US3403912A

US3403912A - Golf putter with attachable sighting device

Info

Publication number: US3403912A
Application number: US465308A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis P Maroun
Original assignee: Louis P. Maroun
Current assignee: LOUIS P MAROUN
Priority date: 1965-06-21
Filing date: 1965-06-21
Publication date: 1968-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1985-10-01

Description

Oct. 1, 1968 L. P. MAROUN 3,403,912

'GOLF PUTIER WITH ATTACHABLE SIGHTING DEVICE Filed June 21, 1965 INVENTOR. Lau/s l? MOI'OUI) United States Patent 3,403,912 GOLF PUTTER WITH ATTACHABLE SIGHTING DEVICE Louis P. Maroun, 1081 Elodie Drive, Flint, Mich. 48504 Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,308 8 Claims. (Cl. 273-163) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A golf putter having a blade provided with a recess in its upper edge in which is accommodated a transparent housing having secured therein a reflector the upper and lower edges of which are located at levels relative to the diameter of a golf ball as to enable the reflector to reflect the upper edge of the ball and a distant object such as a flagstaff.

This invention relates to a golf putter construction and more particularly to a putter having a reflective device by means of which the player may view both the ball and a flagstaif or pin so as to facilitate the players stroking ball toward the hole.

One of the most difiicult golf shots to execute properly is a fairly long putt, regardless of whether the ball is to 'be putted straight toward the hole or along a path that curves toward the hole. The reason such a shot is diflicult is that the putter blade must be located perpendicularly to the line of movement of the ball and be maintained in that position during movement of the putter blade away from and toward the ball. As is well known, it is essential that the player keep his eyes focused on the ball during the putting stroke, thereby preventing him from viewing the intended path of movement of the ball.

It is not uncommon for a player to select a point to one side or the other of a hole in a sloping putting green and then to attempt to putt the ball toward that spot in hopes that the slope of the green will cause the ball to deviate from the selected point and follow a curved path into the hole. The difliculty of maintaining the blade of the putter perpendicular to the selected spot to one side of the hole is even more difilcult than maintaining the blade perpendicular to the hole, for the reason that there is no definitely visible target on which to sight.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide putters with prismatic or mirror sighting devices to facilitate a players selecting the path along which the ball is to be stroked. Such devices commonly have been designed to present to the player an image of the flagstaff or pin. As is well known, however, it is not possible to determine a straight line. Inasmuch as the path to be taken by a golf essary to utilize two points in the determination of a straight line. Inasmuch as the path to be taken by a golf ball can be determined by reference to the point on which the ball rests and the location of the cup (or point on either side of the cup), apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention provides for a players viewing both the ball and the object toward which it is to be putted as the player addresses the ball.

An object of this invention is to provide a golf putter construction which includes reflective means that enables a player to address a golf ball on a putting surface and view not only the target toward which the ball is to be putted, but also the ball itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a putter construction of the type described which assists a player in swinging the putter head along a path which coincides with the path along which the ball is to be putted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a putter construction from which the sighting device may be re- 3,403,912 Patented Oct. 1, 1968 ice moved, if desired, without adversely affecting the use of the putter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a putter construction of the kind referred to which is economical to manufacture and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or will become apparent from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in top plan and partly in section of a golf putter constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of a putter and illustrating the sighting device in detached condition;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, end elevational view of the sighting device;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, end elevational view of a putter constructed in accordance with the invention, and illustrating the relationship among the putter, the sighting device, the ball and the target toward which the ball is to be putted.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view similar to FIGURE 1, but illustrating the objects as viewed by the player from a position directly above FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the putter and illustrating its relationship with a ball; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View of the sighting device.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a putter blade 1 to which is secured one end of an upstanding shaft 2 terminating at its upper end in a handle (not shown), as is conventional. The blade 1 comprises a body 3 formed of aluminum or other suitable material and having a substantially vertical, planar, ball engaging surface 4 terminating at its lower edge in a substantially fiat sole 5. The upper surface of the body 3 is provided with a recess 6 between the ends of the blade, the recess having a substantially flat bottom 7 which defines the upper edge of the ball engaging surface 4.

The vertical height of the ball engaging surface 4 is an important characteristic of the construction and should be less than the diameter of a golf ball indicated by the reference character B. In order to comply with the rules of the United States Golf Association, the diameter of the golf ball B should be 1.68 inches. Accordingly, the height of the surface 4 should be less than 1.68 inches and, preferably, the distance between the sole 5 and the recess base 7 is 1.375 inches. The significance of these dimensions will be explained hereinafter.

The formation of the recess 6 in the body 3 provides spaced apart, rearward and forward

upstanding members

8 and 9, respectively. The opposite sides of each of the

members

8 and 9 are reduced as at 10 and 11 to provide shoulders 12 at the level of the base 7.

Adapted for removable accommodation in the recess 6 is a reflecting device indicated generally by the reference character 13 and being capable of reflecting an image through substantially degrees. Preferably, the reflective device comprises a planar mirror 14 contained within a housing 15 having parallel front and

rear walls

16 and 17, respectively, and top and

bottom walls

18 and 19. The housing 15 preferably is square in end elevation, thereby enabling the mirror 14 to be inclined at substantially a 45 degree angle. The mirror may be retained in the housing 15 by means of suitable adhesive (not shown). If desired, a conventional prism may be used in lieu of the mirror 14.

