Divot Tool with Adjustable Leg Extension

Abstract

A golf ball mark repair tool used to repair ball marks on golf course grass is provided with a pair of longitudinal legs that can be extended longitudinally and held to project a selected distance from the tool casing. The tool of the invention is held in one hand by the user and operated by the thumb of that same hand. The tool includes an internal detent mechanism that allows the legs to be extended and held at a selected length appropriate for repairing the particular ball mark to be repaired. The length of extension is controlled by a slide actuator operated by forward pressure applied by the thumb of the user. A spring loaded pushbutton mechanism, also operated by the user's thumb, allows a slide retraction spring to draw the slide, including the legs, back into the casing of the tool when repair of the ball mark has been completed.

1 . A golf ball mark repair tool comprising:
 a longitudinally elongated casing having a front end with a mouth defined therein and an opposite, closed rear end,   a slide having a forward, forked end with a plurality of legs defined thereon and an opposite rear end, and said slide is mounted in said casing for linear receptacle movement relative thereto, and   a slide movement control mechanism operable externally on said casing for pushing said slide longitudinally relative to said casing so that said slide is alternatively latched with said legs projecting different predetermined distances from said mouth of said casing.   
   
   
       2 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 1  wherein said slide movement control mechanism includes longitudinal constraints that limit movement of said slide between a withdrawn position in which said slide resides fully retracted within said casing and a fully extended position in which said legs protrude through said mouth and are fully extended longitudinally beyond said front end of said casing, and
 a latching mechanism for alternatively immobilizing said slide longitudinally relative to said casing at said fully extended position and in at least one intermediate position between said fully extended and said withdrawn positions in which only portions of said legs protrude from said mouth of said casing.   
   
   
       3 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 2  further comprising:
 a release mechanism with a control located externally on said casing for releasing said latching mechanism, and   a retraction spring urging said slide toward said rear end of said casing.   
   
   
       4 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 3  wherein said latching mechanism is comprised of a catch tooth located on said slide and projecting therefrom, a detent tooth support rack having a plurality of detent teeth facing said slide, and a detent engagement spring urging said rack toward said slide so that said catch tooth engages the nearest of said detent teeth that is located between said catch tooth and said rear end of said casing, and said release mechanism is comprised of a plunger reciprocally mounted to said casing and projecting toward said rack to push said rack away from said slide to allow said retraction spring to draw said slide toward said rear end of said casing. 
   
   
       5 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 4  wherein said plunger is provided with a plunger retraction spring urging said plunger away from said rack. 
   
   
       6 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 4  wherein said slide is provided with a longitudinally elongated slot and said plunger has a shaft that is engageable with said rack through said longitudinally elongated slot in said slide. 
   
   
       7 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 6  wherein said detent engagement spring is a longitudinally oriented leaf spring having ends longitudinally constrained within said casing and oriented so as to push said rack toward said slide in a direction perpendicular to movement of said slide relative to said casing. 
   
   
       8 . A golf ball mark repair tool comprising:
 a longitudinally elongated casing having a forward end with a mouth defined therein and an opposite, closed rear end,   a longitudinal slide mounted in said casing and having a forward, forked end with a plurality of legs thereon and an opposite rear end, whereby said slide is reciprocally movable in a longitudinal, linear direction relative to said casing between a withdrawn position in which said slide resides within the confines of said casing and extended positions in which said legs of said fork project from said mouth of said casing, and   a latching mechanism for holding said slide alternatively in a plurality of different leg extension positions in which said legs extend different selected distances beyond said front end of said casing.   
   
   
       9 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 8  wherein said latching mechanism includes a detent mechanism for latching said slide in a fully extended position, and at least one partially extended position in which only portions of said fork legs protrude from said mouth of said casing,
 a latch release having a control operable externally on said casing for disengaging said detent mechanism to allow rearward, longitudinal, linear movement of said slide in said linear direction relative to said casing, and   a slide retraction spring that biases said slide toward said withdrawn position.   
   
   
       10 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 9  wherein said latch release further comprises a plunger with a plunger top located externally on said casing and a plunger shaft projecting into said casing and said plunger top is depressible toward said casing whereupon said plunger shaft disengages said detent mechanism. 
   
   
       11 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 10  wherein said detent mechanism is further comprised of a catch tooth located on said slide and projecting therefrom perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, a flat detent tooth support oriented parallel to said slide and having a plurality of detent teeth facing said slide, and a detent engagement spring urging said detent tooth support toward said slide so that said catch tooth engages the most proximate of said detent teeth located between said catch and said rear end of said casing, and said plunger is operable to push said detent tooth support away from said slide to thereupon disengage said catch tooth from all of said detent teeth, thereby allowing said slide retraction spring to draw said slide toward said rear end of said casing. 
   
   
       12 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 11  wherein said plunger is provided with a plunger retraction spring urging said plunger away from said detent tooth support. 
   
   
       13 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 8  wherein a ball marker tray having a floor with a ferrous wafer secured thereto is formed on said casing, and further comprising a magnetic ball marker that seats in said tray and is removable therefrom. 
   
   
       14 . A golf ball mark repair tool according to  claim 8  further comprising a slide actuator located externally on said casing and coupled to said slide to advance said slide to said plurality of different leg extension positions. 
   
   
       15 . A golf ball mark repair tool comprising:
 an elongated casing having a closed rear end and an opposite front and with a mouth formed therein,   an elongated slide shorter in length and narrower in width than said casing and having longitudinal inboard and outboard ends with a fork having a plurality of legs at said outboard end and mounted in said casing for longitudinal, reciprocal movement relative thereto,   a slide advancement mechanism mounted externally upon said casing and engageable with said slide to advance said slide from a longitudinally retracted position wherein said slide is fully withdrawn entirely into said casing and a fully advanced position in which said fork is fully extended through said mouth of said casing,   a detent mechanism within said casing for latching said slide relative to said casing at said fully advanced position, and at least one intermediate position between said fully advanced and said retracted positions, and for alternatively engaging said slide in a selected one of said fully advanced and intermediate positions, and   a slide retraction spring within said casing that urges said slide toward said retracted position.