US2750194A - Golf club head with weight adjustment - Google Patents

Description

June 12, 1956 A N CLARK 2,750,194

GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH WEIGHT ADJUSTMENT Filed Jan. 24, 1955 United States Patentt()j .GOL'F CLUB 'HEAD WITH WEIGHT ADJUSTMENT Austin N. Clark, Winnetka, Ill. Application January 24,'1955,-Serial l\lo.4 483,598

7 Claims. Y(Cl. 273-171) 'I`This .invention pertains-'generally to golf clubs and -particularly to a new and improved;c.onstruction,for

wooden club headsembodyingtmeans for adjusting the weight and vbalance thereof.

' From early timesin thegameeofpgolf, it. has been the practice of clubmakers to` add orfsubtract weights to the headsof wooden f golf clubs to accommodate individual '.tastes and .playing habits of ,the users.

Generally the manufacturer attempts toproduce a standard .or normal .weight for the` particular'wood inquestiorrand usually provides individual weight adjustment by boring aV hole .orholes-in thehead and llling the same with lead plugs, etc. Therek are'serious objections to; this practice, chiefly `due to -the'diffculty and inconvenience of` adjusting the club weights'to meet individual. needs. Each set of clubs is usually factoryA customized. and the addition ofllead plugs'in theghead' ofthe .club is accomplished bytapping the plugs into bore holes. The ,tappedplugs have a ytendency tofworkiloose after a' time and become lost in use. Y

vThe present invention is intended primarily to presenta new and improved means foradding or subtracting `weights tothe head of a golf clubgparticularlythe wood clubs., Whichmakes it possible for the individual to .regulate the weight andbalance of hisgolfcl'ubs himself or to i havethem adjusted in his local pro-shop totmeet his own particular needs and desires. Means are provided in the Limproved, weight adjustment. Vsystem `of this 'invention topreventthe rattling or loss of weights andthe entire means is embodied in a; uniqueihousing `arrangement withinjthe club head which eliminatesany unsightliness or detraction .from the vfine workmanship normally atwoods` in sucha manner thateach player'may easily custom lit and-weighthis ownY golf clubs.

J The above` and Zfur'therfobjects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent `to'thosefskilled inthe Aart:l from 'the followingfdetailed descriptionand fspecilication^ofzitsiembodirnentsrset forth inthe accompanying drawings.

y.Inrthe drawings:

Figure. l is aside elevational view of atypical-wood golf club :head embodying .the features of myv invention;

.'Figure- 2l isa front end. elevational view. vlooking at ftheclubfhead illustrated in Figure l; Y

Figure: 3.is= as cross-sectional. viewtakenmsubstantially ice `2 along line 3-1-,3 of YFigure 1 for showing'the assemblyof '.the .improved weight adjustment means of this invention;

Figure 4..is a partial. cross-sectional View taken substantially at line 4-.-4 of Figure 3;

'Figure 5. is a longitudinal cross-sectional View, similar to Figure 3, showing a modified form of adjustment housing and assembly combining the concepts of this .in- -Vention;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional ,showing ofthe devicein Figure`5, illustrating the alternate positioning ofthe spring and weight system therein; and

;Figure7 is a partial cross-sectional view taken subjstantially at lineV 7`7 of Figure 6 to illustrate the cross- .sectional configuration and formation. of the modified construction shown in Figures vSand 6.

