This invention relates to cleaning apparatus for spherical objects particularly, but not necessarily, golf balls. In playing golf, the golf balls become dirty and therefor become more difficult to see especially in the 'rough ¹ ie. those parts of a golf course to each side of the fairways and around the greens.

Accordingly, the present invention is a cleaning apparatus for spherical objects comprising a two part casing with the parts being in a sliding relationship, one part having a holder in which an object can be positioned and be free to rotate therein and the second part having one or more cleaning members to engage the surface of said object whereby on reciprocal movement of one part relative to the other part which is held, the object is friction rotated and cleaned.

Preferably, the two part casing comprises a tubular body and a carriage, the carriage being movable internally of the tubular body and having an internal holder. The tubular body is desirably provided with diametrically opposed slotted guideways. The carriage has preferably two diametrically opposite guides each to track and extend through a respective guideway. The guides preferably terminate on the outside of the respective guideway in an enlarged button knob.

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The tubular body preferably is provided externally at one end with an apertured lug through the aperture of which a cord can be secured to enable the tubular body to be tied or attached to, for example, a golf bag. Two openings are preferably provided diametrically opposed adjacent to the lug end of the tubular body, the holder in the carriage being alignable with the two openings. The tubular body is desirably fitted with two cleaning members positioned one on each side of the guideways. Alternatively, the two part casing comprises two hollow cylindrical bodies in co-axial sliding engagement one with the other, the bodies having opposite ends open, a second and inner cylindrical body having the one or more cleaning members with the first and outer cylindrical body having an internal holder to extend into the second body. The holder desirably extends almost the full axial length of the first cylindrical body.

The holder is preferably a plate having an aperture towards its outer end, the aperture being dimensioned to receive a spherical object therein.

The second cylindrical body is preferably provided externally with a handle. The holder is desirably mounted diametrically of the end wall of the first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body is provided with diametrically opposed guides to be tracked

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by the holder. A first cleaning member is provided on one side of the guides, and a second cleaning member is provided on the other side.

An opening is preferably provided in each of the wall surrounds of the first and second cylindrical bodies, the openings being aligned with the aperture with the first and second cylindrical bodies in a closed position.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view in part longitudinal section of a cleaning apparatus according to a first and preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line II-II of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line III-III of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a cleaning apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line V-V of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line VI-VI of Fig. 4. Referring to the drawings, a cleaning apparatus for spherical objects, such as golf balls, comprises a two part casing.

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In a first embodiment, the two part casing comprises a tubular body 10 and a carriage 12. The carriage 12 is movable internally of the tubular body 10 and has an internal holder 14.

The tubular body 10 has two similar flat sides 10A at opposite locations thereon and is provided with diametrically opposed slotted guideways 16 centrally in said sides 10A as shown.

The carriage 12 has two diametrically opposite guides 18 projecting therefrom each to track and extend through a respective guideway 16. The guides 18 terminate on the outside of the respective guideway 16 in an enlarged button knob 20. The knobs 20 are contoured in a manner to complete a cylindrical profile at said sides 10A. The outer surface of each knob 20 is ribbed at 22.

The tubular body 10 is provided externally at one end with an apertured lug 24 through the aperture 26 of which a cord (not shown) can be secured to enable the tubular body 10 to be tied or attached to, for example, a golf bag.

Two openings 28 are provided diametrically opposed adjacent to the lug end of the tubular body 10. The holder 14 in the carriage 12 is alignable with the two openings 28 to receive a golf ball through either of said openings 28. The holder 14 is shaped internally

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similar to a central section of a hollow spherical body cut into three sections, namely a central section and two equal outer sections, the sections having parallel interfaces, or can be a band. The holder 14 has a serie of gripping elements 30 extending inwardly thereof and upright of its internal periphery. The series of elements 30 are in two opposed arrangements as shown in the drawings. The elements 30 are resilient to enable them to be biased apart for a golf ball 32 to be locate into the holder 14 and thereafter to hold the golf ball 32 but yet to permit rotation of the ball relative to the elements 30.

The tubular body 10 is fitted with two cleaning members 34 positioned one on each side of the guideways 16. The cleaning members 34 are both formed in this embodiment by sponge material but one may be of sponge material and the other of bristles as shown in the second embodiment. The bristles for this embodiment may be conveniently provided by two helically wound bristle brushes secured to the inside face of the casing.

In use, a golf ball 32 is placed into a holder 14 through either opening 28 and, with the fingers grippin the knobs 20, the carriage 12 is reciprocated manually along the guideways 16 several times thereby to clean the golf ball by friction rotating it against the cleaning members 34.

In a modification of this embodiment, a second

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apertured lug can be provided at the opposite end of the body 10.

In a second embodiment, the two part casing comprises two hollow cylindrical bodies 110, 112 in co¬ axial sliding engagement one with the other. The cylindrical bodies 110, 112 have opposite ends ie. their inner ends, open. The second and inner cylindrical body 112 has the one or more, two in this embodiment, cleaning members 114A, 114B to engage the surface of said golf ball 32. The first and outer cylindrical body 110 has an internal holder 116 to extend into the second body 112. The holder 116 is a plate which extends almost the full axial length of the first body 110 and almost the full width of the body 110. The holder 116 has an aperture 118 towards its outer end. The aperture 118 is dimensioned to receive a spherical object ie. a golf ball 32 therein, the ball being free to rotate therein.

The second body 112 is provided externally with a handle 120 as shown. The handle 120 has an aperture 122 therethrough and through which a tie can be threaded to secure the apparatus to a golf bag or the like.

The holder 116 is mounted diametrically of the end wall 124 and the second body 112 is provided with diametrically opposed guides 126 to be tracked by the holder 116.

The cleaning member 114A is arcuate in shape and

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is provided on one side, ie. the upper side, of the guides 126 as shown, the cleaning member 114A is a plurality of bristles. The cleaning member 114B is of sponge material provided on the other lower side of the guides 126. The sponge is dampened prior to use.

An opening 128 is provided in the wall surround 130 of each of the first and second cylidrical bodies 110, 112. The openings 128 are aligned with the aperture 118 when the first and second cylindrical bodies are in a closed position.

A slot 132 or elongate internal recess is provided lengthwise in the wall surround 130 of the first body 110, and a stop 134 is provided on the periphery of the wall surround 130 of the second body 112, the stop 134 engaging in the slot 132 whereby to prevent the second body 112 from rotating relative to the first body 110 and also from coming apart from the first body 110. In use, with the first and second cylindrical bodies closed, a golf ball is placed through the openings 128 into the aperture 118 against the inherent biasing of the sponge. On reciprocal longitudinal movement of the second body 112 using the handle 120 relative to the first body 110 which is hand-held, the golf ball is friction rotated and cleaned. The golf ball is ejected when the bodies are closed together due to an inherent biasing of the sponge.

Variations and modifications can be made without SUBSTITUTE SHEET

departing from the scope of the above described invention.

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