Patent Publication Number: US-2006018740-A1

Title: Apparatus for retrieving golf balls from under water locations

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION  
      This patent application is a non-provisional patent application of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/590,217, filed on Jul. 21, 2004, the right of priority of which is hereby claimed for this patent application. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to apparatus for retrieving golf balls. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for retrieving golf balls that are lost, especially in water hazards on golf courses.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      To make the sport of golf more interesting and challenging, golf courses usually include various types of water hazards. For example, such water hazards may be streams or ponds in the golf course, or a portion of the golf course may be located along a river, a lake or a seacoast. If a golf ball errantly enters such a water hazard, it may sometimes be close enough to a bank, or the like, that it can be retrieved by hand or by an extendible retrieving tool. However, many golf balls that enter water hazards are in deeper water, where they typically cannot be seen, or where they cannot be reached with an extendible retrieval tool.  
      Golf ball retrieval machines for retrieving golf balls at driving ranges are known to the art. Typically, these retrieval machines have a heavy frame that may be attached to a tractor for pulling the machine behind the tractor. Multiple gangs, each consisting of a plurality of spaced-apart discs, are rotatably supported by the frame. Wheels are attached to the frame to support the gangs of spaced-apart discs at near ground level. Such machines typically weigh hundreds of pounds and are about 12 to 20 feet, or more, wide.  
      Thus, while suitable for retrieving golf balls on relatively flat grassy surfaces, these prior art machines are too wide to be used in many water hazards on golf courses. They would also be ineffective at removing golf balls from the typically irregular bottoms of water hazards. Moreover, the weight of such machines makes their underwater use impractical because they are likely to get submerged and stuck in the muddy bottoms of many water hazards or catch against underwater stumps, boulders or the like.  
      While many golf balls are affordably priced, certain brands are often more expensive. Thus, while it is generally not worthwhile to retrieve a single golf ball from a water hazard, it is usually worthwhile when a significant number of golf balls accumulate in the water. Heretofore, a commonly employed means of retrieving golf balls from otherwise inaccessible underwater locations was by diving.  
      There has been a long-felt need for apparatus that can effectively retrieve golf balls from the bottoms of water hazards without the need of employing a diver.  
      A general object of the present invention is therefore to provide apparatus for retrieving golf balls from the bottoms of water hazards.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for retrieving golf balls from the bottoms of water hazards that may be pulled by a boat or the like.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for retrieving golf balls from underwater sites that is sufficiently light to be easily moved or transported, such as by a human, but yet sufficiently heavy to keep it on the bottom of the water body to retrieve balls.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to a golf ball retrieval machine for retrieving golf balls from underwater sites. The golf ball retrieval machine includes an axle with first and second ends, a plurality of generally circular discs disposed on the axle, the discs being slightly flexible in a transverse direction near a peripheral edge of each disc, a plurality of rods extending through the discs to maintain the discs in a spaced-apart relationship in which the spacing between adjacent discs is slightly less that the diameter of a golf ball and a handle secured to the first and second ends of the axle in a manner that permits rotation of the plurality of discs relative to the handle such that the handle may be used to pull the golf ball retrieval machine underwater to retrieve golf balls from bottom of the water. Preferably, sleeves are disposed on each of the rods between each pair of adjacent discs with the sleeves having a length slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball to maintain the spacing between adjacent discs at a like spacing.  
      The plurality of discs may be fabricated from a thermoplastic resin or from aluminum. The golf ball machine may include discs made from both thermoplastic resin and aluminum. The plurality of discs may include about 20 discs, with thickness of each disc being about 0.125 inches (0.32 cm) thick and the diameter of each disc being about 24 inches (61.0 cm). The peripheral edges of the plurality of discs penetrate into softer bottoms of the water to retrieve golf balls partially below, or completely below, the bottom surface.  
