US1846671A - Shaft for golf clubs - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1932. H. G. BARRETT SHAFT FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed March 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 23, 1.932. H. G. BARRETT SHAFT FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed March 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD G. BARRETT, F WILMETTE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 PYRATONE PRODUCTS CORPORATION, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS SHAFT FOR GOLF CLUBS Application led March 22, 1929. Serial No. 349,015.

This invention relates to improvements in shafts, particularly adapted, though not necessarily limited in its use for golf clubs, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved club of this character in which the head will be adapted for a slight torsional or pivotal or rotary action with respect to the shaft without the use of sprmgs, and in which shaft there is provided an outer shell or casing encompassing the core. The casing at one end is fastened to the head of the club and at its other end, to the shaft or core so that the intermediate portion will be free with respect to the shaft or core, with the result that the necessary or desired amount of torque will be produced and at the same time it will be possible to employ a rigid core in the construction of the shaft.

A further object is to provide improved means for anchoring or securing one end of the casing to the core.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a golf club shaft constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view partly broken away of the head end of the club.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken -on line L1 4, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail elevation of a portion of the anchoring element.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail sectional View of the head end of the golf club shaft shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken on line 9-9, Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, of one end of the core showing the anchoring sleeve or means secured to the core.

Figure 11 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of a combined adapter and torsional element shown in Figure 8.

Referringmore particularly to the drawings and to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 6, the numeral 15 designates a shaft preferably hollow and preferably tapered, to one end of which may be secured in any suitable manner a grip or handle portion 16.

The numeral 17 designates the head of a golf club shaft, here shown as being a wooden head which is provided with the usual opening 18 therethrough and in which the shaft of the club is usually inserted.

Secured to the core at any desired point and in any suitable manner is a sleeve designated generally by the reference numeral 19 which may be constructed of any suitable materi al such as woven wire or the like or reticulated and may be a seamless sleeve, or as shown may be divided along one side as at 20 so as to facilitate the application of the element 19 to the core 15.

This sleeve or element 19 may be of any desired length and closely fits about the core 15. This sleeve is applied to the core preferably by first dipping the sleeve in a flux,

such as Babbitt material and after being placed in position on the core is subjected to the action of heat to cause the same to be fused to the core.

Sleeved upon the end of the core 15 is a tubular member 21 which is constructed of any suitable non-metallic hard flexible material such as pyroxyline, cellulose material or any other suitable material which will become pliable on the action of heat and which when cooled will shrink about the core upon which it is placed.

The tubular member is preferably of an. internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the portion of the core 15 upon which it is sleeved and if desired a filler 22 of any suitable material may be placed upon the core to lill the space between the tubular member and the core.

The tubular member 21 is subjected to the 5 action of heat to render the same pliable either before or after it is telescoped over the core 15, after which it is allowed to become cooled or the cooling may be forced, thereby causing the tubular member which forms a casing to contract and shrink about the core and in so doing the portion of the casing or tubular member 21 into Which the element 19 is telescoped will become embedded in or locked to the element 19, the latter, as before stated, being secured to the core 15 in any suitable manner.

The other end of the tubular member or casing 21 is reduced as at 23 to form a shoulder 24, the extremity 25 of the reduced portion being closed and into which reduced portion the extremity of the core 15 projects.

The shoulder 24 abuts the end of the head 17 and a suitable fastening device 26 may be provided for securing the end of the tubular member or casing 21 to the head 17.

It will therefore be manifest that the tubular member or casing 21 will be secured at one end to the core 15 While the other end of the core is loose with respect to the reduced portion 23 of the casing 21 and as the casing or tubular member 21 is secured by its other end to the head 17 and being free from the core 15, it will be manifest that there Will be a torsional, rotarv or pivotal action of the head 17 with respect to the core 15, due to the inherent resiliency of the material constituting or forming the tubular member or casing 21.

The portion of the core 15 beyond the end of the tubular member or casing 16 may be provided with a covering or casing 27 constructed of any desired or suitable material, preferably pyroxyline or the like, and the proximate end of the casing 27 may be telescoped into the end of the tubular member or casing 21 to abut the end of the element 19.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 7 to 11, there is shown an adapter or tortional element corresponding with the tubular member or casing 21 which may be used with the standard iron head for Wood shafted clubs, thereby adapting the head to be applied to a metallic shaft, preferably a tubular shaft so that a torsional, rotary or pivotal movement may be given to the head With respect to the shaft, and at the same time impart an appearance to the club similar to a wood shaft.

In the said form of the invention the numeral 28 designates the head having a tubular extended shank 29 preferably provided with internal screw threads.

The numeral 30 designates the adapter which is in the form of a tubular member or sleeve having an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the portion of the core upon which it is to be sleeved.

