US2784969A

US2784969A - Golf clubs

Info

Publication number: US2784969A
Application number: US383874A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas O Brandon
Original assignee: AG Spalding and Bros Inc
Current assignee: AG Spalding and Bros Inc
Priority date: 1953-10-02
Filing date: 1953-10-02
Publication date: 1957-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 1974-03-12

Description

March 12, 1957 BRANDQN 2,784,969

GOLF CLUBS Filed Oct. 2, 1955 IN VENTOR 1 1 0. Brandon ATTOR NEYS United States Patent A. G. Spaltling & Bros., Inc., Chicopee, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application October 2, 1953, Serial No. 383,874

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-77) The present invention relates to a series or set of golf clubs of the iron type having different loft angles and correlated impact points to provide a uniform feel and maximum power with a maximum of control in the play thereof.

Heretofore, as is clearly set forth in the patent to W. F. Reach No. 1,642,462 it has been assumed that the proper point of impact or sweet spot should lie in a horizontal plane a uniform distance above the ground for all clubs independently of the loft of the striking face or the location of the sweet spot with respect to the center line of the shaft. I have found that clubs so made do not have a uniformity of feel or an optimum of power and control.

It is an object of the present invention to over-come these difficulties by providing a. series of clubs in which the impact points on the clubs are correlated and located so as to produce a uniform feel and playing properties throughout the series of clubs. This is accomplished according to the present invention by locating an impact point on the striking face so that it lies in the plane of the center line of the shaft, i. e., that plane passing through the center line of the shaft and extending longitudinally of the head .and perpendicular to the line of play and at a vertical height on .the striking face above the base line, which becomes the ground line at the time ofimpact, which is a function of the radiusof the ball and the loft angle of the face.

By correlating the height and location of the impact point on the various clubs in the set with respect to the ground line or base line and the plane passing through the center line of the shaft, I have been able to provide a proper striking point or impact point on the striking face of each club for the loft of the particular club which will produce a uniform feel throughout the set and a maximum power with a maximum of control obtainable with each club in the set.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claim when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a front end view of the head portion of a No. 2 iron.

Fig. 2 shows a front end view of the head portion of a No. 6 iron.

Fig. 3 shows a front end view of the head portion of a No. iron.

Fig. 4 shows a front end view of the head portion of a wedge iron.

In playing a game of golf, it is usual to have a set of irons which consists of nine clubs and numbered 1 to 9, each club as it ascends in number being provided with a striking face having an increased loft angle, i. e., the angle between the striking face and the vertical. By no lecting a club with the proper loft, the player can produce the desired distance and trajectory of the ball necessary in properly playing the game.

I have found that by locating the point of impact so that it lies in the plane of the center line of the shaft,

2,784,969 P Z tented Mar. 12, 1

i.. a, that plane which includes the center line of the shaft and extends longitudinally of the club head and p617 pendicular to the line of play of the club, and .at a proper height above the baseline or ground line at the limit: of impact a predetermined distance which is. a function of the diameter of the ball and the loft :angle, I can produce a set of clubs which has a uniform feel throughout play.

Further, by placing the impact point on the plane of the center line of the shaft, I can secure a maximum of power with a maximum of control of the shot. If the impact point is placed behind the plane of the center line of the shaft the control is increased but the power is decreased, whereas if the point of impact is in front of the plane of the center line of the shaft the power of the shot is increased but the control is decreased.

In illustrating the present invention all of the clubs of the set have not been shown but clubs taken at spaced intervals in the set have been illustrated. Fig. l shows a No. 2 iron comprising a shaft 10, a head 11 having a hosel 12 to receive the shaft and a striking face 13. The loft angle 02 for a No. 2 iron herein illustrated is 20". The proper impact point P2 is located in the plane of the of the club head or perpendicular to the paper of the drawing. The vertical height above the ground line GL center line 6; of the shaft and extending longitudinally of the club head or perpendicular to the paper of the drawing. The vertical height above the ground line GL of P2 is determined by the formula H=rr sine 0. In the particular club shown, using the radius of a standard golf ball B as .84, the vertical height I-Iz is .55 3 inch.

In the No. 6 iron which is midway of the set and shown in Fig. 2, the loft angle 66 is 35 The impact point P5 is again located in the plane including the center line of the shaft. The vertical height H6 above the ground line GL, as determined by the above formula, is .358 inch.

In Fig. 3 is shown a No. 10 iron having the maximum loft of the set. The loft angle 09 is 52". It will be noted that the impact point P9 on the striking face in the plane of the center line of the shaft with a vertical height H9 of .178 inch.

Similarly, each of the other clubs in the set can have the location of the impact point for the club properly located for the particular loft angle of the club so that the impact points throughout the whole set are properly correlated, thus producing a uniform feel throughout the entire set with maximum power and maximum control of the shot played by each club.

'Under some circumstances, it is desired to have additional auxiliary clubs, such as a Wedge iron which has a subs'ole which extends below the ground line GL at the time of impact as shown in Fig. 4. This club has a loft angle 010 of 55 and an impact point P10 located in the plane of .the center line of the shaft and at a vertical height H10 above the ground line at the time of impact of .152 inch.

Thus, it will be seen that in accordance with the present invention auxiliary clubs can be provided which will fit in with the set of irons and have uniform feel and control along with said irons so as to become, in effect, a part of the set.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claim and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

"In a complete set of correlated golf clubs of the iron type, each club having a shaft and a head provided with a striking face having a different loft angle and adapted to strike a golf ball having a predetermined radius, the improvement consisting in having the impact points throughout the whole set correlated as follows: the s'trik' ing 'point on the face of each club lies 'in a plane including the centerline of the shaft and extending longitudinally of the club head and perpendicular to the line of play and at a height above the ground determined by the formula H=r-r sine 0 where H is the vertical height above the ground at the time of impact, r is the radius of the golf ball and 9 the loft angle of the striking face whereby a maximum power With a maximum control is obtained.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS