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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to golf clubs, and more
particularly to a golf club for hitting a golf ball a distance generally
designated for a wood club and for hitting a golf ball under conditions
where wood clubs are generally utilized for the respective positions of
the ball. Heretofore, wood clubs have had the club head thereof
streamlined to reduce the bulky shape thereof. Attempts have been made to
relocate the shaft of the wood club into alignment with the face of the
club head. Additionally, inserts of various materials have been employed
in the wood club head for improved control over a golf ball when hit by
the wood club head. Such attempts to increase the control and travel of a
golf ball when hit by a wood club and to align the end of the shaft
secured by the hosel with the face of the club head have not been totally
satisfactory because of weight problems and because the golf club became
less durable.
It has been found that the club head of a wood golf club is subject to
distortion, weight variations, moisture absorption and the like from
inclement weather conditions. Such distortion may be observed at the face
of the club head and at the location of the hosel with respect to the face
of the club head.
Patents of interest are the patent to Belmont U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,123, for
Golf Club Heads And Process, and the patent to Jepson et al. U.S. Pat. No.
3,985,363, for Golf Club Wood.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A distance golf club comprising a shaft and a club head. Integrally formed
with the club head is a hosel that receives one end of the shaft for
securing the club head to the shaft. The club head is made of metal and is
hollow. A sole plate for the club head may be either metallic, such as
aluminum, or may be a plastic, such as an epoxy.
A feature of the present invention is that the hosel is aligned with the
face of the club head for improved accuracy, lift and flight.
An object of the present invention is to provide a distance golf club for
hitting a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs in
which the wind resistance of the club head is reduced.
An object of the present invention is to provide a distance golf club for
hitting a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs in
which the aerodynamic characteristics of the club head are improved
without sacrificing the durability of the golf club.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a distance golf club
for hitting a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs in
which the weight of the club head is reduced without sacrificing either
the durability of the golf club or the aerodynamic characteristics of the
club head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a distance golf club
for hitting a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs in
which the club head is not subject either to distortion, weight
variations, moisture absorption or the like from inclement weather
conditions.
A feature of the present invention is that a distance golf club for hitting
a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs now has the end
of the shaft secured to the hosel in alignment with the face of the club
head and the club head has improved aerodynamic characteristics to reduce
wind resistance.
Another feature of the present invention is that a distance golf club for
hitting a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs has the
end of the shaft fixed to the hosel aligned with the face of the club head
as distinguished from a position behind the club face for improved
accuracy, lift and flight of the golf ball.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a distance golf club
for hitting a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs in
which the face of the club head has a larger area for easy playability.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a distance golf club
for hitting a golf ball a distance designated for wood clubs in which
alignment aids in the form of parallel indicia is formed on a top surface
of the club head disposed in the direction of the desired line of flight
for facilitating the alignment of the club head with the ball.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a distance golf club
for hitting a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs in
which the flight distance, accuracy of flight, and ball control are
improved. All shots to the green involving difficult lies will be easier
to perform because of the sole member and contour of the club head.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a distance golf club
for hitting a golf ball a distance generally designated for wood clubs in
which the club head requires less refinishing; in which the club head does
not vary in weight because of climatic conditions, such as the presence of
moisture; and in which the performance is improved.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a distance golf club embodying the present
invention with the shaft thereof broken away.
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the distance golf club shown in FIG. 1
with the shaft thereof broken away.
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the distance golf club shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
with the shaft thereof broken away.
FIG. 3A is an end elevation view of the distance golf club shown in FIGS.
1-3 with the shaft broken away.
FIG. 4 is a vertical section view taken along 4--4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a distance golf club embodying the present
invention with the shaft thereof broken away, which is a modification of
the distance golf club shown in FIGS. 1-4.
FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the distance golf club shown in FIG. 5
with the shaft thereof broken away.
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the distance golf club shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
FIG. 7A is an end elevation view of the distance golf club shown in FIGS.
5-7 with the shaft thereof broken away.
FIG. 8 is a vertical section view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of the location of center lines for
shaft alignment to club heads for the various distance clubs embodying the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A distance golf club as herein employed means a golf club for hitting a
golf ball a distance generally designated for a golf club with a wooden
head and for hitting a golf ball under conditions generally used by a golf
club with a wooden head. Men distance golf clubs have been designated Nos.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 clubs. Women distance clubs have been designated Nos.
