Abstract:
An apparatus for quickly installing a flag on and removing a flag from a golf hole flag staff is disclosed. A flag staff attachment having laterally displaceable retaining clips is threaded onto the top of a golf hole flag staff, and a retainer cap is installed through the aperture at the top of the sleeve of a golf hole flag. Laterally displaceable retaining clips on the retaining cap engage the flag sleeve&#39;s aperture, thereby securing the retaining cap to the flag. An engagement member on the retaining cap displaces the retaining clips of the flag staff attachment, thereby allowing the engagement member to pass therebetween, thereby securing the flag to the staff.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to sporting equipment, especially as it relates to the game of golf. More particularly, the invention comprises a system for quickly and easily changing the flag attached to a staff used for indicating a golf green hole. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   In the game of golf, the hole, or cup, is typically relocated to various spots around the green on a regular basis. This periodic relocation facilitates even wear of the grasses of the green and increases the challenge of the course by moving the target hole. A staff topped with a flag is placed in the hole so that a golfer may determine the location of the hole from the tee or the fairway, up to several hundred yards away. The flags are coded, usually by color, to indicate whether the hole is toward the front, center or rear of the green, thereby aiding the golfer in selecting the club to use for the distance to the hole. Therefor, it is desirable to be able to easily and quickly change the flag whenever the hole is moved. 
   In the past, a variety of flag mounting systems have been propounded, including: 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,116, issued to Stewart A. Wyner, et al., on May 18, 1999, presents a REVOLVING PENNANT, in which a pennant is suspended from a pivot assembly which, in turn is pivotally mounted around the top of a handle. The assembly of Wyner, et al., tends to serve as a base for a single flag, while that of the current invention is designed to facilitate quick and easy change of flags. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,927, issued to James A. Purpura on Mar. 31, 1998, presents a VEHICLE FLAG MOUNTING ASSEMBLY attachment to the licence plate frame of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle. A flag or pennant is attached to the mast of Purpura&#39;s assembly by bolts passing through apertures in an attachment blade and the eyelets of the flag, requiring the use of wrenches or plyers. By contrast, the present invention requires only the uncoupling of a fastener, by a simple twist of the hand, to change flags. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,635, issued to Jerry P. Deviney on Apr. 1, 1997, presents a CUP PLACEMENT INDICATOR in which a flag holder having a flag attachment device is semi-permanently attached over the top of the flag staff, typically with a nut engaging a threaded bolt extending from the top of the flag staff. Interchangeable flags are then, individually, attached to the flag attachment device by methods such as velcro, zippers or snaps. By contrast, in the present invention, standard flags may be used, as opposed to flags specially made for the snap cap. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,130, issued to David C. Brown on Mar. 14, 1995, presents a PORTABLE FLAG-TARGET FOR FLYING-DISC GAME AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF, a two section flag pole for use in the playing of disc golf. While providing for reduction in length of the pole for carrying and storage, Brown fails to provide the secure, quick release flag changing capabilities of the present invention. 
   None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention comprises an apparatus for quickly and easily changing the flag on the staff marking the hole on a golf green. 
   Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a quick release fastener which is easy to use. 
   It is another object of the invention to provide a quick release fastener which is durable. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a quick release fastener which is economical. 
   Still another object of the invention is to provide a quick release fastener which may be used with standard, commercially available flags. 
   It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
   These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a typical flag staff as is commonly known in the golfing industry. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the flag staff attachment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the flag staff attachment of FIG.  2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the flag staff attachment of FIG.  2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the flag staff attachment of FIG.  2 . 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of the retaining cap of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the retaining cap for the flag tube of FIG.  6 . 
       FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the retaining cap of FIG.  6 . 
       FIG. 9  is a environmental perspective of the retaining cap attached to a flag. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The quick release fastener of the present invention is composed of two basic elements, a flag staff attachment  200 , as depicted in  FIGS. 2  thru  5 , and a retaining cap  300 , as depicted in  FIGS. 6  thru  8 , which are used in conjunction with a standard flag staff  100 , FIG.  1 . 
   Referring first to  FIG. 1 , while not deemed to be a part of the present invention, a typical flag staff  100  consists of a shaft  110  topped by a threaded rod  112 . A sleeve (not shown) formed in a flag (not shown) is typically slipped over shaft  110  such that threaded rod  112  extends through an aperture (not shown) in the top of the sleeve (not shown) and then secured with a nut (not shown). The instant invention is adapted to utilize the basic structure of flag staff  100 , as will be described hereinbelow. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2  thru  5 , flag staff attachment  200  has a body  210  having a substantially cylindrical exterior  212  having a diameter substantially equal to that of a typical flag staff  100 , and a substantially hollow interior. At a first, lower end, the round exterior transitions to a hexagonal exterior  214  having a corner to corner diagonal dimension substantially equal to the diameter of the cylindrical exterior  212 . Also at the lower end, flag staff attachment  200  has an internal bore  216  centered along the longitudinal axis of flag staff attachment  200 . Bore  216  is threaded with threads  218  and is dimensioned to receive threaded rod  112  of flag staff  100 . Hexagonal exterior  214  is adapted for receiving a wrench, or the like, for facilitating the tightening of the threads  218  of flag staff attachment  200  and those of threaded rod  112  of flag staff  100 . It would be evident to one skilled in the art that exterior shapes other than hexagonal (e.g. two flat sides on opposite sides of an otherwise cylindrical exterior) capable of holding a wrench could be utilized without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
   At a second, upper end, body  210  maintains a substantially cylindrical shape, while being formed of a number of different elements. A pair of opposing cap retaining walls  220  rise above the level of the top of internal bore  216 . Each cap retaining wall  220  has an exterior surface continuing the cylindrical shape of the lower portion of body  210  and a substantially flat interior surface  222 . Interior surface  222  is substantially tangential to the perimeter of internal bore  216 , thereby giving cap retaining wall a maximum thickness substantially equal to the thickness of body  210  surrounding internal bore  216 . Centered at the upper end of internal surface  222  is a rigid, substantially rectilinear cap retainer  224  rigidly extending inwardly from internal surface  222  such that the opposing cap retainers  224  are spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than the width of engagement member  316  (to be discussed hereinafter). 
