US3316951A - Golf bag carrying case - Google Patents

Description

May 2, 1957 s. JACOBSQN 3,316,951

GOLF BAG CARRYING CASE Filed April 26, 1965 a sheets-sheet 1 May 2 l96'? s. l. JAcoBsoN 3,316,951

GOLF BAG CARRYING CASE Filed April 26, 1965 i 3 Sheets sheet 2 May 2, i967 s. l. JACOBSON l 3,316,951

GOLF BAG CARRYING CASE Filed April 26, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l mmiiiiiiiiui."

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United States Patent Office 3,316,951 GOLF BAG CARRYING CASE Sidney I. Jacobson, Chicago, Ill., assignor of one-third to Arthur F. Jacobson and one-third to Harold D. Jacobson, both of Chicago, Ill.

Filed Apr. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 450,795 1 Claim. (Cl. 150--52) This invention relates to a protective carrying case having special and particular utility in connection with golf bags containing golf clubs and auxiliary golf equipment, and to a method of making such a carrying case.

`Generally speaking, the purchase of golf equipment by an individual entails the expenditure of a substantial sum of money. In many instances, golf bags are fabricated of expensive leathers, and the clubs, especially the woods, incorporate high quality and costly materials.

`Owners of such equipment, as well as owners of less elaborate golf equipment, usually try to exercise considerable care in the handling thereof both on and off the golf course. However, inevitably, damage to the equipment occurs which detracts from its Vappearance and reduces the useful life thereof. In recognition of this problem, protective coverings for golf bags and the golf clubs heretofore have Ibeen used. These coverings, however, were for the sole purpose of providing protection while the golf bag and clubs are in storage or are being transported to and from the golf course. In order to use his golf equipment with such a covering, the player must first remove his golf bag and clubs from the covering and, thus, the covering offered no protection for the golf bag during play. Furthermore, it was so burdensome and inconvenient to remove and replace the covering from the golf bag that he would not use it much during the golf season, so that its use was limited to storage and travel purposes.

In accordance with the present invention, a unique and versatile protective golf bag carrying case is provided which enables a golf bag and the golf clubs therein to remain therein both on and ofthe golf course and to provide ready and easy access to the clubs carried in the golf bag and the balls and other equipment carried in the various compartments or pockets of the golf 'bag without the necessity for removing the golf bag from the carrying case. The carrying case is light in weight and conveniently can be carried by handles provided thereon or by the shoulder strap or handle of the golf bag itself. The carrying case of the present invention furthermore has an attractive, compact appearance, is resistant to wear and abuse, and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

The objectives of the present invention are preferably achieved with a golf bag carrying case which comprises opposed flexible panels fabricated of a durable, light weight material. The panels advantageously are of a length and Width to enable a golf bag containing a full set of golf clubs to be easily placed therebetween. The panels may be formed from two or more sheets of flexible material, or from a single sheet of flexible material which is folded upon itself and wherein the sheets are unconnected along at least one pair of confronting longitudinal edges and one pair of confronting end edges thereof at one end of the panels. In a preferred embodiment of the carrying case of the present invention, a relatively rigid platform or support base is provided at the other end of the panels.

The unique and versatile properties of the carrying case of this invention are attained by attacking a Stringer of a Zipper to each of the opposed free longitudinal and end edges of the panels and then placing at least two cooperating pairs of zipper sliders thereon, each cooperating pair of the zipper sliders being positioned in 3,316,951 Patented May 2, 1967 reverse acting relation with respect to one another on the stringers. This arrangement of the cooperating pairs of zipper sliders enables the user to selectively open or close the zipper stringers `at any point along the entire length, as well as at the end of the carrying case. Thus, by way of illustration, if each of two cooperating pairs of zipper sliders are positioned in reverse acting relation with respect to one another on the Zipper stringers, a golf bag containing a set of golf clubs can be left in the carrying case during play, Without in any way interfering with the players ability to remove and replace the golf clubs in the golf bag, or to gain access to pockets provided on the golf bag. This is made possible by simply moving the cooperating pairs of the zipper sliders toward or away from each other, whichever is required, to effect separation of the stringers to permit access to the golf clubs or the pockets of the golf bag. Manipulation of the cooperating pairs of zipper sliders also can provide limited openings in the stringers to enable the shoulder strap of the golf baguto be utilized by the player, or his caddy, in carrying the golf equipment with the carrying case of this invention thereon. All of these operations can be performed without causing the collapse of the carrying case, or in any Way exposing the golf bag to damage.

