Golf putter head

• US 5,803,825 A
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rick Hamilton Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rick Hamilton Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Hamilton, Richard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/928,449
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 473/251, 473/313, 473/329, 473/340, 473/341, 473/350, 473/349, 473/252, 473/223, 473/224, 473/234, 473/256, 473/291, 473/332, 473/342
• US Class Current: 473/252
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3635 with sound-emitting source

Abstract

A golf putter head incorporating a resonating cavity which provides acoustic indicia of optimum contact between the putter head and a golf ball. A putter head in accordance with the present invention comprises a main weighted body and a striking member secured thereto. The main weighted body has a striking face which is intended to be substantially perpendicular to the putting surface. A cavity of predetermined geometry is centrally disposed into a recessed portion of the striking face of the weighted body. A striking plate is adapted to be frictionally engaged within the face recess. A cavity which is a mirror image of that disposed in the main weighted body is disposed in the striking plate. When the striking plate is frictionally inserted within the recess in the face of the weighted body, the cavities disposed in the respective members are placed in abutment to one another thereby creating a unitary, resonating cavity fully bounded by the surfaces of the adjacent main weighted body and the striking plate. When the striking plate contacts a golf ball along the axis of the resonating cavity, enhanced acoustic indicia will be produced.

Claims

1. A golf putter head comprising:

(a) a weighted body having forward, rearward, top and bottom surfaces, a central recess being formed in said forward surface;

(b) a first uniform depression located in said recess;

(c) a striking plate having forward and rearward surfaces having an elevated member uniformly depending from said rearward surface;

(d) means for securely coupling the rearward surface of said striking plate to the forward surface of said weighted body, said elevated member being disposed within said recess; and

(e) a second uniform depression disposed in the elevated member, said first and second depressions forming a resonant cavity when the forward surface of said weighted body and said rearward surface of said striking plate are adjacent one another.

2. A golf putter head as defined in claim 1 further including an alignment guide disposed in the top surface of said weighted body.

3. A golf putter head as defined in claim 2 wherein said resonant cavity is uniformly aligned with said alignment guide.

4. A golf putter head as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for securely coupling comprises first and second alignment apertures disposed in said recess on opposite sides of said first uniform depression and first and second alignment pins depending rearwardly from said elevated member on said opposite sides of the second uniform depression, said first and second alignment pin being adapted to frictionally engage said alignment aperture.

5. A golf putter head as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second uniform depression comprise a void defined by the forward surface of said weighted body and the rearward surface of said striking plate whereby the impact of the forward surface of the striking plate and a golf ball create distinguishable, audible indicia.

6. A golf putter head comprising:

(a) a weighted body having forward, rearward, top and bottom surfaces, a central recess being formed in said forward surface and including a first, uniform depression centrally located within said recess and first and second alignment apertures formed in said recess on opposite sides of said first uniform depression;

(b) a striking plate having forward and rearward surfaces and having an elevated member uniformly depending from said rearward surface, said elevated member being adapted to be frictionally secured within said recess and a second uniform depression formed in said elevated member which is a mirror image of said first uniform depression;

(c) first and second alignment pins depending rearwardly from said elevated member on opposite sides of said second uniform depression, said first and second alignment pins adapted to be frictionally engaged within said first and second alignment apertures respectively.

7. A golf putter head as defined in claim 6 further including an alignment guide formed in the top surface of said weighted body.

8. A golf putter head as defined in claim 6 wherein said first and second uniform depressions form a resonant cavity when said striking plate is frictionally engaged with said weighted body.