GB2103938A - Folding hood for sheltering golf clubs - Google Patents

Abstract

The hood comprises a support clamp 23, 24 attached to the club carrying cart handle (MA), a plurality of bows (21) articulated to the support clamp (23, 24), a sheet of waterproof material (22) stretched over the bows (21) and means 25 for engaging the uppermost bow with the handle bar (MA) and holding the hood (20) in a steadily closed position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Folding hood for sheltering golf clubs This invention relates to a folding hood, or canopy, particularly for sheltering golf clubs being carried in a specially designed conventional bag on a transport cart.

Known are carts for transporting golf club carrying bags, which comprise a small frame fitted with a pair of wheels and with a rod ending in a handle bar for cart drawing/pulling and steering.

Onto such a cart, a golf club bag would be laid and secured with its open top mouth up, in order to make the picking up and laying down of selected and utilized clubs more convenient.

Carts of this type have undeniable advantages as to general convenience in club bag transportation, but are disadvantageous in that they allow water in when operated in rainy weather.

This invention sets out to remove the above drawback by providing a folding hood, or canopy, particularly for sheltering golf clubs being carried in a specially designed conventional bag on a transport cart, including a support clamp attached to the cart handle bar, a plurality of bows articulated to said support clamp, a sheet of a waterproof material, advantageously of a polymeric fabric, being stretched over said bows, and means for engaging the uppermost bow in said plurality with said handle bar and holding said hood steadily in a closed position.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a transport cart with the club-carrying bag and folding hood of this invention; Figure 2 is a detail side view of this folding hood in its unfolded condition; Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figure 2, showing the hood fully folded down when not in use; Figure 4 is a similar detail view illustrating the procedure for opening the hood and picking up or laying down the golf clubs; and Figure 5 is a view similar to the preceding ones, showing, in perspective and more in detail, the hood in its closed or in-use position.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the cart for transporting a golf club-carrying bag S. The cart 10 comprises a small metal frame Thaving two relatively long legs G, each fitted with a respective end wheel R.

Secured to the frame, through a clamp M, is a handle bar rod MA ending in a handgrip I for drawing/pulling and steering the cart. The bag S rests onto a stand (not shown) from the frame T and is secured to the latter by means of a retaining strap C. The upper mouth of the bag, out of which golf clubs MZ protrude, is covered by a folding hood of this invention, generally indicated at 20.

The folding hood, or canopy, includes a plurality of bows 21 on which is stretched a waterproof sheet 22 and which are articulated to a support 23 connected, through a knob-operated clamp 24, to the handle bar MA.

The uppermost bow is provided with a securing means effective to hold the hood in its closed position, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, and such means will advantageously include a magnetic plate 25 which is caused to adhere onto the handle bar MA where the latter is made of a magnetic material.

Instead of the plate, also advantageous would be the use of a button hole, such as at 26 (Figure 5), engaging with a matching button provided on the handle bar; this arrangement being alternative to the former where the material of the handle bar is a non-magnetic one.

The folding hood shelter of this invention, when not in use, may be tilted fully down as shown in Figure 3. When in use, the golf clubs can be readily picked up and laid down by partly ioweringthe hood top as shown in Figure 4, or by tilting up the bottom portion of the hood.

Advantageously, the sheet 22 is formed from a polymeric material fabric.

Of course, the effects of this invention would also apply to any embodiments thereof likely to achieve an equal degree of usefulness by employing the same inventive concept.

1. A folding hood, or canopy, particularly for sheltering golf clubs being carried in a specially designed conventional bag on a transport cart, including a support clamp attached to the cart handle bar, a plurality of bows articulated to said support clamp, a sheet of a waterproof material being stretched over said bows, and means for engaging the uppermost bow in said plurality with said handle bar and holding said hood steadily in a closed position.

2. A folding hood according to claim 1, wherein said means for engaging the uppermost bow in said plurality with said handle bar comprise a magnetic plate.

3. A folding hood according to claim 1, wherein said means for engaging the uppermost bow in said plurality with said handle bar comprise a button hoie formed on said bow and engaging with a matching button provided on said handle bar.

