US3058504A

US3058504A - Golf club carrier

Info

Publication number: US3058504A
Application number: US769915A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank M Powers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-10-27
Filing date: 1958-10-27
Publication date: 1962-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1979-10-16

Description

Oct. 16, 1962 F. M. POWERS GOLF CLUB CARRIER Filed oct. 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Il M W Q@ www wz/fw@ F. M. POWERS GOLF CLUB CARRIER Oct.. 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1958 w M y M Wfjw.

United States Patent G 3,058,504 GOLF CLUB CARRER Frank M. Powers, 7 310 Central Ave., River Forest, Ill. Filed Oct. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 769,915 1 Claim. (Cl. 15G- 1.5)

'Ihis invention relates to golf equipment. It is more specifically concerned with portable apparatus for transporting golf clubs by the player during the course of play.

With increased leisure time the popularity of golf has steadily increased and play has become easier and more pleasant for the average man because of convenient golf courses and the availability .of economical golfing equipment. In the game of golf a variety of lies are encountered for the various shots during the course of hitting the ball from the tee and finally hitting or putting it into a small hole placed upon the green necessitating the use of a plurality of different clubs in order that each stroke can be skillfully played to eect the objective of hitting the ball from the starting point to each successive hole in the fewest strokes. The average player will generally have a set of golf clubs consisting of from five to ten so-called woods and irons. In order to carry the golf clubs some sort of carrier is used. Generally golf bags are employed wherein the clubs 'are deposited. Satisfactory golf bags are generally cumbersome, heavy, and expensive because of the amount and kinds of material required in their fabrication. Although Caddies can be employed to carry the clubs for the player during a round of golf, the majority of golfers personally carry the set of clubs. These clubs, although previously manufactured with wooden shafts, are now manufactured employing ferrous metal or steel shafts of various designs.

According to this invention the carrying of golf clubs by players is facilitated by employing a light weight portable standard having mounted thereon a plurality of magnetized club supporting brackets whereby a number of metal shaft golf clubs are stably held on the standard at spaced positions to facilitate their removal.

The subject invention is more fully understood by reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of one embodiment of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of a bracket employed as one of the support means utilized in the embodiment of this invention shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 5 is another embodiment of the golf club carrier of this invention wherein the golf clubs are retained in a substantially vertical position on a standard mounted on a cart chassis.

FIGURE 6 is a side View of the golf club holder shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view of the club supporting bracket employed in the embodiment shown in FIG- URE 5.

Referring to the drawings, in FIGURE l is shown a preferred specific embodiment of this invention comprising a frame 10 fabricated from a pair of tubular elements 11 and 12. Each of these elements is similar and has a

stile portion

13 and 14 terminating in right

angled elbows

15 and 16. VI'he adjacent upper ends of

elbows

15 and 16 are coupled by means `of a tubular sleeve 17 which engages the free ends of

elbows

15 and 16 and is fastened thereto. Sleeve 17 also serves as a convenient handle for carrying the assembly. The Alower ends of tubular elements 11 and 12 are provided with inwardly con- (ice verging portions terminating in straight portions which are contiguously joined by means of an encircling ferrule 18. To permit the golf club carrier frame to be inserted into the ground to maintain it in a self-supporting, substantially vertical position spear 19 is fitted into ferrule 18. If desired there can also be provided a foothold for pedally applying a force to drive the spear 19 into the ground.

To retain the metal shaft golf clubs in position on the frame of the golf club lcarrier a plurality of pairs of

brackets

20 and 21 are mounted in opposed positions on Stiles 13 and 14 of tubular elements 11 and 12 respectively. These brackets are fabricated from a non-ferromagnetic -material of construction and comprise an outwardly depending ledge 22 to which is laterally affixed upstanding flange 23. The 4bracket is secured to the stile by means of downwardly depending flange 24 which is secured to the stile by riveting or other conventional means of fastening. Positioned -on the outwardly depending ledge 22 is a permanent ferromagnetic body 25 having the property of attracting ferrous metals. `In the illustrative embodiment magnet 25 is shown as a solid body having a rectangular configuration and held in position by means of a fastener pas-sing through the flange and magnet and secured to the stile. Each member of theV bracket pair is oppositely mounted on the stiles of the `frame which are spaced apart sufficiently such that a golf club positioned thereon is held stably in place and resists gravitational displacement from the bracket. It is apparent that as many pairs of brackets are provided as will be necessary to carry -a selected set of steel shaft golf clubs. In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGURE l a mounting bracket is mounted on each side of the tubular stile to provide two pairs of mounting brackets at each position on the stiles in order to reduce the overall length of the carrier. If desired, auxiliary equipment can be installed on the golf club carrier such as the pivotally mounted golf ball rack 26 which is suspended between the opposed stiles and held in position by outwardly depending axles which are journalled therein at the lower portion adjacent the inwardly converging ends.

Although in the foregoing embodiment the golf clubs are supported in a substantially horizontal position on the carrier, it is also apparent that the subject invention can be utilized to retain and support the golf clubs which are carried thereby in a substantially vertical position.

