Adjustable Golf Putter Head

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to an adjustable golf putter for adjusting both loft and lie. More particularly the present invention relates to an adjustable putter head that includes a one piece integral putter head having a socket that receives a socket connector (preferably a ball) mounted at the distal end of the putter shaft, and wherein pins and slots restrict putter head adjustability to two planes and multiple set screws carried in the putter head (and angularly oriented with respect to each other) can be tightened to rigidify the putter head with respect to the shaft. The ball is preferably of a softer metal than the set screws to insure that a rigid connection is made between each set screw and the ball once a selected position of the putter head is selected relative to the shaft.

2. General Background

One of the most critical aspects of the game of golf involves putting and the putter selected by the user. The golfer must have a putter that matches his or her stroke, often a function of the particular body structure of the individual. Further, the putter selected by the user could change depending on the current green surface confronting the player.

Therefore, there is a need for a putter that one could adjust depending on ones stroke or current green surface. The concept of an adjustable putter per se is not a new concept. Many patents have issued that related to golf clubs that have a head that is adjustable relative to the shaft.

Early patents that disclose putters having adjustable head relative to the shaft include the Davis Pat. No. 749,174 entitled "Putter"; the Role Pat. No. 1,182,209 entitled "Golf Club" and the Olson Pat. No. 1,352,020 entitled "Golf Club". Another early adjustable golf club in seen is U.S. Pat. No. 1,313,504 issued to C. A. Role entitled "Golf Club". In these early patents, a pivotal connection is disclosed between the head of the club and the shaft. In some patents and a ball and socket type connection between the head of the club and the shaft in other patent.

Later patents include U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,170 issued to Warnock entitled "Adjustable Golf Club". The Warnock patent shows a pivoting connection between the club shaft and the putter head that features a pair of spaced apart set screws at affix positions of the shaft relative to the head in one plane by using a generally semi-circular disk like member attached to the shaft which rides in a similarly shaped recess of the club head. A ball and socket clamp head putter allows three hundred sixty degree (360.degree.) rotatability between the end of the shaft and the club head.

The Hugman Pat. No. 2,708,579 entitled "Ball and Socket Clamp Head Putter" uses a two part club head that fits about a ball tip end portion of the club shaft. The two halves of the putter heads are secured together with machine screws and tightened so as to clamp the putter head in a desired position upon the ball tip end portion of the club. The putter head provides a substantially flat front face, a substantially flat top face, a substantially flat bottom face and ends, with a ball position within the head, occupying a concave socket portion of each of the halves of the putter head. The two concave recess portions of the putter head are aligned to fit against the ball or spherical tip end of the club shaft upon assembly. The '579 patent claims to provide a universal joint to facilitate the adjustment of the head at a desired angle, and wherein the ball portion of the universal joint extends below the bottom face of the head to hold the head above the surface of a putting green when the putter is swung for contact with a golf ball.

A more recent adjustable putter is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,737 entitled "True Roll Putter". The '737 patent provides an elongated generally cylindrically head with an up standing handle shaft inclined between sixteen degrees (16.degree.) and twenty two degrees (22.degree.) relative to a vertical plane normal to the longitudinal center line of the head. The shaft is connected to the head for adjustment of the incline of the shaft relative to the shaft and the lower extremities of the opposite ends of the head are disposed in a horizontal plane spaced below the lower extremity of the longitudinal mid portion of the head. The opposite ends of the head each include alternating large and small diameter zones spaced longitudinally of the head which function to rapidly diminish the amplitude of vibrations of the head, traveling both transversely and longitudinally thereof, resulting from impact of either side of the head with a golf ball.

One example of a conventional club that is adjusted to suit the player's particular style and stance and then permanently locked in that position is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,492. Other examples of adjustable clubs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,096,982; 4,736,951; 2,447,438; 2,495,444; 2,777,694; 2,571,970 and 2,882,053. Each of the clubs disclosed in the listed patents suffers from one or more of the problems discussed above.

The present invention provides an improved adjustable golf putter that includes a rugged integrally formed putter head with a shaft that adjustably attaches thereto by means of a spherically shaped end portion of the lower tip of the putter shaft.

The present invention provides adjustability that accommodates the physical preferences of golfers including tall, short, fat, thin, etc. players as well as the mental preferences, including players that like very upright putter lies to those players that prefer a flatter plane.

