Golf Ball Teeing Device and Stand Therefor

The present invention is directed to a golf ball teeing device which allows a golf ball to be placed on a tee and then implanted in the ground, without the golfer having to bend over. More particularly, the present invention is directed to such teeing device which reliably secures such a golf ball and tee on the ground, requiring a minimum of mechanical components which reliably perform with minimal amount of maintenance required or danger of breaking.

Golf ball teeing devices are known to provide for inserting a tee in the ground with a golf ball placed thereon. For example, WO 2022/029726 discloses such a golf aid device including a first spring interconnecting jaws for holding the golf ball and tee, and biasing such jaws closed. The jaws are interconnected by a taut cable interconnecting the jaws to a button at a remote end of the device. Depressing this button slackens the cable, allowing a second spring to bias the jaws into open position, and release the golf ball and tee from grip of the jaws.

U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2004/0029633 is also directed to a golf ball and tee setter having a spring laterally biasing jaws of a ball cage closed, with downward pressure from a push rod at a remote end forcing the jaws open against the action of the spring. However, such devices require a large number of springs often biasing in opposition to one another. Such springs have finite operational life and can be easily deformed and bent out of shape.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to improve reliably of mounting a golf ball and tee on the ground, especially from a standing position.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide for such mounting of a golf ball and tee with a device requiring a minimal number of components that can be easily serviced and not prone to breakage.

It is another object of the present invention to allow such golf ball teeing device to be securely mounted on the ground in upright position, when not in use.

These and other objects are provided by present invention, which is directed to a golf ball teeing device which allows a tee with a golf ball balanced thereon, to be securely pierced into the ground, without having to bend over.

The jaws of the device are biased closed, with a golf ball first positioned therebetween, and then a tee slid on top of the golf ball while the device is inverted. Then, the device is inverted and the tee pierced into the ground. A button on an opposite end of the device is then depressed to bias the jaws apart against action of biasing means and release both the tee and golf ball situated thereon.

More particularly, the golf ball teeing device has a seat for a golf ball, a pair of jaws arranged on either side of the golf ball seat and forming an opening for a tee for the golf ball at mating ends thereof, means for biasing the jaws together, a rod arranged to open the jaws against the biasing and release the golf ball and tee from therebetween, a tubular shaft on which the jaws are pivotally mounted, and through which the rod movably extends along the shaft, the rod being configured, when pushed, to contact the jaws and pivotally open them against said biasing means, a meshing gear situated at an end of the rod, and a pair of meshing gears each pivotally arranged on a respective jaw and interlocking with the meshing gear at the end of the rod. Pushing the rod against the action of the biasing means pivots the jaws outwardly from one another.

This arrangement facilitates mounting of a golf ball and tee during golfing, with minimal effort, and avoiding components prone to failure or distortion. A stand for securely mounting the teeing device in upright position is also provided.

As shown in the figures, the golf ball teeing devicehas a pair of jawslocated at the bottom end and which are connected by a rodto a releasing mechanismat the top of the device. A golf ball is first loaded into a closed position of the jawsof the device, onto an end of a collarhaving a receptacle or curved indentationfor the ball. One jawhas an L-shaped protrusionto help guide and seat the golf ball during loading and each jaw, as well as the collar, has a respective curved indentationto effectively seat the golf ball when inserted between the jawswith the tee.

The tee is then loaded on top of the golf ball in the inverted position, by pressing the jawsapart against biasing of the springat the top end of the gripping handle, and slipped in between the tips of the jawswithin the tee opening, which then snaps back upon release.

The deviceis then inverted, as the tee is appropriately pierced into the ground (), i.e., at the teeing off location, driving range, etc. The buttonwithin the releasing mechanismis then pressed and opens the jawsto release the golf ball and tee from the device(). Depressing the buttonpushes the rodsituated within the tubular shaftdownwardly, and which then moves an opposite end of the rodwhich is attached to a gear rack, thus translating the lateral motion of the rodto a rotational motion of the pinion gearsattached by pivot pinsto the jaws, to open the jaws. The pivot pinspass through a collarmounted on the end of the tubular shaft, and attach the jawsto the pinion gears. The collarsecurely holds the jawsand pinion gearsin place relative to the gear rack. Other attachment means of the jawsto the pinion gearsare contemplated.