Turning now to the Vdrawings -it willbe recognized best from Figures- 1 and 2 that a wooden golf club head `10 is fitted with the usual sole. plate. 11 which laysalong .the bottom face of the club head.,and` extends substantially' fromA a hitting or forward face. 12 thereof to its rearward face .or heel v13. A heel plate 14, suitably Ycontoured torneet the configuration of rear face 13 -is -tlittedand formed vfor reception in a recess formedin the rear' face 13. Screw means. 15,. or4 the like, are. employed to,attach the heel plate 14 in position andV similar screw members, not illustrated, are employed to.attach thesole plate 11to .the headof the golf clubinitheusual .mannen l In. ,external appearance `the elements described 4so .far do .not differ .materially from .corresponding -elements presently employed in golf club heads of this class. TThe V.distinction-of ,this'inventiom however, is best illustrated inFigLlres. 3 -and 4 of the'drawingsinwhichthe heel plate 14,.-is...shown, as. cast forformed -integrally .with a tray .member 2.0.which is insertablein a'blind cutout,.or,hol .low,21 vof substantially..rectangular configuration `formed in the head member. 1t). fInl particular, Vthe'tray member l2ll. comprises an.upper wall: 22, a pair'of parallelside Twalls23l23 (seeA Figure 4) anda pair of end-Walls .24 and..25. lwhich --are respectively. .provided .with locating lugs 26 and.` 27. .It will be understood thatthe. several r.walls of ,the .tray member are interjoined and .preferably castor-'formed.integrally with the heel plate 14. VAj-pair ^of web wallsl,l 28 extend fromthev one end..wall.25.as ',continuationsofthe .side walls. 2310 join -the.heel.plate 14. .with the `tray;..such ,webwalls fbeing. substantially triangular in shapeasbest seenin Figure. 3. kThe forward endtwall.24,.inadditionto having. the lug 26; .is:also provided. with.. a .lip 30; projecting: in an. opposite .direction irom.lug,26. iThis.1ip has'aforwardedge which-issuitably `formedat anangle to forman .inclinedplane-or wedge face 31. This face 31 is received underneathV an .overhanging .inclined` Iportion of.. aV wedge` lug 32 which may.,be..cast integrallvwith. the sole plate- 11 :orfixed ,theretoas byf a rivet-member 33, asshowmor by welding or` othersuitable connectivemeans;

Itwill r.berecognized thatV when ltheheel plate-14. and attached. trayffrnemberl) .areinserted `in. openinge21 .formed-inthe club'headfthe extending lip30 within- .clined wedge Vface 31 engages the underface of the y.overhanging .wedgelug 32 to securelyV hold 'the -tray in place. -Notefthat the inclineof face 31 doesnt match theundercut ,ofalugs 32;. thus endwisel interference-of `lip `30 Ywithlug .32 aisprevented-when screws, 15 are 3 tightened; Thelocating and holding function of the lugand the lipijust described is especially designed lto 'cooperate (withmthe .employment of the holding screws` 15,101' theV likewso thatthe tray..means `will be'rigidlyr-locked'infthe club V.-headin its final assembly.

f- In Figure -3 fitwill.-beaseenfthat'fthelocating-lugs -and.f v27 ron 1' -.the- .twor end-f Iwall portions s; 24 fand .25=are designed especially to coaxially locate substantially square weight members 3S and a spring member 36. Particularly, one or more weights 35 may be employed and inserted in the interior of the tray member 20; such weights each being formed with an extending lug portion 37 and a hollow correspondingly located and designed to mate with the lug portion 37 of an adjacent weight so that the same may interlock with each other. The weight 35 placed adjacent the wall 24 will, of course, lock and locate coaxially with the extending locating lug 26 formed on such wall. A compression coil spring 36 is employed between the weights 35 and the second end wall 25; this spring locating itself on the lug 37 of the lirst weight and projection 27 of end wall 25. The spring, of course, serves to keep the weights in place and prevent their rattling. It will be recognized that variations in the Weight of the club head may be easily accomplished by the removal or addition of the individual weights 35 to fit the particular needs of the player.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 I have illustrated a modified form of tray member 20a which features certain improvements as will now be described.

The head member 10 of Figure 5 is equipped with the modified tray member a as mentioned hereinabove. Such tray member is substantially the same as tray 20 heretofore described except that the end wall a thereof is equipped with an enlarged and elongated locating stud 27a which acts as a centering guide and keeper for one end of a conical coil spring 36a. It will also be seen from Figure 7 that the upper wall 22a is formed dome-like on its interior face which mates with the matchingly shaped weights 35a. In regard to spring 36a it will be noted that the same tapers endwise so that the coils at one end thereof are smaller than they are at the other end. This configuration for spring 36a has been found satisfactory and especially desirable in certain instances, as for example, that illustrated in Figure 6 wherein two of the four weights 35a shown in Figure 5 have been removed. Normally, spring 36a is disposed with the coils at its larger' end over projection 27a, as seen in Figure 5. With the removal of two of the weights it will be appreciated that the compression of spring 36a is considerably decreased. This being the case, reversal of the spring, as shown in Figure 6, allows the smaller end portion 40 thereof to remain spaced from the end wall of the tray when such is engaged with the enlarged conical stud or guide 27a. This effectively provides sufcient compression of the spring to accommodate the removal of the two weights. This function and feature is not possible with the cylindrical spring and construction illustrated in the device of Figures 3 and 4.

It will also be noted that in the construction set forth in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the locking lug 32a is formed integrally with the sole plate 11 as opposed to the riveted construction seen in Figure 3 and described in conjunction with tray 20.

