US2652256A - Whip action device for the head of golf clubs - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 15, 1953 w. H. THOMAS WHIP ACTION DEVICE FOR THE HEAD OF GOLF CLUBS Filed Sept. 14, 1951 INVENTOR wl sua H .THoMAS Patented Sept. 15, 1953 WHIP ACTION DEVICE FOR THE HEAD OF GOLF CLUBS Wilbur H. Thomas, Costa Mesa, Calif.

Application September 14, 1951,

Serial No. 246,577

3 Claims. (Cl. 273170) This invention relates to golf clubs, and more particularly to an improved adjustable weight device for the head of a golf club.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved weight adjusting means for the head of a golf club which involves very simple parts, which is readily installed on the head of a golf club, and which is easy to adjust to provide proper balance of the club in accordance with the particular requirements of the player using the club.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved golf club having means for adjusting the center of gravity of the head of the club in accordance with the individual requirements of the player using the club and to correct defects in the players swing, the improved means involving relatively inexpensive components, being compact in size, being easy to manipulate, and enabling the player to set the position of the center of gravity of the club head in accordance with his particular type of swing.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the head of an improved golf club according to the present invention showing one form of weight-adjusting means provided on the head;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the portion of the golf club of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross sectional detail view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view, similar to Figure 1, but showing another form of weight-adjusting means according to the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and more particular to Figures 1, 2 and 3, I I designates a golf club having the head I2 projecting laterally from the lower end of the shank portion I3. The head is generally conventional in shape.

tion by tightenin the screw 16. Secured to the end of the arm I6 is a circular weight I8 of any suitable heavy material, said weight having a duringthe swing and provides an added amount of Whip action, degree justed in accordance with flexible arm I6. This of course is determined by the position on which the head of screw I5 engages said arm. By a series of trials, the indiof which may be adthe effective length of by the position in which the weight element I8 is secured relative to the remainder of the head I2.

or recess 2|, the passing screw I5 being located in the intermediate portion of the recess 2|. The resilient arm I6 is received in the recess 2I and the screw I5 passes through the slot ll of said arm, whereby the arm l6 may be clamped in any desired adjusted position along the recess 2 I. As shown in Figure 5, the weight element I8 is norelement 20, which engages the club head I2 and functions as a spacer to establish the normal position of the weight element I8 relative to the remainder of the club head. The recess 2| acts I as a guide means and serves to prevent the arm I 5 What is claimed is:

1. In a golf club, a shank, a head projecting laterally from said shank, a headed fastening member threadedly engaged with said head at its rear surface, an arm of resilient material formed adjacent one end with a longitudinal slot, said fastening member extending through the slot, whereby the arm is adjustably secured to said head: adjacent said one end thereof, and a weight member secured to said arm adjacent its other end, whereby the weight member flexes outwardly during a swing of the club, providing a whip action, the degree of which can be ad.- justed by adjusting the position of the slot relative to said headed fastening member.

2. In a golf club. a shank, a head projecting laterally from said shank, a headed fasteningv member threadedly engaged with said head at its rear surface, an arm of resilient. material formed adjacent one end with a longitudinal slot, said fastening member extending through the slot, whereby the arm is adjustably secured to said head, a weight member secured to the other end portion of said arm, and an abutment element on said other end portion between the weight member and said arm, maintaining said other end' portion spaced from the rear surface of the head, whereby the weight member flexes outwardly during a swing of the club, providing a, Whip action, the degree of'which can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the slot relativev to said headed fastening member.

3. In a golf club, a shank, a head projecting laterally from said shank, said head being formed with a groove in its rear surface, a headed fastening member threadedly engaged with said head in said groove, an arm of resilient material slidably mounted in said groove, said arm being formed with a longitudinal slot adjacent one end, said fastening member extending through the slot, whereby the portion of the arm adjacent said. one end is adjustabl-y secured to; said head, a weight member secured tothe other end portion of said arm, and an abutment element on said other end portion between the weight member and said arm, maintaining said weight portion spaced from the rear surface of the head, whereby the weight member flexes outwardly during. a swing. of. the club, providing a whip action, the degree of which can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the slot relative to said headed fastening member.

W'ILBUR H. THOMAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 551,519 Wood Dec. 17, 1895 1,320,163: Maurice Oct. 28, 1919.- l,548,338 Smolinsky Aug. 4, 1925. 1,975,307 Ackerman Oct. 2, 1934 2,171,383 Wettlaufer Aug. 29, 1939 2,280,582 Hoeflich Apr. 21, 1942. 2,592,013 Curley Apr. 8, 1952

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