1, 3, 4 and 5 clubs. Illustrated herein in FIGS. 5-8 is a distance golf
club designated as a number 1 club, commonly referred to as a driver.
Illustrated herein in FIGS. 1-4 is a distance golf club commonly
designated as a number 4 club.
Illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 is a distance golf club 10 comprising a
conventional shaft 15. In the exemplary embodiment, the shaft 15 is a True
Temper steel shaft. One end of the shaft 15 is received in fixed relation
in a conventional manner by a hosel 20 of a club head 25. The hosel 20 is
integrally formed with the club head 25.
According to the present invention, the club head 25 comprises a one-piece,
hollow steel body 30. In the preferred embodiment, the unitary hollow body
30 is made of 17-4 stainless steel.
The hollow body 30 comprises a face 31 to provide a golf ball striking
surface for the club head 25. Reference numeral 32 designates generally
the toe portion of the club head 25 and the reference numeral 33
designates generally the heel portion of the club head 25. Formed in the
face 31 are parallel grooves 35 of the hitting area which extend in the
heel-to-toe direction of the club head 25 for improving the ball-striking
surface of the face 31. The face 31 has a slightly convex configuration in
the heel-to-toe direction. From top to bottom of the club head 25, the
face 31 is very slightly convex in configuration.
The hosel 20 and, therefore, the lower end of the shaft 15 is disposed in
alignment with the face 31 of the club head 25. More specifically, the
coincident axes of the hosel 20 and the lower end of the shaft 25 are
disposed substantially in a plane passing along an exposed surface of the
face 31 (FIG. 3A).
The fore portion of the club head 25 is shown by the reference numeral 40
and the aft portion of the club head 25 is shown by the reference numeral
41. Extending from the lowermost portion of the face 31 in the aft
direction is a bottom wall 45. Formed in the bottom wall 45 is an opening
46' defined by conjoined arcuate surfaces. The arcuate surface of the
bottom wall 45 at the aft portion 41 has a greater curve than the arcuate
surface at the fore portion 40. The arcuate surfaces of the bottom wall 45
extend from heel to toe of the club head 25.
For providing improved aerodynamic characteristics for the club head 25,
the hollow body 30 includes a top wall 46. The top wall 46 joins the
bottom wall 45 approximately midway between the top and bottom of the face
31 in an arcuate surface extending from the heel to toe of the club head
25. From the bottom wall 45, the top wall 46 has a smooth, gradual,
upwardly curved surface from aft to fore of the club head 25 joining the
uppermost portion of the face 31 in an arcuate surface extending from the
heel to toe of the club head 25.
Formed in the top wall 46 are parallel recessed sections 47, which extend
from fore to aft to provide visual aids for the alignment of the line of
flight of a golf ball to aid in addressing the golf ball.
To form a sole member 48 for the club head 25, a solid plastic core 49
(FIG. 4), such as a cast epoxy resin, is disposed in the hollow steel body
30 of the club head 25. The exposed surface of the core 49 and thus the
sole member 48 is slightly convex and is coterminous with the bottom wall
45 surrounding the exposed surfaces thereof.
Illustrated in FIGS. 5-8 is a distance golf club 50, which is a
modification of the distance golf club 10. The distance golf club 50
comprises a conventional shaft 55. In the exemplary embodiment, the shaft
55 is a True Temper steel shaft. One end of the shaft 55 is received in
fixed relation in a conventional manner by a hosel 60 of a club head 65.
The hosel 60 is integrally formed with the club head 65. The club head 65
is larger in fore-to-aft dimension than the club head 25. It is larger in
heel-to-toe dimension than the club head 25 and is also larger in the
top-to-bottom dimension than the club head 25.
According to the present invention, the club head 65 comprises a one-piece
hollow steel body 70. In the preferred embodiment, the unitary hollow body
70 is made of 17-4 stainless steel.
The hollow body 70 comprises a face 71 to provide a golf ball striking
surface for the club head 65. The face 71 is greater in dimension than the
face 31 in both the heel-to-toe direction and in the top-to-bottom
direction to provide a larger striking area for the club head 65.
