Improvements in Captive-ball Apparatus for Practising Golf or for Playing a Game.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Captive-ball Apparatus for Practising Golf or for
Playing a Game.
I, ROBERT GEORGE GRAHAM, of 8, Drapers' Gardens, in the City of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus of that kind which is frequently used by golf
players when practising and in which a captive-ball is employed; and the object of
my invention is to provide means for recording the force of the blow given to the
ball and consequently the approximate distance which the ball if free would
travel.
A suitable arrangement of apparatus is as follows, that is to say, the cord or the
like to which the ball is attached is at one end connected to a spring-drum in such
a manner that when the ball is struck the cord or the like will be more or less
unwound from the drum, and so rotate the latter a number of times according to the
manner in which the ball is struck.
In connection with the drum I arrange a train of gearing and an index finger
moving over a graduated dial, the extent of the movement of the finger over the
dial giving the indication required.
A ratchet and pawl or other mechanism is advantageously provided for retaining
the drum in position after it has been operated until the indication has been noted,
the drum when released again winding up the cord.
The apparatus is advantageously arranged in a box provided with means for
fixing it in position so that it will not be moved when the ball is driven.
It will be obvious that when desired my apparatus can be used without the
indicating mechanism simply for arresting the ball.
My improved apparatus may also be used for playing a game.
1001
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Captive-ball Apparatus for Practising Golf or for
Playing a Game.
1, ROBERT GEORGE GRAHAM, of 8, Drapers' Gardens, in the City of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to apparatus of that kind which is frequently used by golf
players when practising and in which a captive-ball is employed; and the object of
my invention is to provide means for recording the force of the blow given to the
ball and consequently the approximate distance which the ball, if free, would
travel.
A suitable arrangement of apparatus is as follows, that is to say, the cord or the
like to which the ball is attached is at one end connected to a spring pulley or
drum in such a manner that when the ball is struck the cord or the like will be
more or less unwound from the drum, and so rotate the latter.

page_text: In connection with the drum I arrange an index finger moving over a graduated
dial, the extent of the movement of the finger over the dial giving the indication
required.
The apparatus is advantageously arranged in a box provided with means for
fixing it in position so that it will not be moved when the ball is driven.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan of a captive-ball apparatus for practising golf or for playing a
game constructed according to this invention:
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan illustrating a modification of the invention, and
Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 Figure 6 drawn to an enlarged scale.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a is the box or casing formed in parts and b is a pulley or drum carried in
bearings in the walls of the said casing and having wound around its periphery a
certain length of cord e to which the captive-ball d is connected, the said cord
being at one end fixed to the pulley or drum and having its other end, to which the
ball is connected, extending through a channel or opening e in the casing.
f is a coiled spring which at one end is fixed to a flange g inside the casing a
whilst the other end is fixed to the axle of the wheel b, as shewn most clearly in
Figure 3, in such a manner that as the cord c is unwound from the pulley or drum b
the said spring will be more or less coiled. With this arrangement it will be
understood that when the apparatus is fixed to the ground in the position shewn in
Figure 1, for instance by means of a pin or peg introduced through the hole h in
the casing (or by spikes forming part of the box) and the ball d is struck by a club,
the said ball being caused to travel in the direction of the arrow 1, Figure 1, will
unwind the cord from the pulley band consequently coil the spring f to an extent
corresponding to the momentum imparted to the ball, thereby storing some of the
energy of momentum and consequently checking the flight of the ball, the reaction.
of the spring serving to draw the ball back to the apparatus by rewinding the cord
upon the pulley or drum.
In order to reduce as much as possible the sudden strain upon the spring
I advantageously make a portion of the cord c outside the apparatus elastic,
i, Figures 1 and 4, indicating the elastic portion of the cord. j is a stop of elastic
material, such as india rubber, fixed to the cord c outside the casing a and serving
to limit the inward movement of the cord as the spring uncoils, the said ball j
normally resting in a recess at the mouth of the channel e.
k is a pinion formed on one end of the axis of the pulley b and engaging with a
spur wheel for imparting movement to an index finger m moving over a graduated
dial n, which dial is (as shewn in Figure 1) formed upon one side of a cover o which
protects the gearing above referred to.
The motion of the wheel is communicated to the index finger m by the following
means, that is to say, upon the boss or hub to which the finger m is fixed is attached
a spring arm p which is arranged to press upon the underside of the dial n with
sufficient pressure to ensure that the pointer m shall remain in any position to
which it is moved. To this spring arm p, which moves concentrically with the
wheel 1, is fixed a tappet 9 against which a pin upon the wheel bears in such a
manner that when the pulley b is rotated, the said pin will press against the
tappet and move the index finger in the direction of the arrow 2, Figure 1, the
pin moving away from the said tappet as the spring uncoils and winds up
the cord c.
With this arrangement it will be understood that the index finger m has
to be moved by hand back to the zero point each time the apparatus is
operated.

page_text: In practice 1 find it advantageous to form openings in the casing a adjacent to
the periphery of the pulley b, for instance as shewn at s Figures 2, 3 and 4 so as to
give free play to the cord and to enable the same to be adjusted in case it should
become disarranged.
Instead of employing a coiled spring f I may make use of a spiral spring, as
shewn in Figures 5, 6 and 7. In this case the spring is located in one end of a
tubular extension t formed upon the casing a, the said spring being connected to
one end of the said tubular extension and having connected to its other end a
cord u which is wound upon a drum or pulley v upon the axis of the pulley b in
such a manner that as the cord c is unwound from the said pulley the said cord u
will be wound upon the drum v causing the extension of the spiral spring. In this
modification also the index or pointer m is connected to the spring and as the latter
is extended slides in a slot w against which is a graduated scale. Figure 7 shews
the way in which the said finger m is connected to the spring.
It will be obvious that when desired my apparatus can be used simply for
arresting the ball in which case the indicating mechanism is not required.
My improved apparatus to which I propose to give the name of "Linka" may
also be used for playing a game.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In captive-ball apparatus attaching the ball to a cord wound upon a pulley or
drum arranged in conjunction with a spring in such a manner that when the ball is
struck the said cord is unwound from the pulley or drum, the spring thereby storing
a certain amount of the energy imparted to the ball sufficient to again wind up the
cord and return the ball, substantially as described.
2. In captive-ball apparatus the combination with a pulley or drum upon which the
cord to which the captive ball is connected is wound, of a spring in which a certain
amount of the energy imparted to the ball when struck is stored as the cord is
unwound from the wheel or drum and an indicating apparatus for indicating the
approximate force expended on the said ball, substantially as described.
3. In captive-ball apparatus the combination of a pulley or drum carrying a cord
to which the captive-ball is connected, a coiled spring arranged in conjunction with
the axis of the said wheel and adapted to be coiled as the cord is unwound from the
said drum, and mechanism for indicating the extent of the movement imparted to
the said wheel or drum, substantially as described by reference to Figures 1 to 4
of the drawings.
4. The modification of my invention wherein a spiral spring is employed
substantially as described by reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying
drawings.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.