Golf club container with extensible wheels

A rigid container for golf clubs and accessories provides two spaced cylindrical compartments interconnected in their end parts to define a medial channel therebetween for containment of retracted wheel structures. The cylindrical compartments provide plural support tubes, each to carry a golf club in frictional engagement for positional maintenance. Foldable wheel structure carried in the medial channel extends therefrom to an operative position to provide means for wheeled locomotion and semi-vertical container support on an underlying surface. The container is covered by a traditional fabric bag.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
There are no applications related hereto heretofore filed in this or any 
foreign country. 
FIELD OF INVENTION 
My invention generally relates to containers for golf clubs and ancillary 
apparatus and more particularly to such a container having individual 
tubes to positionally maintain club shanks and extendible wheel structure 
to provide optional locomotion and support means. 
BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
Containers of various sorts, generally of a bag-like nature, have long been 
used for collection, maintenance and storage of golf clubs and associated 
apparatus. Though such containers through their history have continuously 
improved in both sophistication and utility, various problems still remain 
with them. The instant invention provides a new member to this class of 
devices with improvements to resolve existing problems. 
Since golf clubs must be used over substantially the entire area of a golf 
course, a container for them must provide some portability to be useful. 
In the early history of these devices, means were provided, such as 
handles or straps, for manual manipulation and carriage. As the containers 
developed and their sophistication increased, other mechanical means to 
aid locomotion developed, principally in the form of added wheels. 
Commonly such wheel structures were in the form of a separate mechanism 
not attached to a gold bag which it supported, though in the more recent 
development of the art, it has become known to structurally relate a bag 
and its wheel means to aid locomotion. The instant invention provides a 
container of this latter type that has relatively large wheels retractable 
within a medial channel defined in the container when not in use, but 
extendible for support in a rigid and sturdy fashion when positioned for 
use. This is in contradistinction to prior art devices which generally 
have provided either relatively small wheels which do not conveniently 
accomplish appropriate locomotion, especially over uneven surfaces, or in 
cases where larger wheels have been provided, have not provided wheel 
retracting mechanism that allows containment of larger wheels within the 
container structure itself. My invention allows these improvements while 
yet maintaining all of the normal amenities of traditional golf club 
containers heretofore known. 
The traditional flexible bag-type golf club containers heretofore known 
have not in general provided means for separating and uniquely 
positionally maintaining clubs within the bag structure. As the 
sophistication of golf clubs has increased during the course of their 
history, so also has their cost and responsively it has become desirable 
to prevent golf clubs from randomly contacting each other in a container 
or other objects outside a container, especially during cartage, as this 
may and oftentimes does damage the clubs either aesthetically or 
functionally. Because of the rather unique configuration of a golf club, 
it is difficult to contain the clubs and prevent such damage without 
uniquely positionally maintaining them. Various structures and devices, 
principally in the form of straps or orifices to limit shaft motion in bag 
structures, have become known to serve this purpose, but in general such 
devices, though they have maintained a club shaft in a particular limited 
area, have not uniquely so maintained it, but rather have allowed a club 
to move rotatably about its shaft and generally have not too well 
restricted motion of the shaft itself within a containing structure. 
My invention solves this problem by providing a container structure having 
individual elongate tubular elements extending substantially the length of 
the shank of a club with resiliently deformable means in the lower portion 
to frictionally engage a club handle to uniquely positionally maintain 
that handle especially against rotation. This type of structure has added 
benefits in that it provides a means for indicating and allowing 
determination of the absence of any particular club from a contained set 
and also in maintaining clubs in a container should the entire container 
be inverted or otherwise disposed so that gravity might cause the clubs to 
move therefrom, were they not frictionally maintained. 
My invention further provides a rigid container that has a traditional 
fabric covering to preserve the aesthetic amenities and storage pouches of 
historic golf bags. The two wheel structures of my bag are arrayed in 
angulated fashion in their operative mode so that the bag itself serves as 
a third point for upright support of the entire structure. This angulated 
wheel structure also allows provision of a handle that may be used to 
manipulate my container during its locomotion over a supporting surface. 