The unique zipper closure described above thus provides for the selective variable width separation of any one or more points on the stringers, and, with one slider at one end of the stringers, the other sliders can be moved as a unit between the ends of the stringers fully to open or close the same. Also, one lock can secure together all of the sliders at any point of the stringers where the stringers are closed, the sliders having means for receiving the lock, such as holes for receiving the locking portion of a lock.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the carrying case of the present invention with a golf bag, containing a set of golf clubs, positioned therein;

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view of said carrying case taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the carrying case in an upright position with the contents of the case exposed to view;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of said embodiment of the carrying case illustrating the manner in which the shoulder strap of the golf bag may be exposed to enable the entire assembly to be carried;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the manner in which the `clubs may be exposed by folding back a portion of an end of the carrying case;

FIG. 5 is a View in perpsective of said embodiment of the carrying case illustrating various positions of the cooperating pairs of reverse acting Zipper sliders for permitting access to different sections Iof the carrying case;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of said embodiment of the carrying case illustrating the relative positions of the cooperating pairs of reverse acting zipper sliders on the stringers to permit the shoulder strap, for example, of a golf bag to be exposed for use in carrying the golf bag and the carrying case;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of said carrying case illustrating a position of the cooperating pairs of reverse acting zipper sliders when the Zipper stringers are completely separated;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of a cooperating pair of reverse acting zipper sliders on the zipper stringers; and

FIGS. 9 through 13, inclusive, are fragmentary plan Si views illustrating various stages in the positioning of the :ooperating pairs of reverse acting zipper sliders on the Lipper stringers.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the golf bag carrying case comprises a body portion desirably formed from a single sheet of exible material folded upon itself to provide opposed panels 12 and 14. Two, or more, sheets of flexible material may, of course, be employed for this purpose. The use of a single sheet, however, eliminates multiple cutting and stitching operations. The body portion 10 has a base panel 16 secured, as by stitching, to an end thereof. The base panel 16 advantageously is stiffened by attaching a sheet 18 of rigid, or semi-rigid, material such as fiber board, cardboard, or the like, to the inner face thereof with suitable fastening means suc-h as round-headed brass fasteners 20. The panels 12 and 14 should be sufficiently long to enable a golf bag 22, containing a set of golf clubs 24, to be easily placed therebetween and completely covered by the panels 12 and 14. See FIGS. 1-3. The base panel 16 should be of a size approxi-mating that of the base 26 of the golf bag 22 to enable the golf bag to be supported in an upright position thereon. See FIG. 2.

Opposed longitudinal and end edges of the panels 12 and14 are provided with mating zipper stringers 30-30. Each of the stringers 30-30 has a tape portion 32 by means of which the stringers are attached to the free edges of the panels 12 and 14. Each tape portion 32 carries a plurality of evenly spaced scoops or teeth 34 extending substantially along its entire length. As indicated hereinabove, the unique and versatile properties of the carrying case of the present invention a-re attained by positioning at least -two cooperating pairs of zipper sliders in reverse acting relation to one another on the zipper stringers. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, two such pairs of `zipper sliders are used. The bottom or rearward pair comprises zipper sliders 40 and 42 each having a pull tab 44 and 46, respectively (see FIG. 6). The slider 40 is positioned on the stringers 30-30 with its narrow zipper closing end 48 facing toward the base panel 16 and its wide zipper sepa-rating end 50 facing away from t-he base panel 16.` In this position, the slider 40, when moved away from the base panel 16 by pulling on its Iassociated pull tab 44, will cause the teeth 34 of the stringers 30-30 to interlock. When the slider 40 is moved toward the base panel 16, the teeth 34 will lbe separated by the action of the slider 40. The slider 42, on the other hand, has its narrow end 52 facing away from the base panel 16 and its wide end 54 facing toward the panel 16, thus placing it in reverse acting relation to the slider 40. When the slider 42 is moved away from the panel 16 by pulling on its pull tab 46, it will cause the teeth 34 of the stringers 30-30 to separate. When the slider 42 is moved toward the panel 16 it will, of course, interlock the teeth 34.

