US 4,215,865 AGranted

Golf game

OwnerOliver H. Pilatiinventor

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Abstract

A golf game for use in practicing the golf strokes of driving, approach shots, putting and the like, requiring only a limited space. The game includes a base simulating a fairway that is preferably enclosed by at least a top and opposed side walls to contain flying golf balls, a target area at one end of the fairway and a teeing area opposite the target area. The target area is constructed for stopping balls that strike or miss the targets and has photoelectric cells for sensing the balls when they strike a target. A putting hole is provided in the fairway opposite the teeing area. A collection arrangement collects the balls that are shot at and strike or miss the targets and a ball sweeping assembly normally disposed out of the way of the teeing area and fairway is used to selectively sweep the fairway for the return of the balls for reuse. The ball sweeping assembly includes a sweeping board pivotally mounted on a support frame, a bias spring holding the board in the sweeping position together with a drive motor and a drive train for selectively moving the support frame and board back and forth relative to the fairway.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A golf game comprising:

a base providing a fairway, a target area at one end of the fairway and a teeing area at the other end of the fairway opposite the target area;
a target arrangement in the target area including targets and means for stopping balls that strike or miss the targets for preventing the balls from being deflected back from the target area to the teeing area;
sensing means for sensing balls that strike a target;
means in the target area for collecting balls that are shot at the target area for return to the teeing area;
and
means for sweeping balls from said fairway into said ball collecting means, said sweeping means including:
a support frame;
a sweeper mounted to said support frame and movable from a first position wherein balls on the fairway are not contacted by movement of said sweeper to a second position wherein balls on the fairway are contacted by movement of said sweeper;
wheels mounted to said support frame for supporting said support frame for movement along said fairway;
a guide track for guiding said wheels;
a drive assembly for driving said support frame along said fairway;
and
means for positioning said sweeper in its first position when said sweeper is moved from the target area to the teeing area and in the second position when said sweeper is moved from the teeing area to the target area whereby balls are contacted by said sweeper and pushed into said ball collecting means.

10 more elements

A golf game comprising:

a substantially enclosed building having a floor elevated above ground level providing a fairway, a target area at one end of the fairway, and a teeing area at the other end of the fairway opposite the target area;
a ball collection trough located below the target area for collecting balls that are shot at the target area for return to the teeing area;
a shock absorbing depending curtain assembly in the target area for stopping balls directed toward the target area for deposit into said ball collecting trough, said curtain assembly having a plurality of openings;
a plurality of target units mounted in the target area behind said openings in said shock absorbing curtain assembly;
a putting hole located in the fairway opposite the teeing area;
means for sensing a ball that hits a target unit and balls that pass through said putting hole with each target having an assigned score value depending on its location;
a sweeping board attached to a wheel-mounted support frame movable on guide tracks along the fairway for sweeping dead balls from the fairway into said collection trough and movable from a first position wherein balls on the fairway are not contacted by movement of said sweeping board to a second position wherein balls on the fairway are contacted by movement of said sweeping board;
reversible drive means for moving said sweeping board across the fairway from the target area to the teeing area and from the teeing area back to the target area;
and
means for moving said sweeping board from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.