One end of the tubular member or casing 30 is reduced as at 31 to form a shoulder 32 and this tubular ortion may be provided with screw threa s as shown in Figure 8, adapted to engage threads in the tubular portion-29 of the head 28 or smooth as shown in Figure 11. If the former, the threads on the tubular member 30 should be left hand threads to prevent the head 28 from turning off of the shaft when a ball is struck by the head. If the periphery of the reduced portion 3l is smooth the tubular member or casing 30 may be secured to the head by means of cement, glue, or the like. The periphery of the element adjacent the shoulder 32 may be flared as at 32EL to resemble a wood shaft.

The core 15 as Well as the internal diameter of the tubular member or casing 30 are tapered and secured to the core at any desired point preferably in proximity to the head 28 is a sleeve 33 fastened in position in any desired or suitable manner, and the sleeve is provided with openings 34 therethrough.

The casing or tubular member 30 may be subjected to the action of heat so as to render the same pliable, it being constructed of any suitable hard, non-metallic and flexible material capable of being rendered pliable by such action of heat. The heating of the casing or tubular member 30 may be accomplished either before or after it is placed upon the end of the core 15 and when in p0- sition and after it has been rendered pliable, it is then cooled, which cooling may be forced if desired to cause the portion of the casing or tubular member 30 into which the element 33 telescopes to contract or shrink upon the core, and portions of the casing adjacent the element 33 will enter the openings 34 and thereby securely fasten the end of the element 30 to the core 15.

The other end of the core 15 telescopes loosely into the reduced end 31 of the element 3() and if desired a spacer or filler member 35 may be provided in the space between the tubular member or casing 30 and the'periphery of the core 15, with the result ythat the tubular member or casing 30 will be anchored or secured to the core 15 at on end while it will be free from the core at the other end, but will in turn be secured to the head 28.

With this construction it will be manifest that the head 28 will be adapted for a slight torsional, rotary or pivotal movement with respect to the core 15 by reason of the inherent resiliency of the material of which the tubular member or casing 30 is constructed.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the Laaae'ri combination and arrangement of the several parts, Within the scope of the claims, Without departing from the spirit of this invention.

`What is claimed as new is l. A golf club embodying a head provided with an open handle socket, a tubular eleinent constructed of non-metallic hard and flexible material, one end of said element being reduced and fixedly secured in said socket, a shaft, one end of Which loosely telescopes into said element and head, the telescoping portions of said element and shaft Within the head being disconnected and rotatable one with respect to the other, and means securing the free end of said element to the shaft in proximity to but spaced from said head.

2. A golf club embodying a shaft, a head, and means securing the head to the shaft to provide a slight torsional movement of the head with respect to 'the shaft, said means embodying a tubular element sleeved over the end of the shaft, one end of said element being anchored to the head and the other end anchored to the shaft, the portions of the shaft and element in the head being axially rotatable one with respect to the other.

3. A golf club embodying a shaft, a head, and means securing the head to the shaft to provide a slight torsional movement of the head with respect to the shaft, said means embodying a tubular element sleeved over the end of the shaft, one end of said element being anchored to the head and disconnected from the shaft and the other end of the element beingl anchored to the shaft, said sleeve being resilient and operating to return said head to normal position after distortion.

4c. A golf club embodying a shaft, a head, and means securing the head to the shaft to provide a slight torsional movement of the head With respect to the shaft, said means embodying a tubular element sleeved over the end of the shaft, one end of said element being anchored to the head and disconnected from the shaft, and the other end of the element being anchored to the shaft, said element be ing formed of non-metallic hard and flexible material.

5. A golf club embodying a head provided with an open handle socket, a tubular element constructed of non-metallic hard `and flexible material, one end of said element being reduced and fixedly secured in said socket, a shaft, one end of which loosely telescopes into said element and head, means securing the free end of said element to the shaft in proximity to said head, and a casing sleeved upon the shaft beyond said element, one end of said casing telescoping into said element.

G. A golf club embodying a head provided with an open handle socket, a tubular element of non-metallic hard and flexible material, one end of the element being secured in said socket, a shaft, one end loosely telescoping inte said element and head, an apertured sleeve encompassing and secured to said shaft and over which the other end of said tubular element telescopes, a portion of said element extending into said apertures.

7. A golf club embodying a head provided with an open handle socket, a tubular element of non-metallic hard and flexible material, one end of the element being reduced and secured in said socket, a shaft, one end loosely telescoping into said element and head, and a sleeve formed of reticulated material encompassin g and secured to said shaft and over Which the other end of said tubular element telescopes, a portion of said element extending into said apertures.

fn testimony "whereof l have signed my name to this specification on this 12th day of March, A. D. 1929.

HARLD G. BARRETT.

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