U.S. patent number 3,700,244 [Application Number 05/108,336] was granted by the patent office on 1972-10-24 for golf putter including spherical head with mirror reflecting surface.
Invention is credited to Alfonso L. Liotta.
United States Patent |
3,700,244 |
Liotta |
October 24, 1972 |
GOLF PUTTER INCLUDING SPHERICAL HEAD WITH MIRROR REFLECTING
SURFACE
Abstract
A putter for use to improve skill in putting a golf ball is
provided with a ball engaging head which presents a spherical face
to engage the ball. This face has a reflecting mirror surface in
which the user of the putter can see the image of a ball while he
grasps the putter handle. Within the reflecting area, and
positioned in the area of the reflecting surface visible to the
user grasping the putter, there is an indicator mark contrasting
with the mirror surface so as to be readily visible.
Inventors: |
Liotta; Alfonso L. (Pullman,
WA) |
Family
ID: |
22321617 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/108,336 |
Filed: |
January 21, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/240 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
69/3685 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
69/36 (20060101); A63b 069/36 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/163,164,186,193,194,183,175 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Marlo; George J.
Claims
It is believed that the nature and advantage of this invention will
be clear from the foregoing description. The following claims are
intended to define this invention.
1. A golf putter having a shaft provided with a handle at one end
and a club head at the other end for striking a spherical golf ball
to direct the golf ball towards a target, comprising:
said head having a spherical front surface extending in a spherical
curve from a front of the head to sides and top of the head for
engaging a spherical golf ball at a point impact on the spherical
front surface;
said spherical front surface having a mirror-finish to reflect a
symmetrical image of the golf ball upward into the view of the user
with the impact point automatically lying in a vertical plane
symmetrically intersecting the image;
a visible contrasting indicator mark on the front surface for
enabling the user to manipulate the putter to align the mark in the
vertical plane to assist the user while swinging the putter head to
maintain the path of the putter head in the vertical plane to
thereby direct the golf ball in a straight line of the vertical
plane.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of a practice putter with a spherical head for engaging the
golf ball is known. This applicant has sold such devices for
several years. Such a putter falls considerably short in giving the
golfer the training he needs in concentrating upon the accuracy of
the stroke direction.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a putter in
which the striking surface of the putter head is a curved convex
surface curving upwardly toward the handle and that is a mirror
capable of reflecting an image of a golf ball placed in front of
the mirror surface in the same direction that the shaft of the
putter extends together with a visible indicating spot on the
mirror surface spaced outward from the putter shaft and above the
peripheral point edge of the mirror surface. With such a striking
surface the user of the putter can see the ball image expanding as
he moves the club head to the ball and can see the position of the
indicating mark in relation to the image.
More specifically, it is a purpose of this invention to provide a
putter head with a striking face of spherical contour to engage the
golf ball which has a reflecting surface sloping upwardly and
toward the club shaft so as to reflect an image of a golf ball
placed in front of the head upward in front of the shaft.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of the practice putter;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the putter showing the putter
shaft in section and showing the ball and its image on the mirror
surface of the putter head;
FIG. 3 is a front face view of the putter head; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the putter head on the line 4--4
of FIG. 3.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The device shown is a golf club which is usually referred to as a
putter. The putter has a handle 1, a shaft 2 and a head 3. In the
present invention the handle 1 and shaft 2 are merely shown as
conventional since the present invention is in the head 3. The head
3 has a curved convex striking surface 3a which is intended to
strike a golf ball B and drive it in the desired direction. It is
evident, as proven in the use of spherical putter heads for
practice, that if the front point of the head does strike the ball
to the right or left of the center line from the head to the ball,
the convex surfaces will cause more deflection of the ball to the
left or right of this center line than a flat face. The desired
stroke is one which will propel the ball along the projected center
line. The golfer then has only to move the club head center along
the center line with the proper force to reach a cup which is on
the projected center line. Prior to this invention, I have not
known of any putter having means by which the golfer can have a
specific visual indication of whether the club is traveling along
the center line as it approaches the ball.
In this putter the front surface 3a is made as a mirror and the
surface area above the horizontal center plane of the head to the
shaft 2 is a part of the mirrors surface so that an image 4 of the
ball B is reflected upwardly to the eyes of the golfer. On this
mirror surface an indicator mark 5 is provided where it will be
visible within the border of the image area 4 if the ball is not on
the projected center line from the shaft 2 through the indicator 5.
This gives the golfer a picture of the position of the club head
with respect to the ball from the start of the putting stroke up to
the instant of contact of the head with the ball.
It is not necessary that the surface of the club head behind the
shaft 2 be a mirror surface or that it be a spherical surface. A
spherical reflecting surface in the mirror area is best obtained by
making the whole club head spherical as by casting a head 3 of the
desired weight then radially boring the head 3 as indicated at 6 to
receive the shaft 2 and then providing the curved mirror surface
3a. This mirror surface 3a can be made in several ways. For
example, the spherical head 3, if made of the right material such
as a stainless steel, can be polished to such a degree of
smoothness as to act as a mirror. Also the head 3 may have a
plating thereon which gives the mirror surface 3a.
The indicator mark 5 is shown as an indentation or recess in the
spherical head 3. It may have a filler 5a therein suitably made to
contrast with the ball image 4. This can be done by making the
filler of a contrasting color to that of the ball or merely of a
non-reflecting material. By making the head spherical with a mirror
surface, the production of the putter is greatly simplified. Also,
the golfer can test his control by using the back face which has no
indicator mark on it.
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