US3171657A - Notched endless elastic band putting target - Google Patents

Description

March 2, 1965 F. B. STRANG $171,657

' uowcaso ENDLESS ELASTIC BAND PUTTING TARGET Filed March 20, 1965 INVENTOR' FRANClS B. STRANG ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,171,657 NOTCHED ENDLEdS ELASTEC BAND PUTTHJG TARGET Francis B. Strang, Rte. 1, Box 594, Fairfax, Va. Filed Mar. 2%, 1963, Ser. No. 266,753 Claims. (ill. 273177) The present invention relates to improvements in amusement devices, and more particularly to a golf target for practicing putting and other golf strokes and which can be used indoors as well as outdoors.

One object is to provide a golf practice device for developing the correct putting stroke and a swing with coordinated rhythm when executing putts or other golf strokes for relatively short distances.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which can be conveniently attached to the legs of an article of furniture such as a chair or the like, and which can be easily removed and stored in the pocket of a golf bag when not in use.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which is reversible and can optionally be used as a target of the pocket type or a target for returning the golf ball to the player.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device having a detachable central marker indicator which can be easily removed and shifted from the front to the back of the target when the same is reversed.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device having a series of indication marks printed or otherwise secured along one edge which are equidistantly spaced so that a number of golf balls may be struck in succession toward the target and the balls trapped or pocketed by passing under the short wall opening in the target.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which includes an endless band formed of elastic material such as rubber or a synthetic rubber composition which can be easily and quickly stretched and placed in position on the lower ends of a pair of chair legs of a conventional chair or the like, and which can be easily removed and reversed to permit the device to be used for either returning the ball to the golfer or trapping the ball after the putting stroke.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which is formed of an endless flexible band in which substantially one-half of the band is cut away along one side to provide an entrance slot for the golf ball, while the other I side of full width forms a re-bound surface and extends to the floor or other surface upon which the chair is supported.

Another object is to provide a golf practice device which is comparatively simple in operation and which can be installed on a conventional chair in a stretched condition to provide a unique and novel practice device without requiring intricate structures or complex devices, but will at the same time afford a great source of amusement and improve the skill of the golfer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the golf practice target device applied to the legs of a conventional dining room chair or the like, and showing the manner in which the golf practice device is used.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the golf practice device showing the same enlarged and stretched between a pair of chair legs.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on lines 33 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the manner in which the device is used for trapping the golf ball during putting practice.

3,171,657 Patented Mar. 2, 1965 ice FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the golf practice device showing the manner in which it is stretched over the lower ends of the chair legs when used in putting practice for returning the ball to the player.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view further illustrating the manner in which the golf ball passes beneath the flexible band at the cut away portion thereof and is stopped and trapped by the other wall of the band which is of a width to extend from the floor up the chair leg a distance of approximately three inches.

In the drawing, and more in detail, attention is first directed to FIGURE 1 wherein the practice device generally designated 5 is applied to the rear legs or the front legs if desired, of a conventional chair 6 having a pair of front legs 7 and a pair of rear legs 8. The front legs 7 of conventional chairs are usually spaced approximately 18 while the rear legs 8 in conventional chair structures are spaced approximately 14". The practice device can be used on either the front legs or the rear legs.

The golf practice device 5 comprises an endless rubber band formed of rubber or synthetic rubber composition and said band is endless with a circumference of approxi mately 24". The band includes a front wall portion 10 and a rear wall portion 111. The rubber band 5 is of a thickness of approximately of an inch to permit the same to be stretched between a pair of chair legs and yieldingly held in place without tearing or becoming ruptured. The front wall 16 of the endless flexible band 5 is cut as at 12 so that the lower edge thereof terminates a distance A from the floor F upon which the chair or other device is supported. The rear Wall 11 extends to the floor surface F and is of a width of approximately 3".

The endless flexible band 5 is approximately 3" wide except for the portion shown in FIGURE 2 which is cut away as at 12 to form a trapping slot between the edge 12 and the floor surface F and said endless band 5 can be easily removed from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to the position shown in FIGURE 4 so that the wall portion of widest width 11 faces the player. In this position, the golf ball is struck toward the center of the full width band and the surface 11 forms a re-bound surface for returning the ball to the golfer.