The top or forward pair of cooperating zipper sliders comprises sliders 60 and 62 provided wit- h pull tabs 64 and 66, respectively. The slider 60 has its narrow end 68 facing in the 4direction of the base panel 16 and its Wide end 70 facing away from the base panel 16. Thus, like the slider 40, when the slider 60 is moved by its pull tab 64 in the direction of the base panel 16, the teeth 34 of the stringers 30-30 traversed by the slider 60 will be separated. When it is moved in the opposite direction, the slider 60, of course, will interlock the teeth 34 as they pass through it. The slider 62 of this cooperating pair, like the slider 42 of the bottom or rearward pair of cooperating sliders, has its wide end 72 facing in the direction of the base panel 16 and its narrow end 74 facing away from the panel 16 thus placing it in reverse acting relation to the slider 60. When the slider 62 is moved toward the base panel 16, the teeth 34 will be interlocked. The opposite result, of course, will obtain when the slider is moved in a direction away from the panel 16.

rInaccordance with the method Iaspects of the present invention, the pairs of cooperating Zipper sliders advantageously are positioned on the stringers when the scoops or teeth of the stringers are in an interlocked condition. This procedure is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 13, inclusive, of the drawings. As there shown, the tape portions 32--32 of the stringers 30-30 are first attached to the panels 12 Iand 14 while the scoops or teeth 34 of the stringers 30-30 are eng-aged or interlocked. rl`he slider 40 is then positioned on the stringers with its narrow zipper closing end 48 toward the base panel 16. As the slider 40 is moved rearward the teeth of the stringers are separated as shown in FIG. l0 by the wide Zipper opening end. The slider 42 is then placed on the stringers with its wide zipper opening end 54 -facing in t-he `direction of the panel 16. As the slider 42 traverses the teeth 34, they are engaged or interlocked as shown in FIG. l2. The top or forward pair of cooperating sliders 60 and 62 are each then positioned on the stringers in the same manner, with the narrow en-d 68 of the slider 60 and the wide zipper opening end 72 of the slider 62 facing in the direction of the base panel 16 and the narrow zipper closing end 74 of the slider 62 facing away from the panel 16. After the sliders have been positioned on the stringers, suitable stop means such as staples 76-76 may be 4secu-red on the stringers to prevent the sliders from becoming `dislodged therefrom.

