US2520702A

US2520702A - Adjustable head for golf clubs

Info

Publication number: US2520702A
Application number: US748167A
Authority: US
Inventors: Verderber Joseph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-05-15
Filing date: 1947-05-15
Publication date: 1950-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1967-08-29

Description

g- 29, 1950 J. VERDERBER 2,520,702

ADJUSTABLE HEAD FOR cow CLUBS Filed May 15, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOSEPH VERDERBER ATTORNEY Ailg- 29, 1950 J. VERDERBER ADJUSTABLE HEAD FDR GOLF CLUBS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1947 R E mm m 1 A V. i w. H m P M J ed surface 26.

of the bore l and the counterbore 23. The counterbore 23 is tapped for a portion of its length to provide the sextuple thread 25 which is adapted to receive the thread 4 of the shank 3.

The thread 6 in the cavity 5 of the shank 3 cooperates with and abuts the thread 26 on the adjusting screw 21. A centrally disposed cavity 28 is provided in the screw 21, frOm which longitudinally spaced openings 23 extend radially through the wall 30 and terminate at the threadprovided in the wall 32 of the shank 3 which ter- Similar spaced openings 3| are minate at the threaded surface 4. 'When-lubricant is forced into the cavity 28 in theadjusting screw 21, it is conducted through the radial openings 29 to the interengaging surfaces of the

threads

26 and 6 and is further conducted through the radial openings 3| to the interact ingsurfaces of the

threads

4 and 25. V I

The-adjusting screw 21 is provided witha unitary flange or collar 33 which is disposed approximatelyfimidway of its length'and the screw terminates in a stem 34 which is provided with a cavity 35 thus forming the wall 36. The wall 36 has formed therein circumferentially spaced grooves or slots 31 which serve to relieve the wall 36 so asqto permit it to be expanded slightly. The cavity 35 is tapped for a portion of its depth to provide the thread 38 which isadapted to receive a hollow head screw 39.

. The cavity 35 is adapted to receive a ball of slightly oversize diameter which, when forced into the cavity 35, expands the wall 36 into lock-L ing frictional engagement with the periphery of the bore 4i of the knob 42. The screw 39 assists in forcing the ball 40 into the cavity 35 and serves to close the opening. thereby preventing the en? trance of dirt and foreign matter into the cavity.

The knob '42 is provided with longitudinally spaced annular grooves 43 which are adapted to retain soft washers 44 which actas seals against the entrance of dirt into the counterbore l I in the headl. A piston-type seal 45' on the shank 3 servestoseal the threads 4 against the entrance of dirt and foreign matter. Theface of the knob 42 is provided with an angularly inclined surface 46 jon which are inscribed index characters as noted that rotation 'ofthe knob 42 is not limited tothe' positions corres'pondingto the index char acters, but the knob may be rotated to' positions intermediate the positions shown by the index characters to thereby correspondingly obtain a great variety ofangles of loft of th club head.

A diametrical arcuate groove 41 is provided in the face of the knob 42, which serves to receive a disc' 48 which is used to rotate theknob. 'A coin or' similar discmay also be used for this purpose. It is preferred that the disc 48 be magnetized so that itmaybe conveniently retained in The operation of my invention will now be briefly described.

Thrust washers 52 and '53 are placed on the adjusting screw 21, and are disposed on opposite sides of and adjacent to the collar 33. In assembly, the washers Hand 53 and the interposed unitary collar 33 of the screw 27, are held in rigid alignment by action of the screw i5which forces the washer 53 to bear again'st the shoulder l2, and thereby the adjusting screw 21 is prevented from longitudinal movement in either direction.

The character of the threads on the adjusting screw 21 and on the shank 3 are of particular importance in my invention. As shown in the drawings, the

threads

4 and 25 are right-hand and have a pitch of /18 inch and a lead of inch, being three threads per inch, sextuple. The

threads

6 and 26 are left-hand and have a pitch of /1 inch and aleadpf /18 inch.

Thespecifications of the threads may vary considerably however, it only being necessary for the operation of my invention that the lead of the

threads

4 and 25 be greater than the lead of the threads '6 and 26 and that the helix angle of the

threads

4 and 25 not be a locking angle, that is, the angle must be one such as will permit the shank 3 to rotate in response to an axial com ponent of force applied thereto.

