Golf cart accessory

A golf cart accessory (10) which installs onto a golf cart handle (3) is comprised of a first half (40) and a second half (44) enclosing the handle (3). An angled fitting (37) is affixed to a fitting end (45). The angled fitting (37) can be interchangeably fitted with an umbrella mount (65) or a beverage holder (75) for temporary placement of an umbrella or beverage.

FIELD 
The present version of this invention relates generally to the field of 
devices for removeably attaching an object such as an umbrella or beverage 
to another object in a manner that provides for quick and easy temporary 
mounting. 
BACKGROUND 
This invention relates generally to a holder fop an object such as an 
umbrella to another object such as a golf cart. Golfers are known to golf 
in may different types of inclement weather especially if they have to 
wait weeks or several months fop a tee time. While golfing, a golfer may 
encounter rain, hail, snow or excessive heat. These weather conditions 
warrant the use of an umbrella and an umbrella is considered to be 
standard equipment for many avid golfers. Other groups of individuals also 
regularly utilize an umbrella and would be in need of a temporary rest for 
an umbrella. 
If the golfer does encounter inclement weather such as rain, the umbrella 
would be removed from the golf bag and opened. The golfer could then hold 
the umbrella with one hand and pull a handcart with the other hand. The 
umbrella being used primarily for the protection of the golfer. This works 
fine until the golfer needs both hands to swing a club to hit the ball. At 
this point the golfer needs to put the umbrella somewhere or fold it up 
and put it back into the golf bag. Putting a wet umbrella into a golf bag 
would cause water and moisture to permeate the contents of the bag causing 
corrosion on the club handle and other equipment. In addition, the golfer 
would be getting rained on while folding up the umbrella and putting it 
away. This would continue until the umbrella was pulled out again and 
opened. 
The golfer could place the umbrella on the ground, but this requires extra 
bending and on windy days is just not feasible. Wind gusts would tend to 
blow an umbrella across the course. 
It would be advantageous to the golfer if the umbrella could remain open 
while taking practice swings or hitting the ball. This would result in 
time savings to the golfer. The more time saved the quicker the golfer can 
complete the round and return to the comfort and safety of the clubhouse. 
Ideally, an umbrella could be mounted on the golf cart in a manner that the 
clubs and bag would be protected from rain while the umbrella is mounted 
to the cart. After hitting the ball, the golfer could replace the club and 
quickly remove the umbrella from the holder, grab the cart and continue to 
the ball for the next shot. A device such as this results in time savings 
to golfers from not having to put away and remove an umbrella at each shot 
and also can protect the golf clubs, grips and bag. 
Golf typically involves a lot of walking over a several hour period. 
Persons walking for several hours tend to get thirsty. Many golfers bring 
liquid refreshments with them on the links. While waiting or standing, a 
beverage container does not pose a problem. 
A problem arises when a golfer wishes to hit the ball, as two hands are 
needed to swing a club. The golfer could place a beverage on the ground or 
have a golf partner hold the beverage, but many times the ground is uneven 
or the golf partners are on opposite sides of a fairway. Placing a 
beverage on the ground many times is unsatisfactory as the ground is 
uneven and could result in a tipping of the beverage. In addition, many 
times condensation forms on a beverage container and this attracts dirt or 
sand. This dirt or sand can then get on the hands and interfere with golf 
handle gripping causing poor ball placement or blistering on the hands. It 
would be very beneficial to have a device in which a beverage could be 
placed temporarily while a golfer is hitting a ball. 
This device also has a beverage holder feature. The beverage holder feature 
can be utilized in a manner similar to the umbrella holder feature. 
Ideally a golfer would have a need for a temporary mount for a beverage. 
This beverage holder would be a temporary mount for a beverage container 
while a golfer takes practice swings or hits the ball. A golfer could 
deposit the beverage into the holder, remove a club, practice or hit the 
ball. Upon completion of the swing, the golfer would replace the club into 
the bag, remove the beverage container from the holder and continue on the 
fairway. 
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a Golf Cart Accessory. 
SUMMARY 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, the 
present embodiment of the invention is directed to a device for 
temporarily holding an umbrella, beverage or other object. The device 
comprises a split tubular section for mounting the device to an appendage 
of another object, an angled tubular fitting, a straight tubular section 
and related apparatus for mounting the device and interconnecting the 
primary components. 
