Golfer club including indicators for aligning golfer's head relative thereto

Abstract

The head of a golf club is provided with two sets of indicia, each set being located at a different level and one set arranged to lie between portions of the other set. The two sets of indicia are arranged in association with the golf club head so that, when the golfer adjusts his body with respect to the golf club head, one set of indicia will be aligned precisely between the separated portions of the other set of indicia. When this last mentioned situation comes into being, the golfer and club head are in proper position with respect to one another. These indicia also include an arrangement whereby the golfer may align the golf club head up with respect to the ball and the target to which it is to be directed. These first two mentioned sets of indicia enable the golfer to insure that his own head is properly located above the golf club head in the vertical plane which is perpendicular to the line in which the golf club head will be moved. Other similar sets of indicia may be associated with the golf club head so as to enable the golfer to be sure that his own head is in the proper position over the golf club head along the vertical plane which is on or parallel to the line through which the golf club head will be moved. The first mentioned sets of indicia may be used alone, or the second mentioned sets of indicia may be used alone, or the first and second mentioned sets of indicia may be used together, and some portions of the various sets of indicia may serve more than one function.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

There is a pending U.S. application Ser. No. D-378,166 filed July 11, 1973, in the name of the same inventor as a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. D-226,385 filed Feb. 14, 1972, now abandoned, both applications being for a Design for a GOLF PUTTER HEAD. Although the instant application is neither a division nor a continuation-in-part of these earlier applications, it is related thereto in that it does incorporate certain aspects of the design illustrated in the earlier filed applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed to improvements in golf clubs and has particular application to that club which is commonly known as a putter. More specifically the invention resides in certain means associated primarily with the putter head. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be incorporated in golf clubs other than the putter and it may also be incorporated in all striking devices employed in other sports such as, for example, croquet and the like. It appears, however, that the primary field of application of the instant invention will be in the golf club art.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Through the years there has been much effort expended in improving golf clubs, particularly putters, and with much concentration on the development of means to enable a golfer to properly strike a golf ball on a true line towards the intended target. Several searches have been made in connection with the instant invention and these searches have developed a substantial number of U.S. Patents.

Although the intent of the aforementioned searches was to develop the most pertinent prior art to the instant invention, no assertion is made that the most pertinent of such art was indeed located.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one modification of the invention there is provided a first indicia in association with the golf club head and which the golfer may line up with the target; this first indicia will be at a given elevation. There is also provided a second indicia which will be in two parts and which will be at an elevation different from that of the first indicia, either higher or lower. The golfer, standing in a generally erect position, will adjust the club head and his own head until the first indicia lies between the two separated parts of the second indicia whereby to insure that the golfer's head is properly located in a vertical plane which is at right angles to the line along which the golf club head is to be moved towards the target.

In another modification of the invention there are also provided first and second indicia similar to those just described, again arranged at different elevations in association with the golf club head, but in such manner that when the golfer brings the first and second indicia into alignment, such golfer will have properly positioned his own head in that vertical plane which is on or parallel to the line through which the golf club head will be moved towards its target.

It will be readily apparent that the two modifications may be combined so that the golfer will properly locate his own head not only across the intended line of club head movement but also along it.

In a further variation of the invention, a sight orifice may be provided at one elevation in association with the golf club head and a suitable indicia located at a different elevation so that when the indicia appears to the golfer to be in the center of the sight orifice, proper alignment of the golfer's head with respect to the intended line of club head movement will be achieved in both the direction which is at right angles to said line and also in that direction which is along the line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating how a golfer may utilize this invention to properly position his head across the line the golf club head is to be moved toward the intended target.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a golf club head embodying one modifications of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the golf club head of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of a golf club head embodying a further modification of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view taken above the golf club head of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views taken more or less from above and behind, respectively, a golf club head employing yet another modificiation of the invention.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views taken more or less from behind and above, respectively, another golf club head embodying a modification of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a golf club head incorporating two modifications of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a variation of the arrangement of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a golf club head showing yet another variation of the invention.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are a top plan view and a perspective taken from the rear, respectively, of a golf club head employing the sight orifice arrangement of the invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another modification closely related to that of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1 a golfer is diagrammatically represented as attempting to line his putter up with the hole in which the pin is located. One difficulty encountered by many golfers is to be sure that their head is in proper position above the ball, particularly considered in a plane which is at right angles to the intended line of travel. The golfer 20 is illustrated as employing a putter 21 having a head 22 which is to strike the ball 23 so as to knock it into the hole 24 in which the pin 25 is set. Assuming a perfectly flat surface, the golfer would like to move the ball 23 along the dotted line A into the cup 24. Ideally the golfer's head should be directly above the putter blade 22 and ball 23. An analog would be to properly align one's eye along the sights placed on the barrel of a rifle with the intended target. As shown in FIG. 1 the golfer's head 20a is properly above the putter head or blade 22 and ball 23 when the imaginary lines B from the head to the ball and blade and C from the golfer's head to the cup form a triangle with line A, which triangle is in a vertical plane passing through the line A. If the golfer's head should move to either of the lines indicated at D and E, then any triangle including one or the other of such lines, the line A, and a line to the cup 24, would define a triangle askew to that defined by A, B and C; the golfer would not have an accurate alignment.

