US3143349A - Golf club head having two weight receiving recesses to individually vary the weight of the toe and heel portions - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 4, 1964 w, J, MaclNTYRE 3,143,349

GOLF CLUB HEAD HAVING TWO WEIGHT RECEIVING RECESSES TO INDIVIDUALLY VARY THE WEIGHT OF THE TOE AND HEEL PORTIONS Filed April 25, 1961 IN V EN TOR. Mzrew Jmcl/vrmE Arm NEYS United States Patent 3,143,349 CLUB HEAD HAVING TWO WEIGHT RE- QEEVENG TEESSES Ti) DTDIVIDUALLY VARY THE WETGHT BE THE TQE AND IEEL POR- TEENS Wiifred 3i. Macintyre, Huron, Ohio Nor-walk Truck Lines, The, 13% Milan Ava, Norwaih, Ohio) Filed 25, 1961, Ser. No. 165,437 1 Claim. (Ci. 273-171) This invention relates to golf clubs, and, more particularly, to golf club heads.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved golf club head which aids the golfer, more effectively than the prior art golf club heads, to accurately direct a golf ball.

Another principal object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved golf club which can be balanced to personally suit the owners needs, by placing selected weight members in the bottom portion of the club head, thus improving the feel of the club without making the club unnecessarfly heavy.

Another principal object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved putter head which can be balanced, as desired, by placing a selected number of weight members in recess means in the bottom of the putter head and holding the weight members in the recess means by removable cover means which extends over the recess means, thus simplifying the manner of balancing the putter or altering the balance thereof.

Another principal object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved golf club head having, as an aid to more effective use of the club, a first guide line substantially equal in length to the diameter of a conventional golf ball and disposed on the top of the head in a parallel relation to the striking face of the club head, and a second guide line perpendicular to the center of the first guide line, thereby providing a simple and convenient means for accurately aligning the golf ball, hole and striking face.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club head embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the golf club head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the club head of PEG. 1 looking toward the striking face;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a golf club having a head of the form shown in FIG. 1 and with a portion of the golf club shaft broken away;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the head shown in FIG. 1 and with a portion of the cover means broken away;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on section line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of another golf club head embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is an expanded view of filler and weight members usable in the golf club heads of FIGS. 5 and 7.

As embodying the novel golf club construction of this invention, a putter head H is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 of the drawings having a bottom surface 10 and a top surface 11. A substantially vertical striking face 12 extends from the bottom surface 1% of the putter head to the top surface 11 of the putter head. Although the striking face 12 is referred to as being substantially vertical, it will usually be inclined somewhat, the inclination for a putter being approximately four degrees. On the side of the putter head opposite the striking face 12 there are two faces 13 and 14 which preferably merge at the back of 3,143,349 Fatented Aug. 4, 1%54 "ice the head into a curved surface 15. The surfaces 13 and 14 preferably lie in approximately vertical planes.

The curved surface 15 is of less height than the striking face 12 and thus the upper surface 11 of the putter head slopes downwardly from the striking face 12 toward the curved surface 15, as shown in FIG. 4. The upper surface 11 of the head also slopes from the lateral ends 17 and 18, usually referred to as the heel and toe of the head, respectively, downwardly toward a median line 2:), which is located approximately in the center of the putter head and is substantially perpendicular to the striking face 12.

The median line 20 provides a guide line which, taken with a second guide line 21, provides an effective device for aiding the golfer to accurately align the golf ball, hole, and striking face of the club. The second guide line 21 is substantially equal in length to the diameter of a conventional golf ball and is positioned on the top surface 11 of the putter head, parallel to the striking face 12, and immediately adjacent the intersection of the top surface 11 and the striking face 12. The guide line 20 extends from the center of the guide line 21 toward the curved rear surface 15 of the club head. While the guide lines 20 and 21 may be paint lines, strips of tape, or any other device which can be easily seen, preferably, they are of a more permanent character, namely, grooves suitably formed in the head.

It is apparent then that the lines 29 and 21 form a T with the cross of the T, line 21, parallel to the striking face on the putter head. With the socket 22 for the club shaft 23 disposed entirely on one side of the T, the T provides a device for accurately and conveniently squaring the striking face 12 with the desired putt line. Since the cross of the T is substantially equal in length to the diameter of a conventional golf ball, the cross of the T assists in keeping the golf ball positioned in the center of the striking face 12. This is extremely effective as opposed to certain of the prior art aligning devices, which extend entirely across the entire striking face. In such prior art devices there is practically no advantage because the aligning device merges with the striking face and loses its effectiveness. While it is apparent that the novel aligning device herein disclosed is most useful on putters, it is obvious that this aligning device could be used on golf clubs other than putters.

The putter head H is provided with recess means, in th s case a pair of recesses 30 and 31, which receive balance weight insert members as is further explained hereinbelow. The recesses 30 and 31 are formed by a trapezoidal shaped peripheral surface and extend into the bottom of the putter head, best shown in FIG. 5, and a web portion 32 separates the recesses 30 and 31. The recesses are provided with post members 33 and 34, respectively, which are positioned approximately in the center of the respective recesses. The recess 31, which is located in the heel portion 17 of the putter head, is of a greater depth than the recess 30, which is located in the toe portion of the putter head and is provided with ribs 35 for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

A cover plate means on the bottom of the head H covers the recesses 313 and 31 and retains the weight insert members therein. The cover plate means is shown in FIG. 5 as comprising a single cover plate 36 resting on the web portion 32 and received in a rabbet 37 which surrounds the recesses 30 and 31. Suitable securing means, such as Phillips head screws 38 and 39 extending through apertures in the cover plate 36 and threaded into internally threaded holes in the posts 33, 34, are used to secure the cover plate 36 in a position covering the recesses 30 and 31.

