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Putting trainer

Putting trainer description/claims

The invention relates to a practice putting device, which consists of a free-standing structure which may be placed anywhere convenient, such as indoors on a carpet or outdoors on grass, to simulate a golf hole, for practising putting.

Former devices of this type have usually incorporated moving parts, some with batteries, and often involving expensive and complex constructions with moving parts, such as described in GB Patent Specification No. 22,584 W. E. Mozer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device which does not have any moving parts.

According to the present invention there is provided a practice putting device comprising a single generally L-shaped free-standing housing which in use is placed in a first position on a generally flat horizontal support surface over which a golf ball can be putted towards the device, with the rear of one limb of the housing in contact with the flat surface and the other limb pointing in a generally upward direction in the said first position, each of the limbs defining a ball guide and having an upper surface, the upper surface of the said one limb presenting a ramp up which a golf ball can roll after being putted towards the device, such that in use as a golf ball arrives at the top of the ramp a turning moment is created which causes the device to pivot like a see saw from the first position to a second position in which the rear of the said other limb is now in contact with the said flat horizontal surface, and its upper surface comprises a second ramp down which the ball can roll.

At least the said other limb may include side cheeks so that a ball will not tend to roll sideways thereof.

Typically both of the limbs include side cheeks to prevent a ball from rolling sideways off the device.

The underside of the device is shaped to define a fulcrum about which, in use, the device will rock.

The rocking of the housing from its first to its second position may be caused by or assisted by the impact of the ball on the upwardly pointing limb.

Preferably the upper surface of the ball guide of either or both of the two limbs is dished centrally so as to present a valley between two inclined sides, which in use assists in guiding a ball up or down the limb.

In one embodiment of the invention a turning moment about the fulcrum created by the weight of the said one limb, is greater than that due to the weight of the said other limb acting in the opposite sense about the fulcrum, so that in the absence of a ball the device has only one stable position in which the said one limb is in contact with the support surface, whereby in use after a ball leaves the said other limb the device will rock back and assume its said first position, ready to receive another putt.

In another embodiment of the invention a turning moment of one limb about the fulcrum is substantially the same as that due to the other, so that in the absence of a ball the device has two stable positions in which one or the other of the two limbs is in contact with the support surface. Thus for example the device will remain in the said second position after the ball has left the device, ready to receive a second putt, albeit this time from the opposite direction, and following a second putt, such that the ball runs up the ball guide surface of the said other limb, the device will rock back into its first stable position, which enables the ball to leave the device by rolling down the upper surface of the ball guide of the said one limb, and leave the device ready to receive a putt from the original direction.

A barrier may be fitted across one of the limbs which prevents a ball from running off the limb, and serves to retain the ball thereon, thereby causing the device to remain in its said second position.

Where the limbs include side cheeks, the barrier may be fitted between the side cheeks of a limb.

In such an arrangement the barrier may be adapted to be snap-fitted between side cheeks of the limb, and is removable therefrom when not required.

The invention thus provides a device as aforesaid which in use is to rock from one position to another as a ball arrives at the top of one ramp following a successful putt, to allow the ball to leave the device down the other ramp, and which will remain in the said other position until another successful putt from the opposite direction causes a ball to run up the other ramp and cause the device to rock back into its said one position, whereafter the ball will roll down the said one ramp to leave the device, and to this end the turning moment acting about the rocking axis due to the weight of one limb, is substantially the same as that due to the weight of the other limb.

Where the device is to rock back into the said first position each time a ball leaves, the turning moment about the rocking axis due to the weight of one limb needs to be greater than that due to the other limb, so that there will be a net turning moment about the fulcrum after a ball has left the said other limb, which will cause the device to rock back, so that the said other limb is again pointing generally upwardly.

Where the ball is to be retained in the device after a successful putt, and the device is stable in its first position with the first limb presenting a ramp up which the ball will roll following a successful putt, the device may be constructed so that when a ball reaches the upper end of that ramp, the centre of gravity of the device is shifted so as to produce a turning moment which will cause the device to rock into a second position, so that the ball will try to leave the device down the ramp in the said other limb but will be retained thereon, thereby maintaining the turning moment which caused the device to rock, and retaining the device in its second position.

Where provided the side cheeks preferably extend above and below the ball guide of each limb.

In an arrangement in which the device is to rock back into an initial position after a ball leaves it, those parts of the side cheeks of the first limb which are below the ball guide extend beyond the junction between the two limbs on the underside of the device and the extensions define the fulcrum so that it is nearer the exit end of the second limb than the entrance end of the first limb, so that when the device pivots and the underside of the second limb comes into contact with the flat horizontal surface, there will be a part of the second limb as well as the whole of the first limb on the other side of the fulcrum, thereby increasing the net turning force acting on the device to restore it to its first position, after the ball rolls off the device.

Preferably the extensions of the side cheeks of the first limb form two runners similar to the runners of a rocking chair, which extend beyond the junction between the two limbs so that as the device rocks on a flat horizontal support surface, the points of engagement between the two runners and the surface define a fulcrum line, which moves in the general direction in which the device is rocking, so that the axis of pivoting moves relative to the device as it rocks from one position to the other.

As the axis of pivoting moves so also will the centre of gravity of the device, and in the arrangement just described the centre of gravity preferably remains on the same side of the fulcrum line to produce a restoring turning movement to rock the device back into its first position, after a ball leaves the device.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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