Abstract:
The present invention relates to a golf club carrying rack unit to protect golf clubs from damage due to the collision of the golf club heads when transporting them or when withdrawing and returning them to the carrying rack, by the use of a golf club head retaining means and a golf club shaft retaining means. This organizing feature facilitates the easy selection of any club.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to golf club carrying equipment. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The common golf club carrying equipment is a simple top open bag. There are two main designs of golf bags in the market. Some have the top opening divided into two or three sections and others have tubes into which the golf club shafts are inserted. There are a number of common features of these known bags. Since the golf clubs are not in a fixed position, the golf club heads hit each other when being carried in the bag or when being withdrawn and returned to the bag. These collisions cause scratches and nicks on the golf club heads, especially the club face surface. 
     Because of the loose containment of the clubs if the golf bag is over-tilted or up ended, e.g., extracting the golf bag from a car trunk much inconvenience and damages can occur as the clubs slide out and hit a hard surface. 
     Another inconvenience occurs when traveling by plane, ship or train to be accepted as baggage open top golf bags must be closed either by a top or enclosed entirely in another bag. And again, the unsecured clubs must endure the rigors of baggage handling. 
     Since there is no fixed arrangement of clubs, there is difficulty readily finding the desired clubs, especially the shorter golf clubs buried under the longer ones. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a golf club carrying rack unit with each golf club held in position and arranged in order. The golf club carrying rack also provides the security of all golf clubs by means of entire enclosure and locks. The subject invention includes a golf club head retaining means and golf club shaft retaining means installed on the main frame. The golf club head retaining means restricts the rotation of a golf club head around the golf club shaft axis and the upwards movement of a golf club along the golf club shaft axis. The golf club shaft retaining means restricts the radial movement of a golf club shaft around the golf club shaft axis. These two retaining means keep the designated position of each golf club on a main frame, organize the layout and prevent the collision of golf club heads. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first example of the golf club carrying rack of the subject invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective back view of the first example of golf club shaft retaining means completed with a bracket, a guide rail and a golf club inserted in position. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the front view of the golf club shaft retaining means completed with a bracket. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the bracket for the golf club shaft retaining means shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view  1 — 1  of the golf club shaft retaining means shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the top view of the golf club shaft retaining means shown in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view  2 — 2  of the golf club shaft retaining means shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the golf club shaft retaining means shown in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the first example of the golf club head retaining means with space divider. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the second example of the golf club shaft retaining means with a gate in front. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the second example of the golf club head retaining means with a gate at the top of the space divider. 
     FIG. 12 illustrates the third example of the golf club shaft retaining means which is in a outer cell and pushed upwards with spring. 
     FIG. 13 is a sectional view  3 — 3  of FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 14 illustrates the fourth example of the golf club shaft retaining means which clamps the golf club shaft between the two arms of the leaf spring. 
     FIG. 15 illustrates the third example of the golf club head retaining means to which a bracket of the golf club shaft retaining means can be installed. 
     FIG. 16 illustrates the second example of a golf club carrying rack with two symmetrical frames joined with hinges and with cloth strips as the golf head retaining means. 
     FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate front and back views respectively of the installation of the fourth example of the golf club head retaining means of cloth strips and the fifth example of the golf club shaft retaining means. 
     FIG. 19 illustrates the fifth example of the golf club head retaining means with a snap action holder with a spring and another type of bracket for the golf club shaft retaining means. 
     FIG. 20 illustrates the third example of the golf club carrying rack with three frames joined with hinges. 
     FIG. 21 illustrates the fourth example of the golf club carrying rack with wheels. 
     FIG. 22 illustrates the fifth example of the golf club carrying rack with a cap frame between main frames. 
     FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a cylindrical housing with a revolving golf club rack. 
     FIG. 24 is a sectional view  10 — 10  of the cylindrical golf club carrying rack shown in FIG.  23 . 
     FIG. 25 is a sectional view  12 — 12  of the cylindrical golf club carrying rack shown in FIG.  26 . 
     FIG. 26 is an enlarged top portion of FIG.  24 . 
     FIG. 27 is a sectional view  13 — 13  of the cylindrical golf club carrying rack shown in FIG.  26 . 