In FIGURE 5 is shown a structure wherein the golf clubs are held in a vertical position. yIn this e-mbodiment of the invention the golf club carrier is in cart form which consists of a rear frame 3i) having

side legs

31 and 32 which are joined at the top by means of a transverse tubular element 33 which also serves as a handle for moving the golf club carrier cart. Affixed to the lower ends of

legs

31 and 32 is platform 34 upon which the club head rests. Platform 34 is fabricated from a single sheet of metal shaped to form side flanges 3S and 36 and rear flange 37 which provides surfaces to which the ends of

legs

31 and 32 can be secured.

The club holding brackets in this embodiment comprise

notched channels

38 and 39 which are utilized to engage the Shaft of the club and hold it in a stable position. The opposed legs of the channel are provided with pairs of

notches

40 and 41 in which the club shaft rests. Affxed to the web of the channel behind said notched pairs is a ferromagnetic body 42 lfor retaining the club shaft in position. IIn order to provide a mobile device which can be readily pulled over the ground by the golfer, ground

engaging wheels

43 and 44 mounted on axles 45 and 46 are secured to the lower portion of the frame. In order to support this embodiment of the golf club carrier in a vertical position at rest, downwardly and outwardly depending leg 47 is aiixed to the marginal edge o-f platform 34.

In fabricating the golf club carriers of this invention conventional materials of construction can be utilized for the various elements of the apparatus other than as specifically noted above. To `facilitate fabricating the carrier, tubing which can be readily formed is preferred for the frame member. The club supporting Ibrackets are made from a non-ferromagnetic material of construction, preferably a metal such as aluminum, brass, etc. However, non-metallic materials can be used. The magnets are mounted in these brackets suiciently spaced apart so as to engage a suiiicient extent of the club shaft to retain it in a stable position in said bracket and resist gravitational displacement of the club.

lIn the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 the side stiles and brackets secured thereto are spaced about 7 inches apart. Other' spacings can be used; in general, however, spacings'of 6-l0 inches are suicient. Although spaced brackets are shown, the club supporting bracket can be a channel shaped member having the magnets suitably mounted therein at the desired spacing. This latter arrangement is employed where the club carrier standard consists of a single column. For example, channel shaped brackets can be attached to the supporting column of so-called chair canes which are a combination Walking stick and collapsible chair.

Conventional permanent magnetic materials can be used for the magnetic bodies which are mounted on the club supporting brackets and utilized to hold the metal club shafts in position. In order that the magnets employed be suiciently strong to hold the clubs in position Without being too large in size, it is preferred that magnets prepared from alloys of aluminum and nickel, e.g. Alnico, Alnic, etc. be employed; however other permanent magnetic materials can be used. The magnets can be in bar form, as shown. =If desired, especially if aluminum-nickel alloys are used, the magnet can be enclosed in a separate housing which can be readily attached to the club holding bracket. fln catches of this type steel pole pieces are held on each end or side of the magnet. These pole pieces extend through the face of the housing beyond the sides of the magnet to engage the metallic shaft of the golf club. ln these structures the magnet assembly loosely iits Within the housing to permit a lateral movement of the pole pieces and magnet combination. Such assemblies in suitable housings are conventionally employed as storage cupboard catches.

It is apparent from the foregoing detailed description of this invention that various modifications can be made in the specic illustrative embodiments without departing from the scope of this invention. Although a plurality of magnetic bodies are utilized in fabricating the club supporting bracket, it is apparent that a single length of magnetic material could be utilized. This, however, is uneconomical and it is preferred that a pair of spaced magnets be fitted in the various types of brackets utilized for'supporting steel club shafts throughout a sufhcient extent to provide a club mounting bracket which will retain the club in a stable position without being displaced by its own Weight. Various designs for the standard, such as frames, single columns, etc. can `be employed for mounting the club holding brackets. The-se standards can be provided with convenient hand grips for transporting the golf club carrier with the clubs in the vertical or horizontal position. For golf club carriers lwhich are designed for transporting a number of clubs it may be necessary to utilize a Wheeled carriage such as that shown in FIGURE 5. This modication can be provided with retractable Wheels or other provisions for minimizing the storage space requirements for the carrier.

The illustrated embodiment Wil suggest to those skilled in this art other variations and modifications which can be made Without departing `from the scope of this invention. Accordingly it is intended that the subject invention be limited only in the manner set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A portable carrier for ferrous metal shaft golf clubs which comprises a portable standard, a plurality of golf club supporting brackets positioned in spaced relationship along said standard, each of said brackets comprising a web portion laterally extending from said standard, means for securing said web to said standard, and an upstanding arm portion secured to said web, ferromagnetic means mounted on said brackets and positioned thereon to engage a sucient extent of ferrous metal shaft to retain the golf club in a stable position on said bracket and to resist gravitational displacement of the club, said arm portion extending above said ferromagnetic means and cooperating therewith to facilitate retention of the golf club on the supporting brackets.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,297,806 Smith Oct. 6, 1942 2,414,653 Lookholder Ian. 2l, 1947 2,474,036 Curley June 21, 1949 2,547,829 Mills Apr. 3, 1951 2,590,154 Burns Mar. 25, 1952 2,737,990 De Marco Mar. 13, 1956