Golf Ball Holder

Abstract

Golf ball holder comprising an anchoring support, a tubular element adapted to receive the balls, a bottom end and an upper end stop formed integrally with said support, said tubular element being adapted to be fitted between said end stops, and elastic means for keeping said tubular element on said support in an intermediate ball-retaining position spaced in relation to said end stops, whereby the balls can be introduced from the top and removed from the bottom of said element by reason of its elastic mobility in relation to said support. The ball holder is thus constituting both a convenient container and a dispenser of balls while being constructionally very simple.

Description

As a rule, golf ball holders are objectionable because it is uneasy to extract balls therefrom or, alternatively, balls can easily escape therefrom, notably when the carrier or the bag or cart supporting the ball holder is inclined inopportunely.

It is the essential object of the present invention to provide a ball holder constituting more particularly and advantageously both a convenient container and a dispenser of balls while being constructionally very simple.

Basically, the golf ball holder according to this invention comprises an anchoring support, a tubular element adapted to receive the balls, a bottom end and an upper end stop formed integrally with said support, said tubular element being adapted to be fitted between said end stops, said elastic means for keeping said tubular element on said support in an intermediate ball-retaining position spaced in relation to said end stops, whereby the balls can be introduced from the top and removed from the bottom of said element by reason of its elastic mobility in relation to said support.

Two typical forms of embodiment of a ball holder according to this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a ball holder ;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ball holder support of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along the line III--III of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of embodiment of a ball holder.

The ball holder illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises a support 1 consisting of a wire bent to provide a pair of parallel bars 1a, 1b constituting guiding and bearing means for a tubular element 2 adapted to receive the balls B, and constituting a bottom end stop 3 and an upper end stop 4 for said tubular element, said bars 1a, 1b terminating each with a bent anchoring lug 5 whereby the support 1 can be suspended from the edge of a golf sack, or a golf cart element, or from a belt. The tubular element 2 is simply retained on the support 1 by means of elastic means, in this case a pair of rings 6, 7 engaging the bars 1a, 1b and said tubular element 2 so as to hold the latter in an intermediate position between the end stops 3 and 4. Thus, the lowering the tubular element 2 for engagement with the bottom end stop 3, the tubular element can be loaded from the top with balls introduced one by one, and it will be seen that the length of this tubular element may be such, in relation to the distance between end stops 3 and 4, that the balls can penetrate easily into said element, so as to accommodate possible dimensional differences between balls according to their origin.

When the tubular element is released the elastic rings 6, 7 tend to restore it to its intermediate position, and it will be noted that this element engages the bars 1a, 1b without contacting the rings thereat. This elastic return to an intermediate position may be maintained by providing a gluing or anchoring point or stop between the rings and each bar 1a, 1b, and thus preventing said rings from slipping.

To remove a ball when required, it is possible to raise the tubular element with one hand for seizing with the other hand the lowermost, uncovered ball, and subsequently to release the tubular element while extracting the bottom ball thus seized. The remaining balls or ball will thus move down while the tubular element retains them, this element being urged downwards by said elastic rings.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, orifices 8 may be provided in the tubular element wall near its ends, preferably at the level of the points of mutual contact of said balls, to provide an easy finger grip. Furthermore, disposing the orifices 8 at the level of the ball junction points is advantageous in that these orifices can be used as windows for ascertaining the number of balls remaining in the device when an opaque tubular element is used.

It is also possible to easily extract the bottom ball by pulling same directly between finger and thumb of one hand, the other balls remaining therein due to the elastic return of the tubular element to its retaining position, and likewise it is possible to recharge the ball holder by forcing each ball between the top stop of the support and the tubular element.

FIG. 4 corresponds to a form of embodiment wherein the tubular element 9 is mounted on the support 10 with the assistance of elastic O-rings 11 fitting in notches 12 formed in said support and located in the vicinity of the ends of the tubular element which are turned out, whereby the tubular element remains properly positioned in service. The bottom end stop 13 of the support is slightly inclined downwards and away from the vertical bars of the support in order to facilitate the engagement and gripping of the ball.

Of course, other modifications may be contemplated without departing from the scope of the invention, and notably another support construction, in molded plastics for example.

Claims

I claim:

1. Golf ball holder comprising an anchoring support, a tubular element adapted to receive the balls, a bottom end and an upper end stop formed integrally with said support, and elastic means connecting said tubular element and said support and keeping said tubular element in an intermediate ball-retaining position spaced in relation to said end stops, whereby the balls can be introduced from the top and removed from the bottom of said element by reason of its elastic mobility in relation to said support.

2. Golf ball holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elastic means comprise at least one elastic ring encircling said tubular element and said support.

3. Golf ball holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support consists of a bent wire having two parallel vertical bars acting as guide and bearing means to said tubular element.

4. Golf ball holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tubular element has formed therein near its ends orifices constituting easy-grip means for the fingers of the user's hand, said orifices being formed at the level of the junctions between adjacent balls in said tubular element.

5. Golf ball holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elastic means comprise a pair of spaced rings encircling said tubular element and said support, and engaging notches formed in said support.

6. Golf ball holder as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tubular element has its ends turned out, said rings being disposed in the vicinity of said ends.

7. Golf ball holder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bottom end stop of said support is slightly inclined downwards and away from the remaining part of said support.