Golf club

• US 4,878,666 A
• Filed: 09/30/1988
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rokuro Hosoda
• Original Assignee: Rokuro Hosoda
• Inventors: Hosoda, Rokuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/252,172
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 273/80 C, 273/80.1, 273/167 G, 273/79, 273/168, 403/348, 403/359, 403/325, 403/315-319, 403/146, 403/97
• US Class Current: 473/247
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/026 loft angle only, i.e. relative angular adjustment between the shaft and the club head about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the intended line of play when the club is in its normal address position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/065 for putters

Abstract

A golf club which is variable in its loft angle as an iron head to suit the mode of playing and which may be used as a putter by providing a putting face at the upper edge of the club head, comprises

a spline shaft projecting from the lower end of the club shaft and inserted into a spline hole in a sleeve provided at the back of the club head. The club head can be retained at a desired angle as the spline shaft engages with the spline of the hole. At the tip end of the spline shaft projecting at the mouth of the sleeve, a bush with a lever is provided so that as the lever engages with the mouth of the sleeve, sliding of the spline shaft inside the sleeve is prevented. To change the angle of the club head, the lever located at the tip end of the spline shaft is turned to the position of a slit provided at the mouth of the sleeve, and as the lever slips into the slit, the spline shaft is caused to slide in the hole to release the spline engagement. By turning the club head so that the club face faces downward, the putting face provided at the upper edge of the club head becomes perpendicular and usable as a putter with the club face acting as the sole.

Claims

1. An adjustable golf club having a handle, shaft, and a club head assembly, comprising:

a spline shaft projecting from the lower end of the club shaft;

a sleeve provided at the back of said club head for permitting insertion of said spline shaft, said sleeve including a mouth end;

said spline shaft connected to a spline hole in said sleeve by spline engagement means such that the angle of the club head with respect to the club shaft may be selectively adjusted;

said club head including a club face having at its upper edge a putting surface located in a plane substantially normal to said club face and facing generally the back of the club head;

a slit provided longitudinally along said sleeve at the back of said club head located proximate said mouth end of said sleeve;

said spline shaft further including a tip end projecting from said mouth end engaged with a bush having an inner and outer end, wherein said bush is rotatably mounted about the outer periphery of said spline shaft;

a coil spring inserted in said spline hole of said sleeve between said spline engagement means and said inner end of said bush;

said outer end of said bush attached to said tip end of said spline shaft by means of a bolt head which screws into said tip end of said spline shaft; and

said bush further including a lever abutting against said mouth end of said sleeve to prevent accidental disengagement of said spline engagement means.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said putting surface of said club head is made of a thin plate which is cast integrally with said club head and which is substantially normal to said club face substantially over the entire length of said upper edge of said club face.

3. The golf club of claim 2, wherein said sleeve is provided along the length of the back of said club head at a lower portion of said club head.

4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said sleeve is provided along the length of the back of said club head at a lower portion of said club head.

5. The golf club of claim 4, wherein said mouth end of said sleeve is located on the backside of and inside a tip end of said club head.

6. The golf club of claim 3, wherein said mouth end of said sleeve is located on the backside of and inside a tip end of said club head.

7. The golf club of claim 2, wherein said mouth end of said sleeve is located on the backside of and inside a tip end of said club head.

8. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said mouth end of said sleeve is located on the backside of and inside a tip end of said club head.

9. The golf club of claim 1 wherein said slit is provided substantially in parallel with said back of said club head.

10. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said bolt is screwed to said tip end of said spline shaft by means of a female screw provided inside said tip end of said spline shaft.