4. A folding hood according to the preceding claims, wherein said sheet is formed from a polymeric material.

5. A folding hood particularly for sheltering golf clubs being carried in a specially designed conventional bag on a transport cart, according to the preceding claims and substantially as herein described and illustrated.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Folding hood for sheltering golf clubs This invention relates to a folding hood, or canopy, particularly for sheltering golf clubs being carried in a specially designed conventional bag on a transport cart. Known are carts for transporting golf club carrying bags, which comprise a small frame fitted with a pair of wheels and with a rod ending in a handle bar for cart drawing/pulling and steering. Onto such a cart, a golf club bag would be laid and secured with its open top mouth up, in order to make the picking up and laying down of selected and utilized clubs more convenient. Carts of this type have undeniable advantages as to general convenience in club bag transportation, but are disadvantageous in that they allow water in when operated in rainy weather. This invention sets out to remove the above drawback by providing a folding hood, or canopy, particularly for sheltering golf clubs being carried in a specially designed conventional bag on a transport cart, including a support clamp attached to the cart handle bar, a plurality of bows articulated to said support clamp, a sheet of a waterproof material, advantageously of a polymeric fabric, being stretched over said bows, and means for engaging the uppermost bow in said plurality with said handle bar and holding said hood steadily in a closed position. The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a transport cart with the club-carrying bag and folding hood of this invention; Figure 2 is a detail side view of this folding hood in its unfolded condition; Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figure 2, showing the hood fully folded down when not in use; Figure 4 is a similar detail view illustrating the procedure for opening the hood and picking up or laying down the golf clubs; and Figure 5 is a view similar to the preceding ones, showing, in perspective and more in detail, the hood in its closed or in-use position. In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the cart for transporting a golf club-carrying bag S. The cart 10 comprises a small metal frame Thaving two relatively long legs G, each fitted with a respective end wheel R. Secured to the frame, through a clamp M, is a handle bar rod MA ending in a handgrip I for drawing/pulling and steering the cart. The bag S rests onto a stand (not shown) from the frame T and is secured to the latter by means of a retaining strap C. The upper mouth of the bag, out of which golf clubs MZ protrude, is covered by a folding hood of this invention, generally indicated at 20. The folding hood, or canopy, includes a plurality of bows 21 on which is stretched a waterproof sheet 22 and which are articulated to a support 23 connected, through a knob-operated clamp 24, to the handle bar MA. The uppermost bow is provided with a securing means effective to hold the hood in its closed position, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, and such means will advantageously include a magnetic plate 25 which is caused to adhere onto the handle bar MA where the latter is made of a magnetic material. Instead of the plate, also advantageous would be the use of a button hole, such as at 26 (Figure 5), engaging with a matching button provided on the handle bar; this arrangement being alternative to the former where the material of the handle bar is a non-magnetic one. The folding hood shelter of this invention, when not in use, may be tilted fully down as shown in Figure 3. When in use, the golf clubs can be readily picked up and laid down by partly ioweringthe hood top as shown in Figure 4, or by tilting up the bottom portion of the hood. Advantageously, the sheet 22 is formed from a polymeric material fabric. Of course, the effects of this invention would also apply to any embodiments thereof likely to achieve an equal degree of usefulness by employing the same inventive concept. CLAIMS

1. A folding hood, or canopy, particularly for sheltering golf clubs being carried in a specially designed conventional bag on a transport cart, including a support clamp attached to the cart handle bar, a plurality of bows articulated to said support clamp, a sheet of a waterproof material being stretched over said bows, and means for engaging the uppermost bow in said plurality with said handle bar and holding said hood steadily in a closed position.

2. A folding hood according to claim 1, wherein said means for engaging the uppermost bow in said plurality with said handle bar comprise a magnetic plate.

3. A folding hood according to claim 1, wherein said means for engaging the uppermost bow in said plurality with said handle bar comprise a button hoie formed on said bow and engaging with a matching button provided on said handle bar.

4. A folding hood according to the preceding claims, wherein said sheet is formed from a polymeric material.

5. A folding hood particularly for sheltering golf clubs being carried in a specially designed conventional bag on a transport cart, according to the preceding claims and substantially as herein described and illustrated.