From the above it will be understood that I have set forth the structural aspects of a new and improved adjustable weight system construction for the head of a wood golf club which permits ready and easy variation in the weight distribution and mass of the head to meet the desires and playing habits of individual players. Due to the extreme simplicity of the construction it is obvious that even the most amateurish mechanic may remove the holding screws 1S, so that either the tray element 20 or 20a, as the case may be, with attached back plate 14 may be removed from the interior of the club head and the desired number of weights removed or added as desired.

While I have illustrated and described the improvements as applied to two variations of the same basic invention, it is obvious that numerous other changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalent materials and constructions may be employed in carrying out the intentions and purposes of this invention, without neces- 4 sarily departing from its spirit and scope. As a consequence, it is not my intention that I be limited to the particular form and features of the device disclosed and described hereinabove except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

l. Means for regulating the weight of a golf club having a wooden head, comprising, a sole plate fastened to the underface of said head, a blind chamber opening inwardly from the rearward face of said head and extending toward the front face thereof, said sole plate closing over the bottom side of said chamber, a heel plate enclosing the open end of said chamber, a tray member connected at one end to said heel plate and inserted axially into said chamber, plural weight members carried in said tray member adjacent one end thereof, means removably interlocking said weight members, and spring means located between said weight members and the other end of said tray for resiliently biasing said Weights tightly against one another.

2. Means for regulating the Weight of a golf club having a wooden head, comprising, a sole plate mounted across the lower face of said head, a blind chamber formed inwardly of the rearward face of said head and extending partially therethrough, said sole plate closing the bottom side of said chamber, a tray member insertable into said chamber, means interlocking said tray member with said sole plate, plural weight members carried within said tray, compressible spring means biasing said weight members into tight engagement with one another and toward one end of said tray, and a heel plate fastened to the other end of said tray and arranged to cover over the open end of said chamber; said weights within said tray being selectively removable to vary the over-all weight and mass distribution of said head.

3.7Ir1 a golf club having a wooden head, a sole plate extending across the lower face of said head, a chamber formed in said head closed at one side by said sole plate and opening outwardly of the rear face of said head, a tray element having an open bottom wall insertable into said chamber, means interlocking said tray and sole plate, compressive spring means mounted axially with said tray, weight members removably held in said tray between one end of said spring means and the one end of said tray, a plate means fastened to the other end of said tray for closing the open end of said chamber, and means attaching said plate means to said head thereby to tightly hold said tray in said chamber.

4. In a golf club having a Wooden head, a chamber formed inwardly of the rearward face of said head and opening outwardly of the bottom face thereof, a sole plate extending across the bottom face of said head and closing over the bottom side of said chamber, a tray element registeringly insertable endwise into said chamber, a heel plate attached to one end of said tray for closing over the open end of said chamber, plural removable weight means carried Within said tray, means interlocking said several weight means, spring means within said tray for biasing said weight means into tight adjacency and toward one end of said tray, and means interlocking said tray with said sole plate.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4, including opposed axial projections on the inside faces of said trays end walls, such projections coaxially aligning and holding said weights and spring means.

6. Means for regulating the weight of a golf club having a wooden head, comprising, a sole plate fastened to the underface of said head, a blind chamber opening inwardly from the rearward face of said head, said sole plate closing over the bottom side of'said chamber, a heel plate enclosing the open end of said chamber, a. tray member connected to said heel plate for insertion axially into said chamber, plural weight members carried in said tray member, means interlocking said weight members, and means for removably holding said weight members within said tray.

7. A Wooden head for a golf club bearing a sole plate on its under face, a blind chamber opening inwardly from the rearward face of said head, a tray means insertable in said chamber, plate means located at one end of said tray means for enclosing the open end of said chamber when said tray is inserted therein, removable adjustment weight means carried within said tray, a pair of projection means formed on the inside end walls of said tray, one of said projection means being used to locate said weights, and a conical coil spring means disposed between said Weights and the other of said projection means to hold said weights in place, said other projection means serving normally to center the larger end coil of said spring means in an engaged position with one of said trays end walls,

the reversal of said spring means to bring the smaller end coil thereof into engagement with said other projection means serving to hold said smaller coil spaced from said one end Wall thereby compressing said spring means suciently to accommodate removal of one or more of said Weights without appreciably lessening the compressive hold of said spring means on the weights remaining in said tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,167,387 Daniel Jan. ll, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS 105,959 Australia Nov. 25, 1938

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