U.S. patent application number 09/759138 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-18 for multi-part golf cup.
Invention is credited to Porter, Robert E..
Application Number | 20020094878 09/759138 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25054535 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020094878 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Porter, Robert E. |
July 18, 2002 |
Multi-part golf cup
Abstract
A multi-part liner for a golf hole comprised of a component
visible to a golfer, an interior transverse component which can
support a golf ball and a sleeve component depending from the
transverse component which can support a golf flag pin in an
upright position. It is further characterized in that the
components may be made from different materials and are removably
mounted with respect to each for replacement of worn or abused
components.
Inventors: |
Porter, Robert E.; (Auburn,
PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD O. CHURCH
2966 CLUBVIEW DR.
ORLANDO
FL
32822
US
|
Family ID: |
25054535 |
Appl. No.: |
09/759138 |
Filed: |
January 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/175 ;
473/179 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 57/357 20151001;
A63B 57/40 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/175 ;
473/179 |
International
Class: |
A63B 069/36; A63B
057/00 |
Claims
1. A golf cup liner as defined including a cylindrical housing, a
transverse member and a sleeve in which: the visible portion of the
interior of the cylindrical housing is made from a pigmented
plastic; a significant portion of the upper surface of the
transverse member is made from a metal; the sleeve is made of metal
and is positioned below the transverse member.
2. A golf cup liner according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve is
supported by legs laterally extending from the sleeve to the
housing.
3. A golf cup liner according to claim 1 wherein the cylinder and
the transverse member are made from a metal.
4. A golf cup liner according to claim 2 wherein the visible
portion of the interior of the cylinder is a pigmented plastic
sleeve configured to fit within the cylindrical housing and seat
against the transverse member.
5. A golf cup liner according to claim 1 wherein the cylinder and
the transverse member are made from a pigmented plastic.
6. A golf cup liner according to claim 4 wherein metal plates are
inserted in the upper surface of the transverse member.
7. A golf cup liner according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve and its
legs are removably mounted.
8. A golf cup liner according to claim 6 wherein the sleeve and its
legs are supported under a spring bias.
9. A multi-part liner for a golf hole as described herein in which:
that portion of the liner that is visible to a golfer is
constructed of a plastic; that portion of the liner that supports
the golf ball when the ball is putted into the liner is constructed
of a metal; and that portion of the liner that supports the pin in
an upright position is constructed of a metal.
10. A liner according to claim 8 in which that portion of the liner
that is visible to a golfer is constructed from a metal and a
removable plastic insert.
11. A liner according to claim 8 in which that portion of the liner
that is visible to a golfer is made from a white plastic.
12. A liner according to claim 8 in which that portion of the liner
that supports the pin in an upright position is releasably attached
to that portion of the liner that supports the golf ball when the
ball is putted into the liner.
13. A multi-part liner for a golf hole comprising: an interior
component visible to a golfer when the golfer is near the liner; an
interior transverse component adapted to support a golf ball when
it is putted into the liner; a sleeve component depending from the
transverse component adapted to support a pin in an upright
position; the improvement comprising making the liner from a
plurality of components which are removably mounted with respect to
each other to permit a component to be removed and replaced when
the component is worn or abused.
14. The liner of claim 12 in which the interior component visible
to a golfer is made from an opaque plastic.
15. The liner of claim 12 wherein the components subject to wear
are made from metal.
16. The liner of claim 12 wherein the interior component visible to
the golfer is made of a white plastic.
17. The liner according to claim 12 wherein the interior component
visible to the golfer is made of a transparent plastic.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to liners for golf holes that meet
professional golf regulations, that provide for adequate drainage,
that support a flag stick in a vertical position, that keep the
soil surrounding the hole from collapsing inwardly, that are easily
seen and, more particularly, the invention relates to golf hole
liners that best meet and extend these requirements through the use
of a plurality of materials and interchangeable parts.
[0003] 2. A Golf Hole Liner Defined.
[0004] A golf hole liner (or sometimes "golf cup") is defined in
the Specification and claims (unless expressly indicated to the
contrary) as comprising:
[0005] a. A hollow, open ended, cylindrical housing.
[0006] b. A transverse member (or sometimes "golf ball support")
located at a mid point in the cylindrical housing to support golf
balls when they are putted into the liner. The transverse member is
conventionally shaped in the form of an open ended inverted
truncated cone and is secured at its larger diameter to the
interior wall of the housing and divides the housing into an upper
and a lower chamber. Drainage slots are spaced around the golf ball
support to permit water to drain from the upper chamber of the
liner into the lower chamber of the liner and into the soil
below.
[0007] c. A downwardly directed, coaxially aligned cylindrical
sleeve depending from the smaller diameter of the truncated cone.
The sleeve is configured to receive the lower end of a flag pole
and maintain the flag pole in an upright position.
[0008] 3. Discussion of the Prior Art
[0009] The golf cup is an essential item in the game of golf. It
receives a golf ball at the end of play on any given hole and it
supports a flag pole which marks the location of the golf cup so it
can be seen from a distance. When a golfer sinks a putt, the ball
is removed from the cup for future play.
[0010] Golf cups in common use are monolithic metal castings.
