Golf putter

Feb. 8, 1938. t.a. Hamilton 2,107,983

GOLF PUTTER

Filed Dec. 31, 193S

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Patented Feb. 8, 1938

2,107,983

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,107,983 GOLF PUTTER Thomas Albert Hamilton, Hale, England Application December 31, 1936, Serial No. 118,642 In Great Britain January 21, 1936 2 Claims. (Cl. 273—80)

This invention relates to golf ball putters as used on the greens of golf courses wherein the control of the club for making putts of different length is usually effected by altering the position of the hands on the handle portion of the club, that. is to say, for the shorter putts the hands are placed lower down the handle thereby leaving an unwieldly and unbalanced length,. longer or shorter according to the length of putt, of shaft above the hands which decreases the golfer’s control of the club and consequently his efficiency at the game.

The object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball putter which can be adjusted in the course of play to the effective length desired without materially disturbing the balance and whilst maintaining the required balance without altering the position of the hands of the user on the handle.

Whereas the standard golf ball putter has a shaft of fixed length, according to the present invention putter shafts are formed in two or more parts (usually two) sliding telescopically one within the other adapted to frictionally engage each other and provided with spring means to position the parts relatively to each other in a plurality of adjusted positions, provision being made to prevent any angular movement of the telescopic members relatively to each other about their common axis such provision conveniently comprising a tube or bar of square or other noncircular shape in cross section rigidly fixed to one sliding element and passing through a guide of corresponding cross sectional shape in the other element such an arrangement serving also to increase the lateral rigidity of the shaft.

Spring means are preferably provided to retain the sliding element in the adjusted position.

The invention will be more particularly described by the aid of the accompanying drawing wherein the same reference letters or characters relate to the same thing or part and in which:—

Figure 1 is an external view of a putter constructed according to the invention shown In the extended position whilst

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken from the rear.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 3—3, Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing the club shortened and as ready for use in making short putts and

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal section of the middle part of a club showing a modified method of mounting the locking springs and

Figure 6 is a plan View of the spring mounting means detached.

Figure 7 is a view of the top part of a club constructed according to the invention showing further modified locking means. 5

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient manner as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 the improved club comprises a tubular portion a constituting the handle, provided with any suitable form of grip, such as the 10 leather wrapping b, the cylindrical lower portion a¹ of which has an internal diameter corresponding to the external diameter of the cylindrical top portion c¹ of the tubular lower portion c of the shaft which at its lower end is adapted to 15 fit into the socket d¹ of the head d of the club. A cap or plug e is provided for the top of the handle and rigidly secured thereto is a steel or other metal rod / of square shape in cross section formed with cross slots f¹, /¹ at a predeter- 20 mined distance apart.

The top end of the cylindrical shaft section c¹is pressed in to form a square cross section at c²to receive the metal rod f and spring tongs g surrounding the same, a diametrically opposite pair 25 of which is formed with indentations g¹ adapted to engage the cross slots /¹ so as to positively lock the parts in the adjusted position. Said springs g are retained in position by splaying the lower ends g² outwards and forming protuberances g³ 30 thereon to engage the bottom and top portions of the squared end c² respectively of the shaft section c¹ as will be clearly seen on reference to Figure 3. The springs g constitute a lining for said squared shaft end c², with which the metal 35 rod / forms a good sliding fit. The inner end of the rod f is provided with a projection in the form of a stud /² which is placed in position when assembling the parts through the hole c³ in the shaft section c¹ to limit the outward movement 40 or extension of the handle a on the shaft c.

It will now be seen that with a club head d resting on the ground sufficient pressure on the handle a in the longitudinal direction will cause the spring catches p¹ to yield and allow said han- 45 die a to telescope on the shaft portion c¹ to the desired extent according to the length of the putt it is desired to make as governed by the desire of the golfer said spring catches engaging one of the sets of notches or cross slots /¹ in the ad- 50 justed position whilst the construction of the club is such that no relative longitudinal or angular movement between the top and bottom portions of the club takes place in use. Said shortening of the shaft can be effected whilst the hands 55

2,107,983 are on the handle using the ordinary grip for putting and when it is desired to extend the club the hands are still retained, in position and the foot is placed on the head to assist the pull.

Instead of forming a square at the top of the section c¹ said top may be left round and a metal fitment h brazed or otherwise rigidly secured near the top end of the cylindrical portion of the shaft element c and internally of the same, see Figures 5 and 6, said fitment h having diametrically opposite longitudinal slots ft¹, ft¹, formed on the exterior to receive spring tongs i, i having fingers or extensions i¹, i¹ adapted to frictionally grip the bar / on opposite sides and having the top end bent to form projections i², i² to engage the cross slots /¼ f¹ formed in the bar / at predetermined distances . apart so as to positively lock the parts in the adjusted position, the bar f being secured to the handle part b which is constructed and mounted as in the last example. In this case the lower part of the rod f is provided with, a collar /³ which forms a sliding fit for the internal bore of the cylindrical shaft portion c¹ to limit the outward movement or extension of the handle a on the shaft c as does the stud fi in the preceding example, the shortening and lengthening of the club being effected in. like manner.

According to the modified construction shown in Figure 7 the spring locking tongs g and i are dispensed, with and the end of the handle portion a is slotted at k so as to . engage the tubular portion c¹ of the upper part of the shaft c with a springy friction grip capable of yielding sufficiently to allow the protuberances I formed by indentations near the end of the handle portion to spring into and out of engagement with the recesses c³ formed in the cylindrical portion c¹ of the shaft c. The handle portion may be provided with a square rod to slidingly fit a square hole in the top of the shaft section c¹as in the preceding examples.

Whilst the shaft and handle are preferably made round in cross section they may be of square, octagonal or other non-circular shape in cross section.

By these means a golf ball putter is provided which can be adjusted in the course of play to the effective length desired without materially 5 disturbing the balance and whilst maintaining the required balance without altering the position of the hands of the user on the handle.