US3292929A - Rotative and swingable golf tee - Google Patents

Description

Dec; 20, 1966 T. B. RUSSELL 3,292,929

ROTATIVE AND SWINGrABLE GOLF TEE Filed June 10, 1964 1 INVENTOR. jTHEoooRE B. RUSSELL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,292,929 ROTATIVE AND SWINGABLE GOLF TEE Theodore B. Russell, 2190 NE. 124th St., North Miami, Fla. 33132 Filed June 10, 1964, Ser. No. 373,960 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-203) This invention relates to a collapsible and adjustable golf tee of the type that is relatively permanent and that may be conveniently and easily collapsed to fit within the pocket of the user.

The invention contemplates a golf tee that is rotationally mounted upon the end of a rod and with the rod being pivotally connected to a coupling device and with the coupling device also pivotally receiving a ground stake, whereby the ground stake may be forced into the ground to anchor the tee and to hold the tee against being accidentally projected by a golf club.

The invention further contemplates a golf tee of generally cylindrical form having a flattened side portion and with the side portion and the top of the tee being semi-cylindrically recessed for the reception of a golf ball and with the tee being frictionally rotatable upon a supporting rod so that the tee may either support the ball at a conventional elevation or, when the tee is swung in an arc of substantially 90 degrees, the recess upon the side will constitute a rest for the golf ball at a lower elevation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a head for the rod having a flat upper surface and with the rod being pivotally supported within the head and a ground stake of serpentine shape being also pivotally supported within the head to be swung downwardly and forced into the ground by holding a golf ball and pressing downwardly on the fiat face of the head and the serpentine ground stake retards the withdrawal of the stake from the ground but also permits lateral movement of the rod and the supported tee for proper positioning of the ball with respect to the player.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a golf tee constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof,

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view thereof,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a rear end elevation of a supporting head, and

FIGURE 6 is a section taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIGURE 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there has been provided a relatively rigid rod 5, having one end bent to form an eye 6. The eye 6 is pivotally supported within a head 7, by a bolt 8. Lying closely to the eye 6 and frictionally engaged therewith, is a second eye 9, also pivotally supported upon the bolt 8 and the eye 9 carries a ground stake 10 that is serpentine in shape as illustrated at 11 and with the terminal end of the stake having a sharpened point 12. The eyes 6 and 9 are supported within the head 7 and the head 7 is generally U- shaped in transverse section, having a flat upper surface 13 and downwardly extending side walls 14. The side walls 14 at the rear end of the head are bent inwardly as indicated at 15 to constitute a stop for the stake 10 in its operative position. The stake 10 is swingable in ice an arc toward the rod 5 and, as shown in FIGURE 1 in dotted lines, the stake 10 in the collapsed position lies substantially parallel to the rod 5 and whereby the apparatus may be placed within the pocket of a user.

Mounted upon the opposite end of the rod 5, is a preferably plastic cylindrical tee 16. The tee at one end is provided with a semi-cylindrical recess 17 for the seating support of a golf ball. The rod 5 extends through the tee 16 and the tee 16 is roatable upon the rod 5 and frictionally held by stops 18 and friction washer 19, as clearly shown, one side of the tee 16 is flattened as at20 and the flattened side is provided with a semi-cylindrical recess 21, constituting a rest for the golf ball when the tee is swung to an angle of degrees thus supporting the golf ball at a lower elevation from the ground that may be desirable in certain drives from the tee. The friction washers 19, between the tee 16 and the stops 18 support the tee in either position of adjustment and the rod 5, as pivotally supported within the head 7, is limited in its pivotal movement by the flat top 13 and also limited against downward swinging movement with respect to the head 7 by one of the tongues 15, bent from one side wall 14 to extend under the rod 5 thus, maintaining the head 7 in a relatively fixed position with respect to the rod.