A plurality of balance weight insert members 49, which are adapted to be inserted and removed from the recesses 36, 31 to balance the putter head, as desired, are shown in FIG. 8. Each of the weight insert members 49 is here shown as a flat lead member having a trapezoidal plan shape similar to the shape of the recesses 39, 31 for preventing rotation of the fiat weight members in the re cesses. Each of the weight insert members has an opening 41 therethrough, through which the posts 33, 34, respectively, extend when the fiat weight members are positioned in the recesses 30 and 31. It is apparent that the weight members can be suitably chosen in order to give the club the proper balance desired by the golfer. The cover plate 36 is then tightened. by means of screws 38 and 39 onto the putter head to secure the various insert Weight members in the recesses 30 and 31, thereby simplifying balancing the putter head.

In order to prevent any rattling of the weight insert members 40 in the recesses 30 and 31, flexible and compressible filler members 42 are first positioned in the recesses with the posts 33, 34 extended through apertures in the filler members 42. The filler members 42 are preferably made of sponge rubber, and are of a suitable thickness and have substantially the same plan shape as the weight members 44 The sponge rubber member 42 which is inserted in the recess 31 in the heel of the putter rests against the ribs 35 in the bottom of the recess 31. The sponge rubber insert 42 which is placed in the recess 38 in the toe of the putter head rests against the bottom of the recess 39. The weight insert members 4% rest against the sponge rubber members 42, and the plate member 36, which holds the weight insert members and the sponge rubber members in the recesses cause the weight members to be pressed against the sponge rubber inserts, thus compressing the sponge rubber inserts and maintaining the weight members tightly in the recess.

Also, to assist in properly securing the weight members in the recesses, hard rubber washers 45 are utilized. The hard rubber washers 45 are mounted on the posts 33, 34 and are compressed somewhat by tightening of the cover plate member 36 against the bottom of the putter head by means of the Phillips head screws 38 and 39. Also, since the plate 36 is somewhat flexible, it can be snugly secured in the rabbet 37 and thus further provides for eliminating any rattle of the weights in the heel 17 or toe 18 of the putter head.

The putter head shown in FIG. 7 is substantially the same as the putter head shown in FIGS. 1-6, and the same reference numerals used to designate certain parts of the putter head shown in FIGS. 1-6 are used with prime designations to designate corresponding parts of the putter head of FIG. 7.

The putter head shown in FIG. 7 has a striking surface 12' and a bottom surface 10. The bottom surface has recesses 30' and 31 separated by web portion 32' with posts 33' and 34 extending from the body portion of the putter head into the recesses 30 and 31'. A rabbet 37' surrounds recess 30', and a similar rabbet, not shown, surrounds recess 31'. These rabbets provide seats for a pair of cover plates, only one of which is shown at 36, similar to the seat 37 for the cover plate 36 shown in FIG. 6. The cover plate 36' is shown secured by screw 39' in a position covering recess 31'. The second cover plate, which is not shown, can similarly be secured in the rabbet 37 covering the recess 30.

The putter head shown in FIG. 7 can be balanced in substantially the same manner as the putter head shown in FIG. 6. Sponge rubber insert members and hard rubber Washers can be used for the same purpose as they are used in the putter head shown in FIG. 6. Of course, when balancing the putter head shown in FIG. 7 it is necessary to remove both of the cover plates, insert the 4 desired number of weight members in each of the recesses 30' and 31, and secure the respective cover plates over the recesses.

Thus it can be seen that the putter heads shown in the drawings can be easily adjusted to provide the weight and balance which suits the golfers personal need or preference. In addition, it can be seen that the weights are at the extreme bottom of the putter head. This results in a sensitive, yet firm feel which will assist in the attainment of accurate putting, partly because of the greater momentum which results from positioning the weights the greatest distance possible from the handgrip portion 46 of the club shaft 23. Because of this great distance, the putter has a better feel than the prior art putters, and it is not made unnecessarily heavy.

While the preferred form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction shown nor the uses referred to and it is my intention to cover all adaptations, modifications, and changes which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a putter for use on a golf green for striking a golf ball and directing the ball toward the golf hole, a putter head comprising a body including a toe body portion and a heel body portion forming opposite ends of said body, said body having an underside, an upper side, and a substantially vertical ball striking surface extending along one lateral side of said body and along said heel and toe body portions and intersecting said upper side and underside of said body, a pair of recesses extending into said body from the underside thereof, one of said recesses 10- cated in said heel body portion and the other of said recesses located in said toe body portion, a substantially vertically extending post integral with said body and projecting into each of said recesses substantially centrally thereof, rib members formed integrally with said body and extending from the bottom of the recess in said heel portion and having a free end projecting into said recess in said heel body portion a distance less than the distance the associated post extends therein and providing a hollow in said body bewteen the free end of said rib members and the bottom of said recess in said heel body portion, a group of substantially flat weights in a stacked relation in each of said recesses and having openings therethrough conforming substantially to the cross section of said posts and through which said posts extend, cover plate means for each of said recesses extending thereover and covering said recesses, said group of weights in each of said recesses retained therein by said cover. plate means and said group of weights in said recess in said heel body portion being supported between said cover plate and the free end of said rib members, and fastening means engaging each of said posts and said cover plate means for removably holding said cover plate means in place and releasable to release said cover plate means to provide for removal of weights from said recesses and individual adjustment of said toe and heel body portions of said putter head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,291,967 McDougal Jan. 21, 1919 2,163,091 Held June 20, 1939 2,198,981 Sullivan Apr. 30, 1940 2,517,245 Scott Aug. 1, 1950 2,954,231 Maclntyre Sept. 27, 1960 3,039,776 Faini June 19, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1 5,959 A s a i NQ .9

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