Golf club with adjustable head

• US 5,538,245 A
• Filed: 06/23/1995
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald D. Moore
• Original Assignee: Donald D. Moore
• Inventors: Moore, Donald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/493,940
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 273/79, 273/168, 273/80.1, 273/80.2, 273/167 R, 273/80 D, 403/97
• US Class Current: 473/239
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/0085 Telescopic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32368 including radial interengaging tongue and slot or serrations

Abstract

An adjustable head golf club has a selection ring (16) positioned with shank end ratchet teeth (19) in ratchet relationship to shank ratchet teeth (20) and with head end ratchet teeth (17) in ratchet relationship to head ratchet teeth (18). A fastener rod (4,10) is extended intermediate a club attachment base (11) on the back side (29) of the club head (1) and a shank attachment base (12) on a shank (2). A fastener head (44, 45, 46) of the fastener rod can be buttressed either against an inward side of the club attachment base or against an outward side of a shank attachment base, depending on design preferences. A plurality of shank end ratchet teeth and shank ratchet teeth is different from a plurality of head end ratchet teeth and head ratchet teeth. The shank end ratchet teeth are designedly offset circumferentially to provide vernier type adjustment of face angle loft and handle angle lie by selective circumferential positioning of the selection ring between the head ratchet teeth and the shank ratchet teeth according to an alignment radius (62), alignment marks (63) and mode letters (60). For closed positioning of a telescopically closeable handle for travel mode, a shaft ring or ferrule (56) on the shaft is designedly eccentric to maintain closed mode conveniently.

Claims

1. An adjustable head golf club comprising:

an adjustable golf club head having an impact face, a back, a bottom, an outside end, a top and an inside end;

a club attachment base on an inside end wall on the back of the adjustable golf club head;

a plurality of head ratchet teeth positioned circumferentially external from a head fastener means that is inward from an outward side of the club attachment base;

a shank having a shank attachment base with an axis of the shank attachment base designedly angular to the shank and positioned on a head end of the shank;

a plurality of shank ratchet teeth positioned circumferentially external from a shank fastener means on a head side of the shank fastener means;

a selector ring positioned between the head side of the shank fastener means and the outward side of the club attachment base;

the selector ring having linear positioning and circumferential-positioning means for positioning the adjustable golf club head linearly and selectively circumferential on the shank;

a fastener having a fastener rod positioned intermediate a fastener base side of the head fastener means and a fastener base side of the shank fastener means; and

a handle attachable to the shank.

2. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 1 wherein:

the selector ring is a double ended ratchet sleeve having a head end and a shank end.

3. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 1 wherein:

the linear positioning and circumferential-positioning means for positioning the adjustable golf-club head linearly and selectively circumferential on the shank is a double-ended ratchet sleeve having a plurality of head end ratchet teeth equal to the plurality of head ratchet teeth and a design plurality of shank end ratchet teeth equal to the plurality of the shank ratchet teeth;

the head end ratchet teeth are positioned circumferentially on a head end of the double ended ratchet sleeve;

the shank end ratchet teeth are positioned circumferentially on a shank end of the double ended ratchet sleeve;

the head end ratchet teeth have ramps that are oppositely sloped from ramps of shank end ratchet teeth on the double ended ratchet sleeve;

the head ratchet teeth have ramps that are oppositely sloped from ramps of shank ratchet teeth on the shank;

ratchet contact surfaces of end walls and of the ramps of the head end ratchet teeth lie in planes parallel to ratchet contact surfaces on end walls and of the ramps of the head ratchet teeth;

ratchet contact surfaces of end walls of the ramps of the shank end ratchet teeth lie in planes parallel to ratchet contact surfaces of end walls of the ramps of the shank ratchet teeth;

the end walls and ramps of the head end ratchet teeth are sized, shaped and positioned to fit against the end walls of the ramps of the head ratchet teeth circumferentially;

the end walls and ramps of the shank end ratchet teeth are sized, shaped and positioned to fit against the end walls of the ramps of the shank ratchet teeth circumferentially; and

the double ended ratchet sleeve is selectively positioned circumferentially and linearly intermediate the shank and the adjustable head golf club with the fastener rod.

4. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 3 wherein:

the plurality of head ratchet teeth and head end ratchet teeth is different from the plurality of shank ratchet teeth and shank end ratchet teeth.

5. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 4 wherein:

the plurality of head ratchet teeth and head end ratchet teeth is 20 and the plurality of shank ratchet teeth and shank end ratchet teeth is 22 respectively.

6. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 1 and further comprising:

a bottom wall on the bottom of the adjustable golf club head at a angle in excess of perpendicularity from the impact face and extended rearward from the impact face;

an outside end wall extended rearward from an outside edge of the impact face;

a top wall extended rearward from a top edge of the impact face;

an inside end wall extended rearward from an inside end of the impact face; and

the bottom wall, the outside end wall, the top wall and the inside end wall form a configuration of the back of the adjustable golf club head with a thin and resilient impact section known generally as a sweet spot intermediate the impact face and the back of the adjustable golf club head and inwardly from the bottom wall, the inside end wall, the top wall and the inside-end wall of the adjustable golf club head which border a back side of the sweet spot.

7. An adjustable golf club as described in claim 1 wherein:

the shank attachment base is offset laterally from an axis of the handle.

8. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 1 and further comprising:

a handle attachment shaft ring that is designedly out-of-round and positioned on the shaft to receive a head end of a telescopically closeable handle with snugness in closed mode of the telescopically closeable handle.

9. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 1 wherein:

the bottom of the adjustable golf club head has a putting face with a design angle in excess of perpendicularity from the impact face and extended rearward from the impact face.

10. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 9 wherein:

an axis of a fastener rod with which the adjustable head golf club is fastened to the shank attachment base is positioned about ten degrees circumferentially from the putting face.

11. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 10 wherein:

the angle in excess of perpendicularity from the impact face at which the putting face is extended rearward from the impact face is about 114 degrees.

12. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 6 wherein:

the bottom of the adjustable golf club head has a putting face with a angle in excess of perpendicularity from the impact face and extended rearward from the impact face.

13. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 12 wherein:

an axis of a fastener rod with which the adjustable head golf club is fastened to the shank attachment base is positioned about ten degrees circumferentially from the putting face.

14. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 13 wherein:

the angle in excess of perpendicularity from the impact face at which the putting face is extended rearward from the impact face is about 114 degrees.

15. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 1 wherein:

the linear positioning and circumferential-positioning means for positioning the adjustable golf club head linearly and selectively circumferential on the shank is a double ended ratchet sleeve having a plurality of head-end ratchet teeth equal to the plurality of the head ratchet teeth and a design plurality of shank end ratchet teeth equal to the plurality of the shank ratchet teeth;

the head end ratchet teeth are positioned circumferentially on a head end of the double ended ratchet sleeve;

the shank end ratchet teeth are positioned circumferentially on a shank end of the double ended ratchet sleeve;

the head end ratchet teeth have ramps that are oppositely sloped from ramps on shank end ratchet teeth on the double ended ratchet sleeve;

the head ratchet teeth have ramps that are oppositely sloped from ramps on shank ratchet teeth on the shank;

ratchet contact surfaces of end walls of the ramps of the head end ratchet teeth are positioned in planes parallel to ratchet contact surfaces of end walls of the ramps of the head ratchet teeth;

ratchet contact surfaces of end walls of the ramps of the shank end ratchet teeth are positioned in planes parallel to ratchet contact surfaces of end walls of the ramps of the shank ratchet teeth;

the end walls and ramps of the head end ratchet teeth are sized, shaped and positioned to fit against the end walls of the ramps of the head ratchet teeth circumferentially;

the end walls and ramps of the shank end ratchet teeth are sized, shaped and positioned to fit against the end walls of the ramps of the shank ratchet teeth circumferentially;

the double ended ratchet sleeve is selectively positioned circumferentially and linearly intermediate the shank and the adjustable head golf club with the fastener rod;

the bottom wall on the bottom of the adjustable golf club head is extended a angle in excess of perpendicularity from the impact face and extended rearward from the impact face;

an outside end wall is extended rearward from an outside edge of the impact face;

a top wall is extended rearward from a top edge of the impact face;

an inside end wall is extended rearward from an inside end of the impact face; and

the bottom wall, the outside end wall, the top wall and the inside-end wall form a configuration of the back of the adjustable golf club head with a thin and resilient impact section known generally as a sweet spot intermediate the impact face and the back of the adjustable golf club head and inwardly from the bottom wall, the inside end wall, the top wall and the inside-end wall of the adjustable golf club head which border a back side of the sweet spot.

16. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 15 wherein:

the bottom of the adjustable club head has a putting face with a angle in excess of perpendicularity from the impact face and extended rearward from the impact face.

17. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 16 wherein:

an axis of a fastener rod with which the adjustable head golf club is fastened to the shank attachment base is positioned about ten degrees circumferentially from the putting face.

18. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 17 wherein:

the angle in excess of perpendicularity from the impact face at which the putting face is extended rearward from the impact face is about 114 degrees.

19. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 17 wherein:

the fastener rod is a shank side bolt that is machine threaded and has a fastener head on a shank end of the shank side bolt;

the fastener head is designed to fit against a shank fastener surface that is extended outward radially from a shank bolt hole in the shank fastener means;

the shank fastener surface is on a fastening side of the shank fastener means;

a machine threaded coupling having an internal periphery sized and shaped to receive the shank side bolt and an anchor bolt from opposite directions threadably is positioned in internal peripheries of the club attachment base and the shank attachment base; and

the anchor bolt has a bolt head anchored to a club side of the club attachment base.

20. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 19 and further comprising:

a click spring having expansion pressure intermediate the club attachment base and the anchor bolt.

21. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 20 and further comprising:

a noninterference wrench means on the fastener head.

22. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 21 wherein:

the noninterference wrench means is a locking lever attached to the fastener head and extended from the fastener head at a angle proximate an angle of an axis of the shank bolt hole in relationship to the shank; and

the locking lever is sized and shaped to fit behind the shank with the machine threaded bolt in tightly screwed relationship between the shank attachment base and the club attachment base.

23. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 22 wherein:

a cornered socket is positioned on an internal periphery of the shank attachment base to allow adjustment of the locking lever to a position parallel to the shank.

24. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 21 wherein:

the noninterference wrench means is a coin lock having at least one screwdriver channel extended about diametrically from side to side of the fastener head;

width of the at least one screwdriver channel is to receive slidingly a flat object; and

a bottom wall of the at least one screwdriver channel is arcuately configured to match an arcuate outside portion of a periphery of the flat object.

25. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 24 wherein:

the flat object is a desired coin, such that a washer, a flat key with an arcuate end equal to an arcuate section of the desired coin, a washer having a width and diameter about the same as the desired coin, the coin or other flat object that is similarly shaped and conveniently carried can be used in screwdriver like manner for turning the fastener head while arcuate form of the bottom wall of the at least one screwdriver channel arrests side travel of the flat object out of the at least one screwdriver channel laterally.

26. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 17 wherein:

the fastener rod is a machine threaded anchor bolt having a bolt head on a club end;

the anchor bolt is extended from the bolt head at an inside end of the club attachment base to the fastener side of the shank fastener means and into a fastener nut;

the bolt head on the club end is sized and shaped to fit circumferentially against the inside end of the club attachment base;

the design fastener nut is provided with a nut face designed to fit against a shank fastener surface that is extended outward radially from a shank bolt hole in the shank fastener means;

the shank fastener surface is on a fastening side of the shank fastener means; and

a machine threaded bolt hole sized and shaped to receive the machine-threaded fastener bolt threadably is positioned in the fastener nut.

27. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 26 and further comprising:

a click spring having expansion pressure intermediate the shank attachment base and the anchor bolt.

28. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 26 and further comprising:

a noninterference wrench means on the fastener nut.

29. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 28 wherein:

the noninterference wrench means is a coin lock having at least one screwdriver channel extended about diametrically from side to side of the fastener head;

width of the at least one screwdriver channel is to receive slidingly a flat object; and

a bottom wall of the at least one screwdriver channel is arcuately configured to match an arcuate outside portion of a periphery of the flat object.

30. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 29 wherein:

the desired flat object is a coin, such that a washer, a flat key with an arcuate end equal to an arcuate section of the coin, a washer having a width and diameter about the same as the coin, the coin or other flat object that is similarly shaped and conveniently carried can be used in screwdriver-like manner for turning the fastener head while arcuate form of the bottom wall of the at least one screwdriver channel arrests side travel of the flat object out of the at least one screwdriver channel laterally.

31. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 1 wherein:

the linear positioning and circumferential-positioning means for positioning the adjustable golf club head linearly and selectively circumferential on the shank is a double ended ratchet sleeve having a plurality of head-end ratchet teeth equal to the plurality of the head ratchet teeth and a design plurality of shank end ratchet teeth equal to the plurality of shank ratchet teeth;

the head end ratchet teeth are positioned circumferentially on a head end of the double-ended ratchet sleeve;

the shank end ratchet teeth are positioned circumferentially on a shank end of the double ended ratchet sleeve;

the head end ratchet teeth have ramps that are oppositely sloped from ramps of shank end ratchet teeth on the double-ended ratchet sleeve;

the head ratchet teeth have ramps that are oppositely sloped from ramps of shank ratchet teeth on the shank;

ratchet contact surfaces of end walls and of the ramps of the head end ratchet teeth are positioned in planes that are parallel to ratchet contact surfaces on end walls of the ramps of the head ratchet teeth;

ratchet contact surfaces of end walls and of the ramps of the shank end ratchet teeth are positioned in planes that are parallel to ratchet contact surfaces on end walls of the ramps of the shank ratchet teeth;

