US2742293A - Putting hole - Google Patents

Description

April 17, 1956 D ls I 2,742,293

PUTTING HOLE Filed April 1, 1955 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. UlS M. DAVIS ATTORNEYS PUTTING HGLE Louis M. Davis, cisterns, Ohio Application April 1, 1955, Serial No. 498,667

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-477) The present invention relates to a target or hole" for putting practice and for miniature golf sets for home use.

An object of the invention is the provision of an inexpensive target which simulates as closely as possible an actual hole.

must brush by these fingers to get either in or out of the hole.

This arrangement avoids ramps or other inclined surfaces but does not satisfactorily duplicate the effect of an actual hole because whether a ball rolls completely over an actual hole or drops in the hole depends on the balls velocity, but the ball is admitted over the rim of the hole in the incoming directionwithout any resistance whatsoever.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a structure which is easy to enter and harder to leave, no matter what direction it is approached by the ball, thus simulating the necessity of approaching a real hole at low speed. A particular object of the invention is to accomplish this without any springs or spring-loaded members or other elaborate and costly devices.

Still another object of the invention is'to further refine the above improvements by approximating the rim-riding or cornering effect of an actual hole, which effect reduces the chances of sinking a ball which enters tangentially ratherthan centrally.

' These and other objects and-advantages of the inven- Ufl tfid tes Patent f fl ber 14,- pteferazbly comprises a single. piece of light sheet metal or other; suitable material which, is bent. ly outwardly as along; a line 15' and which has a pair 7 tion will be readily understood from the following del scription of the presently preferred specific embodiment of the invention.

-In the drawings:

7 Figure 1 is an isometric view' of a device embodying the invention. 1

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1, with one part removed for greater clarity. Al-

ternate positions of certain parts are shown in phantom view. The device is shown in association with a golf ball, successive positions of which are also shown in phantom view.

Figure 3 is a detail isometric view of a certain portion .of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The illustrated device comprises a plurality of upright legs 10 terminating at their tops in stubby transverse T- stubs 11. The legs 10 are joined by a ring 12 which is welded orbrazed or otherwise suitably fastened to the legs at the points 13.

The adjacent halves of each adjacent pair of T-stubs 11 constitute a pair of fixed hinge pins onwhich is supported one of a plurality of hinging members 14. Each ICC.

of side flanges 16- in. each of which formed a generally vertlcall-y extending short slotl? ofasufficient size to e it with a loose and sloppy vfit. an; associated hinge pin 11. The lower edge of each hinging member 14 is spaced above floor level a distance slightly less than golf ball height.

Each'hinging member 14 can swing inwardly freely about its associated pair of hinge pins. Outward swinging movement is limited, however, by engagement of the edges of the associated pair of side flanges 16 with the ring 12, the member 14 being preferably so shaped and proportioned that this engagement occurs before any other portion of the member 14, such as the gable or fold line 15, engages the ring 12.

Thus, as shown in Figure 2, a ball may approach the device as indicated at A. As the ball contacts the hing-.

The ball continues through the hole as shown in its solid line position C. As it contacts the hinging member 14 on the outgoing side, this member starts to swing outwardly. When the ball reaches the position D, the hinging member 14 on the outgoing'side is in the illustrated phantom position, at which point the flanges 16 associated with this member 14 contact the ring 12. The member 14 is then wedged upwardly by the forward upper portion of the ball, the slots 17 accommodating this lifta ing of the member 14 by the ball. 'If the momentum of the ball is suflicient, the member 14 will be lifted completely out of the way, and the ball 14 will pass through the fhole as indicated at E, the hinging member returning to normal position.

The outwardly bent shape'of the hinging members 14 accentuates the mechanical advantage which the ball has when striking these members from an angle rather than head on. Thus, if the ball strikes the outgoing hinging member after having passed through a relatively short chord of the hole, the ball will require less momentum to escape than if it had struck the-hinging memberhead on. This approximates the rim-riding or cornering effect of an actual hole in which a tangentially-entering ball is less likely to sink than a centrally-entering ball.

It will be seen that the frame of the device comprising the legs 10, T-stubs 11 and ring 12 is a simple assembly. The remaining parts comprise the identical hinging members 14. Final assembly comprises merely slightly folding the hinging members, which maybe slightly resilient,

to allow the flanges 16 to'be slipped into slot-engaged hinging movement of each of said elements about a hori ,zontal axis into and out of said polygon, said elements depending from said hinge means, support means for said hinge means, said elements and said support means being so proportioned that when said support means is placed on a level surface the lower edges'of said elements are spaced slightly less than golf ball height above said sur- Patented Apr. 11, 1956, a

2,742,293 I v 3 e 4 face, means for limiting outward swinging movement of 2. A device according to claim 1 in which each of said said elements at a point before the lower edges of said elements is bent outwardly-at central portions across its elements exceed golf ball height above said surface, said width.

hinge means including means for accommodating slight upward movement of .said elements relative to said sup- 5 References Cited in the file of this P port means to a point where the lower edges of said ele- UNITED STATES PATENTS ments exceed golf ball height above said surface, whereby a golf ball is easily admitted to the projection of said M01303 Lueder f June 1914 polygon on said surface but must wedgmgly 11ft one of sald FOREIGN PATENTS hinging elements in order to leave the area of said projec- 10 tion, 14,649 Great Brita n Aug. 10, 1916

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