U.S. patent application number 11/302244 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-15 for golf ball retriever.
Invention is credited to Jimmie Hiland, John Leithoff.
Application Number | 20060125256 11/302244 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36582938 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060125256 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hiland; Jimmie ; et
al. |
June 15, 2006 |
Golf ball retriever
Abstract
A golf ball retriever having a plurality of resilient,
ball-pinching disks secured to a rotating central axle. The axle is
supported at opposite ends by the opposed end portions of a
"U"-shaped frame attached to an extendable handle, forming a
rake-like device. The disks are octagonal in shape, uniformly sized
and aligned so as to provide traction during the retrieving action.
The disks are spaced along the axle, forming ball-receiving
cavities for gripping golf balls for retrieval from a hazard. The
threaded axle holds the adjustably spaced disks by pairs of
retaining nuts and washers, the width being adjusted to the size of
differing golf balls. In a preferred form, at least four disks are
provided, defining three ball-receiving spaces.
Inventors: |
Hiland; Jimmie; (Quincy,
IL) ; Leithoff; John; (Quincy, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LITMAN LAW OFFICES, LTD
PO BOX 15035
CRYSTAL CITY STATION
ARLINGTON
VA
22215
US
|
Family ID: |
36582938 |
Appl. No.: |
11/302244 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60635442 |
Dec 14, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
294/19.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 47/02 20130101;
A63B 2225/60 20130101; A63B 47/024 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
294/019.2 |
International
Class: |
A63B 47/02 20060101
A63B047/02 |
Claims
1. A golf ball retriever, comprising: a "U"-shaped frame having
opposing end portions and a central handle attachment; an
extendable handle attached to said central handle attachment of
said "U"-shaped frame; and a ball retriever assembly rotatably
supported by said "U"-shaped frame and extending between said
opposing end portions thereof.
2. The golf ball retriever according to claim 1, wherein said ball
retriever assembly comprises a central axle supported for rotation
between said end portions of said "U"-shaped frame and a plurality
of resilient disks spaced along said central axle, said plurality
of resilient disks being of such diameter and so spaced as to form
golf ball receiving cavities to receive and retain a plurality of
golf balls therein, said resilient disks being adjustably located
along said central axis so as to adjust the width of said ball
receiving cavities.
3. The golf ball retriever according to claim 2, wherein said disks
are octagonal in shape, forming peripheral flats, said disks being
so located that their respective peripheral flats are aligned.
4. A golf ball retriever, comprising: a "U"-shaped frame having
opposing end portions and a central handle attachment; an
extendable handle attached to said central handle attachment of
said "U"-shaped frame; and a ball retriever assembly rotatably
supported by said "U"-shaped frame and extending between said
opposing end portions thereof; said ball retriever assembly
comprising: a central axle supported for rotation between said end
portions of said "U"-shaped frame; and a plurality of resilient
disks spaced along said central axle; said plurality of resilient
disks being of such diameter and so spaced as to form golf ball
receiving cavities to receive and retain a plurality of golf balls
therein; said resilient disks being adjustably located along said
central axis so as to adjust the width of said ball receiving
cavities; whereby, upon movement of said handle forward or reverse
relative to the bottom of a water hazard, said ball retriever
assembly is rotated therealong, receiving and retaining golf balls
within said ball receiving cavities for removal from said water
hazard; and whereby said width of said ball receiving cavities may
be adjusted to retain golf balls of differing diameters
therein.
5. The golf ball retriever according to claim 4, wherein said disks
are octagonal in shape, forming peripheral flats, said disks being
so located that their respective peripheral flats are aligned.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 60/635,442, filed Dec. 14, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to retrieving devices. More
particularly, the present invention relates to hand-held golf ball
retrieving devices.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Golfers often encounter the misfortune of hitting a golf
ball into a water hazard such as a lake, swamp, or stream. In fact,
it would appear that the designers of golf courses intentionally
place water hazards in locations likely to be visited by a wayward
golf shot. In most instances, the golfer is resigned to replace the
ball, leaving the lost ball in the water hazard. Those persons
privy to the course during off hours or maintenance often find it
of pecuniary advantage to retrieve the balls and place them for
sale or for driving range use.
[0006] Heretofore, rolling disk type retrievers have been useful in
a driving range environment pulled or driven by a tractor. Handheld
devices are known which employ this technology, however they are
not adjustable to retrieve balls of differing size. The difference
between an American ball such as that approved by the United States
Golfing Association (USGA) and a smaller British ball used in the
United Kingdom and other countries is of such magnitude that a
disk-type ball retriever useful for one size ball is not useful for
retrieving balls of another size.
