US1561349A - Golf club - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, wzsv 3,563,349

(3. B. MURPHY ET AL GOLF CLUB Filed June 23, 1925 Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE B. MURPHY AND JAM'ES T. SWANN, OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.

GOLF CLUB.

Application filed June 23, 1923. Serial No. 647,316.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLARENCE B. MURPHY and JAMES T. SWANN, citizens of the United States, residing at Tampa, in the county of Hillsborough and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf Clubs; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which this appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in golf clubs and has a special application to putters or implements used for putting the ball in the cup on the green.

An object of the invention is to provide an implement which can be handled conveniently to deliver a substantially true pendulum stroke to the golf ball and the construction of the handle is modified to secure this result by dividing the same and hing-ing an end portion which may be turned substantially horizontally for supporting the club in one hand while the shaft is grasped in the other hand and oscillated in the act of striking the ball.

It will be obvious that various constructions and various hinge joints may be used I to accomplish this general purpose and we do not wish to be restricted to the forms of the device shown in the drawings, which are merely by way of illustration and suggest certain desirable mechanical embodiments.

In the drawings, in which like parts are denoted by like symbols throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an improved golf club constructed according to the present invention Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the handle showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. l is a section taken through the hinged joint shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view showing a further modification; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a still further modified form.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 designates generally the shaft of a golf club and 6 represents the blade or club head. In the instance shown, the device is illustrated as a putter, but it will be obvious that the invention is applicable to other types of clubs. The leather grip, which is spirally wound on the upper portion of the handle is indicated at 7 and according to the invention an upper portion of the shaft or an extension part 8 is shown as hinged to the upper straight part of the shaft 5.

As shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 5 is provided at its upper end with a tenon 9 disposed at one side of the center and with a cut awayportion at the opposite side of the center to receive the companion tenon 10 projecting in oii'set relation from the extension handle 8. The two tenons are pivoted together by a pin 11 passing centrally and laterally through the same. The pin is of such a nature as to form a friction joint between shaft and handle in order that the parts will remain in the adjusted position tion without permitting any vertical or horizontal variation. The handle 8 is permitted to turn in the left hand, or the left hand may turn with the handle when the club is oscillated by force applied through the right hand. The blow is thus delivered substantially by the right hand alone and the handle 8, forming a fulcrum, the blade 6 is required to describe an arc or a circle. The stroke is thus a true pendulum stroke and the desirability of this particular stroke in golf is emphasized by the best of professionals. The handle 8 may be moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 so that handle and shaft extend in alignment. The construction, therefore, does not interfere with placing the club in the golf bag.

It will be obvious that various other forms of constructions for joining the handle 8 to the shaft .5 may be employed and in Figs. 3 and f we have illustrated a slightly different form of the device in which the handle 12 need not participate in the rotary movement of the shaft shown at 13. A universal joint is provided in this instance between the handle and shaft and the handle 12 may there fore be grasped tightly in the hand to avoid its axial turning while the shaft 13 is oscillated back and forth freely.

The handle 12 in this instance is shown as carrying the universal ball 14, and the shaft 3 is provided with the socket piece 15 provided with openings 16 at the sides to receive the screws or other fastenings 17 by which the socket piece is firmly secured to the end of the shaft. The universal ball 14 fits within the socket piece and for this purpose a tubular enlargement 18 is made centrally of the socket piece with a removable plate 19 at the inner portion of the tubular part in order to admit and permit of the removal of the ball 14:. The plate is secured in a recess 20 upon the inner face of the socket piece, screws or other appropriate fastening's 21 serving to hold the plate in place. The ball l t may be carried by the handle 12 in any suitable manner, for instance by the threaded or screw shank 22 which is received axially within the adjacent end of the handle 12.

According to this form of the invention, the handle 12 is supported in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 by the left hand of a right hand player and the right hand is used to grasp the shaft 13 and to oscillate the same from the center passing through the universal joint. The socket enlargement .18 moves over the spherical surface of the ball 14: and thus allows of great latitude in directing the stroke, but no movement of any kind is communicated to the handle 12, and consequently, the handle may be held particularly steady.

Referring to Fig. 5, the shaft of the club is indicated at 5 and is shown plain although it may have the usual leather spiral wrapthickness as the club shaft and a length sufficient to allow the same to be gripped by the left hand of a right-handed player. The rubber is such as to admit of bending or flexing to a desired position.

In Fig. 6 the shaft carries a ball 26 so that the club may be grasped between the fingers of the left hand, the hand in this case forming a socket for the ball. The ball may be of varying diameters to suit the hands of di fierent players.

It is understood that changes in form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from-the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

lVhat is claimed is 2- A golf club comprising a shaft, a club head 011 the lower end of the shaft extending at an angle laterally therefrom, a separate handle for the upper end of the shaft, and a pivot connecting said handle to the shaft and with its axis lying in a plane at right angles to the plane of said club head, said pivot maintaining; said handle for adjustinent into coaxial relation with the shaft and permitting said handle to be swung at an angle to the shaft and in the plane of said club head, said handle being adapted to swing from said shaft in a direction opposite from said club head, whereby said han-

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