Golf club

• US 6,837,800 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric A. Rollinson, Simon T. Rollinson
• Original Assignee: Eric A. Rollinson, Simon T. Rollinson
• Inventors: Rollinson, Simon T., Rollinson, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/248,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 473/245, 473/246, 473/247, 473/248, 473/296, 473/325, 473/244, 403 91-103, 81 58- 632
• US Class Current: 473/244
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• 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 60/0085 Telescopic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/32 with means for changing the angular position of the handle about its longitudinal axis

Abstract

The invention relates to a golf club which has a shaft and a head end with a blade for contact with a golf ball. The blade end is provided to be angularly adjustable with respect to the shaft to allow the blade to be positioned so as to provide a plurality of selectable iron and/or putter positions. The shaft can also be moved to a retracted position. The adjustment means are unobtrusive and provided between the shaft and the blade thereby not affecting the performance of the club. Thus a similar hitting potential and variation in club performance can be achieved by the single golf club as is achieved by a conventional full set of golf irons and provides an inexpensive option for players and the ability to transport the golf club as the golf club is lighter and less bulky than a full set of golf irons.

Claims

1. An adjustable golf club comprising:

a shaft, further comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and an aperture disposed in the distal end of the shaft;

a handle, located at the proximal end of the shaft;

an adjustable golf club head, located at the distal end of the shaft, having a blade and an adjustment mechanism, wherein the blade is connected to the shaft by the adjustment mechanism and rotatable around an axis in substantially perpendicular relation to the shaft, wherein the adjustment means further enables the blade to be moved to a plurality of angled positions, with respect to the shaft;

a housing disposed within the adjustment mechanism, adapted to lie within the aperture in the proximal end of the shaft, the housing further comprising a single set of a plurality of ratchet teeth on the inner surface thereof;

a locking mechanism extending outwardly from the adjustment mechanism to selectively engage the ratchet teeth in the housing in a pre-selected position to define the angle of the blade in relation to the shaft.

2. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises an indicator, said indicator illustrating to the user the angular adjustment being made to the blade to allow the user to predict and receive an indication of the particular iron value which is represented by the particular angular position of the blade.

3. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein the indicator comprises a series of spaced lines, each indicative of an angular blade position, equivalent to an iron value at which the blade can be positioned and the blade can only be locked in position when one of the lines of the indicator positioned on one of the blade or shaft between which rotation occurs is in line with a line on the other of the blade or shaft.

4. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a locking member in the form of a pawl, wherein the adjustment means is locked by the pawl engaging one of the ratchet teeth members.

5. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein 90 teeth members are provided in an inner surface of a housing in the shaft spaced around a circular path to allow the blade to be moved to a plurality of angled positions, with each of the teeth representing an angled adjustment of the blade of four degrees.

6. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein 45 teeth members are provided in an inner surface of a housing in the shaft spaced around a circular path to allow the blade to be moved to a plurality of angled positions, with each of the teeth representing an angled adjustment of the blade of eight degrees.

7. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a channel, and a pawl, wherein the pawl engages the ratchet teeth and is flush with the exterior of the adjustment mechanism when in the locked position, and where the pawl disengages the ratchet teeth and extends from the adjustment mechanism in the released position.

8. A golf club according to claim 7 wherein the portion of the pawl protruding into said channel is provided with a cam surface.

9. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the adjustment means includes a securing member located in a channel and movable with respect to said channel to allow engagement and disengagement with the locking means and move the same between an engagement position with the teeth in which the blade is locked in position and an unlocked position in which the angular position of the blade with respect to the shalt can be adjusted by rotation of the blade.

10. A golf club according to claim 9 wherein the securing member acts on a ball bearing which contacts the locking means.

11. A golf club according to claim 9 wherein the securing member is operated by the user via an adaptor.

12. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the blade can be selectively positioned at one of 10 possible iron positions and a putter position.

13. A golf club according to claim 12 wherein in the putter position, the base of the blade is used to contact the ball.

14. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the shaft of the golf club is telescopic and can be extended and locked in position for use and retracted for transporting and storing the same.

15. A golf club according to claim 14 wherein the shaft includes two parts, telescopically engaged with releasable securing means which, when engaged, lock the portion in the extended position.

16. A golf club according to claim 14 wherein securing means for locking the shaft parts in the extended position comprise a biased member retained on the inner shaft which when the shaft parts reach the extended position, passes through an aperture in the outer shaft part and is biased to that position and the shaft parts are tapered outwardly from the blade end towards the handle in a progressive manner and the movement of the shaft parts to the extended position causes the tapered parts to engage the shaft parts in this position.