My invention resides not in anyone of these features per se, but rather in 
the synergistic combination of all of the structures, as hereinafter 
further specified and claimed. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
My invention generally provides two rigid elongate containers structurally 
joined in spaced adjacency, to define a wheel chamber therebetween, by 
rigid bottom and top elements. Each container carries a plurality of 
elongate support tubes releasably supported between the top and bottom 
members. Each support tube provides a bottom portion to frictionally 
receive and releasably engage the handle end of a golf club. Similar 
cooperating wheels are journaled on pivotal mounting structures to fold 
within the wheel channel for storage and extend therefrom for wheeled 
locomotion of the container. The wheels are angulated to the container in 
their extended use mode to cooperate with the container to provide a 
three-point support in an upright position. A rigid handle is releasably 
carried by the container to aid locomotion. 
The container is covered by a traditional fabric bag structure that 
provides storage for ancillary apparatus and devices and handle structure 
to aid manipulation. 
In providing such a device, it is: 
A principal object of my invention to create a rigid golf club container 
having two spaced cylinders each carrying a plurality of individual 
tubular elements to uniquely positionally maintain each golf club of a 
set, especially against rotary motion about their shanks. 
A further object of my invention to provide such a container that has a 
pair of relatively large wheels journaled on foldable support structures 
for carriage within a medial wheel chamber defined in the container and 
for extension laterally outwardly therefrom to provide locomotion means 
for the container. 
A further object of my invention to provide such a device that has a fabric 
covering providing the aesthetics and traditional amenities of fabric golf 
bags heretofore known. 
A further object of my invention to provide such a device that is of 
lighter weight and lower bulk then separate traditional golf bag and cart 
structures associated for locomotion, but one that yet provides the 
benefits of both separate devices. 
A still further object of my invention to provide wheel structure for such 
a golf club container that is of a unique mechanical nature, allows use of 
relatively large wheels and is of unusual rigidity and durability. 
A still further object of my invention to provide such a device that is of 
new and novel design, of rugged and durable nature, of simple and economic 
manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the uses and purpose for which 
it is intended. 
Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following 
specification and accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. In 
carrying out the objects of my invention, however, it is to be remembered 
that its accidental features are susceptible of change in design and 
structural arrangement with only one preferred and practical embodiment 
being illustrated in the accompanying drawings as is required.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
My invention generally provides shell-type rigid container 20 carrying 
extendible wheel structures 21 and plural club support tubes 22 with 
fabric covering 23 about the vertical surface thereof. 
Shell-like container 20 provides peripherally defined areally larger club 
containing cylinder 24 and areally smaller club containing cylinder 25, 
each cylinder comprising elongate structures having a somewhat rectangular 
cross-section with rounded corners and similar lengths (vertical 
dimension), somewhat less than the length of the shafts of golf clubs to 
be supported. The cross-section of each container has similar lateral 
dimensions but differing forward-rearward dimensions. The larger forward 
club cylinder accommodate two rows of club support tubes while the smaller 
container accommodates one row of tubes, as illustrates especially in FIG. 
12. The two elongate club cylinders are joined in spaced parallel 
adjacency by top and bottom elements. 
As shown especially in FIGS. 11 and 12, the top element provides sheet-like 
top shelf 26 carrying forward depending collar 27 and rearward depending 
collar 28, both configured to fit immediately inwardly adjacent the inner 
surfaces of club cylinders 24 and 25, respectively. Rim 30 extends 
upwardly about periphery shelf element 26, and the shelf defines plural 
spaced support tube holes 31 in spaced array to support two rows of club 
tubes within forward larger club cylinder 24 and one row of club tubes 
within smaller rearward club cylinder 25. Preferably by tradition the club 
tube holes are arrayed as illustrated with a total of fourteen holes 
defined with four holes aligned along the forward edge of the shelf and 
five holes aligned immediately rearwardly thereof above the larger club 
cylinder and a row of five holes aligned above the smaller club cylinder 
to allow the woods and the irons to be maintained together in separated 
groups. 
