Golf club head with adjustable weighting

• US 5,911,638 A
• Filed: 07/05/1994
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Danny Ashcraft
• Original Assignee: Goldwin Golf U.S.A., Inc.
• Inventors: Cruz, Richard De La, Ashcraft, Danny C., Parente, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/270,910
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/328, 473/334, 473/335, 473/336, 473/337, 473/338, 473/339, 473/342, 473/344, 473/345, 473/346, 473/349, 473/350, 473/256, 473/219, 473/409
• US Class Current: 473/338
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering 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 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A golf club head has a body having a front, striking face, an upper wall, a lower face with a plurality of threaded openings at selected positions, a rear wall, a heel and a toe, and a separate sole plate for securing to the lower face of the body. The sole plate has a plurality of through bores aligned with the openings, through which fastener screws project to secure the sole plate to the body. The fastener screws are selected from a plurality of sets of screws of different weights, whereby each fastener screw may be selected from any one of the sets to control total head weight and weight distribution.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body having a front striking face, a rear wall, an upper wall, a lower wall, a heel and a toe, the body characterized by an empty internal cavity and the lower wall having a plurality of threaded openings extending into said internal cavity at selected positions on the periphery of the lower wall;

a separate sole plate for securing to the lower wall of the body, the sole plate having an equal number of through bores on the periphery thereof for alignment with respective threaded openings extending into said internal cavity when the sole plate is positioned against the lower wall; and

a plurality of screws for selective engagement through said bores into respective aligned openings to secure the sole plate to the lower wall of the body, the screws including a plurality of sets of screws of different weight, whereby the screw weight at each position on the sole plate and lower wall can be selected in order to control the total club weight and weight distribution across the club head.

2. The head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body has an empty internal cavity, and the selected screws extend through said bores and aligned openings into said cavity.

3. The head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screws in different sets are of different lengths.

4. The head as claimed in claim 3, wherein the screw length varies from 1/4 inch to 1 inch.

5. The head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screw weight varies from 2 grams to 5 grams.

6. The head as claimed in claim 1, wherein each screw has an enlarged head and a threaded shaft, the sole plate has an outer face forming the sole of the club head and an inner face for engagement with said lower wall, and said through bores are of stepped diameter including a larger diameter portion extending from said outer face for receiving the head of a selected screw and a smaller diameter portion through which the screw shaft extends.

7. The head as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are three threaded openings, comprising a first opening adjacent the heel, a second opening adjacent the toe, and a third opening adjacent the rear of the body.

8. The head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower wall of the body has a recess and the sole plate is shaped and dimensioned for fitting in said recess, and said sole plate and recessed lower wall have interlocking formations for releasably locking said sole plate in said recess while said screws are secured through said bores and aligned holes.

9. A method of adjusting the weight and weight distribution of a golf club head, comprising the steps of:

forming a golf club head having an empty internal cavity. a lower wall and a separate sole plate for securing to the lower wall of the body,

providing the lower wall of the body with a plurality of threaded openings extending into said internal cavity at selected positions on the periphery of the lower wall;

providing the sole plate with through bores for alignment with the respective threaded openings;

positioning the sole plate against the lower wall with each through bore in alignment with a respective one of the threaded openings;

providing sets of screws of different weights; and

securing the sole plate to the body by selectively engaging screws of selected weight through the bores and into the respective aligned openings to secure the sole plate to the body and to control the total club weight and weight distribution across the club head.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a series of clubs of successive swing weights is provided by attaching the sole plate of successive clubs to the body with heavier weight screws.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of securing the sole plate to the body includes selecting a heavier screw for insertion at the rear of the body to add increased weight at the rear of the club.