      A pair of arms is connected to a first end of the axle and to a second end of the axle, with opposite ends of the pair of arms also connected to the handle. Means for connecting the golf ball retrieval machine to a device and for pulling the machine through water is defined on the handle. These means may include a pair of eyelets disposed along the handle at spaced apart locations. The device for pulling the machine through water may be a boat.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with the further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the figures in which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a golf ball retrieval machine suitable for retrieving golf balls from the bottom of a body of water in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an end view of the golf ball retrieval machine shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating further details thereof;  
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the golf ball retrieval machine shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrating further details thereof;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a portion of one of the rods that extends through the discs of the golf ball retrieval machine shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , also illustrating a spacer that is used on the rod between each pair of adjacent discs; and  
       FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic elevational view of a boat pulling the golf ball retrieval machine shown in  FIGS. 1-3  through a body of water to retrieve golf balls from the bottom of the water. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      An example of a golf ball retrieval machine, generally designated  20 , that is constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Machine  20  preferably utilizes a plurality of generally circular discs  24  that are held in spaced-apart relationship. The spacing  25  ( FIG. 3 ) between any pair of adjacent disks  24   a  and  24   b  is slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball, such that a golf ball can be grasped between a pair of adjacently disposed discs. The typical diameter of a golf ball is about 1.68 inches (4.27 cm). Thus, when machine  20  rolls over a golf ball, the pair of discs  24   a  and  24   b  that encounter the golf ball tend to flex slightly apart in a transverse direction from each other to accommodate the golf ball between the discs near the perimeter of each disc. Thereafter, the golf ball is frictionally engaged and retained between the discs until it is removed.  
      The plurality of discs  24  may be of any suitable diameter, such as about 24 inches. Such a diameter permits the machine  20  to roll over smaller underwater stones, rocks, tree stumps and the like, without catching or hanging up on the same. Discs  24  may be fabricated from any suitable material such as thermoplastics or aluminum. For example, LEXAN® thermoplastic resins commercially available from GE Plastics of Pittsfield, Mass. may be used. LEXAN is a trademark of the General Electric Company. It may also be desirable to use a combination of disc types such as aluminum discs for the end discs  24   c  and  24   d  ( FIG. 3 ) and thermoplastic discs internally between the end discs. This is because the end discs may be subjected to greater stresses while machine  20  is in use. End discs  24   c  and  24   d  also engage fasteners to hold the assembly of discs together, as further described below.  
      Typically, approximately 10 to 40 discs may be utilized in machine  20  and, preferably, about 20 discs. If 20 discs are used, the total width of a gang of 20 discs will generally be in the range of about 28 to 36 inches (77.2 cm to 91.4 cm), depending upon the thickness of each disc  24 . For example, a typical thickness of a disc  24  may be about 0.125 inch (0.32 cm) and the spacing between the discs may be about 1.59 inches (3.34 cm). Thus, a machine  20  utilizing  20  discs and this spacing between the discs would be about 32.7 inches (83.1 cm) wide from end disc to end disc, not including that portion of axle  30  that extends out from each end disc.  
      The discs  24  are maintained in the spaced-apart relationship by a plurality of rods  26  ( FIG. 3 ) that extend through the discs  24  at various radially disposed positions, such as at positions  28  and  29  ( FIG. 2 ), which are also disposed inwardly from the perimeter of the discs. Machine  20 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , utilizes a total of 15 rods  26 . However, the number of rods  26  utilized may vary depending on the diameter of the discs  24 , the material of the discs and the thickness of the discs. The interior location of rods  26 , in combination with the sleeves  23  utilized on the rods between each adjacent pair of discs  24 , maintains the desired spacing between the discs while permitting sufficient transverse flexing of the peripheral edges of the discs to allow the discs to collect golf balls between the discs.  