Bottom element 32 is of shape similar to shelf 26 of the top unit. The 
bottom element structurally carries upwardly extending peripheral side 33 
which in turn carries upwardly extending rearward smaller connecting 
collar 34 and larger forward connecting collar 35, both configured to fit 
immediately inwardly adjacent the lower portions of the two club cylinders 
24, 25, respectively. Lower medial cross-support support 36 communicates 
between the two connecting collars at their bases to provide additional 
support in this area. The upper surface of bottom element 32 defines a 
plurality of cells 37 to receive the lower portions of club support tubes 
22 to cooperate with the support tube holes in shelf 26 of the top element 
to maintain the support tubes in appropriate spaced parallel array in the 
club cylinders. 
This peripheral frame structure, comprising the two club cylinders, top and 
bottom elements, is formed of some reasonably lightweight rigid durable 
material such as one of the harder and more dense polymeric or resinous 
plastics. The exact configuration and dimensioning of the frame structure 
are not essential to my invention, though must be related to the 
traditional dimensions and configurations of golf clubs that are to be 
carried. The distance between the top and bottom member should be slightly 
less than the length of the shanks of golf clubs to be carried and the 
areas of the structures must be sufficient to allow indicated positioning 
of support tubes that are large enough to carry the shanks and handles of 
the golf clubs that they will ultimately support. 
A support element having similar sides 38 interconnected by substantially 
perpendicular medial septa 39 extends between the adjacent facing surfaces 
of the two club cylinders 24, 25. The support element provides some 
additional structural integrity and rigidity for the frame structure, but 
more importantly, provides means for mounting the wheel structure in wheel 
channel 40. The particular size and configuration of this support element 
are not critical so long as the element serves its specified purpose and 
does not block the wheel chambers above and below it. 
The uppermost portion of rearward smaller club cylinder 25 structurally 
carries handle arm support 41 defining a channel in which handle arm 42 is 
received in a frictional fit for releasable positional maintenance. The 
handle arm extends in a curvilinear fashion upwardly and rearwardly to 
carry handle 43, configured for conformable gripping, in its end part at a 
spaced distance rearwardly of the wheels of any container to provide means 
for manual manipulation during locomotion. The handle arm may be 
releasably maintained in support 41 otherwise than by frictional 
engagement, such as by mechanical fasteners (not shown) or the like. 
Support tubes 22 are illustrated particularly in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. These 
structures each provide elongate tubular body 44 defining medial channel 
45 with outwardly flaring top portion 46 to aid insertion of a club handle 
therein and matingly interfit within tube holes 31 of shelf element 26. 
Annular fastening groove 47 is defined in the outer surface of the tubular 
body, immediately inwardly adjacent flaring top portion 46, to cooperate 
with inwardly extending annular bosses 48, defined about the periphery of 
the support tube holes 31 in the shelf element, to provide releasable 
positioning of the upper portion of a support tube relative to the shelf 
element. In the illustrations, the lower portion of tubular body 44 
carries a fastening foot providing cylindrical body 49 defining channel 50 
that receives a lower peripheral surface of an associated tube in a 
frictional fit. The lower portion of the fastening foot provides plural 
fastening fingers 51 having radially inwardly extending lowermost portions 
52. The fastening fingers are formed of some semi-rigid, resiliently 
deformable material, such as a polymeric plastic, to the configuration 
illustrated with the fingers extending radially inwardly sufficiently 
that, as illustrated in FIG. 9, they will expand to some degree to create 
sufficient frictional force to positionally maintain a golf club handle 
placed therein is a releasable fashion. The amount of frictional force may 
be regulated by the configuration and nature of the material from which 
the fingers are formed. The same type of frictional engagement of a club 
handle in the lowermost portion of a tube may be accomplished by other 
types of tube deformation (not shown), with or without a separable foot 
structure, and remain within the ambit and scope of my invention. 