A basic form of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The club head 22, which is that of a putter, is illustrated as having a front face 30 which will strike the ball. Along the upper edge of the head is a flat 31 in which there is located a straight line or groove 32. At about the center of the club head 22, opposite that part of the face 30 which is intended to strike the golf ball, is a rearward extension 33 having a line or groove 34 therein which is perpendicular to the line or groove 32. The extension 33 extends from a tapered flange 35 which extends rearwardly from the face 30. A pair of lines or grooves 36 are located on the flange 35, one to either side of the member 33. The lines or grooves 36 are parallel to the line or groove 34 and are located equidistantly therefrom on either side thereof.

In using the putter of FIGS. 2 and 3 the golfer will assume the position generally indicated in FIG. 1 and he will then adjust the putter more or less level on the green and position his head thereabove so that the line 34 will appear to be precisely midway between the pair of lines 36. In this manner the golfer will be assured that he has his head in the correct position across the line of intended club head movement. Such would be the case when he has his head located so as to define the triangle ABC of FIG. 1. If the golfer moves his (or her) head to one side or the other, as represented by the lines D and E in FIG. 1, the line or groove 34 will not appear to be midway between the lines or grooves 36 and he will get a distorted view of the proper line; he will not have good head position over the ball. By locating the indicia 34 at one elevation, and the pair of indicia 36 at another elevation, the golfer is able to move his own head and the putter head so as to bring the indicia 34 precisely midway of the pair of indicia 36 whereby to achieve the results just enumerated.

The arrangement of FIG. 15 is much like that of FIG. 2 (and, to some extent, like that of the said pending application Ser. No. 378,166), differing primarily in that the rearward extension is a free extending bar 33c connected to the putter head only adjacent the top thereof; bar 33c is not supported from the flange 35. The arrangements of the sight lines 32, 34, and the alignment lines 34, 36, however, are the same.

A similar arrangement is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 wherein the invention is shown as applied to a putter head of a somewhat different style. Again, however, the elements 32 and 34 constituting the T are present along with the indicia lines 36. The operation is as before. The T elements 32 and 34 are employed to position the putter head properly with respect to the ball to be struck. In this regard it will be understood by those familiar with this sport of golf that generally speaking when one takes a putter into his hand in the usual fashion, the putter head or blade will be soled on the ground in approximately a level or natural position. By using the T element 34 in conjunction with the indicia guidelines 36, however, this approximation may be reduced to a fine tune between putter head position and the golfer's head position thereover. When the golfer insures that the T element 34 is exactly midway between the guide indicia lines 36, he will know that all is well.

A variation of the invention is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Here the invention is shown as applied to a putter head which does not lend itself to the use of an extension such as indicated at 33 in FIGS. 2, 3, 8 and 9. The T elements 32 and 34 are employed as before, the element 32 lying at the top of the putter blade adjacent the front face of the blade. It should be here mentioned that in all of the putter head styles shown in connection with this invention, the front face of the head or blade, not actually shown in any of the figures, will be substantially flat and smooth as is the usual case. In this embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 the putter head or blade is recessed as indicated at 37 at either side of the T element 34. The groove or lines 36 are located in the bottoms of these recesses. It will again be apparent that in the use of the putter head or blade shown in these FIGS. 4 and 5, the two elements 32 and 34 may be employed to position the blade in relation to the ball while the T element 34 in conjunction with the guide lines or grooves 36 will insure proper head position of the golfer with respect to the putter blade.

