DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0024] The device of this invention is seen to comprise an upper portion consisting of a trigger mechanism, a lower grabbing portion comprising of a cup covered over by a pair of side opening jaws with a shaft in between and which shaft connects the upper and lower portions, and carries the trigger mechanism.

[0025] First we turn to FIGS. 1, 8 and 9 where the upper portion of device 10 is seen. The device 10 comprises an elongated tubular member 17, of plastic such as polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated PVC, or ABS (Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) of about 1 inch in diameter. Schedule 40 is a suitable product and is preferred to schedule A which has a smaller wall thickness. Tubular member 17 may be of an elongation between two and three feet or even longer for extremely tall persons. A plastic or rubber cap 11 may be threaded on or glued to one end, the upper end 45 of the device. An elongated slot is cut through the wall thickness at 180 degree spacing to provide a resting place for the arms 15A of trigger 15.

[0026] One slot is designated 13A, and the other 13B. Together they form the aligned slot 13. See FIG. 8 for the aligned slot 13, and FIG. 9 for each individual slot.

[0027] The trigger 15 of the trigger mechanism 60—seen in FIG. 11, is formed from a pair of opposed rigid wire members that are disposed in and carried by the shaft in slot 13 as will be discussed supra at the discussion of FIG. 11. The pair of wires are designated trigger arms 15A.

[0028] Each trigger arm 15A may be optionally spray coated with rubber or have rubber “spaghetti” 16 disposed thereon. The rubber coating or covering serves to increase the comfort for the user of the trigger 15 and the device 10.

[0029] The discussion now moves to the lower portion 46 of this device. Reference is made to FIGS. 2, 3,4, 5 and 6. Seen specifically in FIGS. 3 and 4, emanating from one of the spaced bores 19 near the bottom of tubular shaft 17 are a pair of opposed flexible wires 21. As seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the wires 21 are disposed at about a 60 degree angle from within shaft 17 and are connected at their lower terminals to their respective wire stud 22. Each stud 22 is a threaded bolt that is threadedly engaged with a self tapping bore 36, one of which studs and bore is disposed 180 degrees opposed to the other such stud and bore on the side 39 of a jaw 23.

[0030] Seen also in FIG. 3 wherein adjacent the stud 22 is a spring stud 29 of similar construction. The stud 29 is disposed through a reinforcement washer 35. Two of these studs-washer-bore combinations are found spaced apart opposite sides of each of the two jaws 23, which together with the cup 25 form the grab unit 20. Note that FIG. 4 constitutes a 90 degree rotation of the device as shown in FIG. 3.

[0031] One end of each coil spring 27—there being two opposed such springs, is attached to a stud 29 on one jaw side 39. See FIG. 4. Wherein the two jaws 23 are in open position, but in FIG. 3, the jaws are in closed position.

[0032] The two arcuate jaws 23, are pivotally mounted by pivot bolts 32 which pass through a reinforcing washer 33 into a self tapping aperture near the bottom of cup 25. The reader's attention is turned to the relative disposition of the two jaws 23 to the ball 97 in FIG. 4. Thus it is seen that the jaws 23 when pivoted to an open position, as here, essentially move outwardly to be able to receive either a ball or a tee 98. FIG. 3 shows a tee 98 in a retained position within a pair of mirror image semicircular cutouts, 38 on the base 37 of each jaw wherein the jaws 23 are in a juxtaposed closed position.

[0033] In FIG. 5, a top perspective view, much of what has been discussed infra can be seen. Thus the two wires 21 are seen to diverge outwardly, from their bores 19 per FIG. 2, and then downwardly to a point of connection at their respective studs 22.

[0034] Each jaw is a complex shaped element, each of which can be seen in FIG. 5 to be semicircular in shape, and abutting the other when in a closed position, when viewed from the top, that is in the horizontal plane. While in FIG. 6, each jaw also includes a jaw base 37, which is semicircular in shape and which is disposed at a generally 90 degree angle to the respective jaw side 39. The edge 40 of each jaw 23's base 37 has a centrally disposed mirror image semicircular cutout 38. The total circular opening formed from both openings 38, i.e. the two semicircles define a circular opening which is sized large enough to surround the shaft of a golf tee when closed, beneath the cup portion of the tee. Refer back to FIG. 2 where a tee 98 is shown in retention in the closed position of the two jaws 23 abutting one another on their bottom surface.

[0035] The mounting of the two coil springs 27 is also demonstrated in FIG. 6. The two springs lie in opposed mirror image arc segments an equal amount inward along the respective side 39 of its jaw 23. The pair of springs are mounted such that one end is one jaw and the other end is on the respective same side of the opposite jaw. When in the closed position an interface is formed between the two jaws. In this FIGURE the two coil springs are in their relaxed state.

