US2985212A - Golf bag cover - Google Patents

Description

May 23, 1961 R. H. DOZIER 2,985,212

GOLF BAG COVER Filed Aug. 15, 1958 FIG. 2

INVENTOR ROBERT H. DOZ/ER zwmug t ATTORNEYS United States Patent GOLF BAG COVER Robert H. Dozier, 9600 Hammett Parkway, Pinewell, Norfolk, Va.

Filed Aug. 13, 1958, Ser. No. 754,779

4 Claims. (Cl. 150-52) This invention relates generally to a golf bag cover and, more particularly, to a waterproof golf bag cover providing easy access to the clubs contained in the covered bag. 7

Rain and dampness are known to be harmful to golf clubs and golf bags and the need for a cover which will simultaneously protect both clubs and bag against rain and dampness, without interfering with or hindering the use of the bag and clubs, has long been recognized.

It is the primary end of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved cover which will furnish this needed protection. This new and improved cover envelops and effectively Waterproofs the clubs and bag during normal use and thereby protects them from rain and dampness. Access to the clubs isprovided by means of a slit in the top portion of the cover which is directly over the clubs. In addition, the cover is transparent, permitting the player a ready visual selection of the clubs. Since the cover is made from collapsible lightweight material, it adds no appreciable weight or bulk to the golf bag and can be folded and easily stored in a pocket of the bag when not in use.

These objects are accomplished by the contemplated invention which provides a cover having a cylindrical body portion open at one end and defined at the other end by a closure section. The entire cover is constructed of a waterproof material and is adapted to fit over and substantially envelop the entire bag and all clubs contained therein. Over and above theclub heads which protrude from the upper end of the bag is a closure section which is slit substantially completely across to permit easy access to the clubs contained in the bag. Rain is prevented from entering, through the slit, the bag and the interior of the cover by means of a flap which normally overlaps the slit to form a protective rain shield. The flap itself, is manually displaceable so that access to the covered clubs is not interfered with.

Two apertures are in the cover and each is defined by a tubular sleeve having an elastic cuif at the free end, Through these apertures and sleeves a carrying strap, attached to the golf bag, may be threaded. The elastic cuffs grip the strap and effectively prevent water from entering the interior of the cover through the apertures.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, of which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional golf bag encased in a cover of my invention; and

Fig. 2. is a perspective view of the covered golf bag of Fig. 1 in place on a conventional cart.

As shown in Fig. l, the cover comprises a cylindrical body portion 1 having one open end 2 and one end defining a closure section 3. The closure section has a slit 4 which divides it into two portions, one portion having an integral flap 5 which overlaps the slit 4. On one side of the body portion is a zipper 6 which extends from the bottom of the body portion upwards towards the closure section and which is opened by moving the slide in the same upwards direction. The body portion also has two apertures 7, 7 and two short tubular sleeves 8 and 8, each ending in an elastic cuff 9 and 9'.

The cover is put on a golf bag by placing the open end 2 of body portion 1 about the top of the bag 10 and then pulling the cover down about the exterior of the bag until it completely envelops the bag as seen in Fig. 1. The closure section 3 is then directly over the open end of the golf bag and any clubs 11 that might be in the bag. Slit 4 is also directly above the clubs, thereby providing a means for easy access to them. Overlaying this slit is a flap 5, which extends from a portion of the closure section to one side of the slit, which forms a protective rain shield for the slit. This flap, however, is manually displaceable to permit a rapid uncovering of the slit.

The cover has two apertures 7 and 7' from which short tubular sleeves 8 and 8 extend. Each sleeve has an elastic cuff 9 and 9' located at its free end. Through these apertures and sleeves a carrying strap 12 can be passed so that the bag, when covered, can be carried in the normal manner by the strap. Rain cannot find its way into the cover through either the sleeves or the apertures because the elastic cuffs securely grip the strap thereby effectively sealing the sleeves and apertures against the rain.

Putting a tight fitting cylindrical cover on a golf bag can be diflicult. In order, therefore, to make this operation a bit easien the cover has a zipper which extends from the bottom of the cover upwards towards the top of the cover. To open the zipper the slide is pulled along the tracks in an upwards direction while to close it the slide is pulled down to the bottom of the cover. The effect of opening the zipper is to increase the area of the bottom opening so that it can be fitted about and pulled down around a golf bag with greater ease. Closing the zipper, once the cover is on the bag, will reduce the area of this opening and will cause the cover to fit snugly and securely about the golf bag.

