Golf club holder and cart

July 11, 1961 j. _L. herold 2,992,012

GOLF CLUB HOLDER AND CART

Filed March 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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J. L. HEROLD

GOLF CLUB HOLDER AND CART

July 11, 1961

2,992,012

Filed March 16, 1959

Sheets-Sheet 2

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<img file="US2992012A_D0003.tif" />

2,992,012

Patented July 11, 1961

United States Patent Office

2,992,012

GOLF CLUB HOLDER AND CART James L. Herold, 8467 Roanoke Drive, Normandy, Mo.

Filed Mar. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 799,616

Claims. (Cl. 280—47.19) ⁵

This invention relates to golf club holders, and more particularly to an improved golf club holder of the type in which a separate compartment is provided for each golf club and to an improved golf cart in which such a 10 holder is associated with a wheeled support.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an improved golf club holder in which the number of separate compartments provided for holding individual golf clubs may be readily varied de- 15 pending upon the number of golf clubs to· be carried by the user; the provision of a golf club holder of this type in which a damaged compartment may be readily removed and replaced; the provision of such a golf club holder in which each separate compartment is provided 20 with a drain opening at the bottom thereof to permit the draining of water; the provision of a golf club holder of the class described which is of simple and economical construction; and the provision of an improved golf club cart including such a golf club holder in association 25 with a wheeled support, which cart is provided with means constituting a stand for the cart when the latter is in a generally vertical position and a seat for the user when the cart is in a generally horizontal position. An adjustable handle is provided in association with the im- 30 proved golf cart and is not required when the golf club holder is used with an existing conventional cart. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions 35 hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated, ⁴⁰

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a golf club cart of the invention, with parts broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view taken on line 2—2 of FIG. 1; . ₄₅

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on line 3—3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 4—4 of FIG. 1 with parts broken away;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken ₅₀on line 5—5 of FIG. 4;

FlG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a modification;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 7—7 of FIG. 6; 55

FIG. 8 is a view in elevation showing a brace used in conjunction with the modification of FIGS 6 and 7; and,

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing another modification.

Corresponding reference characters indicate correspond- ⁶⁰ing parts throughout the several views of 'the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a golf club cart of the invention generally designated 1 comprising a golf club holder generally designated 3 and a wheeled support generally designated 5. Golf club holder 3 comprises a plurality of elongate tubes 7 (nine such tubes being shown), a head member 9 and a base member 11. The upper end portions of tubes 7 'are received in head member 9 and lower end portions of tubes 7 are re- ₇₀ceived in base member 11. Tubes 7 may be made of any suitable rigid plastic material. As shown, they are of circular cross section, but this is not essential. The upper ends of the tubes are flared 'as indicated at Ία.

As shown, head member 9 is generally rectangular in shape and comprises end sections 13 and 15 and intermediate sections 17 and 18. Head member 9 may be made of any suitable material such as wood, plastic or metal such as aluminum. End sections 13 and 15 of head member 9 have a plurahty of semicircular notches 13n and 15n on the inner side thereof. Intermediate sections 17 and 18 have a plurality of notches 17n and 18n on each side thereof which correspond to and register with the notches of end sections 13 and 15 and the adjacent intermediate section respectively to form circular openings 19 receiving the upper end portions of plastic tubes 7. End sections 13 and 15 and intermediate sections 17 and 18 are detachably fastened together and the upper ends of the tubes are clamped therebetween by means of bolts 21 extending through registering bolt holes 22 in the end and intermediate sections between the openings 19, nuts 23 and wing nuts 25 being threaded on the ends of the bolts. Vertical holes 27 are provided in the sections of head member 9 providing sockets for receiving golf tees.

