US3687457A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Golf practice device and game
Assignee: SPORTS MANAGEMENT SERVICES Inc
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Filing: 1971-05-20
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1991-05-20
Abstract
Abstract A golf practice and game apparatus having at one end of an enclosure a vertical movable screen with a hole therein as a target, and a tee at the other end of the enclosure. The target is movable to several predetermined heights above the playing floor and at each position the height subtends an angle at the tee having a predetermined relation to the loft angle of the face of the particular golf club being used for that position. Electrical switches and cams are provided at the tee place for actuating a motor and moving the target to a given height for a particular golf club used, and also return troughs are provided for the golf balls which identify those that pass through a central portion of the hole, as compared to the side portions thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 James N Mason
- 👤 Charlotte C Davidson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 03:23
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B24/00; A63B24/0021; A63B63/00; A63B2024/0037; A63B2024/004; A63B2024/0046; A63B2063/001; A63B63/06; A63B2063/065; A63B2220/00; A63B2220/10; A63B2220/16; A63B2220/20; A63B2220/24; A63B2220/80; A63B69/00; A63B69/36; A63B69/3691; A63B69/3694
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A golf practice and game apparatus comprising: a base; a tee; a vertically movable screen mounted on the base at a fixed distance from the tee; a target area on the screen and movable vertically thereby, the target area being penetrable by a golf ball striking thereon; collecting means mounted behind the target area for receiving balls passing through the latter; delivery means for receiving balls from the collecting means and moving them to a position adjacent the tee; and control means for moving the screen upwardly and downwardly, and thus the target area, to a plurality of predetermined positions above the base level, the height of each of said positions corresponding to the height a golf ball would reach when struck by a particular golf club at the tee.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
A golf practice and game apparatus comprising: a base; a tee; a vertically movable screen mounted on the base at a fixed distance from the tee; a target area on the screen and movable vertically thereby, the target area being penetrable by a golf ball striking thereon; collecting means mounted behind the target area for receiving balls passing through the latter; delivery means for receiving balls from the collecting means and moving them to a position adjacent the tee; and control means for moving the screen upwardly and downwardly, and thus the target area, to a plurality of predetermined positions above the base level, the height of each of said positions corresponding to the height a golf ball would reach when struck by a particular golf club at the tee.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the vertical distance of each of said target positions above the base level is such as to subtend at the tee an angle approximately equal to the trajectory angle of a golf ball struck by a given golf club.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which said target area is an opening and is provided with a plurality of flat strips of flexible material extending across the opening, the edges of the strips being free thereby to provide slits through which balls can pass through the opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in which said opening is generally elliptical in shape with the long axis thereof being horizontal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the collecting means are a plurality of adjacent chutes mounTed behind the target area, the chutes dividing the area into a plurality of smaller areas, and each chute receiving balls passing through only one of the smaller areas.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which said delivery means includes a plurality of trays beneath said chutes into which balls collected by the chutes fall.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 6 in which there are at least three adjacent chutes one of said trays underlies the chute which is positioned to collect balls passing solely through a central area of the target area, and another tray underlies the other two chutes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 6 in which the delivery means includes a plurality of tubes each being connected to the trays by one end, a trough connected to the other end of each tube, said troughs leading from approximately the screen to the tee with the balls in said troughs being visible to the player at the tee.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which said chutes are mats extending vertically behind the curtain for a distance at least equal to the total distance occupied by the target area from its lowest position to its highest position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 9 in which the chutes are three in number, the open side of the middle chute covering approximately one-third of the target area at the central portion thereof and each of the side chutes covering a third of the target area at the side portions thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 10 in which the central chute is approximately square in cross-section, and the side chutes are approximately triangular in cross-section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the screen is suspended on rollers, one roller being positioned adjacent the bottom of the apparatus and the other roller being positioned at the top of the apparatus, the screen being adapted to be rolled up on said rollers, rotation of the rollers shifting the position of said target area with respect to said base.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said control means includes mounting means stationed adjacent the tee and a plurality of electrical switches mounted on the mounting means, each switch being marked with an indicium indicating a golf club, and each switch being adapted when actuated to move the screen and thus the target area to bring the latter to the predetermined positions for the golf club indicated by the indicium at said switch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 13 including a motor and a rotary cam switch device having a plurality of switches operated by cams, the switches corresponding in number to the positions of the screen, the motor being adapted to raise and lower the screen and simultaneously rotating the cam switch, and said cams being adjustable to change the predetermined positions of the screen.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |