Adjustable and folding putting green

• US 5,002,280 A
• Filed: 04/02/1990
• Issued: 03/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Burl D. Hines
• Original Assignee: Burl D. Hines
• Inventors: Hines, Burl D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/502,780
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 273/176 R, 273/176 E-176 J, 273/195 R, 273/195 B, 273/87 C, 273/87 E, 273/118 R, 273/DIG. 31, 273/DIG. 13, 273/178 R, 273/178 A , 273/178 B, 206/315.1
• US Class Current: 473/160
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/02 Special golf games, e.g. miniature golf or golf putting games played on putting tracks; putting practice apparatus having an elongated platform as a putting track
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/13 Artificial grass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/31 Undulated surface

Abstract

An adjustable and folding putting green which includes an enclosure for receiving a foldable playing surface characterized by a flexible material resembling an artificial grass-like ground covering sold under the trademark "Astroturf" mounted on a folding support carried by a folding frame, which frame and support are extendible from the enclosure for playing purposes and foldable inside the enclosure for storage. The frame is provided with multiple pivoting adjusting levers which can be independently attached to the support and manipulated to tilt the playing surface in a desired configuration and contour to simulate varying terrain and provide a surface contouring effect while putting. A player support is hinged to one end of the folding frame for supporting a golfer and the opposite end of the playing folding frame is provided with a rotating cup member having cups located in varying positions thereon, to present different targets for the putter.

Claims

1. An adjustable and folding putting green comprising a playing surface frame provided with an adjustable playing surface and hinges provided in said playing surface frame for selectively folding said playing surface frame and said playing surface into a folding configuration and extending said playing surface frame and said playing surface into playing configuration;

at least one adjusting slot provided in one side of said playing surface frame;

at least one elongated lever having one end pivotally attached to the opposite side of said playing surface frame and the opposite end of said lever projecting through said adjusting slot;

at least one adjusting plate mounted on said one side of said playing surface frame adjacent to said adjusting slot and plate slots provided in said adjusting plate in vertically spaced relationship for selectively receiving said opposite end of said lever; and

hook means carried by said playing surface for receiving said opposite end of said lever and adjusting the contour of said playing surface responsive to manipulation of said opposite end of said lever in said plate slots.

2. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 1 further comprising rotatable cup means provided in said playing surface frame and at least one cup provided in said rotatable cup means in spaced relationship, said cups selectively located in functional configuration in alignment with said playing surface responsive to rotation of said rotatable cup means.

3. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 1 further comprising player support means hingedly connected to said playing surface frame for selectively pivoting into alignment with said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is folded into said folded configuration and outwardly of said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is extended into said playing configuration.

4. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) rotatable cup means provided in said playing surface frame and at least one cup provided in said rotatable cup means in spaced relationship, said cup selectively located in functional configuration in alignment with said playing surface responsive to rotation of said rotatable cup means; and

(b) player support means hingedly connected to said playing surface frame for selectively pivoting into alignment with said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is folded into said folded configuration and outwardly of said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is extended into said playing configuration.

5. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 1 further comprising enclosure means hingedly connected to said playing surface frame for receiving said playing surface frame and said playing surface in said folding configuration.

6. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 5 further comprising rotatable cup means provided in said playing surface frame and at least one cup provided in said rotatable cup means in spaced relationship, said cup selectively located in functional configuration in alignment with said playing surface responsive to rotation of said rotatable cup means.

7. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 5 further comprising player support means hingedly connected to said playing surface frame for selectively pivoting into alignment with said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is folded into said folded configuration and outwardly of said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is extended into said playing configuration.

8. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 5 further comprising:

(a) rotatable cup means provided in said playing surface frame and at least one cup provided in said rotatable cup means in spaced relationship, said cup selectively located in functional configuration in alignment with said playing surface responsive to adjustment of said rotatable cup means; and

(b) player support means hingedly connected to said playing surface frame for selectively pivoting into alignment with said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is folded into said folded configuration and outwardly of said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is extended into said playing configuration.

9. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 8 wherein said playing surface is covered with an artificial grass covering.

10. An adjustable and folding putting green comprising an enclosure;

a playing surface provided with an adjustable playing surface and hinges provided in said playing surface frame for selectively folding said playing surface frame and said playing surface inside said enclosure in folded configuration and extending said playing surface frame and said playing surface from said enclosure in playing configuration;

adjusting slots provided in spaced relationship in said playing surface frame and a plurality of elongated levers having one end pivotally attached to the sides of said playing surface frame in spaced, alternating relationship and the opposite end of said levers projecting through said adjusting slots provided in said playing surface frame, respectively;

a plurality of adjusting plates mounted on the sides of said playing surface frame in spaced, alternating relationship adjacent to said adjusting slots and plate slots provided in said adjusting plates in vertically spaced relationship, for selectively receiving said opposite end of said levers; and

hook means carried by said playing surface in spaced relationship for receiving said opposite end of said levers and adjusting the contour of said playing surface responsive to manipulation of said opposite end of said levers in said plate slots, respectively.

11. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 10 further comprising rotatable cup means provided in said playing surface frame and at least one cup provided in said rotatable cup means in spaced relationship, said cup selectively located in functional configuration in alignment with said playing surface responsive to rotation of said rotatable cup means.

12. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 10 further comprising player support means hingedly connected to said playing surface frame for selectively pivoting into alignment with said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is folded into said folded configuration and outwardly of said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is extended into said playing configuration.

13. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 10 further comprising:

(a) rotatable cup means provided in said playing surface frame and at least one cup provided in said rotatable cup means in spaced relationship, said cup selectively located in functional configuration in alignment with said playing surface responsive to rotation of said rotatable cup means; and

(b) player support means hingedly connected to said playing surface frame for selectively pivoting into alignment with said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is folded into said folded configuration and outwardly of said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is extended into said playing configuration.

14. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 10 wherein said playing surface is covered with an artificial grass covering.

15. An adjustable and folding putting green comprising an enclosure;

a playing surface frame provided with an adjustable playing surface and hinges provided in said playing surface frame and said adjustable playing surface for selectively folding said playing surface frame and said playing surface inside said enclosure in folded configuration and extending said playing surface frame and said playing surface from said enclosure in playing configuration;

a rotatable cup member hingedly connected to one end of said playing surface frame and at least one resilient cup provided in said rotatable cup member in spaced relationship, said cup selectively located in functional configuration in alignment with said playing surface responsive to rotation of said rotatable cup member; and

a plurality of levers pivotally and adjustably carried by said playing surface frame in alternating pivoting relationship, said levers adapted to engage said playing surface and selectively adjust the contour of said playing surface.

16. The adjustable and folding putting green of claim 15 further comprising a player support hingedly connected to said playing surface frame for selectively pivoting into alignment with said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is folded into said folded configuration and outwardly of said playing surface frame when said playing surface frame is extended into said playing configuration.