Preferably the support tube structure is formed of a harder dense plastic, 
though undoubtedly it might be formed of other materials such as of the 
less dense metals. The length of tubular body 44, including the fastening 
foot portion, in somewhat less than the length of the shank of a golf club 
to be supported therein and the diameter of the tubular body is as large 
as the largest diameter of the handle of a golf club to be carried by the 
tube to allow insertion within a tube. The cells defined in the bottom 
element are of appropriate size to receive the lowermost portion of 
support tubes when expanded in a condition to frictionally engage a club 
handle. 
Wheel structure 21 is shown particularly in Figures 2-6 where it is seen 
that tubular mounting sleeve 53 is carried by vertical septa 39 of the 
support element in a perpendicular, laterally extending orientation. This 
mounting tube provides angulated ends 54 to allow the wheel mounting 
structures supported therein to move into the medial wheel channel. 
Similar opposed strut supports 55 are pivotally carried in each end of 
mounting tube 53 to extend beyond the mounting tube a distance sufficient 
to pivotally mount struts thereon. The strut supports each carry medial 
extending springs 56 in their end part to communicate with pin 57 carried 
by the middle portion of mounting tube 53 to maintain the strut supports 
within the mounting tube and bias them to an inward position. The outer 
end portion of each strut support carries pin 58 to pivotally mount the 
primary struts thereon. The medial portion of the strut supports define 
indentations 59 to receive pin 60 of inwardly biased catch structure 61 to 
releasably maintain the strut support in a particular rotary position in 
the mounting tube to appropriately position those structures for operative 
wheel support. 
Each primary wheel strut is a compound structure providing larger strut 
tube 62 slidably and rotatably carrying smaller strut tube 63 extending 
from its outer end portion. The inner end portion of the larger strut tube 
carries yoke 64 which pivotally mounts upon pin 58 carried by strut 
support 55. The yoke fits within the larger strut tube and provides a 
solid medical structure for that tube. The inner end portion of smaller 
strut tube 63 carries pivotally mounted cam 65 extendible through a slot 
defined in that tube to fastenably engage the outermost end part of larger 
strut tube 62, as shown in FIG. 6, to releasably fasten the two strut 
tubes in extended relationship relative to each other. This cam is biased 
to a fastening position and the smaller tube 63 biased to a retracted 
position by extension spring 66 carried between the yoke structure and the 
cam within the medial channel defined by the smaller strut tube. The cam 
65 is released from its fastening position, shown in FIG. 6, by manually 
moving smaller strut tube 63 outwardly of the strut tube 62 so that the 
cam can be accessed and moved manually inward within the channel of the 
smaller strut tube which is then rotated slightly to maintain the cam in 
this position. 
End portion of smaller strut tube 63 carries wheel mounting yoke 67 
extending thereabout and pivotally carrying wheel mounting cylinder 68 
journaled on pin 69 carried by the yoke. This wheel cylinder carries 
radially extending axle 70 upon which wheel 75 is journaled. Wheel 
cylinder 68 defines a radially aligned fastening hole 71 to receive pin 72 
carried in the smaller strut tube and biased to an outward position by 
compression spring 73 to positionally maintain the rotary orientation of 
the cylinder in a wheel supportative position relative the strut 
structure. This pin may be moved out of its fastening hole by slidable 
catch 74 carried in an appropriate slot defined in the end portion of the 
smaller strut tube to communicate with the spring, release the spring bias 
and move pin 72. With this structure then, a journaled wheel may be 
releasably maintained in operative angular position in a plane through the 
axis of the strut tubes. 
An auxiliary support strut 76 is pivotally carried by annular support 77, 
which in turn is carried about the outer end portion of each larger strut 
tube 62, to extend angularly inwardly to fastening bracket 78 carried on 
the upper part of rearward smaller club cylinder 25. This strut 76 
provides enlarged end part 79 for releasable carriage in a channel defined 
by fastening bracket 78. The auxiliary support strut during storage is 
pivoted parallel to larger strut tube 62 supporting it, where it is 
releasably maintained by resilient annular catch 79. 
