Golf bags

Jan. 21, 1958

C. H. ENDEE

GOLF BAGS

2,820,498

Original Filed Dec. 1, 1951

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Jan. 21, 1958

C. H. ENDEE

2,820,498

GOLF BAGS

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C. H. ENDEE

GOLF BAGS

Jan.21, 1958

-Original Filed-Dec. 1, 1951

2,820,498

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United States Patent Office _PateaM

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2,820,498 GOLF BAGS Charles H. Endee, Weston, Mass. Continuation of application Serial No. 259,453, December 1, 1951. This application May 16, 1955, Serial No. 507,293 '

Claims. (Cl. 150—1.5)

This invention relates to golf bags and particularly to a golf bag having carrying means for supporting the bag from the shoulder of the carrier so that the bag will remain in a desired upwardly inclined position while being carried with the full or partial complement of golf clubs.

It is common practice to support a golf bag with the clubs therein upon the shoulder of the carrier by a flexible strap one end of which is attached adjacent the top or open end of the bag and the other end of which is attached to the bag at a point below the mid-point of the bag. When such a golf bag is supported on the shoulder of the carrier in a desired inclined position with its open end at an elevation higher than its closed end, the bag is hejd in an unbalanced condition, because most of the weight of the golf clubs is in their heads, and the center of gravity of the bag, together with the clubs is not far below the upper end of the bag. If the bag is held by a conventional strap slung over the shoulder and attached to the bag at the upper end thereof and also at a point adjacent to the lower end, most of the weight will be taken by the upper attachment and the strap will tend to creep on the shoulder with each step of the person carrying it so that the bag tends to assume a horizontal position or even a position in which the open end is lower than that of the closed end. If the strap slips so that the open end of the bag is lower than its closed end, the golf clubs will slide out of the bag. This tendency of the strap to creep on the carrier’s shoulder is' a constant annoyance to golfers who carry their own golf bags or to their caddies. Many attempts have been made to correct this tendency of the strap to slip upon the carrier’s shoulder, such as by adding weight to the bottom of the bag to lower the center of gravity of the bag or by changing the points of suspension of the strap and the like. All of these attempts either have been unsuccessful or unsatisfactory or have added objectionable features to the golf bag.

One solution of the difficulty is shown in my Patent No. 2,533,440, granted December 12, 1950. The device of this patent has overcome the difficulties successfully and in a simple and inexpensive manner. However, I have discovered an additional method of achieving the same and additional results, and have thus improved the device shown in my previous Patent No. 2,533,440. In accordance with my present invention I provide a flexible strap having ends adapted to be connected to the golf bag adjacent its top, but at points spaced apart from each other, which strap forms a loop adapted to pass around the shoulder of the person carrying the bag, and whereby the bag is held supported from the shoulder. I then provide a second strap which is connected to the first strap at its shoulder engaging portion, and which is then connected to the golf bag adjacent its mid-section. The golf bag is then held supported by a three-point suspension at a predetermined angle of inclination at all times. I further preferably provide a handle for man2 ually carrying the bag. In this manner the bag may be supported at a predetermined angle of inclination with the bottom end of the bag always held at a lower elevation than its top or open end. An additional advantage ³ of my present device is that the ends of the first strap are always spaced apart at the top of the bag widely enough to permit the golfer to shoulder the bag easily and conveniently. He does this grasping the first strap near its central portion opposite its spaced ends, and ⁷³ placing the strap on his shoulder. The elbow then automatically passes through the spaced ends of the strap without interference from the strap. This adds greatly to ease and convenience of positioning the golf bag upon _ the shoulder and carrying it.

⁰ Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, ₂₀ since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention ₂- claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 illustrates a flexible strap for a golf bag con₃₀ structed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a golf bag embodying the strap of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a golf bag embodying a strap comprising a modified form of the invention; and, 35 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a golf bag embodying a strap comprising still another form of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 2, there is shown a golf bag of substantially conventional construction comprising a substan40 tially tubular elongated receptacle 10 having a closed end 11 and an open end 12 adapted to receive and hold a plurality of golf clubs (not shown), a reinforcing strip 25, a ring 13 secured to the bag at its open top, a buckle 20 secured to the bottom end of strip 25, and a handle 30. Buckle 20 is located about half way between the ⁴⁰ ends of the bag. Carrying handle 30 is secured to strip 25 in any suitable manner, e. g. rivets, and is located close to the top of the bag. The bag may also be provided with zippered pockets 35 for carrying golf balls and other golf paraphernalia.