When the buttonis then released as the teeing device is lifted up and away from the golf ball and tee pierced into the ground (), the jawsreturn to closed position by the action of the biasing compression springlocated within the releasing mechanism, extending around the internal rod, and coupled to the actuating button. The releasing mechanismis formed as a handle similar to a golf club gripping end, with another locking buttonintegrated into the releasing mechanismand which can be used to lock the actuating buttonin the closed position of the jawsby inserting into a grooveof the button. The locking buttonis held against tension of a locking springand can be easily released to allow the device to be actuated by depressing the actuating button. This locking can ensure the deviceremains closed during transport as well as keeping the jawsclosed during use. The locking button is arranged to engage and lock the actuating button from triggering, from only the side of the actuating button on which the locking button is mounted.

The present invention also facilitates picking up the tee and golf ball. For example, the buttoncan be depressed to move the jawsapart against the action of the spring, and placed over the tee or golf ball. Then, releasing the buttonwill allow the jawsto close around the golf ball or tee and, with the locking buttonengaged to ensure jawsremained closed, the golf ball or tee can then be lifted without a golfer bending down.

While the devicecan readily fit within a standard golf bag, a standis also provided to allow the deviceto be balanced in upright position, without having to be laid along the ground, as best seen in. The standis not intended to be limited to only the device presented, but any rod-shaped device such as a golf club, fishing pole, or any other device primarily consisting of a rod. The standworks in conjunction with the deviceto form a tripod. The standhas two additional legsaffixed to a slider. The sliderhas a cavity, i.e., an eccentrically-winding channelallowing travel along a predetermined path relative to a stationary retaining pinextending therethrough. The slideralso has two edges or camming surfaces, a first leading edgeand second angled leading edge, both of which are formed to mate with the tubular shaft.

The standis enclosed by a housingpermanently attached to the device, and the retaining pinholds the sliderwithin the housing. The slideralso has a leveraffixed and stationary relative to the slider.shows the stand legsretracted against the shaftof the teeing device, e.g., for carrying and/or inserting in a golf bag.

To extend and mount the legsof the stand, one presses down on the leverwhich causes the sliderto follow the path guided by the retaining pinextending through the cavity, in a motion that initially lowers the legs, thus moving the first leading edgethat is mated with the tubular shaft, and then projecting the legsoutwardly and away from one another, by engaging the second leading edgemated with the tubular shaft, to form a tripod with the teeing deviceitself ().

Placing the tripod on the ground will also cause upward pressure, stabilizing the device. The legsare also shaped to extend around the shaftwhen engaged. While the drawings depict the standpermanently attached to the device, other attachment means, both permanently and semi-permanently, are contemplated.

An advantage provided by this type of standcoupled to the teeing device, is moving the pair of legsof the stand away from a user to reliably mount the teeing deviceupright with swift action and the teeing deviceitself forming the third leg of a tripod mounting. This makes it easier for a golfer to mount the teeing device upright between use.

illustrate another type of stand for supporting the golf ball teeing device in upright position, in which the stand has just a single support leg′. In this embodiment, a collar encircles the shaft of the golf ball teeing device, and has a laterally extending clamping projection with a bore therethrough. This bore extends substantially perpendicularly to the opening through the collar and encircling the shaft.

The support leg in this embodiment has an opening at the top end to receive a pivot pin or screw which also extends through the bore of the clamping projection. This pivot pin or screw is tightened to secure the collar around the shaft of the teeing device while, at the same time, allowing the stand leg to be pivoted toward or away from the teeing shaft. Therefore, the stand leg′ is pivotal away from the golf ball teeing device shaft to support the golf ball teeing device at an angle in upright position as shown in(and is provided with a sharp bottom end to effectively pierce the ground).

The preceding description of the present invention is merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope thereof in any way.