As shown in FIGURE 5 the golf ball B is actually slightly larger in diameter than the width of the slot formed between the edge 12 and the floor surface F so that when the ball B passes beneath the edge 12 it will be retarded when driven in the direction indicated by the arrow C and will then strike the inner surface of the rear wall 11 and thus be trapped between the front and rear walls 10 and 11. The diameter of the golf ball B used presently in accordance with the U5. Golf Association is approximately 1.73 in diameter, and it is intended to cut the band 5 away along the edge 12 so that said edge 12 is spaced from the floor F a distance of approximately 1.53". Hence, the golf ball B will engage the lower edge 12 of the wall 10 at a point slightly ahead of the axis and the edge 12 will flex and permit the ball to come to rest against the wall 11 and the lower edge of the wall 10 and become trapped therebetween.

A detachable indicator 15 of U-shaped construction is provided and is clipped on the front wall 10 in the center thereof to provide a guide for the player during putting practice. The guide 15 may be formed of metal having a back wall 16 and a pointed front wall 17 extending downwardly to a point spaced from the cut away edge 12 of the endless band 5.

In addition, a series of indicating marks 18 are printed or otherwise marked along the marginal edge portion of the wall 10 and terminate adjacent the cut away edge 12 thereof.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a unique and novel device for practicing putting either indoors or outdoors, and when the device is used to trap one or more balls putted to the target and the balls have become trapped the golfer may easily release the balls with his putter blade and without necessitating bending over and by simply lifting the wall lil in an upward direction and manipulating the blade of the putter so that the balls will be forced out of their pocketed position.

A reinforcing bead 19 extends along the upper edge of the band to reinforce the same and prevent the band from tearing or becoming mutilated when the device is applied and removed from the chair legs. Also, a handle member 20 formed of rubber or other material can be attached to the band to permit the same to be stretched in a longitudinal direction with respect to the walls 16 and 11 and facilitate the application and removal of the band when the same is being reversed with respect to the chair legs or is being stored.

The legs 7 and 8 of the chair 6 in 'standard chairs are 1%" square in section, and when the flexible band is installed the walls and 11 will be spaced a corresponding distance. This spacing is sufficient to permit the ball B to be pocketed between the lower edge 12 of the wall 10 and the wall 11.

In operation, the band 5 is installed on the legs 8 7 of a chair 6 as shown in FIGURE 1, and the player P- can practice putting with a golf club G so that the head H can strike the ball B and drive the same along the dotted line as shown by the arrows Z to strike the" rubber band 5. in the area of the marker 15. The ball B as shown in dotted lines will pass beneath the edge 12 of the wall 10 and will be trapped in the space between the walls 10 and 11.

Optionally, the band 5 can be reversed so that the wall 11 is outermost facing the player P. When the band 5 is reversed the marker which may be colored red or black is detached from the wall 10 and placed on the upper edge of the wall 11 so that when the player P strikes the ball B with the club head H the ball' will strike the wall 11 and the resiliency thereof will cause the ball to re-bound to. its original position near the player P without necessitating the player walking toward the chair 6 and removing the balls with the club head H after they have been trapped when the device is used as shown in FIGURE 1. FIGURE 4 illustrates the position of the band 5 on the chair legs 8 when the device is used as a return target in which the re-bound returns the ball to the striking area of the player P.

In the perspective view shown in FIGURE 1 the player P will take a stance so that the line of flight Z of the ball B is normal or perpendicular to the walls 10 or 11 of the band 5 depending upon which wall'surface is presented foremost to the player.

The cut-out 12 extends from the curved edge portions 22 of the band 5 and the space between the vertically curved surfaces 22 which merge with the edge 12 is approximately ten inches when the band is in'its normal position, but is approximately spaced a distance of 12 to 13 inches when the band is in position and. the same is stretched so that the walls 10 and 11 will be tensioned. The space between the upwardly curved edges 22 of the wall 10 is formed such that the end por-. tions of the endless band form full length or width leg engaging portions to frictionally hold the band 5 in place and to maintain the walls 10 and 11 under tension when the band is stretched between the legs 8. The band 5 can be adjusted to increase or decrease the tension of either wall 11 or 12 for chair structures of non-v standard dimensions and in view of the fact that the practice device 5 is formed of flexible material capable of stretching several inches the same can be applied to other articles of furniture having legs spaced various distances such as stools and the like.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment thereof, and that various changes in the shape, and construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of vertical supports on an article of furniture normal to a floor surface, an endless flexible band removably stretched around and between said vertical supports to provide spaced front and rear walls with one side wall extending to the floor surface and the other side wall spaced therefrom to provide a restricted entrance slot for the passage of said golf ball.

2. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of spaced vertical supports on an article of furnitureextending normal to a floor surface, an endless flexible band removably supported on said spaced vertical supports having one wall portion spaced from the other wall portion with the former extending to the supporting surface of said article and the other surface terminating a short distance therefrom substantially equal to the diameter of a golf ball to provide a restricted entrance slot for the passage of said ball between the floor surface and said other surface terminating a short distance therefrom.

3. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of vertical supports normal to a surface on an article of furniture, comprising a flexible rubber band of endless construction removably stretched over and around the vertical supports to form a pair of spaced vertical front and rear wall portions, one of said wall portions being of a width to extend to the surface on which the article is supported, and the other wall portion being of a width of reduced dimensions to terminate from the supporting surface a distance slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball to provide a restricted entrance slot therefor to the space between said front and rear Walls.

4. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of vertical supports normal to a floor surface constituting adjacent legs of a chair, an endless flexible rubber band stretched over and between said adjacent legs of said chair to form'a pair of spaced apart vertical front and rear wall portions, one of said wall portions being of a width to extend up the chain leg from the surface on which the chair is supported, the other wall portion being of a reduced width to form a restricted ball receiving slot with the lower edge terminating a distance from the floor surface substantially less than the diameter of a golf ball to form a trap chamber between the front and rear walls of said band.

5. A golf practice device comprising a pair of spaced vertical supports normal to a horizontal surface, an end-, less flexible rubber band removably stretched over said vertical supports to form a pair of spaced front and rear wall portions, one of said wall portions being of a width f to extend to said surface a vertical distance substantially equal to twice the diameter of a golf ball, the other wall portion being of reduced dimensions with its lower edge extending in spaced relation'from said surface to provide a restricted entrance slot for receiving the golf ball in the space between said front and rear walls, and in: dicator markings along one edge of said wall portion of reduced width.

6. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a pair of spaced chair legs providing vertical supports normal to a surface, a flexible endless band of a width substantially equal to twice the diameter of a golf ball, said endless band being tensioned by being placed in a stretched condition on said chair legs to provide front and rear spaced wall portions forming a chamber therebetween, one wall of said endless band being of reduced width to permit the band to be reversed and used as a rebound surface and optionally as a ball trapping target in which the golf balls are received in said chamber.

7. A golf practice device comprising in combination: a

pair of vertical spaced apart chair legs normal to a surface, a flexible elastic band of endless construction removably stretched over said pair of chair legs to form spaced front and rear wall portions forming a chamber therebetween, one of said wall portions being of a width substantially equal to twice the diameter of a golf ball and arranged to extend to the surface on which the chair is supported, the other wall being provided with cut away portions to form a restricted golf ball entrance slot with said surface and form a trapping chamber between said wall portions for trapping a golf ball when the same is projected at the target, and an indicating marker on at least one of said walls to indicate a definite striking area.

8. A golf practice device comprising, a pair of vertical supports arranged in spaced relation, an endless flexible band removably mounted on said supports and sutficiently tensioned by being stretched around and between said supports to form spaced front and rear wall portions forming a chamber therebetween, said walls extending from the supporting surface upwardly a distance of twice the diameter of a golf ball, one of said wall portions being provided with a cut away area along its lower edge to provide a restricted entrance slot to the chamber between said wall portions, said cut away portion forming a lower edge for one of said wall portions which is spaced from a suitable supporting surface on which said vertical supports rest a distance less than the diameter of a golf ball, and a detachable indicating element adapted to be optionally placed on either of said walls to indicate a putting area.

9. A golf practice device as set forth in claim 8 in which said lower cut away edge is provided with a series of equidistantly spaced indicator marks to provide additional putting areas.

10. A golf practice device comprising, a pair of spaced vertical supports extending upwardly from a surface, an endless flexible band removably stretched between said supports under tension to form spaced front and rear walls having a chamber therebetween, one of said walls being cut away along its lower edge to provide a restricted entrance slot for the passage of a golf ball into said chamber when the same is projected toward said device, the other wall extending upwardly from the surface forming a ball retaining and stop surface and extending upwardly from said surface a distance substantially equal to twice the distance between the diametral points of a golf ball,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,094,236 4/14 Minshall 273l78 1,338,963 5/20 Rolfe 273177 X 2,283,462 5 42 Richie 273-178 2,475,763 7/49 Vandal 273178 FOREIGN PATENTS 416,948 9/34 Great Britain. 880,751 10/61 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner,

Claims (1)

1. A GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A PAIR OF VERTICAL SUPPORTS ON AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE NORMAL TO A FLOOR SURFACE, AN ENDLESS FLEXIBLE BAND REMOVABLY STRETCHED AROUND AND BETWEEN SAID VERTICAL SUPPORTS TO PROVIDE SPACED FRONT AND REAR WALLS WITH ONE SIDE WALL

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