Combination golf cart and bag

A wheeled golf cart which can be manually pulled over a golf course for transporting golf equipment or carried to and from a golf course to storage or transporting in a vehicle. The entire hand-carried cart can be converted into a full manually mobile golf cart in seconds for operation on golf course.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a cart that is used for golfing equipment either 
in an operative cart manner or as a storage and transport bag. 
There is a variety of prior art describing golf bags that convert to carts. 
These are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,590,178, issued to L. D. Jamison 
on Mar. 25, 1952; 3,738,677 issued to James Renock on June 12, 1973; 
1,374,242, issued to a Great Britain Group on Nov. 20, 1974; 2,508,059, 
issued to K. E. Burtt on May 16, 1950; 2,868,559, issued to A. L. 
Vincelette on Jan. 13, 1959 and 4,017,091, issued to Russell J. Wallen on 
Apr. 12, 1977. The present invention is an improvement in many ways on the 
prior art. 
Prior golf carts have been complicated mechanically, bulky, heavy, and in 
one way or another cumbersome to convert and/or operate. This new 
invention provides a lightweight, durable cart which is mechanically and 
operatively superior due to simplicity; it holds all the complimentary 
clubs (14), has separate compartments for balls, tees and clothing and can 
be transported on and off the course easier than any prior art. The 
invention is therefore not only novel but superior to its prior art in 
ways pertaining to mechanics, compactness, and ease of use. And because of 
its compactness it is very lightweight. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The combination golf cart and bag invention consist of a lightweight and 
durable structure that is rectangular in shape and is as compact as 
possible to provide a carrying unit for a full compliment of golf clubs 
(14), compartment for balls and tees, and a compartment for appropriate 
golf clothing and accessories. The cart itself is provided with wheels and 
wheel struts that 3 easily fit into place without complicated mechanical 
devises, and a handle which similarly fits into place and when all is not 
used are stored in similar fashion as the clubs. A support strut which is 
required on other prior art to stand free is not necessary with this cart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an operative view of the invention. 
Golf cart 10 is provided with a lightweight sturdy body 11, which can be 
made of plastic or other suitable material. Plastic offers itself for easy 
fabricating and assembly. Golf cart body 11 includes two wheel-strut 
assemblies 12 with individual struts 13 and wheels 14. Wheel-struts 13 are 
made of aluminum. An operating handle 15 is shown in the operative mode 
with attachment described in another figure. It is also made of aluminum. 
The cart body 11 is provided with a carrying handle 17 which is made of a 
durable material similar to handles on modern luggage and is attached by 
means of rivets and by attachment snaps 18 for use in attaching top cover. 
Golf club inserts 19 are inserted into properly oriented holes in top of 
cart body 11 so that all standard golf clubs can be carried. Golf club 
inserts are commonly purchased at golf and accessory stores. Plastic 
grooved slides 20 are used to allow doors 21 and 22 to operate by sliding 
back and forth. The ball and tee door 21 and clothing door 22 are equiped 
with stops so doors do not slide entirely off cart 11 when moved to either 
side. They are also equiped with shims so that when closed they will stay 
shut. Front panels 23 and 24 are affixed to cart to make up front surfaces 
of the compartments. Doors 21 and 22 and panels 23 and 24 are elevated 
slightly so that rain will not enter compartments when in use. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the invention in the hand carried 
transported position. The golf cart 10 is provided with a top cover 16 
which is made of a water repellant material that is durable for protection 
of clubs, etc. when stored or transported in a vehicle. The top cover 16 
is attached to cart 10 via snaps 18. Carrying handle 17 is attached to 
cart 10 so that when full compliment of clubs and accessories are being 
transported a balance is easily achieved. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a view of the invention with 
compartments 25 and 26 opened and wheel-strut assemblies 12 and operating 
handle 15 stored for transporting. The view shows the aforementioned 
parts; top cover 16 partially in clothing and accessory compartment 26, 
handle for carrying 17, snaps 18 for top cover attachment, club inserts 
19, plastic sides 20, ball and tee door 21, clothing door 22, front panel 
of ball and tee compartment 23, front panel of clothing and accessory 
compartment 24. Compartments 25 and 26 are fabricated from same or similar 
material as the cart body and are constructed so when strategically 
attached to cart body they re-inforce the entire structure. Golf course 
score card 31 can easily be carried by slipping a portion of card under 
handle material 17. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown an exploded view of the invention. 