[0007] With this in mind, it would be desirable to provide a
hand-held disk-type ball retriever which is adjustable and thus
useful for retrieving balls of differing sizes from water, swamps,
or streams. The retriever is particularly useful when carrying out
a recovery from hazards where the balls are obscured by murky
water, the retriever being distinctly effective in covering large
underwater areas where a number of golf balls have collected but
their individual locations cannot be easily determined.
[0008] No known inventions, taken either singly or in combination,
are seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a golf
ball retriever solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The golf ball retriever of the present invention is hand
operated, having an extendable handle for reaching the necessary
distance into a water hazard to retrieve abandoned golf balls
therefrom while providing collapsible capability for storage. The
golf ball retriever of the present invention has a "U"-shaped frame
attached to the extendable handle and supporting a rotatable
central axle having plurality of spaced resilient, ball-pinching
disks mounted to the axle. The disks are uniform polygons having
aligned peripheral flats so as to provide traction with the bottom
of the water hazard as the disks roll therealong during the
retrieving action. The disks are of such a minimum diameter as to
easily receive golf balls between the periphery of the disks and
the rotating axle. The disks are adjustably mounted along the
rotating axle so that the disks are spaced slightly less than the
diameter of the golf balls sought, the resilience of the disks
providing for ball gripping action as the disks are drawn, rotating
along the bottom of the water hazard.
[0010] The golf balls generally have a resilient character and are
of such weight relative to the gripping power developed between the
disks and the balls as to allow them to be retrieved from the water
hazard. The golf balls may easily be removed by the user by pulling
the trapped balls by hand.
[0011] The preferred configuration of the axle and disks includes a
threaded axle having disks spaced therealong and held in place by
pairs of retaining nuts and washers. The position of each disk may
be changed along the threaded axle by loosening, adjusting, and
tightening the pairs of retaining nuts. The spacing of the disks
may then be easily adjusted to the size of golf ball sought. In a
preferred form, at least four disks are provided, defining three
ball-receiving spaces.
[0012] It is an aspect of the invention to provide improved
elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which
is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its
intended purposes.
[0013] These and other aspects of the present invention will become
readily apparent upon further review of the following specification
and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a golf ball
retriever according to the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the invention of FIG.
1.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the golf ball retriever
of FIG. 1 with golf balls held in retriever.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a partially exploded view of the golf ball
retriever of FIG. 1.
[0018] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] The golf ball retriever of the present invention is hand
held and has a plurality of resilient, ball-pinching disks secured
to a rotating central axle. Each of the disks includes a periphery
with multiple straight sides, preferably being octagonal in shape,
so as to provide traction with the bottom of the water hazard as
the disks roll therealong during the retrieving action.
[0020] Referring to the Figures, ball retriever system 10 is shown
deployed in a water hazard W having golf balls G along the bottom B
of the water hazard W. Ball retriever system 10 includes an
extendable, nested tubing handle 12 of conventional design attached
to the "U"-shaped frame 14 at handle attachment 16 centrally
located along the "U"-shaped frame body. A retriever assembly 18 is
supported for rotation between the end portions 15 of "U"-shaped
frame 14 within bores 17.
[0021] Retriever assembly 18 includes a retriever central threaded
axle 20 held in axial position by frame attachment nuts 22.
Octagonal disks 24 are centrally secured and spaced along threaded
axle 20 by adjustment nuts 30 along with flat washers 26 and lock
washers 28 such that the peripheral flats 34 of octagonal disks 24
are aligned as shown. Octagonal disks have central mounting bores
25 therethrough and are preferably four in number as shown,
although the number of disks may be varied as desired. Octagonal
disks 24 as shown in the Figures are spaced and are of sufficient
diameter to form three ball-receiving cavities 32, therebetween.
The octagonal disks may be of spring steel or resilient plastic or
other appropriate material as desired.
[0022] In operation, the user drags or pushes the ball retriever 10
along the bottom of the water in a raking motion. The handle 12 may
be adjusted in length as desired. To adjust the width of the
ball-receiving cavities 32 the adjustment nuts 30 may be loosened,
the location of octagonal disks 24 adjusted along the length of
threaded axle 20 and adjustment nuts 30 tightened appropriately at
the adjusted positions. The width of ball-receiving cavities may
also be adjusted to differ along the threaded axle 20 to retrieve
different size balls simultaneously, however, it is likely that a
similar size ball is used at a particular course.
[0023] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and
all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *