US3796238A - Device for lifting water from golf cup holes - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for lifting water from the hole in a golf green which receives a golf cup. The device includes a hollow cylindrical body which snugly fits within the hole after the golf cup has been removed. A wall at the base of said body has a centrally located valve opening therein. A plunger mounted for up and down movement in said body has a valve element comparable to close said opening on downward movement of the plunger. Guide means support said plunger with the same extending axially of said body. A handle for manipulating the body and means for manipulating the plunger are provided with such disposed above the upper end of the cylindrical body.

Description

ilnite States Patent DEVICE FOR LIFTlNG WATER FROM GOLF CUP HOLES lnventor: Milton Roth, 773 1/2 Roseburg Rd.,

Myrtle Point, Oreg. 97458 Filed: May 3, 1972 Appl. No.: 249,869

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1902 Holmes 294/69 R 4/1901 Latchem 1 H1895 Marriett 294/69 R Mar. 12, 1974 Primary ExaminerHouston S. Bell, Jr.

A device for lifting water from the hole in a golf green which receives a golf cup. The device includes a ho]- low cylindrical body which snugly fits within the hole after the golf cup has been removed. A wall at the base of said body has a centrally located valve opening therein. A plunger mounted for up and down movement in said body has a valve element comparable to close said opening on downward movement of the plunger. Guide means support said plunger with the same extending axially of said body. A handle for manipulating the body and means for manipulating the plunger are provided with such disposed above the upper end of the cylindrical body.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR LIFTING WATER FROM GOLF CUP HOLES This invention concerns a device for lifting water from the hole in a golf green which receives a golf cup.

In taking care of a green on a golf course, it is common to change the location of the golf cup periodically. When this is done the cup is removed from the hole which receives it, and the core of earth and sod which is removed from the green to provide the newly located hole for the cup is deposited in the old hole to repair this area. With a large accumulation of water in the hole which is to be filled, difficulties are encountered in properly performing the filling operation.

A general object of this invention is to provide a unique device which can be utilized in the lifting of water from such a hole on a golf green.

More particularly, the invention concerns a water lifting device of the type described which features a hollow container body adapted to be snugly fitted within such a hole. A valve opening is provided at the base of the body, through which water may flow into the container body. A closure element for opening and closing such valve opening is controlled by an actuator or plunger extending along the length of the hollow container body. The plunger has a manipulating end disposed above the top of the device, which is manipulated to produce movement of the closure element.

The device of the invention is relatively simply constructed, highly reliable in operation, and relatively maintenance free. As a consequence, it provides a practical solution of the problem of removing water from the golf cup holes, as it can well withstand the rather casual care normally given equipment of this nature.

Various other objects and advantages are attained by the invention, which will become more fully apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the device;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the device inserted into a hole in a golf green during the process of lifting water from it; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a modification of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises an elongated hollow container body of cylindrical shape shown at 10, having an outer diameter roughly corresponding to the outer diameter of a golf cup. This enables the cylindrical body to be snugly inserted into the hole that receives the cup upon removal of the cup. Closing off the bottom end of the cylindrical body is a wall 12. Wall 12 is provided with a circular valve opening 14 which ordinarily is axially centered in wall 12.

Extending axially along the inside of the hollow cylindrical body is an elongated tube or sleeve means 16. Such sleeve means extends through and is secured to a wall 18 provided at the top end of the cylindrical body. The sleeve means provides a mounting slidably rceiving a plunger or actuator, in the form of a rod which extends axially along the inside of the container body. Vent holes 19 may be provided in wall 18.

Plunger 20 has a valve closure element 22 mounted on the bottom end of the plunger which protrudes below the bottom end of sleeve means 16. With the plunger shifted downwardly within means 16, closure element 22 is adapted to come down against opening 14 and close it off. Conversely, retraction of the plunger upwardly in the assembly functions to withdraw the closure element and open up the opening.

The upper end of rod 20 projects above the top of tube or sleeve means 16. Joined to this projecting upper end is means for manipulating the plunger, in the form of finger rest 24. As an alternative to the bar shaped rest 24 shown in FIG. 1, a loop 26 may be utilized, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Joined to the top end of tube or sleeve means 16, where the same projects above the cylindrical body 10, is handle or grip 27 used in manipulating body 10.

A relatively small diameter tube is shown at 28 having its bottom end joined as by welding to wall 12. The bottom end communicates with the base of the device through a bore 29 provided in wall 12. The tube extends upwardly to adjacent the top wall 18 to an open upper end within the container body 10. The tube is a vent tube which functions to stop any vacuum from forming under the device on such being pulled out of a golf cup hole.

It is believed that the operation of the device should be clear from the above description. To remove water from the hole which receives a golf cup, the cup is first removed and body 10 forced down into the hole which formerly received the cup. Since the cylindrical body substantially completely fills the hole, as shown in FIG. 2, the water within the hole is forced upwardly into body 10 through opening 14. Air venting is through holes 19. Closure element 22 may be lifted from off the opening during this initial positioning of the body, to facilitate water flow into it, but ordinarily the pressure of water that develops within the hole as the body is forced downwardly is sufficient to raise the valve closure element. With water collected within the body, the plunger is forced downwardly to press element 22 against opening 14, as by squeezing rest 24 and grip 26 between the thumb and fingers of the hand. By then pulling on grip 26, the entire device may be removed from the hole, with lifting of the water caught within body 10. It is an easy matter then to dump the water from body 10, by displacing element 22 upwardly, or by tipping over the container body.

It should be noted that the device contemplated is free of intricate parts that with rusting could produce impairment of operation. The device is rugged in construction, and can well withstand the relatively abusive use that normally can be expected of such equipment.

' While a particular embodiment of the invention has been described, it is obvious that variations and modifications are possible.

It is claimed and desired to secure by letters patent:

l. A device for lifting water from a golf cup hole comprising:

an elongated hollow container body adapted snugly to be fitted within said hole with the axis of the body extending along the axis of the hole, said body including a wall closing off the base of the body having a valve opening therein,

an elongated vent tube extending axially within said container body, said vent tube opening to the base of said body through said wall which closes off said base and having an upper end disposed adjacent the top of said body, an elongated valve actuator extending along the inside of said body having an end adjacent said valve opening and an opposite end exposed at the other end of said body, means supporting said valve actuator in its position along the inside of said body and accommodating axial shifting of the actuator, and a valve closure element mounted on said valve actuator adapted to be moved against said valve opening to close it off with axial shifting of said actuator. 2. A device for lifting water from a golf cup hole comprising an elongated hollow cylindrical body having a wall at the bottom end of the body closing off said bottom end,

a valve opening in said wall, elongated sleeve means fixedly mounted within said body with the axis of the sleeve means extending along the axis of said body, a rod slidably received within said sleeve means with one end projecting out from the lower end of said sleeve means and an upper end projecting out from the upper end of said sleeve means,

a valve closure element secured to the lower end of said rod adjusted to close off said opening with movement of the rod downwardly in said sleeve means,

means for manipulating said rod joined to the upper end of said rod, and

an elongated vent tube extending axially within said cylindrical body, said vent tube opening to the bottom end of said body' through said wall which closes off said bottom end and having an upper end disposed adjacent the top of said body.

3. The device of claim 2, which further comprises a handle joined to said sleeve means in a position disposed above the upper end of said cylindrical body, said means for manipulating said rod being located above said handle.

Claims (3)

1. A device for lifting water from a golf cup hole compris1ng an elongated hollow container body adapted snugly to be fitted within said hole with the axis of the body extending along the axis of the hole, said body including a wall closing off the base of the body having a valve opening therein, an elongated vent tube extending axially within said container body, said vent tube opening to the base of said body through said wall which closes off said base and having an upper end disposed adjacent the top of said body, an elongated valve actuator extending along the inside of said body having an end adjacent said valve opening and an opposite end exposed at the other end of said body, means supporting said valve actuator in its position along the inside of said body and accOmmodating axial shifting of the actuator, and a valve closure element mounted on said valve actuator adapted to be moved against said valve opening to close it off with axial shifting of said actuator.

2. A device for lifting water from a golf cup hole comprising an elongated hollow cylindrical body having a wall at the bottom end of the body closing off said bottom end, a valve opening in said wall, elongated sleeve means fixedly mounted within said body with the axis of the sleeve means extending along the axis of said body, a rod slidably received within said sleeve means with one end projecting out from the lower end of said sleeve means and an upper end projecting out from the upper end of said sleeve means, a valve closure element secured to the lower end of said rod adjusted to close off said opening with movement of the rod downwardly in said sleeve means, means for manipulating said rod joined to the upper end of said rod, and an elongated vent tube extending axially within said cylindrical body, said vent tube opening to the bottom end of said body through said wall which closes off said bottom end and having an upper end disposed adjacent the top of said body.

3. The device of claim 2, which further comprises a handle joined to said sleeve means in a position disposed above the upper end of said cylindrical body, said means for manipulating said rod being located above said handle.

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