GB443439A - Improved self-aligning attaching, connecting or coupling means - Google Patents

Abstract

443,439. Rod couplings. BOWSER, G. E., 9, Neville Road, and HARDING, W., 57, Regent Road, both in Leicester. Aug. 31, 1934, No. 25148. [Class 99 (i)] [See also Group XV] In connecting two members together to make a friction-tight joint, additional selfaligning coupling means are provided which are secured against longitudinal movement in the associated parts to be connected, one or each coupling element being mounted so as to be capable of limited lateral play for the purpose of compensating for any irregularity which would prevent proper alignment of the parts of the joint. The invention is described with reference to golf clubs and in the form shown in Fig. 1, a tapering steel shaft 2 makes a friction joint with the hollow tapering socket 1a of a head 1. The additional coupling means comprise a bolt 3 rigidly fixed in the hollow shaft and a nut or bush 4 mounted on a rivet 4b in such a way as to have limited play in all lateral directions. A resilient cushion, e.g. of rubber, may be inserted between the bush 4 and the socket 1a. In a modification, Fig. 3, the bush 4 is rigidly held and the bolt 3c has a round head loosely mounted on a rivet 3x. In the case of a wooden club the shaft may be of metal or of wood reinforced with metal and the neck or socket of the head is reinforced by inner and outer metal sleeves. Shafts of different sizes or degrees of resiliency may be used with a head having a socket of a given size by the use of external sleeves fitted on the shafts and adapted to fit tightly into the socket. If the shaft and sockets are of parallel formation, the friction grip may be increased, as shown in Fig. 6, by rounding slightly the lower edge 3h of the bolt head 3g to co-operate with a seating 1c in the socket. Alternatively, the shaft may have an expansible collar, the lower end or skirt of which is split longitudinally to fit tightly over the socket. One of the screw-threaded elements may be formed with a screwdriver slot to facilitate dismantling in the event of breakage of one of the parts. To increase the fractional grip, one or both elements of the joint may be magnetized.