Unless polished or painted, the castings are without much luster or
shine and provide little visual help in sighting the golf hole. It
is the practice of some greens keepers to paint the inner wall of
the upper portion of the cup liner with white paint to make the
hole more visible from a distance. Repetitive removals and
insertions of the flag pole wear or chip the paint away. The
abraded portions of the liner may rust, spoil the appearance of the
liner and reduce the visibility of the cup.
[0011] Golf cups are less commonly made of molded plastics, which,
when pigmented, can be white, bright and highly visible. Plastic
golf cups retain a white appearance even when scratched or gouged
if the white pigmentation is dispersed throughout the plastic.
[0012] Plastic liners are, however, softer than metal ones and are
more vulnerable to wear and abuse. Of particular concern is the
wear of the sleeve that holds the flag pole. Since greens are made
from a rich soil and a sandy base, the sleeve is exposed to
abrasion and wear each time the flag stick is inserted or withdrawn
from the sleeve. If the sleeve becomes unduly worn, the flag pole
may not be supported in an upright position, it may lean to one
side and, on windy days, it may even be blown over.
[0013] Plastic golf hole liners are not as heavy as are metal
liners. Some common plastics even float on water. Since a green is
made from a rich loam and sand, lighter plastic golf liners may be
dislodged or misaligned more readily than metal liners when the
flag pole is inserted or removed from the cup.
[0014] In current practice, when the upper chamber wall of a liner
is defaced or the sleeve holding the flag stick becomes worn, the
liner is discarded and replaced with a new one. Depending on how
hard a golf course is played and the pride of the greens keeper, a
liner may be replaced upwards of three or four times during a
season.
[0015] Golfers, much like bowlers who become accustomed to the
sound of pin action, respond to a characteristic metallic "ping"
when their golf ball falls into the liner. If instead, they hear a
soft, dull thud as their ball drops into a plastic liner, they miss
some of the sensual pleasure otherwise experienced when they sink a
putt. Despite the advantages inherent in the use of plastic liners,
greens keepers may be reluctant to use them because of this
failing.
[0016] Golf cup liners have sometimes been made in two parts: the
first being a cylindrical housing and the second being an internal
spider located vertically at a midpoint in the housing. The spider
has a central hub adapted to receive the lower end of the golf
flag. A construction of this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
1,943,610.
[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,162 illustrates the use of a brightly
colored plastic collar to enhance the visibility of the golf cup.
The plastic collar is removably mounted adjacent the upper rim of
the golf cup liner.
[0018] U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,044 discloses the use of a flexible
insert that can be snapped into an indentation in the inner wall of
the upper visible portion of a golf cup liner. The insert carries
indicia which can be used for advertising purposes.
[0019] These prior art devices are made from two distinct,
detachable elements. But none of them combine the features of the
instant invention in which the properties of plastic and metal
parts are utilized to maximum advantage and are assembled in a
manner that provides a golf cup liner that is attractive to the
eye, that has good visibility, that responds with a metallic sound
when a golf ball falls into the liner, that enables the replacement
of worn or defaced parts and extends the useful life of the golf
cup liner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] It is the principal object of this invention to provide a
golf hole liner that has an extended useful life.
[0021] A further object is to make a golf hole liner that is more
visible and attractive to golfers.
[0022] Another object of the invention is to make the visible side
walls of a golf liner from a pigmented material.
[0023] Another object is to provide a golf hole liner that, when
made from plastic elements, will respond with a characteristic
metallic "ping" when a golf ball is holed out.
[0024] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a golf
liner in which at least the flag pole sleeve is made from a wear
resistant material which can be replaced when worn.
[0025] Another object of this invention is to make a golf liner
with interchangeable parts that may be separately replaced when
they are worn.
[0026] Another object of this invention is to provide a golf hole
liner that has sufficient mass to resist displacement from its
desired position under ordinary conditions of use.
[0027] These and other objects of this invention are achieved by
making golf liners from a plurality of materials that are selected
for their characteristic properties and so improve the overall
performance and useful life of a golf cup liner. To achieve these
objectives, a preferred construction of a golf hole liner made in
accordance with this invention may be summarized as follows.
[0028] 1. A monolithic structure, made either from metal or a
pigmented plastic, is configured into a hollow, open ended,
cylindrical housing . If the housing is made from metal, a
pigmented plastic liner is inserted into the interior of the upper
chamber for visual and cosmetic purposes. A liner may be made, for
example, from an extruded plastic cylinder or a sheet of a
resilient plastic rolled into a cylinder to fit snugly against the
inner wall of the upper chamber.
[0029] 2. The transverse member or golf ball support is molded as
an integral part of the cylindrical housing. One of the novel
features of my invention pertains to the inclusion of a metal
insert on the upper surface of the transverse member when the
transverse member is made from a plastic. The metal insert, such a
small plate of brass, may be molded into the surface of the
transverse member or it may be removably mounted on the transverse
member and held in place with a fastening device such as by spring
bias. A secondary benefit that is obtained through the use of a
brass insert is that it takes on a distinctive appearance the more
it is used. The repeated impact of the end of the flag stick
inserted in the golf cup results in a dimpled, irregular surface
that randomly reflects light in an attractive manner.
