Golf clubs

• US 5,509,660 A
• Filed: 08/08/1994
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John C. Elmer
• Original Assignee: John C. Elmer
• Inventors: Elmer, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Steven B.
• Application Number:
  US08/288,272
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 273/173, 273/174, 273/175, 273/169, 273/171, 273/172, 273/167 A, 273/167 F, 273/167 G, 273/167 H, 273/167 J, 273/167 K, 273/77 A, 273/78, 273/79
• US Class Current: 473/288
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

The invention relates to a golf club head which comprises a body made up of two body parts. The first body part comprises a body segment, defining the striking face of the golf club head, and a second body segment extending substantially perpendicularly from the first body segment and defining the sole of the golf club head. The second body part comprises a perimeter weighted frame which forms the rear side of the golf club head and a hosel for receiving a golf club shaft. The two body parts define complementary locating formations permitting the required location of the two body parts with respect to one another and securing together thereof by rivets.

Claims

1. A golf club head for an iron-type golf club defining a striking face, a sole, a toe, a heel and a socket formation for receiving a golf club shaft, the golf club head comprising:

a first body part that includes a first body segment defining the striking face of the golf club head and a second body segment extending integrally from the first body segment and defining the sole of the golf club head;

a second body part removably located with respect to the first body part, the second body part including a frame, operatively located behind the first body segment of the first body part, the frame being perimeter weighted around a central region and providing perimeter weighting operatively behind the striking face defined by the first body segment of the first body part, and the socket formation of the golf club head extending integrally from the frame, the second body part being removably located with respect to the first body part by complementary locating formations defined by the first and second body parts respectively, the complementary locating formations permitting only displacement of the first body part with respect to the second body part along a line substantially parallel to the sole of the golf club head and in a direction away from the socket formation of the second body part; and

securing means for releasably securing the first and second body parts together.

3. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the central region of the frame defines a hole therethrough that is blocked-off by the first body part.

4. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the complementary locating formations include a rail formation and a complementary groove formation defined by the first body part and the second body part respectively, the rail formation being defined by the second body segment of the first body part in a region disposed operatively beneath the second body part, the complementary rail and groove formations extending between the heel and toe of the golf club head.

5. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the heel end of the first body part is profiled to cooperate with a cut-back formation on the second body part for locating the two body parts in their required configuration in the heel end of the golf club head.

6. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the frame and the first body part define abutting faces and the abutting faces define complementary formations whereby these faces are located with respect to one another.

7. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the first body segment of the first body part defining the striking face of the golf club head is a substantially flat planar body segment and the second body segment defining the sole of the golf club head extends substantially perpendicularly from the first body segment.

8. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the securing means includes at least one rivet and the first and second body parts define aligned apertures therein in which the rivet is received.

9. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the securing means includes at least one locking screw and the first and second body parts define aligned apertures in which the locking screw is received, the first and second body parts being secured together by the locking screw.

10. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which an adhesive acts between abutting faces of the first and second body parts.

11. A golf club head as claimed in claim 10, in which channel-shaped recesses are defined in the abutting face of at least one of the first and second body parts, within which the adhesive is collected.

12. A golf club head as claimed in claim 10, in which the adhesive is a silicone-type adhesive forming a resiliently compressible layer of material between the first and second body parts.

13. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the striking face defined by the first body segment of the first body part defines a series of parallel grooves therein that are substantially horizontally disposed in the operative configuration of the golf club head for striking a golf ball.

14. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the second body part is of a material comprising stainless steel.

15. A golf club head as claimed in claim 1, in which the first body part is of a material that provides for predetermined striking characteristics of the golf club head.

16. A golf club head as claimed in claim 15, in which the first body part is formed of any one of the following range of materials:

graphite, beryllium copper, aluminium bronze, forged steel, cast stainless steel, and a combination of these materials.

17. A golf club which includes a golf club head as claimed in claim 1 and a golf club shaft secured to the socket formation of the second body part of the golf club head.

2. A golf club head as claimed in claim 29 in which the socket formation of the second body part is in the form of a hosel, the hosel being formed to permit a golf club shaft to be secured to the second body part.

18. An assembly for a head of a golf club iron, said head having a striking face, a sole, and a socket formation, said assembly comprising:

a) a first body part including a first body segment and a second body segment extending integrally from the first body segment;

b) a second body part including a frame and the socket formation, said socket formation extending integrally from the frame, said first and second body parts being detachably secured to one another to form said head with the assembly in an assembled configuration, said first body segment defining the striking face of the head and said second body segment defining the sole of the head with the assembly in the assembled configuration, said frame being perimeter weighted around a central region thereof such that the frame provides perimeter weighting operatively behind the striking face with the assembly in the assembled configuration; and

c) cooperating first and second securing means on said first and second body parts respectively for detachably securing said first body part to said second body part in said assembled configuration and for permitting displacement of the first body part with respect to the second body part only along a line substantially parallel to the sole of the golf club head and in a direction away from the socket formation of the second body part.

19. An assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein said assembly further comprises a replacement first body part including a replacement first body segment and a replacement second body segment extending integrally from the replacement first body segment, said replacement first body part and said second body part being detachably secured to one another to form a replacement head when the assembly is in a replacement configuration, said replacement first body segment providing the replacement head with a replacement striking face and said replacement second body segment providing the replacement head with a replacement sole when the assembly is in the replacement configuration, said replacement first body part comprising replacement securing means cooperating with said second securing means for detachably securing said replacement first body part to said second body part in said replacement configuration and for permitting displacement of the replacement first body part with respect to the second body part only along a line substantially parallel to a replacement sole of the replacement head and in a direction away from the socket formation of the second body part.

20. An assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the striking face defined by the first body segment forms a first angle with respect to the sole of the head with the assembly in the assembled configuration, and wherein the replacement striking face defined by the replacement first body segment forms a second angle with respect to the replacement sole of the replacement head with the assembly in the replacement configuration, said first and second angles being different.

21. An assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein said assembly further comprises a replacement second body part including a replacement frame and a replacement socket formation extending integrally from the replacement frame, said first body part and said replacement second body part being detachably secured to one another to form a second replacement head when the assembly is in a second replacement configuration, said replacement second body part comprising second replacement securing means cooperative with said first securing means for detachably securing said first body part to said replacement second body part in said second replacement configuration and for permitting displacement of the first body part with respect to the replacement second body part only along a line substantially parallel to the sole of the second replacement head and in a direction away from the replacement socket formation of the replacement second body part.