Golf ball retriever

The disclosure describes and illustrates a golf ball retriever including a ring secured to a telescopically collapsible handle, the interior surface of the ring having multiple cylindrical surfaces with internal diameters just slightly smaller than the the diameter of the ball to be retrieved. The multiple cylindrical surfaces permit retrieval of standard 1.680 inch diameter golf balls as well as the newly accepted 1.720 inch golf ball.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to golf ball retrievers and, more 
particularly, to golf ball retrievers having a single gripping ring or 
loop capable of picking up a golf ball. 
For many years the United States Golf Association has held that the minimum 
diameter of regulation golf balls be set at 1.680 inches; there is no 
limit set for the maximum diameter of golf balls by the USGA. Until 
recently only golf balls having the minimum diameter set by the USGA were 
produced. In early 1993 a golf ball was accepted by the USGA as 
regulation, having a diameter of 1.720 inches. This new ball size limits 
the usefulness of single loop retrievers, as described in the Nihra U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,310,189, in that the inside diameter of the retrieval loop is 
"sized so as to be just barely smaller than the diameter of the standard 
golf ball". The Forey U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,409 describes a single loop golf 
ball retriever having "an internal diameter a little less than the 
diameter of a golf ball" which limits its ability to retrieve golf balls 
of different diameters. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
A general object of the invention is to provide an improved single loop 
golf ball retriever capable of retrieving golf balls of different 
diameters. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a single loop golf ball 
retriever capable of retrieving golf balls, having different diameters, 
using either face of the loop to contact the the ball for retrieval. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a single loop golf ball 
retriever requiring only slight pressure, i.e. equal to the weight of a 
golf ball, to grip golf balls of different diameters. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a single loop golf ball 
retriever of such dimensions that it may be slid under a ball resting on 
mud or a steep incline, when such resting position will not offer 
sufficient support to allow gripping force to be applied to the top of the 
ball. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become 
more apparent when reference is made to the following drawings and 
accompanying description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The device of the present invention could be described as a single loop 
multiple diameter golf ball retriever shown generally at 2 in FIG. 1. A 
stem 5 extends outwardly from loop 4 and is secured by any suitable means 
to any suitable extensible handle 18. Loop 4 is divided into three 
cylindrical sections having inner cylindrical surfaces 11, 12, and 13. The 
two outermost cylindrical surfaces 11 and 13 have diameters just slightly 
less than the diameter of the larger of the regulation diameter golf balls 
to be retrieved, or in this case about 1.710 inches. The centermost 
cylindrical surface 12 has a diameter just slightly less than the smaller 
of the regulation diameter golf balls to be retrieved, or about 1.670 
inches. The gripping edges 16 of the cylindrical sections are to remain 
sharp as die cast or injection molded. The gripping edges 16 are to be 
formed in parallel planes and spaced about 0.150 inches apart so that the 
ball to be retrieved will only circumferentially contact the gripping edge 
designed for that particular size ball. The cast or molded sharp gripping 
edges 16 serve to better assure a gripping action when very light pressure 
is used to grip the golf ball. 
At the present time there are only two USGA regulation golf ball sizes; 
1.680 inch and 1.720 inch. Since the USGA imposes no limit to the maximum 
diameter of golf balls, it is possible that golf balls with larger 
diameters will be produced and gain acceptance by the USGA. While the 
invention has been shown and described as a loop 4 having cylindrical 
sections 11 and 13 with diameters slightly less than 1.720 inches and 
cylindrical section 12 with a diameter slightly less than 1.680 inches, 
additional cylindrical sections could be added for for retrieval of larger 
golf balls. 
In operation the ring or loop 4 need only be extended through or over 
assorted hazards and barriers and touched down lightly on any regulation 
golf ball with either side of the loop, in order to firmly grip and 
retrieve the otherwise abandoned ball. In water the same light touch will 
suffice when the ball is lying on a solid surface. On any soft surface or 
when the ball diameter is below the surface on which it is found, the loop 
4 may be slid beneath the ball to serve as a scoop or seat for lifting the 
ball. 
While the basic embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, 
other modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the following 
claims.