An Appliance for Practising at Golf Ball Driving.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 31st May, 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Appliance for Practising at Golf Ball Driving.
I, JOHN TURNBULL, Senior, Rosalee, Hawick, North Britain, Dyer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: :-
The revolving golf ball is designed for the use of learners and amateurs in
practising with the driver, iron, cleek, or other golf club, and also for keeping more
advanced players in practice, when deprived of the use of extensive links and
golfing greens.
The revolving golf ball is contained in a small box, across the middle of the top
edges of which is placed a small horizontal axle, and on the centre of the latter is
fixed a vertical spindle. On one end of this spindle is placed an unweighted golf
ball of the ordinary size while at the other end of the spinille another ball is fixed,
which may be a golf ball or otherwise but which is weighted and weighs heavier
than the golf ball at the other end of the spindle.
When the unweighted golf ball is struck by the players club, the two balls are
made to revolve more or less rapidly according to the force and direction given by
the striker; but soon come to a stand, when the weighted ball at once takes the
lowest position thus leaving the unweighted ball uppermost to be again struck by
the golf club as required.
Two revolving golf ball boxes may be used with advantage, in one of which the
axle is placed a little lower down in the box in order to represent a ball lying on
the green partly covered with grass, while the other box should have the axle set
in the position first described with the uppermost ball standing higher above the
surface of the ground, and thus representing a golf ball when placed on the "Tec."
When the revolving golf ball box is to be used it is placed within the
"containing box" (the latter being permanently fixed in the ground) and so named
because it contains within it, the revolving golf ball box, the latter being made to
fit neatly but not too closely into the interior of the former in order to allow for
variations of the demensions of the containing box caused by damp.
The containing box should be firmly fastened to a small block or sleeper placed
beneath it, this precaution being necessary to impart the requisate steadyness to
the apparatus.
The containing box should be sunk in the earth to such a depth as will bring its
upper edges close to the surface of the ground, while to fill up its empty cavity,
when the revolving golf ball box is removed from it, a third or covering in box,
without a lid, should be placed in an inverted position within the former, thus
closing up its aperture properly thus excluding dirt, and at the same time making
its surface level with the green.
The containing box can also be firmly fixed in the pavement of a court or the
floor of a room, no foundation block then being necessary and in such positions will
I believe prove serviceable.
It is intended that the revolving golf ball box should only be placed in the
containing box when it is to be used, and taken out again when done with as leaving
it in the containing box would soon injure it materially.
Dated this 27th day of Au100
JOHNSONS,
115 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioner's Agents.

page_text: An Appliance for Practising at Golf Ball Driving.
I, JOHN TURNBULL, Senior, Rosalee, Hawick, in the County of Midlothian,
North Britain, Dyer, 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 :-
The revolving golf ball is designed for the use of learners and amateurs in
practising the art of golf ball driving with the iron, driver, cleek, or other golf
club, and also for keeping more advanced players in practice, when deprived of the
use of extensive links and golfing greens.
But in order that my invention may be more readily understood and easier
carried into effect I will describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Figure 2 a plan of my improved appliance.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar of a modification of same.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 I place the revolving golf ball A in a small box B
across the middle of the top edges of which is placed a small horizontal axle C, and
on the centre of the latter is fixed a vertical spindle D. On one end of this
spindle D is placed an unweighted golf ball A of the ordinary size while at the
other end of the spindle D another ball E is fixed, which may be a golf ball or
otherwise, but which is weighted and weighs along with its attachment or attach-
ments heavier than the golf ball A at the other end of the spindle D said ball E
being weighted by means of a washer or ring e or otherwise.
:
When the unweighted golf ball A is struck by the player's club, the two balls A
and E are made to revolve more or less rapidly according to the force and
direction given by the striker, but soon come to a stand when the weighted ball E
at once takes the lowest position as shewn, thus leaving the unweighted ball A
uppermost to be again struck by the golf club as required.
When the revolving golf ball box B is to be used it is placed with the containing
box F (the latter being permanently fixed in the ground) and so named because it
contains within it the revolving golf ball box B which is made to fit neatly, but
not too closely into the interior of the retaining box F in order to allow for
variations of the dimensions of the containing box F caused by damp.
Also the said box F is provided with two protecting boards and stakes G which
prevent the club from roughening the ground near the box in the event of the ball
being missed, and also lessening the tendency of the club being broken.
The containing box F is sunk in the earth to such a depth as will bring its upper
edges close to the surface of the ground, while to fill up its empty cavity when the
revolving golf ball box B is removed from it, a third or covering-in box without a
lid is placed in an inverted position within the former box F thus closing up its
aperture properly and thus excluding dirt, and at the same time making its surface
level with the green.
All of the foregoing boxes are provided with suitable means for lifting into and
out of position, also containing boxes are provided with outlet or drainage openings,
and the golf ball box may thus be placed in the containing box when it is to be
used and taken out again when done with, if necessary.
As a modification of the foregoing and as is shewn in Figures 3 and 4 in which
I dispense with a containing box and provide a lid or cover H for the golf ball
box B, the balls being left inside the box under the lid when not in use. This
form of box is very suitable for lawns, confined places, or for fixing in the paving
of courts or the floor of a room-suitable fixtures being provided in lieu of the
stakes for fixing purposes.

page_text: 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 :-
-
1st. The appliance for practising at golf ball driving, substantially as herein-
before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In appliance for practising golf ball driving, the arrangement of two
revolving balls, one of same being weighted, and both contained within a box
capable of being embedded in the ground, pavement, court or floor, substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 29th day of May 1895.
JOHNSONS,
115 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioner's Agents.