FIGS. 6 and 7 represent the invention as applied to a putter blade in which it may be desirable to combine the features of FIGS. 2 and 3 with those of FIGS. 4 and 5. Thus, an extension 33 is used in conjunction with the recesses 37. The T elements 32 and 34 are arranged as in the other modifications, the element 34 lying along the top of the extension 33. Recesses 37 are provided at both sides of the extension 33 in the body of the blade. The guidelines or grooves 36 are located in the bottoms of these recesses. Proper alignment of the golfer's head with respect to the putter blade is achieved as before, namely, the golfer adjusts himself and the blade until the T element 34 lies midway between the guide grooves or indicia 36. As in all of the cases herein described, the difference in elevation between the location of the T element 34 and that wherein the guide elements 36 are located is what makes this alignment accurate and possible.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9 the extension 33 is shown as extending from the top to the bottom of the putter head or blade. This is not always necessary or desirable. In some instances it may be that the element 33 will be an extension from the backside of the face of the blade but with no connection to the bottom thereof. This in fact is the type of extension shown in the copending application earlier referred to. A similar extension is indicated at 33a in FIGS. 13 and 14. Although the particular extension 33a in these FIGS. 13 and 14 is utilized in a somewhat different manner as will be explained shortly, it is to be understood that such extension 33a could be substituted for the extension 33 in the figures earlier described.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate further modifications of the invention including also means for getting the correct relationship between the golfer's head and the putter head along the line of the putt as well as across it. In the embodiments of the invention heretofore described, emphasis has been placed on achieving proper head position of the golfer with respect to the putter head across the line along which the ball is to be struck. It is also important, however, to adjust the golfer's head properly along the line as well. Both of these desirable results are achieved by the arrangements now to be described.

In FIG. 10 the putter blade is again shown as incorporating the T elements 32 and 34. An extension 33 is employed like that shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In place of the guidelines or grooves 36, however, a pair of spots 38 are employed. These indicia spots 38 are, of course, located towards the bottom of the putter head at an elevation different from that in which the T element 34 is located. In adjusting his head with respect to the putter blade the golfer will again take his normal erect stance, the blade will be positioned adjacent the ball in accordance with the T elements 32 and 34, and then the golfer will insure that the T element 34 appears to him to be precisely midway between the indicia spot elements 38. This, of course, is the result achieved with the other embodiments heretofore described. In this connection, therefore, it will be observed that the indicia spot elements 38 serve the same purpose as the guidelines or grooves 36 and vice versa.

As indicated earlier, the arrangement of FIG. 10 has an added feature. The top of the extension 33 is provided with a pair of aligned guide elements or indicia 39 which are exactly at right angles to the T element 34. These indicia 39 are in substantially the same plane as the T element 34 and in any event are in a plane quite different from the indicia 38. Now in positioning his head with respect to the putter blade the golfer will not only insure that he is positioned over the blade and ball so that the T element 34 appears midway between the indicia elements 38, but also he will insure that these indicia elements 38 are in precise alignment with the indicia elements 39. If these elements 38 and 39 do not appear in alignment, then the golfer knows that his head is either too far forward or too far rearward with respect to the blade and ball. In this manner a precise relationship between the golfer's head and the putter head is achieved.

The arrangement of FIG. 11 is essentially like that of FIG. 10 except that lines 36 are employed in place of the elements 38 and additional lines 40 are used to take the place and function achieved by the indicia spot elements 38. The upper surface of the extension 33 is provided with a pair of aligned indicia lines 41 corresponding to the indicia spots 39 of the arrangement of FIG. 10. Complete positioning of the golfer with respect to the putter blade is obtained by his positioning his head with respect to the putter so that the T element 34 is midway between the lines 36 and the lines 40 and 41 are in alignment.

The modification shown in FIG. 12 is similar to that shown in FIG. 11 in some respects and the reverse of that shown in FIG. 8 in other respects. The T elements 32 and 34 are arranged on the top surface 31 of the club as in the other arrangements so far described. In the arrangement of FIG. 12, however, the extension 33 of FIG. 8 has been bifurcated to provide a pair of extensions 33b having a space 42 therebetween. The extension 34a of the T element 34 lies at the bottom of the club head within the recess 42. The indicia guidelines or grooves 36a lie at the top surface of the bifurcated extensions 33b. Thus, comparing the arrangement of FIG. 12 to that of FIG. 8, the relative elevational positions of the guide indicia elements 34 and 36 has been reversed, guide element 34a of FIG. 12 being below guide elements 36a thereof. Again, however, in positioning his head across the line along which the ball is to be struck, the golfer will bring the element 34a precisely between the elements 36a.

The remaining features shown in FIG. 12 are like those of FIG. 11 and the reference numerals 40 and 41 have again been used to designate the indicia at the bottom of the putter head and on the upper surface of the extension respectively. These latter indicia are those which are employed to enable the golfer to position his head properly along the line of ball movement as distinguished from across it.

