back until it reaches the rear end of the oppositely disposed slots 46 through the sides of the barrel IS.

The trigger cable 54 will be secured to the forward end of the turnbuckle 69 and will then be connected to the link 45, and from thence it will be connected to the coil spring 65 and about the forward pulley 26 and rearwardly under the pulley 2| and through the aperture 53 to extend over the pulley 52 and will be wound two turns about the reel 4'! and from thence underthe pulley 56,

4 over the sheave B4 and under the pulley 55 and back to the rear end of the turnbuckle 69.

The handle arm 10 will be supported upon the rear end of the barrel l6, and will be bent upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, terminating in the hand-grip portion H, whereby said device may be pulled from place to place, or may be sighted when getting ready to project the golf ball.

The rearwardiy extending telescoping brace rods 12 will be connected at their forward ends to the frame-of the device, and will be connected at their rear ends to the ears l4 secured to the opposite sides of said barre1 [6. Suitable locking wing nuts 15 will extend through the brace rods 12 to clamp the smaller brace rod 13 telescopically received within the same, in the desired ad justed position.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the improved mechanical golfing device may be readily transported from place to place by means of the handle arm l8 and hand-grip portion 1 I. After actuating the trigger 57 to remove the keepers 42 from the path of bearing disk 28 and project the ball, the operator manually slides the bracket 38 over the gun barrel to a position ahead of the bearing disk 28, all the time maintaining a pressure on trigger 51 to prevent keepers 42 from catching on the coils of the expanded projecting spring. It will also be seen that the barrel may be elevated vertically for projecting the ball a further distance, and that the device may be turned laterally from side to side on its supporting wheels I and 2.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that there has been provided a highly efiicient form of mechanical golfing device which may be operated by one man to project or shoot a golf ball a great distance, and that the distance may be gauged by means of varying the compression upon the spring 43.

While the preferred embodiment of the instant invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1-. In combination with a mechanical golfing device including a wheeled frame, a barrel supported thereon, a projecting spring in said barrel, and a golf ball supporting tee mounted at the forward end thereof, longitudinal slots in said barrel, a trigger bracket slidable on said barrel, a disk slidable in said barrel, a golf ball projecting rod carried by said disk, movable keepers slidable in said slots adapted to engage said disk. means secured to said bracket engaging said keepers, and means secured to said bracket and operatively connected to said keeper-engaging means for laterally moving said keepers out of engagement with said disk to actuate the device.

2. In combination with a mechanical golfing device including a wheeled frame, a barrel supported thereon, a projecting spring in said barrel, and a golf ball supporting tee mounted at the forward end thereof, longitudinal slots in said barrel, a trigger bracket slidable on said barrel, a disk slidable in said barrel, a golf ball projecting rod carried by said disk, movable keepers slidable in said slots and adapted to engage said disk, link means pivotally secured in said bracket and engaging said keepers, trigger arms operatively connected to said link means, and means operatively connected to said trigger arms for actuating said trigger arms and thereby pivoting said link means to release said disk.

3. In combination with a mechanical golfing device including a wheeled frame, a barrel supported thereon, a projectin spring in said barrel, and a golf ball supporting tee mounted at the forward end thereof, longitudinal slots in said barrel, a trigger bracket slidable on said barrel, a disk slidable in said barrel, a golf ball projecting rod carried by said disk, movable keepers slidable in said slots and adapted to engage said disk, vertical shafts rotatably mounted in said bracket, link means secured to said shafts and engaging said keepers, trigger arms connected to said shafts, means joining said trigger arms, a reel mounted on said device and means rotatable on said reel and secured to said joining means to actuate said trigger arms and thereby pivot said link means to release said disk.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said reel includes a drum, means mounting said drum on said barrel, cable means secured to said bracket and rotatable on said drum, separate cable means secured to said trigger arms and wound about said drum, and means to operate said drum to retract said bracket and said disk.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said last-named cable means includes a coil spring and a plurality of rollers mounted on said barrel and around which said last-named cable means travels.

SAMUEL A. ANTHONY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

qNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 179,526 Curtiss July 4, 1876 970,018 Coleman Sept. 13, 1910 1,076,125 Kilgore Oct. 21, 1913 1,094,725 Lang Apr. 28, 1914 1,260,633 Burgher Mar. 26, 1918 1,342,357 Spencer June 1, 1920 1,379,126 Reppe May 24, 1921 2,130,050 Walters Sept. 13, 1938 2,194,016 Geller Mar. 19, 1940 2,218,045 Martelluci Oct. 15, 1940 2,238,504 Pearson Apr. 15, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 97,554 Germany June 21, 1898 433,122 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1935

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