A most important part of any golf bag cover is that the portion which surrounds and envelops the clubs not only should protect the clubs from the rain but their use should not be interfered with. As shown in Fig. 1, the present invention solves this difiiculty. Thus, when the cover is in place the clubs are removable through the slit in the closure section which is directly above the club heads. In normal use, when a club is not being removed or replaced, the flap is in a fiat extended position overlapping the slit and in this position it acts as an umbrella to shed Water thereby preventing the entrance of water into the bag via the slit. When access to the clubs is required the flap is easily pushed back to expose a portion of the slit through which the clubs will be removed. The entire slit is not exposed to the rain during the removal of the club because the flap, which is collapsible, bunches up and surrounds the object passing through the slit so that it continues to eifectively shield the slit from the rain. When the object is removed from the slit the flap resumes its normal extended overlapping position.

The cover can be made from a transparent film-forming synthetic polymer such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylo nitrile, polyvinyl chloride, and the copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate. Several advantages are attached to the use of such a material. A cover constructed of a film-forming synthetic polymer, as listed above, is completely waterproof. Thus, when encompassing a golf bag it will shed rain and dampness and keep the bag and its contents dry. When the polymer used is transparent the clubs in the bag can be seen by the player at all times. He can, therefore, visually select the club he wants before he reaches into the bag. Unnecessary and overlong exposure of the open slit'to the rain, while the player decides which club it is he wants, is thereby eliminated. Furthermore, the player is spared, the annoyance of, groping blindly under a non;

transparent hood or cover, trying to find a club he cannot see. This material, in addition, is both light in weight and; completely collapsible. No. appreciable weight on bulkgwillgbe added to the bagwhen the cover is usedand it will not, therefore, prove to be either an inconvenienceor a, hindrance. In fact, its, lack of weight, andbulk makeit impossibleto leavethe cover on at'all times in order to be protected against; sudden inclement weather. If; it is desired; not to use the cover, it can be easily folded to fitintoa pocket of the golf bag Where it can be conyeniently carried.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood, that this is, illustrative only and is not to be taken as a definition; of the scope, of the invention,. reference being had for, this purpose to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A golf bag cover comprising a cylindrical body portion open at one end and defined at the other end by a closure section; said cylindrical body portion and said closure section being of collapsible waterproof material; said cover being adapted to fit over and substantially completely envelop a golf bag and any clubs contained therein with theclosure section normally extending over theclub heads at the upper end of the bag; said closure. section having a slit defined therein extending, substantially completely across the end of the cover, the portion of said; closure section to one side of said slit having a flap; element normally overlapping said slit, said flap elementbeing; manually displaceable to permit removal of clubs from said golf bag through said slit; said cylindrical body portion having two apertures defined therein one above the other and adapted to accommodate the ends of a carrying strapattached to a golf bagenveloped within said cover and each of said apertures being defined by a short tubular element extending from said body portion and having an elastic band surrounding its outer edge to grip and cover a portion of said carrying strap.

2. A golf bag cover according to claim 1 wherein said cylindrical. body portionand.v said closuresection areof a light weight transparent material.

3. A golf bag cover according to claim 1 having in addition a slide fastener extending from a bottom edge of said cover upwards towards said closure section, said slide fastener extending approximately /3 of the distance between said. bottom edge and said closure section.

4. A golf bag cover comprising, a cylindrical body portion open at one end and defined by a transverse closure section. at. theother. end, said cylindrical body portion and said closure section being 'ofcollapsible waterproof transparent plastic sheet material, said cover adapted to fit over and substantially completely envelop a golf bag and any clubs contained therein. with said closure section normally extending over the club heads at the upper end of the bag, said transverse closure section including two separate segments, said two segments defining. aslit therebetween extending across the end of the cylindrical cover, one ofsaid segments having an integral flap. element. extending therefrom normally overlapping said slit, said flap element being manually displaceable toperrnit removal of clubs from said golf bag through said slit, and said body portion having two apertures defined thereinone above the otherand adapted to permit a carrying straprunning outside said; body portion to beattached at both ends to agolf bag enveloped within said body portion, each of said apertures being provided with sealing means effectively to prevent rain from. penetrating therethrough, whether said strap passes therethrough or remains wholly within said body portion.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent: UNITED STATES} PATENTS 1,886,464. Bright Nov. 8, 1932, 2;633,173 Reed Mar. 3'1, 1953 2,704,563. Henrich Mar. 22, 1955 2,718,25 1 Barbato. Sept. 20, 19.55 2,838,085 Beeler June 10, 1958

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