A further modification of the invention is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 wherein the extension 33a and T elements 32 and 34 are employed in the usual manner. In this instance, as earlier described, the extension 33a extends free from the backside of the puttere blade and is not connected to the bottom thereof. A sight orifice 43 is provided through the extension 33a. An alignment indicia dot 44 is provided on the flange 45 extending from the backside and bottom of the putter blade. By this arrangement the golfer achieves proper positioning of his head with respect to the putter blade in both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction, all with respect to the intended line along which the ball will be struck, by virtue of simply positioning his head with respect to the putter blade so that the indicia spot element 44 appears to him to be in the center of the sight orifice 43 as he takes his position over the blade and ball. The T elements 32 and 34 may first be used, as in the other examples, to get the blade generally in proper position behind the ball before final position is achieved by sighting the spot 44 through the orifice 43. As in all the other cases, however, the adjustment arrangement is obtained by use of alignment elements which are in different planes.

It is believed that the invention has been fully described in connection with the various figures. It will be apparent to those familiar with this art that modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. It might be feasible, for example, to provide a horizontal transparent extension from the top and backside of the putter blade, place an indicia spot thereon, and provide a ring on an underlying surface of the blade more or less the reverse of FIGS. 13 and 14, whereafter the golfer would center the spot on the transparent extension with respect to the ring on the underlying flange. A further possible modification would be to substitute for the transparent flange a slender rodlike element having a knob thereon whereby the golfer would center the knob with respect to the underlying circle. And as earlier indicated, an extension like that shown at 33a in FIG. 14, but without the sight orifice 43, could be substituted for the extension 33 in FIG. 2.

Although this invention has been described with reference to particular elements, indicia and arrangements, these are not to constitute a limitation on the invention except insofar as they are specifically set forth in the subjoined claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A golf club head comprising a ball striking face, a first horizontal portion extending rearward from said striking face adjacent the top thereof, a second horizontal portion extending rearward from said striking face and vertically spaced below said first horizontal portion, first and second symbols located, respectively, on the upper surfaces of said first and second horizontal portions, one of said symbols including at least two horizontally spaced apart alignment elements which may be brought in vertical register with the other of said symbols by a golfer when addressing a golf ball, and thereby indicate the proper position of the golfer's head relative the club head along a line perpendicular to the line of club head movement necessary to propel a golf ball with said striking face.

2. The club head of claim 1 in which said at least one first symbol comprises a line (34) extending at right angles to said face, and said at least one second symbol comprises a pair of parallel lines (36) also extending at right angles to said face, whereby when the golfer positions his head over the said club head so that said first mentioned line appears to his eye to be midway between the second mentioned lines, proper position of the golfer's head is achieved.

3. The club head of claim 2 in which said first portion is free of and spaced from said second portion, and including at least one third symbol comprising a line extending along the top of the said club adjacent the said face and at right angles to the other said lines.

4. The club head of claim 1 including at least one third symbol, said third symbol comprising a line (32) extending along the top of the said club head adjacent the said face and at right angles to said first and second symbols.

5. The club head of claim 1 in which said at least one first symbol comprises a line extending at right angles to said face, and said at least one second symbol comprises a first pair of spaced indicia (38, 40) parallel to said face, whereby when the golfer positions his head over the said club head so that said line appears to his eye to pass midway between said indicia, proper position of the golfer's head is achieved.

6. The club head of claim 5 in which said at least one first symbol includes a second pair of spaced indicia (39, 41) parallel to said face and located on either side of said line, whereby when the golfer positions his head over the said club head so that said first and said second pairs of spaced indicia appear to his eye to be aligned, further proper positioning of his head is achieved.

7. The club head of claim 1 in which said at least one first symbol comprises a pair of spaced indicia (39, 41) parallel to said face, and said at least one second symbol comprises a line (34a) extending at right angles to said face, whereby when the golfer positions his head over the said club head so that said line appears to his eye to pass midway between said indicia, proper position of the golfer's head is achieved.

8. The club head of claim 7 in which said at least one second symbol includes another pair of spaced indicia (38, 40) parallel to said face and located on either side of said line, whereby when the golfer positions his head over the said club head so that said first mentioned and said second mentioned pairs of spaced indicia appear to his eye to be in alignment, further proper positioning of his head is achieved.

9. The club head of claim 1 in which said at least one first symbol comprises a pair of parallel lines (36a) extending at right angles to said face, and said at least one second symbol comprises a line (34a) also extending at right angles to said face, whereby when the golfer positions his head over the said club head so that said second mentioned line appears to his eye to be midway between the said first mentioned lines, proper position of the golfer's head is achieved.