Thus the threads4 and 6 may both be right hand or may both be left hand; the thread 4 may be left hand and the thread 6 may be right hand;

thepitch of either thread 4 or thread 6 may be.

substantially the same if the specifications of the a shank 3 and hosel l.

held against rotation, the shank 3 will be forced. to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3 and correspondingly will rotate in a counter-clockwise di-- threads were to be varied as hereinbefore described.

It will be observed that if the knob 42 is turned in a clockwise direction (as seenin Fig. 4), by

means of the disc 46,'the rotation will be transmitted to the adjusting screw 21 through the frictional engagement of the expanded wall 36 with the bore 4| of the knob. Rotationof the screw 21 in the'directio'n' indicated will, as the thread 26 is left-hand, have a tendency to thread out or extract the screw 21'from the cavity 5 of rection as viewedin Fig. 2. If the hosel i were 2 to be held against rotation, the head 1 would be a suitable opening provided therefor in, for exam- 7 me, the grip of the golf club.

; A pin' 49 projects from the end surface 50 of the knob 42 and extends into overlapping relationsh'ip'with a pin 5| which projects from the face [-9 ofthe" thrust screw [5, and'thus the

pins

49 and 5| cooperate to limit rotation of the knob 42 to slightly less than one revolution in either the forced to the left as seen in Figs. l and 3 and correspondingly wouldv rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. '2. In either case, the

loft of the head 1 would be increased.

- Rotation of the knob 42 in a counter-clockwise by decreasing the loft of the club head. Due tothe differential in lead betweenthe

threads

4 and 5,: 26, the shank 3'or'th'e head 1, asthe case may be,

will have only one-sixth 'of-the rotationof the V adjusting. screw 75!. so that maximum. rota-donut: the; knob. k2 and-.eorresphndinglw or. the screw. 21:,

would be. approximately: 1:. of a. revohition.

on 329." would rotate.- the head; only one-sixth. aa-.mughror 5.49:

Werezthedifferential m lead lessthamthe ratios maximurmlofit requiredtha courseot' may.

therec-iscorrespondingly: little; advantage. in using a. lesser diiierential. in lead than. that described.

On the other hand, were the: pitch; of. the:

threads..&and12fi finer. than /18 inch, and correpondingly were the differential in lead between the threads 4-and1'26 greater-than; the ratio of 6, to; 1., the knob 42,,would. turn withgreater ease. Under these circumstances, in order to obtainthee desired angles of. loft, itwould be necessary to turn the knob 42' through more than one revolution anditherefore the sto rpins 49 and 5l3WOl11d, be; eliminated and a. detent structure (not shown), such. as.a.spring pressed-bail cooperating with a depression in the end surface 50 of the knob 42 would be provided.

It will be noted that in actual play, when the face 8 strikes the golf ball, no relative movement between the shank 3 and the head I can occur, as any such impact would only have the effect 0f strengthening the locked relationship of the parts. Similarly, relative movement between the shank 3 and head I is prohibited by the adjusting screw 2'! on the back swing of the golf club.

It will also be noted that any play or backlash in the threads which might exist, will immediately be taken upon the forward swing of the club, due to the inertia of the head I. In this connection it will be seen that the lower portion if the head 1 is provided with a cavity 54 into which can be placed lead or similar ballast so that the golfer can adjust the weight of the club head to his individual liking.

Thus, the golfer may quickly and easily adjust the head of the club to varying degrees of loft as required by the conditions of play and is thereby relieved of the expense and burden of carrying a large assortment of individual golf clubs. The index characters on the face of the knob 4 are calibrated to the standard nomenclature applied to golf clubs, that is, the character I designates a putter, the character 3 designates a No. 3 iron, and so forth. The golfer can thereby readily interpret the adjustment required in terms of standard nomenclature.

- Having thus described my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the construction, shape, size and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In an adjustable head for golf clubs, the combination of a threaded shank, said shank having an external thread and an internal thread, said internal thread being of lesser lead than and of opposite inclination to said external thread, a head rotatably carried by said external thread on said shank, a threaded element adapted to rotatably engage said internal thread, and means whereby said element is held longitudinal 1y immovable relatively to said head.

