US3042405A - Golf club - Google Patents

Description

K. SOLHEIM July 3, 1962 GOLF CLUB Filed March 25, 1959 Patented July 3, 1962 [ice 3,042,405 GOLF CLUB Karsten Solheim, Redwood City, Calif. (10412 N. 37th St., Phoenix 20, Ariz.) Filed Mar. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 301,245 8 Claims. (Cl. 27380) This inventionrelates to a golf club for putting on the green and more particularly to a novel and improved golf club head for a putter.

At no time during his game does a golfer require more accuracy than when putting on the green for at that time the target is a hole only four and one-quarter inches Wide. To achieve that order of accuracy, a golfer must use a club so constructed as to enable him not only to see and feel his stroke but also to hear it for then he may concentrate through the maximum use of all his senses. In addition, he must use a club so constructed as to impart a desired over-spin or back-spin to a ball struck by the face of the club.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a golf club for imparting desired over-spin or back-spin to a ball struck by a face of the golf club.

Another object of this invention is to provide a golf club having a head of novel construction which rings with a clear note when the proper spot of the face of the club strikes the ball.

A further object is to provide a putter of a novel construction which may be easily aligned while addressing the ball.

An additional object is to provide a balanced head of novel construction for a putting golf club.

These and other objects of this invention are achieved by providing a golf club head having one or two face plates or platens connected at the toe and heel through two blocks to a torsion bar having a hosel connected to it for receiving a shaft. In some embodiments the face plates are also torsion connected to the bar to provide a \golf club head having a face plate that is not connected to the hosel or the shaft except through the torsion bar and the connecting blocks.

The features of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. However, specific embodiments of this inventionmay best be understood by reference 'to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective View showing the respective relationof the various elements of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG; 1.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 5. v

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a third embodiment of this 7 invention.

2 blocks 6 and 7 such that they are not directly connected to a hosel 4 which receives a shaft 5. This novel con struction is accomplished by connecting the hosel 4 to a bar 3 shown in the exploded View of FIG. 2.

The bar 3 is shown connected to a boss 6a on the bottom of the block 6 at the toe of the club and to a boss 7a on the bottom of the block 7 at the heel of the club. However, this is not to be considered as a limitation of the present invention for obviously the bar 3 could be connected to the blocks 6 and '7 farther up, in the middle or at the top without departing from the concept of this invention.

FIG. 3 more clearly shows in a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 the relationship between the bar 3, the block 6 having the boss 6a and the block 7 having the boss "in. FIG. 4 more clearly shows the relationship between the face plates 1 and 2, the bar 3, and the hosel 4- with the shaft 5 in place. It should be noted that the face plates are positioned away from the hosel 4. It should be further noted that the bottom edges 1a and 2a of the plates 1 and 2, respectively, do not extend below the top of the bar 3. However, that is not to be considered a limitation since the plates could extend below the top of the bar 3, as will be presently shown, or even below the bottom of the bar such that the edges 1a and 2a, instead of the bar 3, constitute the sole of the club. Regardless of the position chosen for the bar 3, there is a slot 8 between the bar 3 and the plates 1 and 2 as may be seen in FIG. 2.

The structure of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 provides a head that is balanced about its major or longitudinal axis and about its minor or transverse axis, both of which pass through the approximate center of the hosel 4. in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 8 one 7 of the face plates is removed with the result that the club is lighter but less balanced about the longitudinal axis. However, balance about that axis is not essential and the balance about the transverse axis is not disturbed.

FIG. 5 shows in a plan view a second embodiment of this invention. As in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the face plate 2 is connected to the torsion bar 3 through blocks 6 and 7 such that a slot 8 remains between the face plate 2 and the bar 3. A distinctive feature of this embodiment is that the blocks 6 and 7 are not any thicker than the bar 3. Thickness is the dimension taken in the direction perpendicular to the horizontal surfaces of the bar 3 in FIG. 6. The bottom edge 2a is extended below the top of the bar 3 in the manner suggested in connection with the description of FIGS. 1 to 4..

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of this invention in a plan view. An important feature of this embodiment is that the bar 3 has been extended in width to the same width as the blocks 6 and 7, the width being the longest dimension, or dimension shorter than the longest dimension of the club head in the plan view of FIG. 7, so that a connection may be made between the face plate 2 and the bar 3 along the full length of the bar 3, whereby a club head having a substantially L shaped section in any vertical plane perpendicular to said face plate is provide-d as illustrated in FIG. 8. Thus, the slot 8 of the two embodiments previously described is eliminated. However, as may be seen in the transverse sectional view of FIG. 8 taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7, the face plate 2 is not connected to the hosel 4 except through the blocks 6 and 7 and, in this embodiment, the bar 3.

Although only one face plate has been illustrated in the two embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 7, obviously a second face plate maybe provided if desired. Conversely, one of the two face plates may be eliminated in the embodiment of FIG. 1 or in the embodiment of FIG. 9 which will be presently described.