Base member 11 is generally rectangular in shape and comprises end sections 28 and 29 (similar to end sections 13 and 15 of head member 9) and intermediate sections 31 and 32 (similar to sections 17 and 18 of head member 9). End sections 28 and 29 have a. plurality of semicircular notches 28n and 29n on the inner side thereof. Intermediate sections 31 and 32 have a plurality of semicircular notches 31n and 32n on each side thereof which correspond to and register with the notches of end sections 28 and 29 and the adjacent intermediate section respectively to form circular openings 33 receiving the lower end portions of plastic tubes 7. End sections 28 and 29 and intermediate sections 31 and 32 are detachably fastened together and the lower ends of the tubes are clamped therebetween by means of bolts 35 extending through registering bolt holes 36 in the end and intermediate sections between the openings 33, nuts 37 and wing nuts 39 being threaded on the ends of the bolts. Rods or wires 41 extend through the lower end portions of tubes 7 just above the base member 11. As shown, rods 41 partially close the bottom of tubes 7 and provide a bottom stop for golf clubs inserted in the tubes. The spaces on either side of rods 41 provides drain openings for water to drain out of tubes 7. Openings 43 are provided in end section 28 of base member 11 for a purpose to be described, and openings 43α may be provided in the other sections of the base member for holding tCCS.

As shown, golf club holder 3 has nine sepai ate compartments for holding nine golf clubs constituted by the nine individual plastic tubes 7. If it is desired to provide additional compartments for additional golf clubs such as, for example, three or six additional clubs, end sections 13 and 15 and intermediate sections 17 and 18 of head member 9 and end sections 28 and 29 and intermediate sections 31 and 32 of base member 11 may be unfastened or detached from each other by removing bolts 21 and 35 respectively. Additional intermediate sections may then be inserted between or adjacent intermediate sections 17 and 18 and 31 and 32 of head member 9 and base member 11 respectively, and these members may then be refastened together by bolts similar to bolts 21 and 35 but of suitable greater length. Each additional intermediate section added to each of head and base members 9 and 11 provides three additional openings for receiving three individual plastic tubes for holding three golf clubs. Similarly, where one or more of tubes 9 have been damaged, the damaged tubes can be replaced

2,992,012 by disassembling head and base members 9 and 11 as described above, removing the damaged tubes, inserting new tubes and thereafter refastening head and base members 9 and 11 as before.

An angle bar 45 is secured to the end section 13 of 5 head member 9 with one leg overlying the top and the other extending downward and engaging the outside of the end section 13. Securement is effected by means of the bolts 21 extending through holes in the downwardly extending leg and by the wing nuts 25. An angle bar 47 jq is secured to the end section 15 of head member 9 with one leg overlying the top and the other extending downward and engaging the outside of end section 15. Securement is effected by means of the bolts 21 extending through holes in the downwardly extending leg by the 15 nuts 23. The downwardly extending leg of angle bar 45 is provided with outwardly extending flanges 49 at its ends. These flanges have openings 51 pivotally receiving inturned end portions 53 of a bail type handle 55. The upper leg of angle bar 47 has upwardly extending 20 flanges 57 at its end having laterally outwardly projecting wings 59 each formed with a series of notches 61. The side arms 62 of the handle are springingly receivable in a pair of the notches 61. A handle grip 63 is provided on the outer end portion of the handle, and the handle 25 may be adjusted to various angles for adjustment of the elevation of the handle grip by springing side arms 62 into different pairs of notches.

Wheeled support 5 comprises an axle member 65 having wheels 67 journalled at the ends thereof. A pair of 30 spaced angle bars 69 extends from the axle member 65 at right angles thereto. These have bent up inner end portions 71 fastened to the axle member as indicated at 73. For reinforcing the angle bars 69, gusset plates 75 are fastened to bars 69 as indicated at 77. Angle bars 35 69 are arranged with one leg thereof vertical and their other legs extending inward toward one another at the bottoms of the vertical legs. On the inner side of angle bars 69 are a pair of spaced inverted angle bars designated 79. These are fastened to bars 69 and gusset plates 40 75 as indicated at 81. Upper legs 83 of bars 79 and lower legs 85 of bars 69 form channels for removably receiving the base member 11 of golf club holder 3. Upper legs 83 of bars 79 have notches 87 therein at the inner end thereof with which the openings 43 in base member 11 register when the base member 11 is slid into the stated ⁴⁵channels provided by bars 69 and 79. A chain 89 having a pin 91 at one end thereof is fastened to axle member 65 at the other end thereof as indicated at 93. After sliding the base member 11 of golf club holder 3 into the channels formed by bars 69 and 79, holder 3 is locked in ⁵⁰position by inserting pin 91 into openings 43 through notches 87.