   Likewise, a pair of opposing cap retaining clip walls  226  occupy a portion of the perimeter of body  210  between the pair of cap retaining walls  220 . The exterior surface  228  of each cap retaining clip wall  226  tapers inwardly from its base at the top of internal bore  218  to the upper end of body  210 . The internal surface  230  of cap retaining clip wall  226  rises substantially tangential to the perimeter of internal bore  216  and normal to interior surface  222  of retaining cap walls  220 . A substantially rectilinear cap retaining clip  232  extends inwardly from the upper extreme of interior surface  230  such that the opposing cap retaining clips  232  are spaced apart by a distance slightly less than the length of engagement member  316  (to be discussed hereinafter). The inner face of cap retaining clip  232  has a concavity having an arc segment substantially following a perimetric line. 
   As illustrated by  FIGS. 6  thru  8 , retaining cap  300  has a circular disk  310  having a diameter and a thickness. A solid rectilinear block  312  having a height, a width and a length, depends from a lower surface of circular disk  310  along a diameter line of circular disk  310 , terminating at each end at a point equidistant from the perimeter of circular disk  310 , each end being rounded to substantially conform to an arc of a perimetric line. 
   A post  314  attached at a proximal end at the center of rectilinear block  312  and circular disk  310  depends from rectilinear block  312  length and has a diameter substantially equal to the width of solid rectilinear block  312 . A substantially rectilinear engagement member  316  is situated at the distal end of post  314 . Engagement member  316  has a width substantially equal to the diameter of post  314  and is normal to and centered upon the distal end of post  314 , extending an equal length in each direction from post  314 . The length of engagement member  316  is normal to the length of rectilinear block  312 . As best seen in  FIG. 7 , the ends of engagement member  316  are beveled such that the upper side (abutting post  314 ) of engagement member  316  is longer than the lower side of engagement member  316 . As best seen in  FIG. 8 , the beveled ends of engagement member are arcuately shaped. 
   A pair of flag retaining clips  318  depend from the lower surface of circular disk  310 , one on each of the two long sides of rectilinear block  312 . Each flag retaining clip  318  further consists of a pedestal base  320 , pedestal base  320  being spaced apart from and having a first side having a length substantially parallel to rectilinear block  312  and a second side with its length lying in an arc of substantially the same perimetric line as the ends of rectilinear block  312 . A flag retaining head  322  depends from each pedestal base  320 , first side of pedestal base  320  extending to form a first length side of flag retaining head  322 . A lip extends substantially normal to the second side of pedestal base  320  to form a notch  324  between flag retaining head  322  and circular disk  310 , notch  324  being adapted to retain the rim of an aperture  402  of a golf hole flag sleeve. Flag retaining head  322  is beveled from the extreme lower edge of the first side to the extreme edge of the lip, the bevel  325  allowing the flag retaining clip  318  to easily slide through the aperture  402 . 
   A illustrated in  FIG. 9 , in use, retaining cap  300  is inserted through the aperture  402  of the sleeve  404  of a golf flag  400 , such that the rim of the aperture  402  is retained between circular disk  310  and the flag retaining heads  322  of flag retaining clips  318 . The bevel  323  of the flag retaining heads  322  facilitate the compression of the flag retaining clips  318  toward the center of retaining cap  300 , allowing the rim of the aperture  402  to slide over flag retaining heads  318 . After the rim of aperture  402  has passed over the flag retaining heads  318 , the flag retaining clips  318  return to a non-compressed position, thereby constraining the rim of aperture  402  between circular disk  310  and the flag retaining heads  318 . The ends of the rectilinear solid  312 , being substantially of a same perimetric line as the outer edges of the pedestal bases  320  of flag retaining clips  318 , in cooperation with pedestal bases  320 , provide an internal filler to maintain the aperture  402  in steady position. It would be evident to one skilled in the art that rather than inserting a retaining cap  300  through aperture  402  of a flag sleeve  404 , retaining cap  300  could be formed as an integral part of flag sleeve  404  without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
   Once the retaining cap  300  has been inserted into the aperture  402  of the flag  400 , engagement member  316  is inserted into the opening between the two cap retaining clips  232 . The bevel of the ends of engagement member  316  facilitates the outward deflection of the cap retaining clips  232  and cap retaining clip walls  226  such that engagement member  316 , having a length slightly greater than the distance between the cap retaining clips  232 , may pass between the cap retaining clips  232 . The combination of the engagement member  316  being beveled, the limited height of cap retaining clips  232  (as seen in FIG.  3 ), and the correspondingly arcuate shapes of the ends of engagement member  316  and the inner faces of cap retaining clips  232 , allows for easy removal of retaining cap  300  from the flag staff attachment  200  by aligning engagement member  316  with the cap retaining clips as shown in  FIG. 7 , and applying a rotational force to the retaining cap about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of rectilinear block  312 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, flag staff attachment  200  and retaining cap  300  would each be formed unitarily by a method such as, but not limited to, injection molding of a polymeric material. Other light weight materials could, of course, also be suitable and other forming methods could be utilized. 
   It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.