The embodiment of FIG. 9 is shown in a plan view. It is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 except that the blocks 6 and 7 are as thick as the face plates 1 and 2 just as in the embodiment of FIG, 1. A transverse sectional view taken on the line 1010 of FIG. 9 is shown in FIG. 10 to clearly illustrate that the bar 3 is as wide as the blocks 6 and 7 so that the face plates 1 and 2 may be connected along the bottom edges 1a and 2a to the bar 3. In a club constructed in that manner, there is no slot similar to slot 8 in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 5. Yet, the plates 1 and 2 are not connected to the hosel except through the blocks 6 and 7 and the bar 3. The web like section of the bar 3 extending to the face plates are illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 10 is relatively thin as shown to permit the desired torsional action.

The effect of the torsional action of the bar 3 is to cause the face plate striking a ball to move upward and toward the ball in order to produce a lifting force against the point of contact on the ball. The result is that the face plate imparts over-spin to the ball. If the bar 3 were secured to the top of the blocks 6 and 7, the torsional action would produce an opposite result or back-spin. Thus, a desired over-spin or back-spin may be imparted to the ball, depending upon whether the torsion bar 3 is attached to the blocks 6 and 7 above or below the spot on the face plate which strikes the ball. If neither a deliberate overspin or back-spin is desired, the torsion bar 3 may be attached at approximately the center of the blocks 6 and 7 so that it will be in line with the spot on the face plate which normally strikes the ball.

The various elements have been illustrated as distinct pieces to be assembled according to the concept of this invention. However, although the various elements may be manufactured separately and then assembled by welding or riveting them together, it is preferred that all of the elements except the shaft be cast in one piece, thereby providing a unitary club head.

From the foregoing it can be seen that a golf club of new and improved construction according to the concepts of this invention is provided having several advantages. For example, the face plates 1 and 2 ring with a clear note if the ball is struck with a center spot of a face plate because it is believed that the face plate will vibrate at its natural frequency with maximum amplitude, that frequency being a function of its length. If the ball is struck with a spot off center, it is believed that the face plate is caused to vibrate at some other frequency or at some complex of frequencies which noticeably alters the pitch and loudness of the tone produced. In addition, the quality of that tone does not appear to be of the same quality as the tone produced when the ball is struck with a center spot, a spot half way between the two ends of a face plate. This enables the golfer to determine with the aid of his sense of hearing when he is meeting the ball properly. Furthermore, this novel putter may be easily aligned when addressing the ball. The hollow portion between the face plates 1 and 2 enable the golfer to look down into the club head and see behind the center spot of the face which he wants to align with the desired point of impact on the ball. A further advantage of this invention is that a balanced club head is provided, although balance is not essential as noted hereinbefore.

Still another advantage is that the torsion bar 3 rotates about a longitudinal axis when a ball is hit. This torsional action assists in producing a pressure stroke instead of a driving stroke and in reducing any tendency a golfer may have to cause reverse spin or other undesirable spin in the ball as described hereinbefore with the result that the ball will roll in a more consistent manner. This advantageous feature may be enhanced by dividing the bar 3 into two or more separate bars or by reducing the cross-sectional area of the bar without departing from the basic concept of this invention.

While the principles of this invention have now been made clear in several illustrative embodiments, modifications could obviously be made in structure, arrangements, proportions and materials without departing from this invention. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover and embrace any such modifications that are within the true spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A golf club comprising a substantially straight elongated bar, a hosel adapted to receive a shaft connected to said bar, a shaft inserted into said hosel, a first block connected to one end of said bar, a second block connected to the opposite end of said bar and at least one face plate having one end connected to said first block and another end connected to said second block.

2. A golf club as defined in claim 1 wherein said blocks are wider than said bar, whereby said face plate connected to said blocks is positioned away from said bar.

3. A golf club as defined in claim 2 wherein said blocks are as thick as said bar.

4. A golf club as defined in claim 1 wherein said bar is as wide as said blocks and said face plate is connected to said bar.

5. A golf club as defined in claim 4 wherein said blocks are as thick as said bar whereby said blocks and said bar are connected to said face plate to form a club head having a substantially L shaped section in any vertical plane perpendicular to said face plate.

6. In a golf club, a head comprising two parallel plates at least one of which is adapted to function as a club face, a first block separating said plates at one end, a second block separating said plates at the opposite end, a substantially straight elongated bar connected between said blocks, a hosel adapted to receive a shaft connected to said bar in a position between said plates and a shaft inserted into said hosel.

7. In a golf club, a head comprising two parallel plates at least one of which is adapted to function as a club face, a first block separating said plates at one end, a second block separating said plates at the opposite end, a substantially straight elongated bar connected to at least one of said blocks and extending in substantially parallel spaced relation between said plates, a hosel connected to said bar and adapted to receive a shaft in such a position that its axis lies in a vertical plane substantially equidistant from said plates and a shaft inserted into said hosel.

8. In a golf club, a head comprising a substantially straight elongated bar, a hosel adapted to receive a shaft connected to said bar, a face plate disposed in a substantially parallel spaced relation with said bar, a first block connected to one end of said bar securing one end of said face plate in said spaced relation with said bar, a second block connected to the opposite end of said bar securing the other end of said face plate in said spaced relation with said bar and a shaft inserted into said hosel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,154,490 Davis Sept. 21, 1915 1,250,296 Fitzjohn et al. Dec. 18, 1917 1,517,476 Tyler Dec. 21, 1924 1,705,997 Quynn Mar. 19, 1929 2,325,525 Lukenbill July 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 465,643 Great Britain 1937

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