Wheels 75 are limited in size only by the length of the wheel channel 
defined between the club cylinder and the amount of space occupied by the 
support element carried in the medial part thereof. With an ordinary sized 
golf club container adapted for use with clubs of modern configuration, 
this allows the use of a wheel of approximately ten inch diameter. 
Preferably the width of the container structures, that is their lateral 
dimension, is substantially the same as the diameter of a wheel so that at 
least a substantial portion of a wheel may be carried within the wheel 
channel, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The wheel support structure is formed 
of some rigid, reasonably durable light-weight material such as a plastic 
or lighter metal. The structure is sufficiently rigid and durable to allow 
the use of either material by reason of its particular configuration. 
Fabric covering 23 provides bag-like structure 80 formed of flexible 
material configured to cover the periphery of the rigid frame structure. 
The covering provides traditional zipper closable pouches 81 and handles 
82 providing carriage means. It also provides zippered openings 83 on each 
lateral side to allow access to wheel structures and defines orifices 84 
to allow the passage of the wheel struts therethrough. One of the pouches 
81 should be of appropriate size and configuration to contain handle arm 
42, but in the traditional golf bag design one pouch normally is of such 
size. The fabric covering may be formed of the traditional materials and 
with the historic configuration of golf bags heretofore known. This 
covering is not novel, per se, but merely constitutes a necessary 
ancillary element required for the complete and most desirable operability 
of my invention. 
Having thusly described my invention, its operation may be understood. 
Firstly, a golf club container is formed according to the foregoing 
specifications. In its storage mode, it will have the appearance of an 
ordinary golf bag heretofore known, with its wheel structures stored in 
the wheel chamber defined between club cylinder elements and the handle 
arm stored in one of the pouches of the fabric covering structure. 
To erect the container to its use mode, zippered wheel closures 83 are 
opened and wheels 75 moved outwardly of the wheel channel 40. Smaller 
strut tubes 63 are extended from larger tubes 62 until fastening cams 65 
engaged in the outer end part of the larger tubes, as evidenced by a 
sensible click and the inability to move the strut any further outwardly. 
The strut structures are then pivoted through approximately a right angle 
so that they extend perpendicularly to strut support 55 and as this 
position is attained, auxiliary support struts 76 are released from their 
retaining catches 79 and interconnected in the closest side of fastening 
bracket 78 to properly angularly orient the primary wheel struts in a 
rearward angulated position relative to the container. Wheel 75 are then 
pivoted relative to their supporting strut structures, to the angulated 
positions illustrated in FIG. 2, whereat they are releasably maintained by 
catch pins 72. 
The same manipulation is accomplished with both wheel structures and the 
device is then in its use mode and supported on an underlying supportative 
surface in a three-point fashion by the two wheels and the rearward 
portion of the bottom element. Handle arm 42 is then removed from its 
carrying pouch and attached in handle arm bracket 41, in the position 
illustrated in FIG. 1, to aid manual manipulation of the container during 
use and particularly for locomotion. 
Disassembly of the structure from its use mode is accomplished in the 
reverse fashion of that described for its assemblage. 
To place a club in a support tube 22, the club is merely inserted, handle 
first, into the tube and moved, or allowed to move by gravity, downwardly 
until the handle engages the lowermost fastening portion of the carrying 
tube and is frictionally engaged therewith. The downward motion of the 
club will be limited by the lowermost portion of the tube or the bottom 
element therebeneath, as the case may be, so that a club cannot move too 
far downwardly. The nature of the frictional engagement between a tube and 
a golf club handle may be regulated by configurational or material 
parameters to accomplish the desired frictional conditions. A club is 
removed from a support tube by similar reversed manual manipulation. It is 
to be noted that a golf club once inserted will be releasably positionally 
maintained against both rotary forces about its shank and elongate forces 
parallel thereto, with the club handle uniquely restrained and club top 
constrained within a reasonably small area by the upper opening of the 
channel in the support tube. 
The foregoing description of my invention is necessarily of a detailed 
nature so that a specific embodiment of it might be set forth as required, 
but it is to be understood that various modifications of detail, 
rearrangement and multiplication of parts might be resorted to without 
departing from its spirit, essence or scope.