BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention will become apparent upon the consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf disc retriever embodying the invention attached to an elongating handle and showing a captured golfing disc;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of said golf disc retriever in FIG. 1 showing more detail;
FIG. 3 is a section view of said golf disc retriever in FIGS. 1 and 2, which shows a golfing disc in the approach position to said golf disc retriever;
FIG. 4 is a section view of said golf disc retriever in FIGS. 1 and 2, which shows a golfing disc in the engagement position to said golf disc retriever; and,
FIG. 5 is a section view of said golf disc retriever in FIGS. 1 and 2, which shows a golfing disc in the capture position to said golf disc retriever.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of preferred golf disc retriever 10 having a elongating handle 12 preferably of telescoping tubular aluminum sections that allow one to extend ones reach beyond arms length to retrieve a golf disc as shown in FIG. 1, yet is retractable for easy carrying or storage.
At the distal end of elongating handle 12 golf disc retriever 10 is positioned, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. Referring now to FIG. 2, golf disc retriever 10 is made of a rigid material like metal or plastic, or a combination of both, and attached at angled mounting surface 16 to handle 12 by mounting 14, which may be a separate fastener like a rivet or an integral fastening section of golf disc retriever 10.
Golf disc retriever's 10 substantially U-shaped frame is the fixed embodiment of the invention and comprises angled mounting surface 16, which is beneficially angled to improve the position of hinged disc probing edge 28 during the action of disc retrieval, and supports an upper and lower leg of golf disc retriever's 10 substantially U-shaped frame.
Said upper leg comprises the following embodiments and is described in order from proximal end to distal end.
First, is an angled upper disc retaining surface 18, which is beneficially angled to improve retention of a disc during disc retrieval.
Second, is an angled disc guiding surface 20, which is beneficially angled to improve guidance of a disc into the confines of golf disc retriever's 10 substantially U-shaped frame during the engagement position of a disc retrieval as illustrated in FIG. 4. A further feature of angled disc guiding surface 20 is that angled disc guiding surface 20 narrows in width from proximal end to distal end to create an improved auxiliary disc hooking surface 22.
The final embodiment of said upper leg is an auxiliary disc hooking surface 22, which provides for an alternate and secondary method of disc retrieval by a simple hooking action, should the need arise during disc retrieval. However, is not as positive a retrieval method as the primary method being described here within and illustrated in FIG. 5 and therefore is designated alternate and secondary. Auxiliary disc hooking surface 22 is narrower in width than golf disc retriever's 10 substantially U-shaped frame to improve auxiliary disc hooking surface's 22 function as a hook for hooking golf discs. Another feature of auxiliary disc hooking surface 22 is disc-hooking edge 24. Disc hooking edge 24 is sharpened to provide disc hooking surface 22 with a more positive contact point with a disc during this alternate and secondary method of disc retrieval by way of the weight of the disc acting on a reduced contact surface being that of said sharpened edge during said simple hooking action.
Said lower leg comprises the following embodiments and is described in order from proximal end to distal end.
First, is a probing edge support surface 26, which is the majority of said lower leg and is the first of two leaves of an integral hinge, which is part of hinged probing edge 28.
Second, is hinged probing edge 28 and is comprised of a small diameter butt type hinge with a removable hinge pin 30 that has a small gap in the knuckles of said hinge being torsion spring hinge gap 32, which accommodates torsion spring 34 and a disc-retaining plate 36. Hinged probing edge's 28 smaller proportion relative to a golf disc's tapered rim, improves hinged probing edge's 28 ability to probe under said tapered rim during the approach position of a disc retrieval as illustrated in FIG. 3. Torsion spring 34 is comprised of a very light gauge corrosion resistant metal so as to easily actuate when a golf disc is engaged during retrieval as illustrated in FIG. 4 and then deactivate when a disc is captured during retrieval as illustrated in FIG. 5. Torsion spring 34 is attached at said hinge, by hinge pin 30 passing through the coiled center of torsion spring 34 during said hinge assembly. Hinge pin 30 is removable, so as to aid in the future replacement of torsion spring 34.
The final embodiment of said lower leg is disc-retaining plate 36, which is the movable embodiment of the invention and comprises the second leaf of said integral hinge, which completes hinged probing edge 28. Disc-retaining plate 36 is movable about said hinge and is upward acting by the force exerted by torsion spring 34 acting against both the underside of disc-retaining plate 36 and topside of probing edge support surface 26. Disc-retaining plate 36 captures a golf disc by yielding under said disc's weight during the engagement position of a disc retrieval as illustrated in FIG. 4 and then springing back to trap said disc when said disc's rim has passed over disc-retaining plate 36, by way of said discs downward protruding rim as illustrated in FIG. 5. Disc retaining-plate 36 has an arcuate disc-retaining edge 38 at disc-retaining plate's 36 distal end to create clearance for the rim of a golf disc when approaching retrieval at angles that vary laterally from on axis with golf disc retriever 10. A golf disc is easily released from the golf disc retriever 10 after retrieval, by depressing disc-retaining plate 36 downward with a finger or thumb and then removing said disc.
Patent Application
20070278805
