Method for manufacturing a golf club

• US 4,252,262 A
• Filed: 09/05/1978
• Issued: 02/24/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Y. Igarashi
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Y. Igarashi
• Inventors: Igarashi, Lawrence Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crane, Daniel C.
• Application Number:
  US05/939,270
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 228/174, 273/173, 273/167 J, 273/175, 273/167 R, 273/167 A, 273/167 B, 273/167 C, 273/167 D, 273/167 E, 273/167 F, 273/167 G, 273/167 H, 273/167 K , 273/168, 273/77 R, 273/77 A
• US Class Current: 228/174
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A method for the manufacture of golf clubs of the iron or wood types having the characteristic of improved driving power. This characteristic of greater driving power results from the manufacture of the golf clubs with a flexible striking face. The flexible striking face is designed to vibrate in simple harmonic motion of the same frequency as the struck golf ball. The flexible striking face design is such that the frequency of vibration of the striking face is constant across its face and the amplitude of vibration is constant across its face and, as a consequence thereof, the restoring force of the resilient face combines with the restoring force of the struck golf ball to impart a greater distance to the drive. The method of manufacture comprises casting a head having a neck and body dependent thereon and providing the body with an open cavity behind its face that extends from one edge thereof across a substantial portion of the face. The striking face plate may be integrally formed with the body of the club at the time of casting or it may be secured thereto by fusing the periphery of the face plate to the body of the club.

Claims

1. A method for the manufacture of a golf club head having improved driving power which comprises the following steps:

casting a head having a neck and body dependent thereon of the shape and size generally characteristic of a golf club head defined by sides, face, back, top edge and bottom edge, while providing an open cavity in the face of said body which cavity extends from the top edge of said body across a substantialportion of said face;

forming faceplate grooves along three cavity edges;

preparing a solid metal plate having grooves along three edges, a flat face and an opposite face defined by three partial cylindrical surfaces intersecting along parallel axes, wherein said metal plate is dimensioned so as to have a resonant frequency equal to that of a struck golf ball, and axes of said cylindrical surfaces are located to yield constant amplitude of vibration across said face;

placing said metal plate in said grooves with the opposite face disposed in the cavity and thereby closing said fact to said cavity; and

,

fusing said metal plate about its periphery to said head body.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said cavity extends from a point below the top edge of said body to the bottom edge of said body.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said cavity extends to the bottom of said body.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said metal plate is approximately 5.0 centimeters long and from approximately 3 millimeters to 4 millimeters thick.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said body is of one piece construction formed by casting process.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said cavity extends from a point below the top edge of said body to the bottom edge of said body.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said cavity extends to the bottom of said body.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said metal plate is approximately 5.0 centimeters long and from approximately 3 millimeters to 4 millimeters thick.