DE20120243U1 - pitch fork - Google Patents

Description

Hans-Joachim von Schön-Angerer ... S 7971 -P/ Ru

Pitchfork

The invention relates to a pitch fork with a handle part and a tine area provided at the end facing away from the handle part for loosening and lifting the green soil in the area of pitch marks caused by the impact of golf balls.

A pitch fork is a tool used by golfers to remove dents caused by golf balls when they hit the green, particularly from a great height.

The pitch fork is used to loosen and lift the soil in the area of the impact dent, after which the worked area can be smoothed and consolidated, particularly by means of a putter carried by the golfer.

The object of the invention is to improve a pitch fork of this type both in terms of its utility value and its appearance.

This object is achieved according to the invention essentially in that the handle part and the tine area are connected to one another via a pivot joint and in that the handle part is designed as a flat pocket-shaped receptacle for the pivotable tine area.

Since golfers usually keep pitch forks in their trouser pockets and take them out when needed, the two-part design of the pitch fork according to the invention, combined with the ability to fold both parts together, proves to be very convenient and advantageous, as the fork tips are protected in the handle when the pitch fork is not being used to repair a pitch mark. In addition, the pitch fork according to the invention is very compact when folded, while when unfolded it is a particularly easy-to-handle tool due to its resulting overall length.

It is also particularly advantageous to design the tine area as a flat fork with at least three tines, with the tines on the edge being shorter than the middle tine or tines. A three tine flat fork is preferably used.

According to an expedient embodiment of the invention, a plug-in receptacle for the pin of a disc-shaped ball marker is provided in the rotation axis belonging to the swivel joint, wherein a spacer element expediently ensures that the ball marker can also be easily grasped with a gloved hand.

Further particular features and embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

Embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a pitch fork according to the invention in the unfolded state,

Fig. 2 the pitch fork according to Fig. 1 in the folded state, .

Fig. 3 a side view of the folded pitch fork after

Fig. 2 with ball marker,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a pitch fork in the unfolded state,

Fig. 5 is a side view of the representation according to Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the pitch fork according to Fig. 4 in the folded state.

Fig. 1 shows a first, particularly simple embodiment of a pitch fork 1 according to the invention in the unfolded or unfolded state. This pitch fork consists of a flat, approximately rectangular handle part 2, which is connected via a swivel joint 4 to a flat fork 5, which has at its free end two edge prongs 6 of equal length and a middle prong 7, the length of which is greater than the length of the edge prongs.

Preferably, the ends of the tines 6, 7 are on a circular arc. The tine area 3 is used to loosen and lift the soil of a green in the area of a pitch mark, as indicated in Fig. 1. The longer tine pierces deeper into the ground in the middle, whereby the deeper part of the pitch mark can also be reached and gently repaired with one pierce.

Fig. 2 shows the pitch fork according to Fig. 1 in the folded state, with the flat fork 5 located within the outline of the handle part 2.

a " ■ ♦ ^«* # ♦ ■

and thus the tines 6, 7 are in a protected resting position.

The side view according to Fig. 3 in conjunction with Fig. 2 shows that the pitch fork, when folded, represents a compact, flat element that can be conveniently stored in a bag, in particular a trouser pocket.

Furthermore, Fig. 3 shows that according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the swivel joint 4 can simultaneously be designed as a plug-in receptacle for a ball marker 11, which is shown in Fig. 3 both in the state plugged into the swivel axis and separated from it. A spacer element 13 creates a distance between the pitch fork and the flat part of the ball marker 11, so that the ball marker can be easily grasped and separated from the pitch fork.

Fig. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention in the unfolded state, in which case the handle part 2 is designed as a pocket-shaped receptacle into which the flat fork 5 can be pivoted. In order to make it easier to pivot the pitch fork 5 out of the flat pocket-shaped receptacle 2, the handle part 2 is provided with a recess 9 and the flat fork 5 preferably has a pivoting projection 8 on both sides, which is also easily accessible in the pivoted-in state shown in Fig. 6 and allows the flat fork 5 to be pivoted out of the pocket-shaped receptacle 2 without any problems. In the end area of the flat pocket-shaped receptacle, a hole is provided which can be used to accommodate a chain, a ring eyelet or the like.