A first object of the invention is to provide a device which can hold an 
umbrella or beverage while a golfer is hitting a ball. A device such as 
this should be cheap and easy to manufacture and install. 
An additional object of this invention is to provide a device that is able 
to be installed on a variety of different shaped handles or appendages. 
Another objective is to provide a device of a light weight material such 
that golfers are not carrying extra heavy equipment. 
Another object is to manufacture this device from commonly available 
material that is relatively unaffected by weather conditions encountered 
in the outdoors. 
An additional objective is to be easy to use and install and not require 
the use of complicated clamping or holding fixtures which have parts that 
can be dropped and easily lost on the golf course. It should be of an 
appealing design yet functional. 
An additional objective is to provide a device which can quickly and easily 
be changed from an umbrella holding device to a beverage holding device. 
Another object of this embodiment of the invention is to provide a device 
that can be mounted to numerous fixed or moveable objects and transferred 
easily between, for instance, a golf cart and lawn chair. 
A final object is that the device should be easy to install, not requiring 
easy to lose parts, requiring a minimal number of tools to install, and 
made of surfaces that are maintenance free. 
To achieve these objects, there is described a device for mounting objects 
such as an umbrella onto another object such as a golf cart. 
This device is manufactured from readily available materials thus keeping 
the cost down. 
This device can be installed on many different sized or shaped handles due 
to the insertion of a cylindrical filler material conforming the device to 
various shaped handles or appendages. 
This device, in the preferred embodiment, is manufactured from a polyvinyl 
chloride (PVC) pipe material and fittings, making it very light weight. 
This device is manufactured from materials that are relatively unaffected 
by weather and climactic conditions normally encountered in the out of 
doors. 
This device has a minimum of parts thus limiting the components that can be 
lost. The parts are of a size that could not be easily lost even if 
dropped on a golf course. The smooth lines and sleek design make an eye 
appealing addition to any golf cart. 
This device can, because of it's design, be easily converted from an 
umbrella holding device to a beverage holding device in a matter of 
seconds and the use of no tools are needed. 
This device can be utilized on both hand carts and riding carts. This 
device can also be utilized on other items such as lawn chairs, riding 
lawn mowers, motorboats or any others having an available appendage, where 
a temporary rest for an umbrella or beverage may be useful. This device is 
comprised of three general simple parts which are easily and simply 
mounted to an appendage of the object of the users choice. 
These together with other objects of this invention, along with various 
features of novelty which characterize this invention, are pointed out 
with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of this invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated a preferred embodiment of this version of the invention.

DESCRIPTION 
Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by 
like numerals, there is shown in FIG. 1 a view of one embodiment of a golf 
cart accessory 10 installed on a hand pulled golf cart 2. The golf cart 
accessory 10 is attached to the golf cart 2 handle 3 near a hand grip 4. 
As can be seen in FIG. 1, an umbrella 14 is installed in the golf cart 
accessory 10. An umbrella handle 15 is temporarily housed in a hollow 
cylindrical umbrella mount 65. The umbrella mount 65 is of a hollow 
cylindrical design, open at a mount end 67 and an open end 66, FIG. 6. The 
umbrella mount 65, in this embodiment, is manufactured from a length of 
schedule 40 1.25 inch diameter polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe. The length 
can vary depending on the users mounting requirements. 
FIG. 2 more completely shows a top view of the golf cart accessory 10 
installed on the handle 3. 
In reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the accessory 10 is installed by placing 
a first half 40 and a second half 44 around the handle 3. The first half 
40 and second hair 44 are manufactured, in the preferred embodiment, from 
a length of 1.25 inch diameter schedule 40 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe. 
This length of pipe is cut down the diameter to form the first half 40 and 
the second half 44, the resulting two halves are semi-circular and 
symmetrical. A handle outlet 50, which is tear-drop in shape, is centered 
on a part line 42 between the first half 40 and the second half 44. The 
handle outlet 50 penetrates one wall of the first half 40 and the second 
half 44. FIG. 3 shows that the handle outlet 50 is closer to a fitting end 
45 than a handle end 41. The handle outlet 50 is made by cutting a hole 
through the first half 40 and the second half 44 and shaving to form the 
pointy end of the tear-drop shape. This can be done with any commercially 
available tools. 