As is best shown in FIGURE 7, the front and

rear walls

16 and 17 of the housing extend beyond the opposite ends of the top and bottom walls so as to provide two pairs of

mounting flanges

19 and 20. As is best shown in FIG- URES l, 4, and 5, the width of the top and

bottom walls

18 and 19 on the housing corresponds to the width of the putter body 3, and the width of the

posts

9 and 10 correspond substantially to the spacing between the

flanges

20 and 21. Accordingly, the sighting device 13 may be assembled with the body in such a manner that the

flanges

20 and 21 clampingly engage the

posts

9 and 10 so as frictionally and removably to maintain the device 13 assembled with the putter body with the front wall 16 of the housing forming a continuation of the blade surface 4, as is shown in FIGURE 4. If desired, screws or the like (not shown) may be provided to secure the device 13 rigidly on the putter body.

In the assembly of the sighting device 13 with the putter body 3, the mirror 14 should be inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the upper edge 7 of the ball engaging surface 4, and the reflective surface of the mirror should face forwardly of the putter. It is important, therefore, that the front wall 16 and the top wall 18 of the housing be transparent, and such walls may be made of a clear plastic material such as that commonly sold under the trademark Plexiglas.

When the parts are assembled in the manner disclosed in FIGURES 1, 4, 5, and 6, the putter body 3 may be placed behind a golf ball B in readiness to putt the ball toward a hole 23 formed in a putting green 24 and in which is a flagstaif or pin 25. Inasmuch as the diameter of the ball B is greater than the height of the ball engaging surface 4, and inasmuch as the height of the mirror 14, when combined with the height of the ball engaging surface 4, is greater than the diameter of the ball B, the player may look downwardly from above the putter along the line of the arrows a and b and see the reflected images of both the ball B and the pin 25, as is indicated in FIGURE 5. In FIGURE 5, the image of the ball B is indicated by the reference character B, and the image of the pin is indicated by the reference character 25.

If the surface of the putting green 24 is level, that is, neither inclined to the left nor to the right of the hole 23, the 'ball B should be putted straight toward the hole. The player, therefore, will position the putter in such manner that the center of the ball B coincides with the longitudinal center of the pin 25, as is indicated in FIGURE 5, thereby resulting in the positioning of the putter blade perpendicular to the line of movement of the ball. The player then may concentrate on the ball and stroke the putter along a straight line to move the ball toward the hole.

In the event the green slopes to one side or the other of the hole 23, the player may select a point to one 'side of the hole, and see both that point and the "ball B as he addresses the ball. Thus, apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is useful in determining the bath of the ball for both straight putts and putts where the path of the ball will curve due to the inclination of the putting green.

The disclosed embodiment is illustrative of the presently preferred form of the invention, but is intended to be representative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A golf putter construction comprising a blade memher having an upright, ball engaging surface at one side thereof and a recess in its upper surface, said recess having a horizontal base defining the upper edge of said ball engaging surface, said ball engaging surface having a height from it's upper edge to its lower edge less than the diameter of a golf ball; a reflecting device having upper and lower edges and being capable of reflecting an image through substantially mounting means configured to be accommodated in said recess and supporting said device with the lower edge of said device at substantially the level of said base and its upper edge at a distance above the lower edge of said ball engaging surface greater than the diameter of a golf ball, and said mounting means forming a continuation of said blade member.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises a housing having transparent Walls enclosing said reflecting device.

3. The construction set forth in claim 2 including flanges at opposite ends of said housing and clampingly engaging said blade member.

4. The construction set forth in claim 2 wherein said housing has front and rear walls which are longer than its other walls and extend beyond the opposite ends of said recess to provide flanges for gripping said blade member.

5. A golf putter construction comprising a blade member having upper and lower surfaces and a planar, substantially vertical ball engaging surface, the upper surface of said blade member having a recess therein between its ends and defining an upper horizontal edge for said ball engaging surface, the height of said ball engaging surface between its upper edge and the lower surface of said blade member being less than the diameter of a golf ball; a reflective device; mounting means configured to be accommodated in said recess and supporting said device in a position to reflect an image along a vertical path of an object substantially normal to said path, said reflective device extending upwardly from substantially the level of the upper edge of said ball engaging surface a distance which, when combined with the height of said ball engaging surface, is greater than the diameter of a golf ball, and said mounting means forming a continuation of said blade member.

6. The construction set forth in claim 5 wherein said reflective device comprises a planar mirror inclined at substantially 45 to the vertical.

7. The construction set forth in claim 5 wherein said mounting means comprises a housing having walls within which said device is contained, one of said walls forming a continuation of said ball engaging surface of said blade member, and including means for removably securing said housing in said recess.

8. The construction set forth in claim 7 wherein said securing means comprises flanges at opposite ends of said housing extending beyond the ends of said recess and clampingly engaging said blade member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,463,291 3/1949 Mazziotti 273-163 2,503,506 4/1950 Miller 273-163 3,019,022 1/1962 Ehmke 273163 3,118,678 1/1964 Rohr 273163 3,170,698 2/1965 Schoeffler et al 273163 3,306,618 2/1967 Liljequist 273162 1,327,171 1/1920 Ruggles 273163 2,463,798 3/1949 Paisley 273163 3,198,525 8/1965 Smith 273163 3,273,891 9/1966 Grim 273-163 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. R. J. APLEY, Assistant Examin'er.