[0036] The reader should now turn to FIG. 7, the bottom view showing the jaws 23 in open position. Contrast this view with FIG. 6 which shows the entire grab unit 20, to fully understand the movement of the jaws. Here the springs have been moved from a first relaxed position to a second tensed position, as the jaws are opened from their interface, by a tugging upwardly on the two wires connected to the trigger 15. When the trigger is moved upwardly, thus tugging on the wires, the two jaws pivot each on the pair of pivot bolts aforementioned, to open as shown in FIG. 7 to thus reveal the hemispherically shaped cup having a bottom facing opening and which is recessed within the jaws. The pair of coil springs 27 are moved from an at rest position to a stretched position. When the trigger arms are released, they return downwardly within the slot, and the coil springs 27 relax, such that the jaws re-close.

[0037] The cup 25 has a central bore 26 therein at its closed end, to which is cemented or otherwise attached, hollow tubular shaft 17. See FIG. 7.

[0038] FIGS. 8 and 9 depict the upper area of the shaft 17 in two different orientations used to show the relative placement of the trigger 15. Trigger 15 has two arms, 15A, one of which is disposed through a slot 13A and other through a slot 13B in the side wall of the tubular shaft. These two aligned slots 13A, 13B, communicate with each other in combination with the interior of the tubular shaft 17. For comfort of the user the trigger 15 may be preferably slightly arcuate as shown in FIG. 9, but such is not required. The trigger members 15 may be rubber covered by a sleeve 16 or spaghetti, to enhance user comfort. A cap 11 closes off the end of the tubular shaft distant from the grab unit 20. Such cap 11 may be threaded on, adhered, or integrally molded in place with the formation of the shaft.

[0039] FIG. 10 is a view from the same vantage point as FIG. 7. From this view it is easy to see that cup 25 is sized to readily receive golf ball 97. It is also seen that the two jaws 23 separate adequately upon opening to permit the ball 97 to be fully enveloped by the grab unit 20 such that when the jaws 23 close, the ball 97 is totally within the grab unit 20.

[0040] In FIG. 11, the internal operating mechanism of this device is seen. The trigger arms 15A of trigger 15 are each seen to be a slightly arcuate wire segment connected by a U-shaped center section 15U. Each of the two control wires 21 are knotted through the base or crook of the U-shaped center section 15U and are retained by cleat 62 from becoming unknotted.

[0041] While not illustrated, a single wire may be used to serve as both control wires 21, by being tied at the midpoint into the U-shaped section 15U, while also being crimped into position to prevent disengagement in a manner similar to that done in a two-wire system.

[0042] In FIG. 12, a small accessory is seen the mountable to the shaft 17. A Velcro® pad 52 is adhered to the shaft 17, and a matingly engageable complimentary pad 53 also of Velcro® is attached to a pencil or pen 54. The writing instrument can be removed for use as needed to keep score, yet is always present when needed, disposed along the shaft away from the trigger 15.

METHOD OF USE

[0043] When a player is desirous of retrieving a ball, from the hole or from on the grass, he/she lifts the trigger arms 15 upwardly within the slots 13A,13B [FIG. 8]. Such effort tugs on the two wires 21 [FIG. 11]. The two wires, when raised by the triggers 15, pull the binding posts 22 upwardly, causing the jaws 23 to pivot open. The jaws which partially overlie the cup, move in an arc upwardly to reveal the cup 25. The cup is placed in contact with ball 97 and such “impact” can be perceived by the user. He/she then releases the trigger arms 15, which then move downwardly and the jaws are brought back to a closed position by the two springs 27, which want to relax, the jaws close underneath the ball 97 and cause it to be retained totally within the confines of the grab unit 20. A second actuation of the trigger when the device is raised off the ground, causes the jaws to open again and the ball to fall by gravitational pull.

[0044] The effort to retrieve a tee requires the same motion. Actuation once to retrieve, actuation a second time of the trigger to drop the tee. If the tee 98 is vertically disposed in the ground, the semicircular cutouts 38 fit around the shaft of the tee when closed around the vertical tee. A tug on the device upwardly removes the tee from the ground.

[0045] If the tee is lying down, a push motion of one jaw upon the tee 98, not unlike a dust pan and brush is used to capture the tee within the confines of the two jaws 23 and cup 25.

[0046] It is seen that I have developed a tool useful for golfers like Casey Martin who must ride in a cart, as well as for other aged and infirm players who have difficulty bending over to retrieve the ball and/or tee. The device of this invention is light weight, and the body of which can be made of plastic such as PVC or ABS, in white or in colors. It is within the skill of the art to determine the exact resistance needed in the coil springs 27, which may be approximately ¼ inch in diameter.

[0047] Since certain changes may be made in the above described apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.