FIG. 5 shows an angled fitting 37 assembled on the fitting end 45. The 
angled fitting 37 is a hollow 45.degree. 1.25 inch diameter schedule 40 
PVC pipe fitting having slip fittings on a fixed end 39 and a free end 38. 
A third attachment means 30, in this embodiment screws, are utilized to 
affix the angled fitting 37 to the fitting end 45 of an open ended hollow 
cylindrical mounting part 35. Other attachment systems may be utilized 
such as adhesives, rivets, strapping in place of the screws shown in this 
embodiment. The fitting end 45 of the mounting part 35 and a fixed end 39 
of the angled fitting 37 are sized such that the fixed end 39 is slip fit 
around the fitting end 45. The angled fitting 37 has a notch 34 of 
material removed coinciding with the handle outlet 50 as best shown in 
FIG. 5. The notch 34 formed in the angled fitting 37 can be cut using a 
utility knife, band saw or any other commercially available tools. 
FIG. 4 shows a cross section along line A--A in FIG. 2. A cylindrical 
filler material 55 is located interior the first half 40 and the second 
half 44. This filler material 55 is utilized in securing the mounting part 
35 to, in this embodiment, the handle 3. The filler material 55 can be 
manufactured from various materials and in this particular embodiment is a 
cellular PVC molding material. FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the 
filler material 55 having a handle void 56 extending from a first end 54 
to a second end 57. In installation, the filler material 55 is placed on 
the handle 3 and the first half 40 and second half 44 are placed around 
the handle 3 and filler material 55. Because the filler material 55 can be 
cut or modified with a utility knife, this provides for a mounting system 
that is conformable to many different shaped handles or appendages. 
FIG. 2 shows a second attachment means 58, in this embodiment a hose clamp, 
for securing the mounting part 35 to the handle 3. The mounting part 35 is 
secured to the handle 3, such that the handle 3 enters the handle end 41 
and exits the handle outlet 50 as most clearly shown in FIG. 2. 
The angled fitting 37, FIG. 2, is then slip fit onto the fitting end 45 of 
the mounting part 35 and secured with the third attachment means 30. The 
angled fitting 37 is configured such that the free end 38 is approximately 
vertical in the installed position, FIG. 1. 
FIG. 6 shows the umbrella mount 65 having an open end 66 and a mount end 
67. The umbrella mount 65 is installed with the mount end 67 slip fit into 
the angled fitting 37 free end 38. This results in the open end 66 of the 
umbrella mount 65 being in an approximately vertical position as best 
shown in FIG. 1. 
If a golfer does not require an umbrella 14 while golfing, the umbrella 
mount 65 can be manually removed and replaced by a beverage holder 75 
shown in FIG. 7. The beverage holder 75 is shown installed in the golf 
cart accessory 10 in FIG. 10. In the installed position, the beverage 
holder 75 open end 74 is in an approximately vertical position as shown in 
FIG. 10. 
The beverage holder 75 is cylindrical in design having a mount end 76 
corresponding in size to the free end 38 of the angled fitting 37. The 
beverage holder 75 has a circular open end 74 corresponding in size to a 
can or bottle beverage container. The beverage holder 75 can be slip fit 
into the angled fitting 37 free end 38. The beverage holder 75 is, in this 
embodiment, made from readily available PVC pipe fittings. 
FIG. 8 shows a partial cutaway and exploded view of the beverage holder 75. 
The beverage holder 75 has a hollow cylindrical restraint 77 which is a 
cylindrical piece of PVC pipe with a closed end 81. The closed end 81, is 
attached to a circular disk end 83 on one end of a hollow cylindrical 
mount 80. The mount 80 is affixed to the closed end 81 of the restraint 77 
by a first attachment means 73. This embodiment utilizes nuts and bolts 
for the first attachment means 73, but it is understood that other 
attachment means such as adhesives, glues, heat bonding or others may be 
utilized. 
A golfer can then temporarily place an umbrella 14 or a beverage 16 in the 
golf cart accessory 10 while hitting a golf ball or taking practice 
swings. 
It will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments, 
improvements, details and uses can be made consistent with the letter and 
spirit of the foregoing disclosure and within the scope of this patent, 
which is limited only by the following claims, construed in accordance 
with the patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.