US3601399A

US3601399A - Adjustable golf club head

Info

Publication number: US3601399A
Application number: US807051A
Authority: US
Inventors: Martyn L Agens; Robert S Wallace
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-03-13
Filing date: 1969-03-13
Publication date: 1971-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-24

Abstract

An adjustable gold club comprising a handle shaft, club head assembly and an elongated club head member movable within the club head but unable to be fully withdrawn therefrom. The handle shaft is connected to the club head member in the conventional hosel-type relationship. The club head and club head member possess corresponding splines, whereby when the splines are meshed the club head is prevented from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the club head member. Within the club head are holding structure, retaining components and adjustable elements connecting the club head member to the club head to provide limited axial movement of the member, while also allowing the club head to be angularly varied to the longitudinal axis of the member.

Description

limited States Patent [72] lnventors Martyn L. Ageus 970 Easy 51., his Angeles, Calif. 90042; Robert S. Wallace, 2706 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90034 [211 App]. No. 807,051 [22) Filed Mar. 13, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 [73] Assignee said Agens, by said Wallace [54] ADJUSTABLE GOLF CLUB HEAD 9 Claims, 14 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. C1 273/79, 273/80.] [51] int. CI A63b 53/06 [50] Field 01 Search 273/79, 80.1, 81.2,168

[56] Referencs Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,219,417 3/1917 Vories 273/79 1,429,569 9/1922 Craig 273/79 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Richard J. Apley AttorneyWhite, Haefliger & Bachand ABSTRACT: An adjustable gold club comprising a handle shaft, club head assembly and an elongated club head member movable within the club head but unable to be fully withdrawn therefrom. The handle shaft is connected to the club head member in the conventional hosel-type relationship. The club head and club head member possess corresponding splines, whereby when the splines are meshed the club head is prevented from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the club head member. Within the club head are holding structure, retaining components and adjustable elements connecting the club head member to the club head to provide limited axial movement of the member, while also allowing the club head to be angularly varied to the longitudinal axis of the member.

ADJUSTABLE GOLF CLUB HEAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As the game of golf has developed over the years, a number of clubs have been developed to perform different functions, and these range from the woods to the iron, with the greatest number being in the group known as the iron.'The reason for this variety becomes apparent when it is realized that a club that is used to drive the ball a great distance horizontally should provide a relatively flat trajectory of the ball, and hence the club face should make only a slight angle to the vertical. On the other hand, when it is desired to lift the ball out of a sand trap or other obstacle, horizontal distance is relatively unimportant, but the need for lifting the ball nearly vertically becomes most important. Consequently, a club for use under these conditions should be one that makes a much larger angle to the vertical, and it is not practical to attempt to use either of the clubs to perform the function of the other. Finally, when the ball is on the putting green, :1 club is used in which the face is substantially vertical, since a putter is intended to roll the ball along the grass rather-than lift it for greater distance.

The variety of requirements has meant that a number of clubs have been developed, and a golfer thus takes with him a golf bag carrying approximately three woods and probably five or more irons.

In an effort to overcome the financial burden of purchasing this larger number of clubs, as well as to overcome the physical burden of carrying them, it has been proposed that a golfer provide himself with a single club whose head is adjustable so that the hitting face of the club may be set to different angles, depending upon the particular use to which the clubis being put.

While it has been proposed to provide an adjustable or universal golf club, the prior devices have been subject to a number of disadvantages. Thus, a number of golf clubs have been proposed making use of two abutting, radially extending surfaces, each having radial grooves so that the club head may be turned to the desired position, the grooved surfaces engaged, and the surfaces held immovable with respect to each other by means of a screw or suitable holding means.

Other inventors have used a friction adjustment. The basic difficulty with this form of adjustment is that regardless of how tightly the mating surfaces are pressed together, the club head tends to change its position when it is actually used in the hitting of the ball.

A third form of construction uses a number of axially extending grooves to hold the head in the desired position. Some disadvantages of this form of device are that the particular construction does not provide the desired fineness of adjustment, and the grooves are not protected against dirt and other foreign matter that may cause wear and clog the grooves.

