US2463291A

US2463291A - Putter

Info

Publication number: US2463291A
Application number: US762921A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mazziotti John Paul
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-07-23
Filing date: 1947-07-23
Publication date: 1949-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1966-03-01

Description

March 1, 1949.

J. AP. MAzzloTTl PUTTER Filed July 23, 1947 INVENTOR.

U Y. T M w R Z O Z T A T M A L Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in putters, and its object is to provide a better device than has been available heretofore for enabling aA golfer to make accurate putting strokes.

The most outstanding obstacle in the completion of a good score has been the failure to master the art of putting. Many a good field game has been lost ultimately on the greens by all Sportsmen from a novice to a professional. Attempts have been made to provide devices for practicing putting to overcome this diculty, and golf clubs provided with sighting devices have been suggested. None of these has been successful for various reasons. I have invented what I call a True line putter. This, as will be disclosed hereinafter, is a golf club provided with a reflector which can be adjusted to suit the stance of the player and which may be folded into the head of the golf club when not in use.

I Will describe my invention in the following specification and point out its novel features in claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is a front elevation of a golf club having a sighting device which is made according to and embodies my invention. In this ligure the sighting device is shown as folded into the head;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the `sighting device raised into operative positon;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The section in this figure is taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the parts shown in the preceding figures, the section being taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the sighting device in another of its operative positions;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the parts shown in the preceding figures, with the sighting device closed; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional rear elevation of the nonpositive locking device which is shown in some of the preceding figures. The section in this gure is taken on the line 'I-I of Fig. 4.

I designates the head of a golf club and Il its shank. The head has a flat base I2, and a striking surface I3 at right angles thereto. The upper surface of the head is designated by the reference numeral I4. In the specific form of the putter shown in the drawings, the head IB is made of metal, preferably aluminum, and has intermediate its ends a raised portion I 5.

This raised portion I and the part of the head immediately below it are cut away to form a 2 pocket I6, with flat parallel inner Walls I'I, and an arcuate surface I8. Indentations I9 are formed in the Walls II on arcuate lines for a purpose which will be described hereinafter. The rear and topv of the pocket are open.

20 designates the sighting device. This has two flat plates 2|, 22 joined at one of the edges of each of them, at right angles to each other and joined at opposite edges by a third plate 23 at 45 to the other plates. Perforate bosses 24 are affixed to the plates 2l, 22 near the junction thereof for the reception 0f a pivot pin 25, which extends through the sides of the portion I5 of the head Hl and is parallel to the striking surface i3. Similar perforate bosses 26 are aixed to the

plates

22, 23 near the junction thereof. The bosses 25 support a locking device, which will be explained later. 2l is a mirror or reflector on the side of the plate 23 which is remote from the plates 2|, 22.

When the sighting device is closed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the plate 2| closes the top of the pocket I5, and the plate 22 closes the back of the pocket. When in this condition 'the golf club may be used as a putter in the usual manner.

In order to use the sighting device, it maybe raised to position the reflector 2'I at 45 to the base I2 of the head, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. When the head is placed upon a level green, the reflector will then be at 45 to the ground level. The club is then brought into proximity to a ball shown in dot-dash lines at B in Figs. 53, 4 and 5. In the form shown, the shaft I I is in a plane parallel with the striking surface I 3, which, when positioned as thus described, will be vertical. The player may then turn the shaft Il in one direction or the other, as indicated by the doubleheaded arcuate arrow A in Fig. 3 to bring the reection of the cup into which it is desired to drive the ball in the center of the reflector 21. The striking face I3 will then be normal to a line between the ball and the cup into which the ball is to be driven.

The player, by maintaining this relative position of the striking face in making the stroke, is assured that the ball will travel in the desired direction. The strength of the stroke may be accurately gauged after a few trials.

In order to maintain the mirror at the desired angle to the striking face, a non-positive locking device is provided. This comprises a pair of plungers 3l! slidably mounted in the bosses 26 and pressed outwardly by a spring 3| (see Fig. 7). The ends of these plungers are convex and engage the indentations I9 to hold the mirror at the desired angle. Other indentations, I9a, may be provided to hold the sighting device in its closed position.

In the foregoing description it has been assumed that the stance of the player is such that when making the desired adjustment, the shaft ll is in a vertical position. Some players, however, desire to take a position either nearer to the cup or farther from it, and in order to make the device adaptable for such positions, the position of the reflector may be changed from 45 to the striking face to another angle, as shown in Fig. 5. The reflector, however, cannot be moved out of planes which intersect that of the striking surface on lines which are parallel to the base l2 of the head.

The value of this device to the experienced golfer and to the professional is apparent. Likewise, its value to the professional in teaching the amateur cannot be overemphasized.

Various modifications in construction, mode of operation, method and use of an invention may and do occur to others, especially after benefiting from knowledge of such disclosures as that herein presented of the principles involved, but the invention itself is not confined to the present showing.

I claim:

1. A putter having an elongated head with a ibase and an intersecting striking surface, said head being constructed With a pocket above the base and intermediate its ends and having an open top, a sighting device comprising a plate shaped to lt the open top of the pocket adjustably movable into different positions, supported near one of its edges by a pivot in the head diagonally opposite and parallel with said intersection of the base and the striking surface, and a reflector extending at an angle from the edge of the plate opposite its pivotally supported edge, said plate in one of its positions closing the open top of the pocket.

2. A putter having an elongated head with a base and a fiat striking surface intersecting the base at right angles thereto, said head being constructed with a pocket above the base and intermediate its ends and having an open top, a sighting device comprising a plate shaped to'fit the open top of the pocket adjustably movable into diierent positions, supported near one of its edges by a pivot in the head diagonally opposite and parallel with said intersection of the base and the striking surface, and a reflector eX- tending at an angle from the edge of the plate opposite its pivotally supported edge, said plate in one of its positions closing the open top of the pocket.

3. A putter having an elongated head with a base and an intersecting striking surface, said head being constructed with a pocket above the base and intermediate its ends having an open top, and being open at the side of the head opposite its striking surface, a sighting device comprising a pair of plates joined together at substantially right angles to each other shaped to t the openings in the pocket, adjustably movable into different positions, supported near their juncture by a pivot in the head diagonally oppositev to and parallel with said intersection of the base and the striking surface, and a reflector extending at an angle from the edges of the plates opposite their joinedl edges, said plates in one of their positions closing the openings in the pocket.

4. A putter having an elongated head with a base and a flat striking surface intersecting the base at right angles thereto, said head being constructed With a pocket above the base and intermediate its ends having an open top, and being open at the side of the head opposite its striking surface, a sighting device comprising a pair of plates joined together at substantially right angles to each other shaped to t the openings in the pocket, adjustably movable into diiferent positions, supported near their juncture by a pivot in the head diagonally opposite to and parallel with said intersection of the base and the striking surface, a reflector extending at an angle from the /edges of the plates opposite their joined edges,

said plates in one of their positions closing the openings in the pocket, and means for holding the sighting device in desired adjusted positions.,

. JOI-1N PAUL MAZZIOTTI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,173,384 Rees Feb. 29, 1916 2,057,275 McKenna Oct. 13, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10,863 Great Britain 1905 16,834 Great Britain 1906