Butt-mounted shaft extension for a golf club

• US 8,348,783 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Soracco, Peter L., Hartwell, Bradford Hughes, Scott, Kenneth C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US12/760,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20110256949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 473/294, 473/296, 473298-299
• US Class Current: 473/296
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/12 Metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 Caps; Ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/22 Adjustable handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/28 with adjustable length

Abstract

A device designed for extending a golf club shaft. The device is a three-piece mechanism with a bottom piece bonded into the top end of a tubular golf club shaft, and a plurality of top piece sizes that are removably connected to the bottom piece and provide the adjustments in club length. A special golf grip having an accordion like plurality of rings can expand or contract in accordance with the amount of club length adjustment.

Claims

1. An extension device for a golf club shaft, comprising:

a top piece, a bottom piece, an inner screw, and a grip to cover the device;

the bottom piece bonded into a tubular opening in the top of the golf club shaft;

the top piece having a longitudinal cylindrical outer sidewall with slots defined therein, and including an upper recess and a lower recess;

the bottom piece having a plurality of fingers extending from an upper portion, the fingers dimensioned to slide within the slots therein engaging the top piece to the bottom piece, and having a chamber with a stop at the top of the chamber; and

the inner screw having a top section disposed in the upper recess of the top piece, a first locking nut disposed in the lower recess of the top piece, a second locking nut disposed in the chamber of the bottom piece, a threaded lower end seated into a treaded section of the bottom piece,

wherein a golfer by using an appropriate tool can turn the inner screw to further adjust the club length by causing the second locking nut to transverse within the length of the chamber to either extend or shorten the overall length of the club the length of the shaft.

2. The extension device of claim 1, wherein the bottom piece has a plurality of resilient legs for insertion and bonding into an upper end of a tubular golf club shaft.

3. The extension device of claim 2, wherein the bottom piece is bonded into the golf club shaft by glue or epoxy.

4. The extension device according to claim 1, wherein the grip comprises a series of pleated rings that expand or contract in compliance with length adjustments of the shaft.

5. The extension device according to claim 4, wherein the grip has an opening in the butt-end of the grip to allow access of a tool to rotate the inner screw.