the end walls and ramps of the head end ratchet teeth are sized, shaped and positioned to fit against the end walls of the ramps of the head ratchet teeth circumferentially;

the end walls and ramps of the shank end ratchet teeth are sized, shaped and positioned to fit against the end walls of the ramps of the shank ratchet teeth circumferentially;

the double-ended ratchet sleeve is selectively positioned circumferentially and linearly intermediate the shank and the adjustable-head golf club with the fastener rod;

the plurality of head ratchet teeth and head end ratchet teeth is different from the plurality of shank ratchet teeth and shank end ratchet teeth respectively;

one of the plurality of head end ratchet teeth is in line linearly with one of the plurality of shank end ratchet teeth on the double-ended ratchet sleeve;

circumferential positioning of remaining plurality of head end ratchet teeth are offset a circumferential portion of circular degrees from circumferential positioning of remaining plurality of shank end ratchet teeth in proportion to circumferential spacing of the head end ratchet teeth relative to circumferential spacing of the shank end ratchet teeth on the double ended ratchet sleeve;

loft numbers related designedly to loft angles of at least one impact face are inscribed in proximity to the head end ratchet teeth and to the shank end ratchet teeth circumferentially on an outside periphery of the double-ended ratchet sleeve; and

one of the loft numbers is in line linearly with the one of the plurality of the head end ratchet teeth that is in line linearly with the one of the plurality of the shank end ratchet teeth on the double-ended ratchet sleeve.

32. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 31 and further comprising:

at least one adjustment mark on an external periphery of the shank attachment base in line with at least one select loft number.

33. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 32 and further comprising:

at least one alignment mark on an external periphery of the club attachment base in line with at least one select loft number.

34. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 33 and further comprising:

at least one mode letter on an external periphery of the shank attachment base at a design circumferential distance from at least one loft number.

35. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 33 and further comprising:

an alignment indicator at a design circumferential position on an external periphery of the club attachment base.

36. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 35 wherein:

the alignment indicator is an alignment radius on an external periphery of the club attachment base;

the alignment radius being at a juncture of a half circle sleeve and a full circle sleeve proximate the inside end of the club attachment base; and

the alignment radius being sized to provide visibility of an inscription circle surrounding a select loft number on the selector ring.

37. An adjustable head golf club as described in claim 35 wherein:

the alignment indicator is an alignment mark on an external periphery of the club attachment base.

38. A method for using an adjustable head golf club comprising:

an adjustable golf club head having an impact face, a back, a bottom, an outside end, a top and an inside end;

a club attachment base on an inside end wall on the back of the adjustable golf club head;

a design plurality of head ratchet teeth positioned circumferentially external from a head fastener means that is inward from an outward side of the club attachment base;

a shank having a shank attachment base with an axis of the shank attachment base angular to the shank and positioned on a head end of the shank;

a plurality of shank ratchet teeth positioned circumferentially external from a shank fastener means on a head side of the shank fastener means;

a selector ring positioned between the head side of the shank fastener means and the outward side of the club attachment base;

the selector ring having linear positioning and circumferential-positioning means for positioning the adjustable golf club head linearly and selectively circumferential on the shank;

a fastener having a fastener rod positioned intermediate a fastener base side of the head fastener means and a fastener base side of the shank fastener means;

loft numbers on the selector ring;

mode letters on the shank attachment base;

a click spring having expansion pressure intermediate the shank attachment base and an anchor bolt; and

an alignment indicator on an external periphery of the club attachment base;

the method comprising the following steps;

loosening the anchor bolt by selectively unscrewing the fastener means to provide sufficient distance between the club attachment base and the shank attachment base for the selector ring to rotate without inhibitive ratchet obstruction by ratchet teeth on the shank attachment base, on the selector ring and on the club attachment base;

circumferentially positioning a desired loft number adjacent the alignment indicator;

maintaining the club attachment base and the selector ring in ratchet engagement relationship while circumferentially positioning the loft number in select linear alignment with a mode letter; and

tightening the anchor bolt by screwing the fastener means to a position of tight engagement of the head ratchet teeth and the shank ratchet teeth to the selector ring.

39. A method as described in claim 38 and further comprising the additional step of:

further adjusting loft angle before fully tightening the anchor bolt;

the further adjusting of loft angle being accomplished by select opposite-directional click rotation of the club attachment base and the shank attachment base when the anchor bolt is partially un tightened to an extent that clicking of the ratchet teeth in opposition to a click spring occurs for selective ratchet-arc rotation of the club attachment base and the shank attachment base past ratchet teeth on the selector ring; and

tightening the anchor bolt by screwing the fastener means to a position of tight engagement of the head ratchet teeth and the shank ratchet teeth to the selector ring.