Reference numeral 72 designates generally the toe portion of the club head
65 and the reference numeral 73 designates generally the heel portion of
the club head 65. Formed in the face 71 are parallel grooves 75 extending
from heel-to-toe of the club head 65 for improving the ball striking
surface of the face 71. The face 71 has a slightly convex configuration in
the heel-to-toe direction. From top-to-bottom of the club head 65, the
face 71 is very slightly convex in configuration.
The hosel 60 and, therefore, the lower end of the shaft 55 is disposed in
alignment with the face 71. More specifically, the coincident axes of the
hosel 60 and the lower end of the shaft 55 are disposed substantially in a
plane passing along an exposed surface of the face 71 (FIG. 7A).
The fore portion of the club head 65 is shown by the reference numeral 76
and the aft portion of the club head is shown by the reference numeral 77.
Extending from the lowermost portion of the face 71 in the aft direction
is a bottom wall 80. Formed in the bottom wall 80 is an opening 81.
Surrounding the opening 81 is a recessed flange 82 for the bottom wall 80.
The bottom wall 80 includes conjoined arcuate surfaces. The arcuate
surfaces of the bottom wall 80 at the aft portion 77 has a greater curve
than the arcuate surface at the fore portion 76. The arcuate surfaces of
the bottom wall 45 extend from heel-to-toe of the club head 65.
For providing improved aerodynamic characteristics for the club head 65,
the hollow body 70 includes a top wall 85. The top wall 85 joins the
bottom wall 80 approximately midway between the top and bottom of the face
71 in an arcuate surface extending from the heel to the toe of the club
head 65. From the bottom wall 80, the top wall 85 has a smooth, gradual
upwardly curved surface from aft to fore of the club head 65 joining the
uppermost portion of the face 71 in an arcuate surface extending from the
heel-to-toe of the club head 65.
Formed in the top wall 85 are parallel recessed sections 86, which extend
from fore-to-aft to provide visual aids for the alignment of the line of
flight of a golf ball to aid in addressing the golf ball and for
visualizing the takeoff flight of the golf ball.
To form a sole member for the club head 65, an aluminum plate 90 is secured
to the recessed flange 82 by suitable means, such as screws 91. The sole
plate 90 is slightly convex and is coterminous with the lowermost surfaces
of the bottom wall 80 (FIG. 8).
Distance golf clubs Nos. 2, 3, 5 and 6 are similar to the distance golf
club 10 (FIGS. 1-4), the differences being in the loft and in the
fore-to-aft, top-to-bottom, and toe-to-heel dimensions of the club head.
As the number of the club increases, the dimensions decrease and the loft
increases. The loft is varied by changing the acute angle of the face of
the club head relative to the sole member. By virtue of the present
invention, a set of distance golf clubs is attainable with precise
specifications so that, from the No. 1 club through the No. 6 club, the
clubs of the set are reduced dimensions of the No. 1 club without varying
the design uniqueness of each club. Stated otherwise, each club of the set
is produced from one master pod. Additionally, the axis of the hosel and
the axis of the end of the shaft received by the hosel are always disposed
in a plane passing through an exposed surface of the face of the club head
for improved accuracy, lift and carry of the golf ball.
Illustrated in FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of a gold club
embodying the present invention in which a club head 100 is shown in
cross-section, such as in FIGS. 4 and 8. Therefore, reference numeral 101
represents the face of the club head 100; reference numeral 102 represents
the top wall of the club head 100; and the reference numeral 103
represents the sole member and bottom wall of the club head 100. The aft
portion of the club head 100 is represented by the reference numeral 104,
and the fore portion of the club head is represented by the reference
numeral 105. The top wall 102 starts from the aft extremity of the club
head 100 and progresses up to the No. 1 distance club. Distance clubs 2,
3, 4, 5 and 6 are formed at a precise desired angle respectively within
the top wall projection 102 as designated by the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6,
respectively.