The present invention overcomes these prior difficulties by providing a golf club having an adjustable head that can be adjusted to any of the established and approved iron configurations, can be adjusted quickly and easily, has all adjusting parts protected against foreign matter, and will retain the setting or adjustment until the player purposely resets the head.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention comprises a golf club having a single head that is manually adjustable, to any position from that of a putter to a No. l 1 iron, with all of the approved intermediate iron configurations being provided. The head is mounted on a shaft and normally held against axial movement, but can be axially moved from a playing to a setting position. In the playing position, the head is held against rotation by a pair of splinedmembers within the head, where they are protected against dirt, etc., and when the head is moved to setting position, these splines, still protected. are disengaged so that the head may be rotated to the desired position and then returned to playing position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the golf club as it appears in use, showing the relationship of the parts, and the similarity of the club to presently used clubs;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the lower end of the golf club, with a portion of the head broken away to show the interior construction;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the portion of the club shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the club head taken at the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the club head taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a-view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the club head in its setting position;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view, partially broken away, showing the relationship of the various elements of the club head;

FIG. is a rear elevational view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a modified form having a lock to prevent the movement of the club head along the head shaft;

FIG. 9 is an end elevational view showing the operating member of the locking mechanism in the locked position;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism, taken along the line 1010 ofFIG. 8;

FIG. 1 l is an elevational view, partially in section, similar to FIG. 8 but showing the club head in setting position;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary end view of the club and head shaft illustrating the various locations and relative positions of the members of the locking mechanism;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the locking members; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to FIG, 2, showing an alternate form of construction.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED FORM Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the golf club has a handle shaft 10 with a grip 11 at its upper end and a club head assembly 12 at its lower end. The handle shaft 10 may be of any suitable construction, preference being given to a tubular metal construction having the desired weight, stiffness and other characteristics desired and expected by players. At its lower end, the handle shaft 10 fits into a hosel 13 that extends upwardly at a suitable angle from the heel of the club head assembly 12. At its lower end, the hosel l3 terminates in a horizontally extending head shaft 14, best seen in FIG. 7.

Mounted on the head shaft 14 is a head member 15 having the general outline of a conventional club head, with a face 16 I intended to hit the golf ball, the face customarily being provided with surface markings or grooves of conventional form, all as generally indicated in FIGS. 1 and 7.

As indicated in FIGS. 35, the face 16 is radially displaced from the axis of the head shaft 14, and the back surface 17 of the club head 15, opposite the face 16, extends around the shaft 14 to enclose the latter. The lower edge of the face 16 is generally horizontal, spaced downwardly from the axis of the head shaft 14, with the heel end of the surface curving upwardly to meet the hosel 13. The upper edge of the face 16 extends from the hosel of the club, where the edge is adjacent the head shaft 14, generally upwardly toward the toe of the club. The resulting outline is seen in FIG. 2.

Extending the length of the head 15 is a bore 20 which receives the head shaft 14. For approximately half of its length from the hosel 13 toward the toe, the bore 20 makes a sliding fit with the head shaft 14, and near the toe of the club head, the diameter of the bore is enlarged, as shown at 21, to receive locking and holding members as hereinafter described. Between the bore 20 and the enlarged portion 21 is a female spline 25, hereinafter described.

Near the heel of the head 15, the back surface 17 of the head is provided with gradations or markings 22 that cooperate with an arrow and index line 23 on the neck of the hosel 13, extending into the head shaft 14, to indicate the par ticular setting of the head 15. Thus, as the head is rotated about the head shaft 14, the face 16 may assume any position from that of a putter, as indicated in solid outline in FIG. 3, to that of a sand wedge or No. 11 iron, as indicated in broken outline in FIG. 3.

As previously indicated, splines in the head 15 and on the head shaft 14 retain the head in the desired position. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the end of the head shaft 14 nearest the toe of the head 15 is provided with a male spline portion 24 extending completely around the circumference of the end portion. The male spline portion 24 of the head shaft 14 cooperates with a female spline 25 that, as shown in hereinafter described forms, may be formed integral with the head 15, or, as shown in FIGS. 2-7, may be formed as a sleeve anchored in the space between the bore and the enlarged bore 21, and held against rotation by a key 26.

With this construction, when the club head 15 is moved along the head shaft 14 away from the hosel 13,, the female spline in the head slides free and disengages from the splined portion 24 on the shaft, so that the head 15 may be rotated to any desired club position, as indicated by the markings 22 and index 23. When the desired club position has been achieved, the head 15 is then moved back toward the hosel 13 and the splines then hold the head against rotation.

It should be noted that the angular difference between the positions of the face 16 for consecutively numbered settings is only four degrees. This allows the loft of each setting to conform accurately to the loft of each club of a complete set of irons. It also means that in order for the club head 15 to assume each of the different numbered positions, there must be a total of 90 splines, located four degrees apart, around the circumference of the male splined portion 24 of the head shaft 14. The female spline 25 must be provided with a similar number of similarly spaced splines.

To urge the female spline 25 into engagement with the male splined portion 24 of the head shaft 14 while permitting the limited axial movement necessary to adjust the angular position of the club head, a spring is provided. As best seen in FIG. 2, the spring 30 is preferably a helical compression spring fitting within the enlarged portion 21 of the bore 20, with one end bearing against the female spline 25 and the other end bearing against the head 31 of a retainer member 32 having the general appearance of a screw. Thus, as seen in FIG. 2, from the head 31 a shank 33 extends to a screw-threaded portion 34 of reduced diameterthat fits into a correspondingly threaded hole 35 in the splined end of the head shaft 14. Suitable means, such as an adhesive, or cement, or a lock washer 36 prevent the retaining member 32 from working loose. A disc or button 37 closes the end of the enlarged portion 21 0f the bore 20 to keep out dirt and to provide a finished appearance to the club.

It will thus be apparent that when the club head 15 is in its normal or playing position, shown in FIG. 2, the spring 30 presses against the female spline 25 to urge the head 15 toward the hose] 13, keeping the female spline engaged with the male shaft spline 24 so that the angular position of the head cannot be inadvertently changed. When the head 15 is to be readjusted to a different setting, the club head is grasped with one hand while the other holds the hosel 13. Pulling the hands apart until the spring is fully compressed moves the club head 15 to the setting position shown in FIG. 6, which disengages the splines and allows the head to be rotated to the desired position, as shown by the markings 22 and index 23. The spring then retracts the head to the playing position. While it is extremely unlikely, if the spring 30 should break, the head 31 of the holding member 32 would prevent the club head 15 from flying off the head shaft 14.

It will be appreciated that the forces acting on the club head 12 at the time of impact with the golf ball are considerable. Thus, in addition to the force produced by the impact of the golf club head 12 with the golf ball, there is also the centrifugal force developed by the swinging of the head about a center of rotation approximately 5 feet away. It is thus very important that the

splined members

24 and 25 be firmly in contact with each other, thus insuring the maintenance of the head 12 in its proper position and the prevention of excessive loading on the splines if they are not completely engaged.

Because of the centrifugal forces involved, it is necessary that the spring 30 be relatively stiff. This presents no problem for most men who exercise regularly, but it has been found that some women do not have sufficient strength to be able to slide a club head 12 along the head shaft 14 and then rotate the head to the desired setting. While it might be assumed that such a person would not swing the club with as great vigor, it has been found that a spring sufficiently stiff to prevent movement of the club head on the head shaft 14 is too stiff a spring for such people to be able to compress with comfort. To overcome these problems, the modification shown in FIGS. 8 through 13 has been developed. In this form, all of the elements are substantially identical to the corresponding elements previously described, with the exception of the retainer member 32.

In the modified form shown, a locking means indicated generally by the numeral 50 engages a retaining member 42 comparable to the previously described retaining member 32. The member 50 is mounted in the club head 15 and normally engages the retaining member 42, as indicated in FIG. 8, to prevent the movement of the head along the head shaft 14. However, when it is desired to reset the angular position of the club head 15, the locking member 50 may be disengaged from the retainer member 42 and the club head moved outwardly along the club head shaft, as indicated in FIG. 117

As seen in FIGS. 8 and 11, the retainer member 42 has a generally screw-shaped appearance with a head 41, a shank 43, and a threaded end 44 that fits into a correspondingly threaded hole 35 in the splined end of the head shaft 14. The end of the shank 43 is suitably held in the hole 35 in a manner that prevents the retainer member 42 from working loose, all as in the previously described form.

As in the previously described form, the spring 30 has one end bearing against the female spline 25, and the other end bears against the head 41 of the retainer member 42. The head 41 fits withing the enlarged portion 21 of the bore 20, and the outer face of the retainer head, remote from the heel of the club, is spaced from the end of the club head 15 so that the retainer member 42 is at all times completely within the head 15 and spaced from the end of it.

As is best seen in FIG. 10, the outer end of the retainer head 41 is provided with a centrally located undercut recess 51 having a central opening 52 that is concentric with the head 41 and smaller than the inner opening 53, thereby providing a shoulder 54, The head 12 is held in adjusted position by a flange 55 of the locking member 50 that engages the shoulder 54.

As seen in FIGS. 10 and 13, the locking member 50 includes a circular disc 56 that is pressed into the end of the bore 20, thus anchoring the locking means 50. Mounted on the disc 56 is a latching member 57 having a generally cylindrical body 58 that bears against a spring washer 65 that in turn bears against the inner surface of the disc 56, with a cylindrical projection 60 extending through a slot 61 in the disc 56. The cylinder 60 is provided with a concentric threaded bore 62, and a screw 63 extends through a washer 64 and into the bore 62 to hold the latching member firmly but slidably against the disc 56.

