Golf putter

• US 6,988,955 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Norman L. Stoakes
• Original Assignee: Norman L. Stoakes
• Inventors: Stoakes, Norman L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/700,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 473251-256, 473334-339, 473/313, 473340-341, 473/242, 473/249, D21736-746, D21/751, D21/759
• US Class Current: 473/242
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved golf putter for increasing alignment and feel in the putting stroke which includes a club head having a body and a forward ball striking surface and a club shaft having a handle, the shaft connected to and extending upwards from the body of the club head. A weight-receiving pocket is formed in an upper surface of the body of the club head and a weight mounting device such as a screw is mounted within the weight-receiving pocket in the body of the club head. At least one club head weight is removably mounted within the weight-receiving pocket of the body of the club head by engagement with the weight mounting device, the club head weight including club head alignment indicia on the top face of club head weight operative to provide visual alignment cues for ball striking by the forward ball striking surface.

Claims

1. An improved golf putter for increasing alignment and feel in the putting stroke comprising:

a club head having a body and a forward ball striking surface;

a club shaft connected to and extending upwards from said body of said club head, said club shaft further including a handle on the upper end thereof;

a weight-receiving pocket formed in an upper surface of said body of said club head;

weight mounting means mounted within said weight-receiving pocket in said body of said club head;

at least one club head weight removably mounted within said weight-receiving pocket of said body of said club head by engagement with said weight mounting means, said at least one club head weight including a generally flat top plate and a weight mounting means engagement portion mounted on the underside of said top plate and depending downwards therefrom, said top plate of said at least one club head weight having approximately the same length and width dimensions as said weight-receiving pocket such that when said at least one club head weight is placed within said weight-receiving pocket, said top plate is generally aligned with the upper surface of said body of said club head to create a generally smooth surface having a good aesthetic appearance which will also generally prevent the incursion of foreign objects into said weight-receiving pocket;

said at least one club head weight including club head alignment indicia on the top face of said at least one club head weight operative to provide visual alignment cues for ball striking by said forward ball striking surface.

2. The improved golf putter of claim 1 wherein said club head is generally trapezoidal in shape.

3. The improved golf putter of claim 2 wherein said weight-receiving pocket is generally rectangular in shape and is generally aligned with the center longitudinal axis of said body of said club head.

4. The improved golf putter of claim 1 wherein said at least one club head weight has a weight between 100 and 600 grams.

5. The improved golf putter of claim 1 wherein said club head alignment indicia comprises linked arrows generally aligned with the center longitudinal axis of said body of said club head.

6. The improved golf putter of claim 1 wherein said club head alignment indicia comprises at least two parallel lines generally aligned with the center longitudinal axis of said body of said club head.

7. The improved golf putter of claim 1 wherein said club head alignment indicia comprises at least two depending circles generally aligned with the center longitudinal axis of said body of said club head.

8. An improved golf putter for increasing alignment and feel in the putting stroke comprising:

a club head having a body and a forward ball striking surface;

a club shaft connected to and extending upwards from said body of said club head, said club shaft further including a handle on the upper end thereof;

a weight-receiving pocket formed in an upper surface of said body of said club head;

weight mounting means mounted within said weight-receiving pocket in said body of said club head;

at least two club head weights having differing weight, each operative to be removably mounted within said weight-receiving pocket of said body of said club head by engagement with said weight mounting means such that the total weight of said club head is adjustable, said at least two club head weights each including a top plate and a weight mounting means engagement portion mounted on the underside of said top plate and depending downwards therefrom, said top plate of each of said at least two club head weights having approximately the same length and width dimensions as said weight-receiving pocket such that when each of said at least two club head weights is placed within said weight-receiving pocket, said top plate is generally aligned with the upper surface of said body of said club head and is operative to generally prevent the incursion of foreign objects into said weight-receiving pocket;

each of said at least two club head weights including club head alignment indicia on the top face of said at least two club head weights operative to provide visual alignment cues for ball striking by said forward ball striking surface.

9. An improved golf putter for increasing alignment and feel in the putting stroke comprising:

a club head having a body and a forward ball striking surface;

a club shaft connected to and extending upwards from said body of said club head, said club shaft further including a handle on the upper end thereof;

a weight-receiving pocket formed in an upper surface of said body of said club head;

weight mounting means mounted within said weight-receiving pocket in said body of said club head;

at least one club head weight removably mounted within said weight-receiving pocket of said body of said club head by engagement with said weight mounting means;

said weight mounting means including at least one weight mounting screw extending upwards from the base of said weight-receiving pocket into the weight-receiving pocket for releasably securing said club head weight within said weight-receiving pocket; and

said at least one club head weight including club head alignment indicia on the top face of said at least one club head weight operative to provide visual alignment cues for ball striking by said forward ball striking surface.