³³ Secured to the golf bag is a flexible composite carrying strap constructed according to the present invention, Fig.

presenting an enlarged view of the same strap. This composite strap comprises a first flexible padded strap 14 and a second flexible strap 17 secured to strap 14. At ^0&amp; its top end strap 14 is provided with a spring buckle or snap hook 15. Secured to the lower half 16 of strap 14 is a conventional buckle 21 similar to buckle 20. Buckle 21 is adapted to receive the bottom end of strap 14 so as to form a loop, as shown. Strap 17 is secured at its upper ³³ end to strap 14 at its shoulder-engaging portion and preferably at the rear of the shoulder. It will be understood that strap 14 is padded to make it softer and more comfortable on the shoulder. Strap 17 is preferably permanently attached to flexible strap 14 as by stitching, or ⁶⁵ in any other suitable manner. The lower end of strap 17 has a plurality of holes 18 for receiving the tongue 19 of buckle 20, The angle of tilt which the bag will maintain can be adjusted as desired by selection of the hole 18 to be engaged by the tongue 19.

The strap of Fig. 1 is secured to the golf bag as illustrated in Fig. 2. The top end of strap 14 is connected to

2,820,498 ring 13 by spring buckle 15. The lower end of strap 14 is secured to handle 30, the end of the strap being looped about the handle and secured in place by buckle 21. The free end of strap 17 is similarly secured to buckle 20, tongue 19 of the buckle being positioned in one of the holes 18.

It will be seen that the strap of Fig. 1 when attached to the golf bag as shown in Fig. 2 holds the golf bag at a predetermined angle of inclination on the shoulder of the person carrying the golf bag and, because the strap provides a three-point suspension of the bag, the top end of the bag is prevented from sliding downwardly while being carried. The strap 14 is looped as shown to receive the person’s shoulder. Buckle 21 permits the size of the loop to be varied.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate modified forms of the same invention. Like numerals are used in Figs. 1 to 4 to indicate substantially identical elements in the several embodiments of the invention.

The embodiment of Fig. 3 differs from the embodiment previously described in that a buckle 29 is secured to the upper end of reinforcing strip 25 between handle 30 and the open top 12 of the bag. The end 16 of strap 14 has a plurality of openings or holes similar to holes 18 of strap 17, for receiving the tongue of buckle 29. A loop or ring 32 of leather, metal, or other suitable material, is provided on handle 30 and the end 16 of strap 14 is slipped through it, as shown. Loop 32 functions to slidingly maintain end 16 of strap 14 against handle 30 so as to hold strap 14 in a loop.

In Fig. 4 the upper end of strap 14 is permanently attached to ring 13, the strap being looped through the ring and secured to itself by means of rivets or other suitable fastening means. The lower end 16 of strap 14 also passes through a loop 32 as in the embodiment of Fig. 3. However, in this case the strap is riveted at 31, or otherwise firmly secured to the reinforcing strip 25.

The embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 function in the same manner as the embodiment of Fig. 2. However, the embodiments of Figs. 2 and 3 are preferred over the embodiment of Fig. 4 since in the former forms of the invention the straps are removably secured to the bag, thereby permitting quick and easy replacement thereof as required. Furthermore, the strap of Fig. 2 can be readily substituted for a two-point suspension carrying strap of the type conventionally used on golf bags.

It may be observed that in all three embodiments of the invention, the member which supports the bag and clubs is a composite strap comprising the portions 14, 16 and 17, the portion 14 having an end attached to the bag adjacent to the top end thereof, the portion 16 having an end attached to the bag below the attached end of the portion 14, and the portion 17 having an end attached to the bag below the attached end of the portion 16.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is net limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts specifically described or illustrated, and that within the scope of the appended claims it may be practised otherwise than as specifically described or illustrated.

This is a continuation of my co-pending application Ser. No. 259,453, filed December 1, 1951, for Golf Bags.