Patent Publication Number: US-7713136-B1

Title: Adapter with retractable springs that picks up a golf ball

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to an adapter that is permanently inserted into the butt end of a golf putter shaft without the use of tools. Said Adapter is used to pick up a golf ball. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   There are many people with bending problems. The invention provides a means to pick up a golf ball with an adapter installed in a golf putter shaft. I made an adapter for a friend Vet. that is an amputee. Before I made the attachment for him he had trouble bending to pick up a golf ball. He was very pleased and happy with the adapter I made for him. With the feedback I received from other golfers that saw him pick up a golf ball I decided to apply for a patent. 
   The majority of golf putter shafts are steel and this adapter can permanently be installed in a standard steel putter shaft without the use of tools. A small size cylinder can be used to insert the Adapter into the butt end of a graphite shaft. The Adapter is a cylinder with three flat springs and a spring retainer in the cylinder. With the adapter installed in a golf putter shaft and the springs positioned in the cylinder the springs will not interfere with a golfer while the golfer is putting. 
   There are other means to pick up a golf ball out of a golf hole, such as a suction cup that fits over the grip of a putter. This attachment picks up a golf ball. The suction cup attachment interferes with a golfer while putting, the cup don&#39;t fit large putter grips, don&#39;t pick up small golf balls and is not dependable. 
   There are attachments that are cumbersome that fit over a golf club head. These adapters don&#39;t fit into a golf cup, are easily lost and are troublesome to use. Once my invention is installed into a putter shaft it becomes a permanent part of the putter. 
   Some putter heads are designed to pick up golf balls. These putter heads don&#39;t pick up small golf balls. The putter heads are made small enough to fit into a golf hole and are not large enough for better putting. My invention is an attachment that can be permanently installed into a favorite golf putter shaft. 
   There is no need to purchase a new putter or tools to install my adapter. Prior art don&#39;t provide a self contained adapter that picks up a golf ball with three flat springs, a spring handle and a spring retainer. My adapter can be permanently installed into a putter shaft without tools, 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is an adapter that is designed to be permanently installed into the butt end of a golf putter shaft without the use of tools. The adapter consist of two main parts, one a cylinder open at both ends that fits into the butt end of a golf putter shaft. The second part is three flat springs shaped to fit around a golf ball to pick up a golf ball and a steel spring retainer. The three springs are attached to the steel spring retainer and they fit into the cylinder. 
   With the adapter installed in a golf putter shaft, with the three flat springs positioned in the cylinder, the springs will not interfere with the golfer while putting. The golfer uses the handle of the main spring to manually pull the springs out of the container to a stop. The stop positions the springs to their proper length to pick up a golf ball. For a golfer to pick up a golf ball, the golfer positions the extended springs over a golf ball. With pressure downward over a golf ball the golfer can pick up a golf ball. When the process is complete the golfer uses the handle of the main spring to push the springs back into the cylinder for future use. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the adapter with the springs extended and holding a golf ball. The golf ball is not part of my invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the adapter springs contain in the adapter cylinder. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the adapter with the springs contained in the adapter. 
       FIG. 4  is a putter with the adapter springs holding a golf ball. The putter and golf ball are not part of my invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  half of the springs are positioned out of the cylinder to hold a golf  11 . The golf ball  11  is not part of the invention; it is included in the drawing to show the position and shape of the springs. The main spring  8  is a one piece spring that extends from the handle  7  to the stop  17 . 
   The springs  8 ,  9  and  10  are attached to the spring retainer  16  and the spring retainer  16  permanently holds the springs  8 ,  9  and  10  in relation to each other. The handle  7  is to manually pull the springs out or push them into the cylinder. The handle  7  is an extension of the main spring  8 . The stop  17  is an extension of the main spring  8 . 
   The stop  17  will position the springs when the main spring  8  is pulled out of the cylinder to pick up a golf ball. The golfer holds spring handle  7  to enable the golfer to pull the main spring  8  out or push the springs into the cylinder. With the adapter installed into the butt end of a golf putter shaft, the golfer pulls the springs out of the cylinder to position the springs  7 ,  8  and  9  to pick up a golf ball. The bend at the end of the main spring  17  stops the movement of the main spring  8  to position the three springs to pick up a golf ball. 
     FIG. 2  the springs are in this storage position when not in use. With the adapter installed in the butt end of a golf putter shaft, the springs in this storage position will not interfere with the golfer while putting. The three flat springs  7 ,  8  and  9  are attached to the steel spring container  16 . The steel spring container  16 , keeps the three flat springs in relation to each other while the springs are moved to the in or out position. 
     FIG. 3  is a top view showing the three flat springs in a storage position. The handle  7  is an extension of the main spring  8  to enable a golfer to hold and to pull the springs  8 ,  9  and  10  in position for a golfer to pick up a golf ball. 
     FIG. 4  is to show a putter with the Adapter holding a golf ball. The putter, putter parts and golf ball  11  are not part of the invention. The butt end  18  of a golf putter shaft The grip of a golf putter  19 . The shaft  12  and the putter head  14  are not part of the invention.