The present invention provides an improved adjustable golf putter that adapts the putter to golf greens in various climates. For example, some golf greens are very fast while other golf greens are very slow. Further, cooler parts of the world normally have bent grass greens whereas Bermuda grass is typically used in warmer parts of the world. Each of these different grass conditions might well require a different loft angle of the face of the club to get the ball to roll properly.

The present invention provides a putter that contains a mechanism for connecting the club shaft to the club head and affording adjustability yet ruggedness. The head design can be a "toe and heel weighted" milled block such as brass. This design is preferred and symmetrical so that it can easily adapt to left handed golfers.

The present invention provides an improved adjustable putter that allows a user to adjust the loft or lie depending upon ones stroke or current green surface.

In the preferred embodiment, the present invention provides an adjustable golf putter that includes a elongated shaft having an upper end portion with a gripping surface and a lower end portion that includes an enlarged spherical tip.

The putter head has an external surface and a socket for receiving the enlarged tip portion of the shaft. The socket provides an open end sized and shaped to receive the spherical tip portion and a restricted opening end portion that allows the shaft but not the spherical tip to pass therethrough.

The spherical tip portion includes opposed pins that are 180 degrees apart on the spherical tip outer surface and perpendicular to the shaft. Corresponding vertical slots are formed in the putter head, communicating with the socket. The pins ride in the slots, restricting adjustability of the putter from three planes to two planes.

A plurality of set screw openings extend between the socket and the external of the putter head. A plurality of set screws extend respectively through the plurality of set screw openings, each having a pointed end to engage the enlarged tip of the shaft wherein one of the set screws can be positioned to prevent removal of the spherical tip from the socket and wherein the enlarged tip portion is of a material that is softer than the material for the set screws.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable club that complies with competition regulations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable golf club head that can be mounted on conventional golf club shafts.

In summary, there is provided an adjustable golf club simple design and construction that can be continuously adjusted by the user to customize the club to the user's preferred stance and address of the ball. The golf club comprises a shaft having a ball at one end and a club head having a socket therein for receiving the ball and thereby forming a ball and socket moveable joint to mount the head to the shaft. The invention further comprises means for limiting the movement of the head relative to the shaft to comply with competitive golf association rules. The invention further comprises a means for selectively securing the movable joint so as to prevent movement thereof during the course of play.

The invention consists of certain novel features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particular pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are given like reference numerals, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a elevational view of a the putter head portion of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the putter head;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the lower end of the putter shaft;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is sectional fragmentary view of a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top partial view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevational view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partial bottom view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a frontal elevational fragmentary view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 10. Adjustable golf putter 10 includes an elongated shaft 11 having a handle 12 at its upper or proximal end portion 13. The lower end portion 14 of shaft 11 carries a spherically shaped distal tip 15 that forms a ball and socket connection with club head 16 as will be described more fully hereinafter. Club head 16 can be for example, a "toe and heel weighted" brass block of integral construction such as for example, a block of milled brass.

Head 16 could also be a casting made in accordance with the configuration shown in the drawings. A socket 17 is occupied by the spherical tip 15 during use. Socket 17 has an enlarged lower open end 18 and a smaller restricted opening end 19. The end portion 19 allows shaft lower end 14 to extend therethrough as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the restricted opening end 19 is too small for spherical tip 15 to pass therethrough. Enlarged open end 18 is however large enough for spherical tip 15 to enter socket 17.

Upon assembly, spherical tip 15 is inserted into open end 18 to seat against hemispherical recess 20 portion of socket 17 (see FIG. 1). Plug 21 can be used to close opening 18.

Hosel 14A has a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs that register into cylindrical opening 15A in spherical tip 15. The hosel 14A and its ribs 15B can be of stainless steel, and the spherical tip 15 of brass. Upon assembly, sphere 15 is inserted into socket 17 from the bottom 22 of putter head 16. Hosel 14A is inserted through restricted opening 19 at the top 23 of putter head 16 and press fitted into opening 15A. The hosel 14A can be welded or glued for example to shaft 11. Putter head 16 can be sized and shaped as shown, having a generally flat bottom surface 22, a generally flat top surface 23, and a generally flat club face 24 that engages the golf ball during play.