[0030] 3. The cylindrical sleeve flag support is made of a wear
resistant metal that can withstand the repetitive insertion and
removal of the flag stick. The sleeve is held in axial alignment
with the vertical center line of the golf ball holder by a spider
whose legs extend from the sleeve radially outward and seat against
the sidewall of the lower chamber of the golf cup liner. Vertical
channels are provided in the inner wall of the lower chamber which
are configured to accept the tips of the spider's legs. The spider
may be held in the channels by means of a press or shrink fit, by
fastening devices that pass through the side wall of the lower
chamber or by spring bias means.
[0031] The above described elements of a golf cup liner provide for
an attractive golf cup liner with an extended useful life due to
the interchangeability of the various elements of the liner and the
materials from which they are made.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] The invention can better be understood from the following
description of the invention in which:
[0033] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the golf liner.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG.
1.
[0035] FIG. 3 is a view in plan of the spider showing the sleeve
for the flag stick.
[0036] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an assembly of the golf cup
liner illustrating a spring mechanism for securing a metal plate
against the golf ball support.
[0037] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the liner showing screw means
for securing the spider within the housing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] The same numerals are used to identify the similar parts in
all of the FIGS.
[0039] The golf cup liner 10 is a hollow open ended cylinder
divided into an upper chamber 12 and a lower chamber 14. The upper
chamber 12 has an inner wall 13 and an outer wall 15, as does the
lower chamber 14. The upper member 12 and the lower member 14 are
separated by a generally transverse member 18, here illustrated as
an open ended inverted truncated cone that can support a golf ball
putted into the golf cup liner 10. Drainage holes 8 are provided in
the transverse member 18 to prevent water from accumulating in the
upper chamber 12.
[0040] There is a hole 4 in the center of the transverse member 18.
The hole is aligned with the central passage 7 (see FIG. 3) in the
flag support spider 2 which contains the sleeve 5 into which the
flag pole (not shown) is inserted and held in an erect
position.
[0041] As best illustrated in FIG. 3 the spider sleeve support 2 is
star shaped like with three legs 6. The legs 6 of the spider 2 are
dimensioned to fit snugly within the slots 22 in the lower chamber
14 of the golf cup liner 10. As can be seen in FIG. 2 elongated
slots 22 (only one is visible) are provided in the wall of the
lower chamber 14 to receive the legs 6 of the spider 2. The spider
2 is seated in the lower chamber 14 of the liner 10. It can be
understood that each of the legs 6 of the spider 2 engages a slot
22.
[0042] The spider 2 can be press or shrink fit in the slots 22 of
the lower chamber. As an alternative, to make it easier to separate
the spider 2 from the slots 22 without damage to the golf hole
liner 10, screws 28 may be advanced through the side wall of lower
chamber 14 as is illustrated in FIG. 5.
[0043] When the cylindrical housing and the golf ball support are
molded as a single part from a plastic, the golf ball support will
not produce a sound that golfers expect when they hole out. It has
been found that this can be remedied by securing a metal plate 30,
such as of brass, on or countersunk into the top surface of the
golf ball support 18. The metal plate 30 will produce a
characteristic metallic "clink" when it is struck by a golf ball
falling into the cup.
[0044] The metal plate 30 may be integrally included in the
transverse plate 18, for example, as an investment casting.
Alternatively, the metal plate 30 can be removably mounted on the
transverse member 18. A method of doing this is shown in FIGS. 4
and 5 wherein a one end 26a of a spring 24 is used to secure the
plate 30 to the upper surface of the transverse member 18 and the
other end 26b of the spring 24 is hooked over the lower end of the
golf flag support 2.
[0045] The invention as shown and described permits a greens keeper
to change worn parts of the golf liner 10 when the parts become
worn or defaced. For example the golf flag support sleeve 2, when
worn, can easily be replaced with a new one. The sleeve 2 is
removed by sliding it out of the slots 22 and a new one is
inserted. As disclosed above, the sleeve 2 may be secured in the
slots 22 by a friction fit, by one or more fastening devices such
as screws 28 or by means of a spring device 24.
[0046] If the interior wall 13 of the upper chamber 12 is made of
metal, a cylinder or a sheet of pigmented plastic 17 may be rolled
into a coil, inserted into the upper chamber 12 and permitted to
unwind to fit securely against the side wall 13 of the upper
chamber 12. If and when the plastic cylinder 17 shows signs of
abuse and wear, it easily can be replaced with a new cylinder or
coil 17 Similarly, if the metal insert 30 is damaged and needs
replacement, simple maneuvering of the spring fastener 30 makes it
quite easy to remove the damaged insert metal plate 30 and replace
it with a new one.
[0047] From the foregoing description it can readily be understood
that a new and improved golf cup liner is provided that is
attractive, has good visibility, meets professional golf
regulations, provides for adequate drainage, supports a flag stick
in a vertical position, and keeps the soil surrounding the hole
from collapsing inwardly. The invention provides a golf hole liner
that best meets and extends these requirements through the use of a
plurality of materials and interchangeable parts.
* * * * *