A channel member 95 is fastened to the outer ends of angle bars 69 on the bottom side thereof as indicated at 97. As shown in FIG. 1, channel member 95 serves as a stand to hold the golf club holder 3 in an upright position. The assembly may be turned clockwise from its FIG. 1 position to a generally horizontal position in which channel member 95 may be utilized as a seat.

A sheet 101 of hardboard (such as that sold under the ⁶⁰trade designation “Masonite”) or the like and a metal plate 103 may be fastened to the row of plastic tubes 7 away from the wheels 67 as indicated at 105. Metal plate 103 has an opening 107. A carrying strap 109 has one end secured in opening 107 in the plate 103 and ⁶⁵its other end secured in an opening 111 in bar 45. The lower end of board 101 and a metal plate 115 are fastened to the lower ends of the outer row of tubes 7 as indicated at 117. A pouch 119 for holding golf balls rests γθ against board 101 and is secured at its end between metal plates 103 and 115 respectively and board 101 at 105 and 117 respectively. The pouch may have an opening in the outside thereof with a slide fastener.

It will be understood that golf club holder 3 may be 75

..4 used alone or in association with wheeled support 5 as a cart as shown. Also, handle 55 on head member 9 of golf club holder 3 eliminates the necessity for any upright supporting member on the wheeled support, plastic tubes 7 making the structure sufficiently rigid without any such supporting member.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a modification wherein, instead of using rods 41 to provide bottom stops for the clubs, the sections 28, 29, 31 and 32 of the base member 11 are formed with inwardly directed flange portions 28/, 29/, 31/ and 32/ at the lower ends of the notches 28«, 29«, 31« and 32«. When the sections 28, 29, 31 and 32 are assembled, these flange portions provide upwardly facing shoulders such as indicated at 121 in FIG. 7 engageable by the lo wer ends of the tubes 7. The flange portions are formed so as to provide a drainage hole 123 for water to drain out of each tube 7. Each tube 7 has a ring 125’ of rubber or other suitable resilient material inserted therein at its lower end engaging the respective shoulder’ 121 providing a resilient stop for a golf club inserted in the tube. When the modification of FIGS. 6 and 7 is used, it is preferred to tie together the base member 11 and the head member 9 as by means of a tie member such as indicated at 127 in FIG. 8 to keep the tubes 7 from sliding out of the recesses provided for the lower ends thereof by the notches 28«, 29«, 31«, 32«. As shown in FIG. 8, the tie member 127 comprises a rod having a forked upper end 129 secured to the head member 9 by engagement with the ends of the bolts 21 under the nuts 23 on the bolts 21 and a forked lower end 131 secured to the base member 11 by engagement with the ends of bolts 35 under the nuts 39 on the bolts 35.

FIG. 9 illustrates a further modification wherein the bolts 35 are utilized as bottom stops for the golf clubs, extending across the tubes 7 adjacent the lower ends of the tubes 7 (instead of intermediate the lower ends of the tubes as in FIG. 4). In this instance, holes such as^:indicated at 141 are provided in the tubes 7 for accepting the bolts 35. Sleeves 143 of rubber or other suitable resilient material may be provided on the portions Of the bolts which span tubes 7 to provide resilient stops for the ends of the golf clubs.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As variosu changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.