This view illustrates a few very important features of the invention which 
make it more simple to convert and operate (and viseversa), much easier to 
manufacture, more compact, and structurally more practical and sound for 
playing the game of golf than any other prior art. In FIG. 4 it can be 
seen that wheel-strut assembly 12, when operation of cart is desired, is 
inserted into appropriately manufactured wheel-strut receptacle 27 which 
is affixed to inside wall of cart body in such a way (reinforced and 
braced) that maximum stability is achieved. The precision of the 
receptacles are such that friction gently holds wheel-struts into place. A 
gentle push is all that is needed to insert, and a gentle pull is needed 
to remove struts. Similarly, the operating handle 15 is inserted into an 
operating handle receptacle 28. This receptacle is also precisioned so 
that insertion and removal of operating handle 15 is a gentle push or pull 
respectively. To secure handle when pulling cart in its operative mode a 
securing pin and chain 32 is provided. One end of the chain is fastened to 
the top of cart body 11 and the other has a pin (such as a cotter key) 
fastened to it. The pin is placed into a hole which affixes the operating 
handle 15 to the cart body 11 during operation. Also in FIG. 4 is seen 
receptacle holes 29 and 30. There are two holes 29 for the two wheel-strut 
assembly 12 and one for the operating handle 15. Use of receptacles 29 and 
30 is seen in FIG. 3. 
Referring now to FIG. 5, a top view is seen showing arrangement of club 
inserts 19, operating handle receptacle 28 for handle operation, operating 
handle storage receptacle 30 for storage of handle, wheel-strut storage 
receptacles 29 for storage of wheel-strut assemblies, hole for handle 
securing pin 33, handle securing pin and chain 32, top view of bracing 
material 39, wheel strut receptacles 27, and top view showing relationship 
of raised compartment doors 21 and 22 and front panels 23 and 24. 
Referring now to FIG. 6, a side view is seen with a portion cutaway to 
expose some internal features. The operating handle 15 is seen in its 
stored mode. The area that it occupies when stored is made when bracing 
material 39 (discussed in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7) is put into place. The bend 
at the end of the operating handle 15 is essential for balance when 
operating cart. The handle 15 is easily positioned in storage area because 
the operating handle receptacle 28 is short enough not to interfere when 
"bend" in handle is passed through its storage receptacle. A side view of 
the wheel-strut receptacle 27 is seen in its proper orientation. 
Compartments 25 and 26 are viewed from the side allowing for illustration 
of the compartment doors and panel parts. Ball and tee door shim 34 and 
clothing and accessory shim 36 are seen and will be discussed in FIG. 7. 
Ball and tee door stop 35 and clothing and accessory door stop 37 are 
viewed from the side and will be discussed further in FIG. 7 also. A 
cushion for clubs 38 is seen at the bottom of cart. The cushion is made of 
a closed cell foam rubber material so that water absorption is not a 
problem and also cuts down on noise production. 
Referring now to FIG. 7, which is a front view with partial cutaway showing 
inside tubes, etc. The golf club inserts 19 are seen in a simple 
arrangement. The operating handle receptacle 28 is seen with its bracing 
material 39 on both sides so that also braces entire cart body as shown. 
Bracing material 39 is also noted between wheel-strut receptacles 27. 
Bracing material 39 is fit into cart body so that it will contour to as 
many surfaces as possible to reinforce and strengthen entire cart body. 
Door shims 34 and 36 are shown. These shims are attached to back of doors 
and are wedge-shaped so that when door is shut it is at its tightest 
wedged position securing door into palce. The door stops 35 and 37 are 
flat pieces of similar material as body attached to the back of the door 
stoping it when opened and when closed so that door is always attached to 
cart. The "stop" occurs when the door stops 35 and 37 come up against the 
compartment walls.