In the use of the device, when a golf ball is to be driven from a tee, the stake 10 is swung downwardly to a point substantially at a right angle to the rod 5 and a golf ball is then held in the hand and engage-d with the flat surface 13 of the head 7 to constitute a convenient means to force the stake into the ground and this is particularly useful where the ground is hard, such condition prevailing in cold weather and with respect to various types of soil. With the stake 10 forced into the ground to the point where the side walls 14 engage the ground, the rod 5 is supporting the tee 16 in a correct position and the golf ball may be placed within the recess 17 and driven as is customary by a golf club. Should the golf club strike the side of the tee 16, the rod 5 may be swung laterally since the stake 10 permits of such movement and the stake 10 also prevents the tee from being driven away from the area. Should the player desire a lower elevation for the ball, the tee 16 is swung laterally upon the rod 5, placing the flat side 20 upwardly and the recess 21 then constituting the rest for the golf ball at a reduced elevation from the ground. The tee 16 is formed of any suitable plastic material not likely to be damaged when a golf club is engaged therewith. The other parts of the device including the rod 5, the head 7 and the stake 10 are formed of a material calculated to withstanding corrosion. The two eyes 6 and 9 are frictionally supported with respect to each other and with respect to the side walls 14.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel golf tee has been employed. The structure is relatively permanent and avoids the necessity of employing the old and well known wood or plastic tees and, since the stake 10 is swingable to lie against the side of the rod 5, the device may be easily engaged within the pocket of the user. The device is strong, cheap to manufacture and most effective as a permanent type golf tee.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A golfing tee of the character described comprising an elongated rigid rod having an eye at one end and with the eye being pivotally supported within a head of U- shape, having a flat upper surface, a ground stake also having an eye disposed within the head and in frictional engagement with the eye of the rod, the head having right angle flanges, a bolt extending through the flanges and the eyes and with the eyes also having frictional contact with the flanges, the ground stake being formed serpentine intermediate its length and with the lower end being sharpened, the ground stake being at right angle to the rod and swingable to be disposed alongside the rod, the opposite end of the rod being provided with a plastic tee head that is pivotally supported upon the rod and whereby the tee head may be swung in an arc of 90 degrees, the tee head having a semi-cylindrical recess upon its stop and a semi-cylindrical recess Within a side wall, stops formed upon the rod and friction washers between the stops and opposite side walls of the tee to frictionally maintain the tee in either an upright position or a horizontal position to vary the degree of elevation of the recesses from the ground.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the tee head is cylindrical, having a flat bottom and a flat top and with the top being provided with the recess, one side of the tee being formed flat and provided with the said second recess, the recesses adapted to form a rest for a golf ball in either position of adjustment of the tee head.

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the U-shaped head has its flanges bent inwardly at an angle to form a stop for the ground stake and whereby the ground stake is limited in its swinging movement to dispose the stake substantially at a right angle to the rod,

1 in the path of movement of the eye of the rod, the flat the inwardly bent corners of one flange being disposed the stake is inserted in the ground, a rod pivoted at one end in the head and projecting laterally from the stake,- a tee pivotal at one end of the rod on a pivot disposed at right angles to the pivot for the stake, said tee consisting of an elongated block with its pivot located adjacent to one of its ends, the block having a ball-receiving recess in its end remote from its pivot and also having a second ball-receiving recess in its side and adjacent to its pivot whereby a pivotal movement of the block can selectively position either ball-receiving recess uppermost and by the disposition of the selected. recess locate the ball supported thereby at different positions above the ground. 7

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,595,130 8/1926 Wilcox 273204 1,901,948 3/1933 Bock 273-202 2,107,706 2/ 1938 Morgan 273203 1 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS I. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 4. A GOLF TEE COMPRISING, A STAKE FOR INSERTION INTO THE GROUND, A CHANNEL-SHAPED HEAD IN WHICH SAID STAKE IS PIVOTED AT ONE END ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE GROUND WHEN THE STAKE IS INSERTED IN THE GROUND, A ROD PIVOTED AT ONE END IN THE HEAD AND PROJECTING LATERALLY FROM THE STAKE, A TEE PIVOTAL AT ONE END OF THE ROD ON A PIVOT DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PIVOT FOR THE STAKE, AND TEE CONSISTING OF AN ELONGATED BLOCK WITH ITS PIVOT LOCATED ADJACENT TO ONE OF ITS ENDS, THE BLOCK HAVING A BALL-RECEIVING RECESS IN ITS END REMOTE FROM ITS PIVOT AND ALSO HAVING A SECOND BALL-RECEIVING RECESS IN ITS SIDE AND ADJACENT TO ITS PIVOT WHEREBY A PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE BLOCK CAN SELECTIVELY POSITION EITHER BALL-RECEIVING RECESS UPPERMOST

Images