A hosel is designated by a reference numeral 110 and a shaft is designated
by a reference numeral 111. In the exemplary embodiment, the diameter of
the hosel 110 for all distance clubs is 0.475 inches, and the diameter of
the shaft 111 at the end thereof received by the hosel 110 is 0.375
inches. The hosel length measured from the heel of each distance club is
2.75 inches in the exemplary embodiment. The center line of the hosel 110
and the shaft 111 is disposed behind the face touch point of the club head
100 a distance of 0.62 inches toward the aft portion 104, in the exemplary
embodiment. In the distance club 50 (FIGS. 5-8), the dimension of the
bottom wall, such as shown by the reference numeral 103 in FIG. 9, is 2
inches, in the exemplary embodiment. The alignment spot 115 for the
distance club 50 (FIGS. 5-8) is shown at reference numeral 115. The
alignment spots for the clubs 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are taken relative thereto.
The loft angles, in the exemplary embodiment, are as follows:
No. 1 Distance Club -- 11.degree.
No. 2 Distance Club -- 131/2.degree.
No. 3 Distance Club -- 16.degree.
No. 4 Distance Club -- 20.degree.
No. 5 Distance Club -- 24.degree.
No. 6 Distance Club -- 28.degree.
In the Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the angle for the face of the club head, in
the exemplary embodiment, is taken at a point 116, which in the exemplary
embodiment is located 1.80 inches from the extremity of the aft portion
104. All heads are produced by use from within the No. 1 master shell. The
shell embodies a constant sole and the silouette curve to the high point
of the club head, as shown in FIG. 9.
In the method of manufacturing the distance clubs of the present invention,
it is preferable to use an investment cast method for producing a matched
set of distance clubs from stainless steel. Toward this end, the club head
body, such as 30 and 70, and hosel, such as 20 and 60, is first cast in
wax. The full face plate, such as 31 and 71, is then cast as a separate
unit in wax. The face plate is then wax-welded into position on a wax club
head body to form a unitary unit. The wax unitary unit is then cast by the
lost wax process to produce a unitary, hollow, steel club head body, such
as 30 and 70, with a hosel, such as 20 and 60. Then, the sole member, such
as 48 and 90, is formed in or mounted on the club head body in a manner
previously described. Lastly, the shaft, such as 15 and 55, is fixedly
secured in the hosel in a conventional manner.
The use of steel with its much greater structural strength allows the
distance club heads of the present invention with their integral hosel to
be designed according to aerodynamic and functional principles.
Additionally, the distance club heads of the present invention are
improved aerodynamically by contouring the top and bottom surfaces. This
aerodynamically improved form of distance club head reduces wind
resistance and increases the club head speed and the carry of the golf
ball. The contoured bottom surface also enables the player to hit golf
balls from more difficult lies than was previously possible. The use of
steel allows the shafts of all the club heads in a set to be perfectly and
permanently aligned with the face. The shaft alignment serves to improve
accuracy, lift and carry to the golf ball.
The alignment slots on the top surface of the club head are parallel to the
line of flight and enable the player to improve the address. These
alignment slots are a permanent feature of the club head, since they are
built into the structure of the club head.
The distance club heads of the present invention are manufactured from
steel or one of its alloys, preferably stainless steel. The club heads
have been produced by investment casting a 17-4 stainless steel alloy (17%
chrome, 4% nickel) with the lost wax technique. If a nonstainless alloy is
employed, the exterior surface of the club head may be protected by one or
more conventional techniques, such as anodizing, chemical coating,
plating, etc.
The solid, polymeric resin core 49 disposed within the hollow steel shell
(FIGS. 1-4) may be produced from a castable polymeric resin, preferably an
epoxy resin.
Conventional golf club shafts, such as True Temper steel shafts, graphite
shafts, fiberglass shafts, or the like, may be employed. The shafts are
attached to the club head using conventional techniques in the same manner
as shafts are attached to iron club heads.
The distance club heads of the present invention are more durable than
conventional wood golf club heads. Since they do not require paint or
varnish to protect the club head from moisture-induced changes in form,
they do not require periodic refinishing to maintain consistent playing
characteristics. The club heads do not require head covers. The club heads
will not wear out or crack, or require replacement of broken inserts. They
will not gain or lose weight or change alignment between face and/or hosel
and/or shaft due to climatic conditions, as they do not absorb moisture.
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