US3053298A - Golf club separator - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7. 1959 INVENTOR. Hueo O. STAMP ATTORNEY H. O. STAMP GOLF CLUB SEPARATOR Sept. 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1959 INVENTOR. Huao O. STAMP jmmmawa ATTORNEY tats This invention relates to improvements in golf club separators designed for insertion into a golf bag to receive the woods (usually four) of a set of golf clubs. A separator of the general type disclosed herein is shown in my Patent No. 2,752,973, dated July 3, 1956.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved golf club separator which not only protects the wooden club heads from marring but, in addition, affords protection to the shafts and handles of the clubs as Well.

Another object is to provide a separator of this type which can be readily adjusted to accommodate golf clubs of all standard lengths to thereby insure the proper position of the club heads in the receptor compartments for maximum protection of the clubs.

Another object is to provide a separator having the above advantages into which clubs can be inserted smoothly and easily with a minimum of resistance.

A further object is to provide a separator having closure means for completely enclosing the club heads in the separator for protection when not in use or when in use under adverse weather conditions.

The preferred embodiment of my invention includes a receptor having a downwardly converging outer wall and inner partition walls forming individual club head receiving compartments. Such compartments are equally spaced about a common vertical axis and converge downwardly and inwardly toward the axis to form neck portions clustered closely around the axis. A plastic tube is inserted into each of the neck portions and extend downwardly for contact with the bottom of the golf bag. Thus, the tubes cooperate with the receptor compartments to form a plurality of continuous compartments extending from the top of the receptor tothe bottom of the bag. The compartments serve not only to protect the club heads but also serve to protect the shaft and handles of the clubs as well. At least one of the tubes is fastened to the receptor to support it in the bag in a position whereby the club heads will seat snugly in the individual club head receiving compartments.

A plurality of snap fasteners or other suitable connectors are mounted on the tubes and on the neck portions of the receptor to adjust the overall length of the separator for accommodating clubs of various lengths. Thus, a separator of one standard design can be marketed for use with golf clubs of all the various standard lengths. To facilitate smooth insertion of the club shafts into the tubes, the upper edge of each tube is beveled and the tube is positioned so that the bevel extends downwardly from the common central axis of the separator. As a further refinement of the beveled tube structure, I provide a lip formed at the upper tip of the bevel to guide the club end smoothly into the tube.

Another feature of the separator is the provision of a plurality of flexible flaps fastened to the upper edge of the receptor which, when not in use, extend downwardly out of the way alongside the walls of the receptor. When it is desired to close the top of the separator the flaps are folded upwardly to an overlapping position and fastened together by snap fasteners.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparent from the specification and claims, as will 3,053,298 Patented Sept. 11, 1962 obvious modifications of the two embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a golf club separator embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the separator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3;

PEG. 5 is a top plan View of the separator showing the enclosure flaps in the closed position;

PEG. 6 is a side elevation view of one of the tubular support members for the separator;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a modified form of tubular support member; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 1 and 3 show a separator 10 comprising a golf club receptor 12 of generally cylindircal shape having walls 14 which flare upwardly and outwardly to atop opening 16. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the flaring wall 14 of the separator is provided with a series of radial partitions 18 which subdivide the receptor into four compartments 2t equally angularly spaced about a common axis 22.

The upper portions of club head compartments 20 are of generally triangular configuration to snugly accommodate the wooden head of a golf club. The compartments converge downwardly and inwardly toward axis 22 to form neck portions 24 clustered closely around axis 22 and adapted to receive the upper ends of tubular support members 26. Tubes 26, preferably of plastic, extend downwardly from receptor 12 for contact with the bottom of a golf bag and thus serve to support the separator in the bag. The position of tubes 26 in neck portions 24 of the receptor is maintained by any suitable means such as by male and female snap fasteners 28 and 30 mounted on neck portions 24 and tubes 26, respectively. As shown in the drawings, not all of the tubes need be equipped with fastening means, it only being necessary that one of such tubes be fastened to the receptor. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, two tubes located opposite each other are fastened to the receptor.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the receptor 12 and tubes 26 cooperate to form four continuous compartments extending from the top opening 16 to the bottom of the bag. Thus, it is seen that when a golf club wood is inserted into the separator, not only is the wooden head protected from marring but, in addition, the club shaft and handle are also protected by tubes 26.

Matched sets of golf clubs are available in various lengths to fit the particular physical size of the player. To adapt the separator described above for use with clubs of various lengths, I provide a means for readily adjust ing the overall length of the separator and thus make a single model suitable for all the various standard length sets of clubs. The means for adjustment includes a plurality of vertically spaced male snap fasteners 30 (FIG. 6) on a tube adapted for connection with a pair of female fasteners 23 (FIG. 1) on the receptor neck portion 24-. Thus it is seen that by the use of four male snaps 30 and two female snaps 28 it is possible to provide five different lengths.

As stated previously, only two of the four tubes are equipped with snaps 31). With this arrangement the separator is assembled by first sliding the two tubes with snap fasteners through the compartments of the receptor having the female snap fasteners 28. The proper snap fasteners are then fastened depending on the length of clubs to be accommodated and the other two tubes (without snaps) are inserted from the top until they are even with the previously installed tubes. The separator is then inserted in a golf bag and is ready for use.