-22 In an adjustable. combination of; a. headhaving a. cavity therein saidrcauity: having: ashoulder. therein, a shank external and internal threads, rotatably engaging a. portion of. said cavity,..said. externali. thread being. of greater. lead than and. of oppoe.

site inclination to. said internal thread, a,.thread.-= ed element engaging said internal thread, said threadedzelement having an annular. collar there:-

on",- a. screw. adapted to maintain saidcollar; on.

saidrthreadiedelement axially immovable relatinelmto; said: shoulder. in said; cavity, and means; adaptedto-rotate. said threaded element wherebysaidrhead will be rotated relatively to said shank- 3:. Irran. adjustable; head golf club, a hosel, a:

placement of said shank extension relatively to:.

said. head, the; helix angle. of said threaded. connection. between said head. and: said shank. exatension: being; such as to induce rotation. 0t said. head, about said. shankextension. in: response to.

saidzlongitudinaldisplacement.

4. In an adjustable head golf? club, athreadedt shank,v a-.. threaded heart secured; to said. shank, an adjusting screw threadedly engaging said shank coaxially thereof, and means for securing said adjusting screw against axial movement relatively to said head, said adjusting screw having threads of lesser lead than said head and the helix angle of said threaded connection between said head and said shank being such as to cause rotation of said head about said shank in response to relative longitudinal displacement of said shank whereby rotation of said adjusting screw effects proprotional rotation of said head relatively to said shank.

5. In an adjustable head for golf clubs, the combination of a threaded shank, said shank having an external thread and an internal thread, said external thread being of greater lead than said internal thread, a head rotatably carried by said external thread on said shank, a threaded element adapted to rotatably engage said internal thread, and means whereby said element is held longitudinally immovable relatively to said head.

6. In an adjustable head for golf clubs, the combination of a head having a threaded cavity therein, a shank threadedly engaging said cavity in said head, said threads having a helix angle which will permit rotation of said shank relatively to said head in response to an axial component of force applied to said shank, and axially immovable means secured to said head and threadedly engaging said shank co-axially thereof for mechanically transmitting said force to said shank.

'7. A combination, as defined in claim 6, in which said means comprise an adjusting screw rotatably mounted in said head.

8. A combination, as defined in claim 7, in which said ajusting screw has threads of lesser lead than said first-mentioned threads.

9. A combination, as defined in claim 8, in which said adjusting screw has threads of opposite hand to said first-mentioned threads.

10. Means for adjusting a member angularly relative to another member, said means comprising an internal thread on said first-named member, a cooperating thread on said second-named member, said threads having a helix angle which will permit rotation of said first-named member head. fOIi golf clubs, the.

relatively to said second-named member in'response to an axial component of force applied to one of said members; and. axially immovable means rotatably secured to said first-named member'and threadedlyengaging said seconda named member for mechanically transmitting said force to one of said members.

11. Means for adjusting a member angularly relative to another member, said means comprising an internal thread on said first-named memher, a cooperating thread on said secondnamed member, and a screw element having lesser thread lead than said first-mentioned threads,

secured to said first-named member in lo'ngitudinally immovable relationship thereto and threadedly engaging said second-named member whereby rotation of said screw element causes longitudinal displacement of one of said membersrelatively to the other and proportional rotation therebetween.

.12. A combination, as defined in claim, 2, in

which said means comprise a knob rotatably mounted in said cavity and secured to said threaded element in axial alignment therewith,

whereby rotation of said knob causes like rotation of, said element. p

13. In an adjustable head golf club, a shank; a

' 'The following references are of 8 head threadedly secured to :said shank, and an adjusting screw threadedly engaging said shank in axial alignment therewith, said adjusting screw being secured in longitudinally immovable relationship to said head whereby rotation of said screw effects longitudinal displacement of said shank relatively to said head.

14. In an adjustable head for a golf c1ub,'the combination of a head having a threaded cavity. therein, a hosel having an integral extension forming a spindle threadedly engaging a portion of said cavity, said spindle being rotatable rela-- tively to said head in response to linear displace-r mentthereof, and, means mounted in said cavity:

in longitudinal abutment with said spindle for selectively effecting linear displacement of said spindle relatively to said head.

. JOSEPH VERDERBER.

REFERENCES CITED record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,144,447 Barnhart Jan. 17; 1939 2,381,636 Bancroft Aug. '7, 1945