The carrying case desirably is provided with handles 80-80. These may be fabricated of a rigid material, or a exible material. The handles 80-80 advantageously 4are secured on t-he outer Wall of the panels 12 and 14, and lare positioned substantially centrally of the body portion I10 proximal to what would be the center of gravity of the case with a golf bag `and clubs therein.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. l through 7 of the drawings, the carrying case of the present invention is shown with the golf bag 22 and clubs 24 positioned therein. The golf bag 22 is of the conventional type having compartments or pockets 82, and a shoulder str-ap 84.' When the golf equipment is not in use, see FIG. 1, the stringers are completely closed or locked and the cooperating pairs of zipper sliders, represented by their associated pull tabs, are positioned together at any point along the stringers. In FIG. 2, the carrying case and its contents are shown in an upright position with the stringers separated permitting access to the golf clubs and all of the compartments or pockets 82 and shoulder strap 84 thereof. The position of the cooperating pairs of sliders, again as represented by their respective pull tabs, when tihIeGstr7ingers are completely separated is clearly shown in In FIG. 3, the carrying case is shown being carried about by means of the shoulder strap 84 of the golf bag 22. This result is attained by positioning each slider of the cooperating pairs of sliders in spaced relation to one another to provide an opening in the stringers therebetween. This arrangement is more clearly shown in FIG. 6. The stra-p 84 is then passed through and out of one of the openings thus formed and then back through the other opening, and secured to the golf bag, as by a buckle 86, on the inside of the carrying case. Only the strap 84 is exposed, and the entire assembly can be easily carried as a unit with no opportunity for the carrying case or golf bag from becoming separated from one another. order to expose the head-s of the golf clubs 24 and to enable the user to have completely unhampered access to any club desired, the slider 62 is moved in a direction away from the panel 16 to the very end of the stringers. The forward ends of the panels 12 and 14 may then be folded back to expose the heads of the clu'bs as shown in FIG. 4 for use on the golf course. In FIG. 5, the versatility of the carrying case of this invention is clearly illustra-ted by the fact that the cooperating pairs of sliders can be manipulated in a variety of ways to permit access to any region of the carrying case without causing the `case to collapse away from the equipment contained therein. Thus, as can be seen from FIG. 5, the entire InV center region of -the case can be exposed, as well as the end region, while the case is still providing protection for the contents of the case. This is a particularly important consideration to a golfer, and enables him eciently to utilize his equipment to the fullest extent with the complete assurance that his equipment is being protected from l damage at all times.

While the carrying case of this invention has been described with reference to i-ts special and most important use in connection with golf equipment, it should be understood that the unique use of two or more pairs of zipper closures working against each other as described above could be used in vari-ous other environments where it is advantageous to provide for selective variable width separation of `any one or more points on the stringers, and, with one slider at one end of the stringers, the other sliders can be moved as a unit between the ends of the s'tringers fully to open or close the same.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a golf 'bag having a normally closed bottom end and an open opposite end from which golf clubs extend, and a longitudinally extending shoulder strap having separated opposite end portions at-tached to the bag, and a case enclosing said golf bag and clubs comprising: opposed exible panels each having opposite longitudinal edges and end edges, one of the longitudinal and one of the end edges of one of the panels being secured to the corresponding edges of the other panel, the other longitudinal edge and the other end edge -of each panel having `a single zipper Stringer extending therealong, the zipper stringers being normally interlooked to close the case around the golf bag, two coopera-ting pairs of zipper sliders on said zipper stringers for selective-ly opening and closing said stringers on movement of the pairs of sliders in one direction, the leading Islider of each pair opening the stringers and the other slide of each pair closing the stringers, each cooperating pair of sliders being 'positioned with its individual sliders on lopposite `sides `of a dilerent one Ior the end portions `of the `shoulder strap of the golf bag land dening the margins of a variably sized and shifta'ble opening on the stringers for the shoulder strap, through which opening the associated end portion of the shoulder strap passes to the out-side of the case, the slider nearest the end of the golf bag being movable to the end of the stringers at the end edges of the casing panels to form a large opening at the end of the casing around the open end of the golf bag, said cooperating pair of zipper sliders being movable into a contiguous position when the shoulder Istrap is tucked into the casing where the stringers are closed for substantially their ful-l length, and means on the sliders which permit the four sliders to be locked together in such position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,308 8/1933 Hile-se 15G- 1.5 2,042,105 5/ 1936 Kelley 24-205 2,331,048 10/1943 Schaatf. 2,627,887 2/1953 Becker l50-52 i2,718,251 9/-1955 lBarbato 150-52 2,985,212 5/1961 Dozier 159-52 FOREIGN PATENTS 208,970 7/-1940 Switzerland.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. J. E. OLDS, Assistant Examiner.

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