As shown in FIG. 2, tubes 26 fit snugly to the walls of receptor neck portions 24 except at the areas immediately adjacent axis 22. The space between the upper edges of the tubes and the walls of partitions 18 in these areas has a tendency to sometimes catch or block the ends of the club shafts when inserted into the separator. This problem is substantially eliminated by beveling the upper ends 32 of tubes 26 as shown in FIG. 6 and positioning the tubes in neck portions 24 with the highest point of the beveled edges 32 lying next to axis 22 as shown in FIG. 4. With the tubes beveled and positioned as described above, the ends of the clubs will more easily slide off the upper edge of the tube and be guided into the open end thereof.

A further refinment of the tube structure described above providing greater assurance of smooth and easy insertion of clubs is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. This modification, in addition to a bevel 32 at the top of the tube, includes a lip 34 formed at the upper tip of the bevel to guide the club end smoothly into the tube.

Another feature of my improved separator is the provision of means on the receptor for completely enclosing the clubs in the separator for protection in storage and When playing in the rain, etc. Such means includes a plurality of flexible flaps 35 fastened to the upper edge of receptor 12. Flaps 35, when not in use, extend downwardly out of the way alongside the walls 14 of the receptor as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. When it is desired to close the top of the separator, flaps 35 are simply folded upwardly over top opening 16 with each pair of oppositely located flaps overlapping each other as shown in FIG. 5. The flaps can be fastened in the closed position by any suitable means such as by pairs of mating snap fasteners 36, as shown.

Receptor 12 is desirably made of pliable material such as leather or light-weight plastic. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the receptor is made from vinyl leatherette material having an interior layer of soft wool material against which the club heads nest.

Although two embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A golf club separator adapted for insertion in a golf bag having a bottom for supporting golf club therein comprising, a receptor receivable in the open end of the bag and having downwardly convering walls forming individual club head receiving compartments open at their tops to pass clubs therethrough and open at their bottoms to pass the club shafts therethrough, a tubular member mounted in each of said compartments and extending downwardly therefrom for support by the bag bottom, said tubular members adapted to receive and protect the handles and shafts of the clubs inserted therein, at least one of said tubular members fastened to said receptor to support said receptor in the bag in a position whereby the club heads will seat properly in said individual club head receiving compartments, said compartments and tubular members being spaced around a common vertical axis, each of said tubular members being beveled at the top downwardly from the part of each tube lying nearest said common axis to thereby facilitate smooth insertion of a club shaft into said tubular members, and an outwardly extending lip formed at the high point of said beveled tube ends to further facilitate insertion of a club shaft therein.

2. A golf club separator adapted for insertion in a golf bag having a bottom for supporting golf clubs therein comprising, a receptor having a downwardly converging outer wall and inner partitions forming individual club head receiving compartments spaced about a common vertical axis, said compartments converging downwardly and inwardly towards said axis to form neck portions clustered closely around said axis, a tube inserted into each of said neck portions and extending downwardly for support by the bag bottom, said tubes cooperating with said receptor compartments to form a plurality of continuous compartments extending from the top of said receptor to the bag bottom, at least one of said tubes fastened to said receptor to support said receptor in the bag in a position whereby the club heads will seat properly in said individual club head receiving compartments, the upper end of each of said tubes being beveled with said tubes positioned in said neck portions so that the bevel extends downwardly from said common axis to thereby facilitate smooth insertion of a club shaft into said tubular members, and an outwardly extending lip formed at the high point of said beveled tube ends to further facilitate insertion of a club shaft therein.

3. A golf club separator adapted for insertion in a golf bag having a bottom for supporting golf clubs therein comprising, a receptor receivable in the open end of the bag and having downwardly converging walls forming individual club head receiving compartments open at their tops to pass clubs therethrough and open at their bottoms to pass the club shafts therethrough, a tubular member mounted in each of said compartments and extending downwardly therefrom for support by the bag bottom, said tubular members adapted to receive and protect the handles and shafts of the clubs inserted therein, at least one of said tubular members fastened to said receptor to support said receptor in the bag in a position whereby the club heads will seat properly in said individual club head receiving compartments, said compartments and tubular members being spaced around a common vertical axis, each of said tubular members being beveled at the top downwardly from the part of each tube lying nearest said common axis to thereby facilitate smooth insertion of a club shaft into said tubular members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,591,217 Thompson Apr. 1, 1952 2,722,970 Stechmann Nov. 8, 1955 2,752,973 Stamp July 3, 1956 2,864,110 Bruger Dec. 16, 1958 2,879,819 Turnbull Mar. 31, 1959 2,938,559 Harkrader May 31, 1960 U ITED! STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFQICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. ?fi,053,298 September 11, 1962 7 Hugo 0. Stamp It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 53, for "club" read clubs line 55 for "convering" read converging Signed and sealed this 5th day of February 1963,

(SEAL) Attest:

DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer

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