US 7,900,710 B2 · Power cup cutter

Abstract

There is provided an improved, simple and effective, powered hole-cutting apparatus, otherwise referred to as a power cup cutter, comprised of a USGA approved cutting cylinder modified with an internal plunger and an elongated threaded rod, whereby the cutting cylinder is driven into the soil by the rotation of the rod which is attached to an electric drill for easy and effortless cutting of a hole on golf course greens. With a straightforward reversal of the drill rotation, extraction of the soil plug from the newly formed hole and subsequent insertion of the soil plug into the previous hole will restore the golf course greens for golf play. The ability to cut holes quickly and efficiently is essential for golf course maintenance, but contemporary manual-operated cup cutters have fallen short of offering an efficient means of both the extraction and the insertion of the soil plug. Current methods are highly labor-intensive and require 25-30 minutes for each hole. This invention adds power to both the cutting and ejection of the soil plug from the soil as well as the subsequent insertion of the soil plug into the former hole and requires a mere 5-10 minutes a hole. The field efficiency of the power cup cutter will effectively replace the need for and use of conventional golf cup cutters.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for cutting golf holes, comprising:

a cup cutter;
a threaded nut fixedly attached to a top of the cup cutter;
a hollow shaft having a first end fixedly coupled to the top of the cup cutter such that rotation of said hollow shaft causes corresponding rotation of said cup cutter;
a plunger disposed within said cup cutter;
and
a threaded drive shaft disposed within said hollow shaft and threadedly coupled to said threaded nut, said drive shaft having a first end coupled to the plunger and a second end configured for coupling to a motor and being rotatable thereby so that rotation of said drive shaft relative to said hollow shaft in a first direction moves said plunger upwardly within said cup cutter without rotating said cup cutter until said plunger reaches the top of the cup cutter whereby further rotation of said drive shaft in the first direction causes rotation of the cup cutter for cutting soil with the plunger being retracted within the cup cutter so that the plunger is not in contact with the soil when cutting the soil and rotation of said drive shaft relative to said hollow shaft in a second direction opposite to said first direction causes said drive shaft to rotate relative to said threaded nut thereby moving said plunger downwardly within said cup cutter without rotating said cup cutter to force out the soil contained within said cup cutter.

3 more elements

An apparatus for cutting golf holes, comprising:

a cup cutter;
a hollow shaft having a first end fixedly coupled to the top of the cup cutter such that rotation of said hollow shaft causes corresponding rotation of said cup cutter;
a threaded nut fixedly coupled relative to said cup cutter such that rotation of said threaded nut causes a corresponding rotation of said cup cutter and said hollow shaft;
a plunger disposed within said cup cutter and longitudinally movable therein;
and
a drive shaft being at least partially threaded, disposed within said hollow shaft and threadedly coupled to said threaded nut, said drive shaft having a first end coupled to the plunger and a second end configured for coupling to a motor and being rotatable thereby so that rotation of said drive shaft relative to said hollow shaft in a first direction moves said plunger upwardly within said cup cutter without rotating said cup cutter until said plunger reaches the top of the cup cutter whereby further rotation of said drive shaft in the first direction causes corresponding rotation of said hollow shaft and the cup cutter for cutting soil, with the plunger being retracted within the cut cutter so that the plunger is not in contact with the soil when the soil is being cut, and rotation of said drive shaft relative to said hollow shaft in a second direction opposite to said first direction causes said drive shaft to rotate relative to said threaded nut thereby moving said plunger downwardly within said cup cutter without rotating said cup cutter to force the soil out of said cup cutter.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Power cup cutter

Life of this patent

Power cup cutter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20