In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, restricted opening 19 is shown as including an inner wall 25 that extends between upper surface 23 and hemispherically shaped recess 20 of socket 17. Wall 25 can be sized and shaped to define degrees of movement of shaft 11 relative to club 16. In FIGS. 1-2 it can be seen that shaft 11 can rotate relative to head 16 (see arrows 21). The wall 25 defines a limit for pivotal movement of shaft 11 relative to putter head 16. Arrow 29a defines movement away from a user, 29b and 29c define movement that angles the club face 24 relative to the playing surface while arrow 29d shows pivoting of the shaft toward the user. Thus, wall 25 limits movement of shaft 11 relative to putter head 16 in each of these directions.

A plurality of threaded passageways 27-28 are provided, extending between an exterior surface 30 of putter head 16 and socket 17. Each passageway 27-28 provides internal threads for receiving the threads of an allen screw 31-33. Each allen screw 31-33 provides a respective pointed, conically shaped tip 34-36 for engaging the spherical tip 15 during use.

In the preferred embodiment, spherical tip 15 is of a soft metal such as brass whereas the allen screws 31-33 are of a harder material such as stainless steal. This allows each allen screw 31-33 to bite into the surface 15B of spherical tip 15, forming a rigid connection therewith.

Because the allen screws 31-33 bite into the spherically shaped tip 15, a very rigid connection is formed between the shaft and putter head. By using the pointed tips of the allen screws in combination with brass or softer metal spherical tip 15, very minor adjustments in position of the club head 16 relative to shaft 11 can be made if desired by the user.

In FIGS. 6-11 there is shown a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a modification of the preferred embodiment that is designed to restrict the adjustability of the putter from three planes to two planes. Both lie and loft are fully adjustable as with the preferred of FIGS. 1-5. Toe-in and heel-in adjustment are eliminated in the embodiment of FIGS. 6-11. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6-11, the flat surface on the grip (not shown) which faces away from the golfer is aligned up exactly perpendicular with the putter face, assuring square alignment negating any need for toe-in and heel-in adjustments.

Adjustable golf putter 37 includes a shaft 38 that has an upper handle (not shown in FIGS. 6-11). The putter 37 has a shaft 38 that can include a handle 12 and hosel 14A (see page 8, lines 27-35) as with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. Shaft 38 provides a lower spherical tip 39. A pair of opposed pins 40, 41 are positioned 180 degrees apart on the outside surface 44 of the spherical tip 39. In FIG. 11, pins 40, 41 are aligned and fall on axis 42. The axis 42 passes exactly through the center of spherical tip 39 and is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis 43 of shaft 38.

Putter head 45 provides a socket 46 that includes an upper smaller opening 48 and a larger lower opening 47. The socket 46 includes a cylindrically shaped section 49 and an upper closed hemispherical section 50. A pair of vertical slots 51, 52 extend 180 degrees apart from one another and along the wall of socket 46 as shown in FIGS. 6, 8-10. The vertical slots fall on a line 61 that is perpendicular to club face 60 as shown in FIG. 9.

Upon assembly, shaft 38 or hosel 14A (see FIG. 1A) passes through smaller opening 48 as shown in FIG. 8. Spherical tip 39 nests against the hemispherical section 50 of socket 46 as shown in FIG. 8. The large opening 47 allows both shaft 38 and spherical tip 39 to be inserted fully into socket 46 until the spherical tip 39 nest against hemispherical section 50 of socket 46.

The pair of pins 40, 41 register in and travel in the pair of opposed vertical slots 51, 52. This construction allows both lie and loft to be fully adjustable. The pins restrict movement of the putter head 45 relative to the shaft 38 to adjustability in two planes.

Once the user selects a particular position of the putter head 45 and its club face 60 relative to shaft 38, the user simply tightens a plurality of set screws 56, 57. The set screws 56, 57 are mounted respectively in threaded openings 53, 54. Club face 60 includes upper surface 58 that communicates with smaller opening 48 and lower surface 59 that communicates with larger opening 47. This allows the shaft 38 and spherical tip 39 to be added to the putter head 45 via larger opening 47 so that the putter head 45 can be a single integral piece of material enhancing reliability and eliminating sources of error.

The following table lists the parts numbers and parts descriptions as used herein and in the drawings attached hereto.

Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.