      Rods  26  may be threaded at their ends to receive a threaded fastener  27  at the ends thereof. For example, a portion of one of rods  26  is shown in  FIG. 4 . Tubular spacer sleeves  23 , of a length generally equal to the spacing  25  between adjacent discs  24   a  and  24   b , may be placed over rods  26  to maintain the discs in the desired spacing  25 .  FIG. 4  shows one of the spacers  23  on a portion of a rod  26 . For example, rod  26  may be 0.625 inch (1.58 cm) in diameter and spacers  23  may be fabricated from prime high density polyethylene (HDPE) tube. Spacers  23  can also be fabricated from metal. In this example, spacers  23  may have an internal diameter of 0.625 inch (1.58 cm), a wall thickness of 0.110 inch (0.28 cm) and a length of 1.592 inches (3.34 cm). As can be further appreciated, use of spacers  23  also assists in rapid assembly of the plurality of discs  24 . If machine  20  is fabricated using the above representative sizes and materials for the various components, machine  20  will weigh about 80 pounds (36.4 kg). It will be appreciated that the weight of machine  20  can be reduced if, for example, smaller diameter rods  26  are used than the 0.626 inch diameter rods. Thus, machine  20  can be fabricated to weigh well under 100 pounds (45.5 kg) and can be easily manually moved from one location to another location by pulling the machine with handle  34 .  
      An axle  30  extends axially through the center of each of the discs  24 . Each end of axle  30  is mounted to an arm  32  and  33 , respectively. Either axle  30  freely rotates in the ends of arms  32 - 33  or the plurality of discs  24  freely rotate about axle  30 . A handle  34  is attached to opposite ends of arms  32  and  33  in a generally perpendicular manner and extends therebetween. Due to the lightness of machine  20 , handle  34  may be used to manually carry the machine  20 , as needed or desired.  
      Handle  34  also is equipped with a pair of eyebolts  35  and  36  disposed at spaced locations along the handle  34  to provide a connection for pulling machine  20  through water. Eyebolts  35 - 36  may be used to attach machine  30  to a boat, or the like, to pull machine  20  through water to retrieve golf balls as shown in  FIG. 4 . Of course, other means of connecting to handle  34  may be provided, such as apertures defined in the handle  34 . Machine  20  could alternately be pulled along guide wires, or the like, such as by a winch. However, a winching system will typically require more time to set up.  
       FIG. 5  illustrates machine  20  submerged in a body of water  42  to collect golf balls  40  from the bottom  41  of the body of water. As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the golf balls  40  may be on the surface of the bottom  41 , or may be partially or wholly embedded below the surface of the bottom  41 . Of course, if the bottom is firm, the golf balls are not likely to be wholly embedded in the bottom  41 . However, if the bottom  41  is muddy, soft, or the like, some of the golf balls are likely to be at least partially embedded in the bottom  41 . Because of the relative thinness of the discs  24  of machine  20 , the weight of machine  20  will cause the peripheral edge of the discs  24  to penetrate into any softer surface of the bottom  41  to retrieve those golf balls  40  that are partially or wholly embedded therein.  
      In the example of  FIG. 5 , a boat  44  is powered by a motor  45 . A rope or cable  46  is connected to the boat  45  at one end and to the handle  34  of machine  20  on the other end to move the machine  20  along the bottom  41  of the water  42  to retrieve the submerged golf balls  40 .  
      As can be appreciated from the above, machine  20  is quite durable and can withstand rocks, stumps and other debris commonly found at the bottom of bodies of water. Similarly, such obstacles will not normally affect the overall performance of machine  20 . Detachable weights may be added, such as to handle  34 , to improve the ball retrieval efficiency of machine  20 , such as where deeper penetration of the bottom  41  of the body of water  42  by the peripheral edges of discs  24  is needed or desired. Machine  20  is also corrosion resistant with the thermoplastic resin and aluminum discs  24 . Similarly, other corrosion resistant components may be utilized, if desired, such as rods  26  that are plated and threaded fasteners that are of stainless steel, or the like.  
      While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broader aspects.