Spaced from the body 58 on the side away from the disc 56 is the flange 55, held to the body by a cylindrical member 66. The latching member 57 thus consists of the body 58, the concentric

cylindrical members

60 and 66 extending from opposite sides of the body member, the concentric screw 63 holding the

concentric washers

64 and 65 against the disc 56.

It will be noted that the slot 61 is elongated, and is so shaped and positioned that when the latching member 57 is concentric with the disc 56, the cylindrical body 60 bears against the inner end of the slot 61. The other end of the slot 61 is so located that when the latching member 57 is displaced radially, the flange 55 extends to the outer edge of he recess 53,

engaging the shoulder 54 of the head 41 of the retainer member 42. The slot 61 is shaped to permit this sliding motion of the latch member 57, and to restrict the motion to the radial movement described.

The latching member 57 is thus movable between a central, released position and a radially displaced position where the flange 55 engages the head 41 of the retainer member 42. When the retainer member is so engaged by the flange 55 of the locking member 50, the head 12 cannot be moved along the head shaft 14 to disengage the

splined members

24 and 25. Consequently, a very light spring 30 may be used, and consequently ladies and others with insufficient strength to move a heavier spring are able to make the necessary adjustment of the club head.

With the form shown in FIGS. 8-13, it will be recognized that the spring 30 is a convenience but not a necessity, since the locking means 50 is the device which holds the head assembly 12 in playing position. Consequently, the spring 30 may be very light or entirely eliminated. In fact, any time a positive locking means is provided, the spring may be omitted, and one such formof construction is shown in FIG. 14.

The alternate form shown in that figure makesuse of elements heretofore described including the hosel 13, head shaft 14, head 15 with its

faces

16 and 17, bore 20, enlarged bore 21, and female spline 25, here shown as having been broached in an integral portion of the head. The end of the head shaft 14 projects from the end of the head shaft, all as previously described. However, the spring is omitted, and to hold the head 15 in playing position, a captive screw 70 passes through a washer 71 pressed into the end of the enlarged bore 21, and threadedly engages the retainer member 42. The washer 71 closes the end of the bore 21, protecting'the splines 24 and 25 against dirt, and may be of such a material and thickness to provide the proper weight and balance for the club. The captive screw 70 may be held in the washer 71 by any suitable means, such as a retainer ring 72 which permits freedom of rotation of the screw and limited axial movement. The end of the screw 70 fits into a threaded hole 23 in the retainer member 42, and the head 15 can be held firmly in playing position by tightening the screw. The head of the screw 70 may be of any suitable shape, such as round, oval, flat, etc., but generally flat or oval is preferred. Likewise, the screw may be engaged by any suitable tool, such as a screwdriver or polygonal rod, and of these, a key formed of hexagonal rod is preferred.

It will become apparent that all of the various elements going to make up the improved golf club can be quickly and easily assembled, new parts may be installed, if needed, and the movement of the head 15 on the shaft 14 is both easy and positive. It will be appreciated that the construction of the improved club is such as to protect all of the precision formed parts, particularly the splines formed on the end of the head shaft 14 and the interior of the head 25, from grit and dirt. The use of splines insures that the club head will not change its position when the ball is hit, as has been the case in those club heads relying on a frictional engagement, and the use of the splines in the form shown provides a complete range of club head settings, a feature not possible with the radially fluted surfaces or similar means.

in addition to these advantages, the improved adjustable I golf club has the advantage of looking substantially like a conventional golf club, and its weight can be distributed to provide a normal feel" to the club.

While various forms of the invention have been shown and described, the patent is not to be restrictedto the particular form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown, except as limited by the following claims.

We claim;

1. An adjustable golf club having a handle shaft and a club head assembly which includes:

a generally horizontal head shaft;

' is provided with a male spline 24, and a retainer member 42 a club head member mounted on said head shaft for axial and rotational movement with respect thereto the head member having bore structure into which said shaft is received from one end of the said member;

spline means within said member interconnecting said club head member and said head shaft to prevent rotation therebetween, said spline means being disengageable by axially bodily moving said club head member with respect to said head shaft, whereby said member may be rotated with respect to said shaft;

holding means maintaining said club head member in such a position with respect to said head shaft as to engage said spline means,

said holding means including a retainer member having a stem and a flange at opposite ends thereof, the stem having threaded connection with the shaft terminal within said bore so that the flange is received inwardly of the bore structure at the opposite end of said member, said retainer member acting to prevent the axial removal of said club head from said head shaft, and

adjustable means having interconnection with said flange and manually adjustable to have a first position in which said axial movement of the club head member is blocked, and a second position in which said axial movement of the head member is unblocked.