The side view according to Fig. 5 shows the connection of the flat pocket-shaped handle part 2 and the flat fork 5 via a swivel joint 4 and the simultaneous design of this swivel joint 4 as a holder for the ball marker 11 provided with a plug-in attachment. The spacer element 13 provided between the ball marker flat part 11 and the handle part 2 can also be seen, which makes it easier to grip the ball marker.

If a flat pocket-shaped holder 2 is used, both external surfaces of the handle part 2 are suitable for use as advertising space, but it is also possible to manufacture this flat pocket-shaped holder from high-quality materials, e.g. from specially grained wood or ivory, or to cover it with high-quality material, such as leather, so that a high-quality product is available that can always also fulfil its function as a pitch fork in a particularly advantageous manner. The latter is mainly due to the overall length when in use as a pitch fork and the preferably three-pronged design of the prong area.

Reference list

1 Pitchfork 2 Handle part (flat pocket-shaped holder) 3 Tine area 4 Swivel joint 5 Flat fork 6 Edge tines 7 Middle tine 8th Swivel attachment 9 Recess 10 Rotation axis 11 Ball marker 12 cone 13 Spacer element

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Claims (17)

1. Pitch fork with a handle part ( 2 ) and a tine area ( 3 ) provided at the end facing away from the handle part for loosening and lifting the green soil in the area of pitch marks caused by the impact of golf balls, characterized in that the handle part ( 2 ) and the tine area ( 3 ) are connected to one another via a pivot joint ( 4 ) and that the handle part ( 2 ) is designed as a flat pocket-shaped receptacle for the pivotable tine area ( 3 ). 2. Pitch fork according to claim 1, characterized in that the tine region ( 3 ) is designed as a flat fork with at least three teeth ( 5 ). 3. Pitch fork according to claim 2, characterized in that the edge tines of the flat fork ( 5 ) are each shorter than the tines located between them. 4. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flat fork ( 5 ) has at least one protruding pivoting projection ( 8 ) on the edge, which is located in a recess ( 9 ) of the flat pocket-shaped receptacle ( 2 ) so as to be accessible for actuation when the pitch fork ( 1 ) is in the folded state. 5. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flat pocket-shaped receptacle ( 2 ) is only open on the pivoting side for the flat fork ( 5 ). 6. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that different materials are used for the flat pocket-shaped receptacle ( 2 ) on the one hand and the flat fork ( 5 ) on the other hand. 7. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plug-in receptacle for the pin ( 12 ) of a disc-shaped ball marker ( 11 ) is provided in the rotation axis ( 10 ) belonging to the pivot joint ( 4 ). 8. Pitch fork according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a holding magnet for a ball marker ( 11 ) is provided, in particular in the region of the axis of rotation. 9. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free ends of the tines ( 6 , 7 ) are located at least substantially on a circular arc. 10. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that instead of a flat pocket-shaped receptacle ( 2 ) for the flat fork ( 5 ), a flat handle part ( 2 ) is provided, in the outline of which the flat fork ( 5 ) can be pivoted in substantially adjacent thereto. 11. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle part ( 2 ) consists of wood or a plastic material. 12. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the flat sides of the handle part ( 2 ) is designed as an advertising surface. 13. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spacer element ( 13 ) is provided between the handle part ( 2 ) and the ball marker which can be inserted into a corresponding receptacle with its pin. 14. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle part ( 2 ) and the tine region ( 3 ) are releasably locked against each other in the unfolded, extended state. 15. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the relative pivotability between the handle part ( 2 ) and the tine area ( 3 ) is limited to 180°. 16. Pitch fork according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a through opening for receiving a chain, ring eyelet or the like is provided at the handle end. 17. Pitch fork according to claim 11, characterized in that the handle part ( 2 ) consists of metal, horn, celluloid or ivory or is covered with a covering, in particular leather.