2. A golf club as defined in claim 1 in which said spline means includes an external spline on the head shaft terminal, and an internal spline defined by said bore structure in spaced relation to said retainer member flange.

3. A golf club as defined in claim 1, having a hosel formed as a continuation of said head shaft adapted to receive said handle shaft.

4. A golf club as defined in claim 1, including a helical spring located within said bore structure, between a shoulder defined by said club head member and said flange.

5. The golf club as recited in claim 1 wherein said adjustable means comprises a disc fitting within the member bore structure at said opposite end of the member, said disc defining a laterally elongated slot, a part projecting through said slot and a latch on said part movable into'and out of latching relation with said retainer member head in response to lateral displacement ofsaid part in said slot.

6. The golf club of claim 5 wherein said part has a button thereon at the outer side of said disc for manual deflection, laterally, and said retainer member flange has an undercut recess to interfit said latch.

7. An adjustable golf club having a handle shaft and a club head assembly which includes:

a hosel adapted to receive the lower end of said handle shaft;

a generally horizontal head shaft formed at an angle to said hosel and as an integral continuation thereof;

a club head member mounted on said head shaft for axial and rotational movement with respect thereto;

first spline means on the toe end of said head shaft;

second spline means defined within said club head member and by said bore structure, adapted to engage said first spline means to hold said club head member against rotation with respect to said head shaft, said first and second spline means being disengageable by axial bodily movement of said club head member with respect to said head shaft;

holding means maintaining said club head member in such a position with respect to said head shaft as to engage said spline means;

said retaining member.

9. A golf club as defined in claim 7, in which said holding means comprises a helical spring bearing against means connected to said club head and against means connected to said head shaft, to urge the club head toward said hose], said spring being completely within said club head member.

Claims

1. An adjustable golf club having a handle shaft and a club head assembly which includes: a generally horizontal head shaft; a club head member mounted on said head shaft for axial and rotational movement with respect thereto the head member having bore structure into which said shaft is received from one end of the said member; spline means within said member interconnecting said club head member and said head shaft to prevent rotation therebetween, said spline means being disengageable by axially bodily moving said club head member with respect to said head shaft, whereby said member may be rotated with respect to said shaft; holding means maintaining said club head member in such a position with respect to said head shaft as to engage said spline means, said holding means including a retainer member having a stem and a flange at opposite ends thereof, the stem having threaded connection with the shaft terminal within said bore so that the flange is received inwardly of the bore structure at the opposite end of said member, said retainer member acting to prevent the axial removal of said club head from said head shaft, and adjustable means having interconnection with said flange and manually adjustable to have a first position in which said axial movement of the club head member is blocked, and a second position in which said axial movement of the head member is unblocked.

5. The golf club as recited in claim 1 wherein said Adjustable means comprises a disc fitting within the member bore structure at said opposite end of the member, said disc defining a laterally elongated slot, a part projecting through said slot and a latch on said part movable into and out of latching relation with said retainer member head in response to lateral displacement of said part in said slot.

7. An adjustable golf club having a handle shaft and a club head assembly which includes: a hosel adapted to receive the lower end of said handle shaft; a generally horizontal head shaft formed at an angle to said hosel and as an integral continuation thereof; a club head member mounted on said head shaft for axial and rotational movement with respect thereto; first spline means on the toe end of said head shaft; second spline means defined within said club head member and by said bore structure, adapted to engage said first spline means to hold said club head member against rotation with respect to said head shaft, said first and second spline means being disengageable by axial bodily movement of said club head member with respect to said head shaft; holding means maintaining said club head member in such a position with respect to said head shaft as to engage said spline means; said holding means including a retainer member having a stem and a flange at opposite ends thereof, the stem having threaded connection with the shaft terminal within said bore so that the flange is received inwardly of the bore structure at the opposite end of said member, said retainer member acting to prevent the axial removal of said club head from said head shaft, and adjustable means having interconnection with said flange and manually adjustable to have a first position in which said axial movement of the club head member is blocked, and a second position in which said axial movement of the head member is unblocked.

8. A golf club as defined in claim 7, in which said holding means comprises engaging means mounted in said club head and operable to releasably engage a cooperating means on said retaining member.

9. A golf club as defined in claim 7, in which said holding means comprises a helical spring bearing against means connected to said club head and against means connected to said head shaft, to urge the club head toward said hosel, said spring being completely within said club head member.