     FIG. 28 is a sectional view  11 — 11  of the cylindrical golf club carrying rack shown in FIG.  24 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The preferred embodiments of the golf club carrying rack of the subject invention will reference to the figure wherein like numbers refer to like parts. 
     Referring first to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  and  15 , in these particular embodiment main frames  21  and  22  are substantially symmetrical and joined with hinges  23 . The main frames  21  and  22  are opened when selecting a golf club and closed and secured with locks  24  and  25  when the rack is carried. Hinges  23  are installed on the side of frames  21  and  22  in FIG.  1 . However hinges  23  can be installed at the bottom of frames  21  and  22  for a vertical open rack. The tops of each frames  21  and  22  are equipped with caps  28  and  29  joined to the frames with lever hinges  30 . When caps  28  and  29  are closed the top of the golf club head touches to them and the upwards movement of golf clubs is restricted. The golf clubs can also be accessed from the top with frames  21  and  22  closed. 
     The Carrying strap handles  50  on each frame  21  and  22  are made of cloth or leather and come together when frames  21  and  22  are closed and locked. A long shoulder strap may be used instead of the carrying handles  50 . Similar wheels as shown in FIG. 21 may be installed with bracket  134 . 
     Golf club shaft retaining means  34  is installed with shaft retaining means bracket  37  on guide rail  33  which is a horizontal flat bar on frames  21  and  22 . Referring to FIGS. 5,  6 ,  7  and  8 , the function of golf club shaft retaining means  34  is to restrict the radial movement of the golf club shaft around the golf club shaft axis. Golf club shaft retaining means  34  is a block with generally rectangular section. Running down its length is a vertical shaft passage slit  35 , which is slightly wider than the smallest diameter of a golf club shaft where the shaft meets the club head. At the top of the block there is a downward tapered cylindrical hole  36 . The diameter of the bottom of tapered cylindrical hole  36  is the same as the width of shaft passage slit  35 . When a golf club shaft goes through shaft passage slit  35  and is lowered, the larger diameter golf club head joint  49 ( 49  is not part of this invention.) hits the wall of tapered cylindrical hole  36 ; therefore, the golf club shaft cannot move out through shaft passage slit  35  unless the golf club is lifted up and golf club head joint  49  is moved out of tapered cylindrical hole  36 . The movement of the grip end of the golf club is restricted by horizontal bar  31  and the middle portion of the club is secured by horizontal bar  32  for additional security. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2,  3 , and  4 , the top and bottom flanges of golf club shaft retaining means bracket  37  have slightly larger cutouts  38  than the exterior of the sidewise cross section of golf club shaft retaining means  34 . Shaft passage opening  39  is equal or slightly wider than the shaft passage slit  35  on golf club shaft retaining means  34 . When golf club shaft retaining means  34  is inserted into cutouts  38  of golf club shaft retaining means bracket  37 , the horizontal and vertical positions of golf shaft retaining means  34  on guide rail  33  will be adjusted with set screw  40 . When golf club shaft retaining means  34  is raised so that the top of the contained golf club head touches the closed caps  28  or  29  and set screw  40  is tightened, the golf club&#39;s movement is restricted except for the rotation around golf club shaft axis. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, space divider  41  is a plate that has a right angled C-shaped channel  42 . C-shaped channel  42  is coupled with and slides along the length of a flat bar guide rail  58 . The golf club head retaining means in this embodiment is established by the space created between two of space dividers  41  and cap  28  or  29  or by the space created between a space divider  41  and frame  21  or  22  and cap  28  or  29 , for the golf club adjacent to the frame. The space created between two of space dividers  41  restricts the rotation of a golf club head around the golf club shaft axis. Caps  28  and  29  restrict the golf club upwards movement along the golf club shaft axis. Thus the golf club movement is restricted by adjusting both the height of golf club shaft retaining means  34  and the space between two space dividers  41 . 
     FIG. 10 shows the modified golf club shaft retaining means  44  with a gate  46  across shaft passage slit  45  for additional security. Gate  46  is hinged on golf club retaining means  44 . When gate  44  is closed, ramp hook  47  engages latch  48  on gate  46 . When the opposite side of latch  48  on gate  46  is pressed counter clockwise around the hinge axis, looking from the top, gate  46  disengages. The material of the gate will be a flexible material like plastic to make engagement or disengagement possible. 
     FIG. 11 illustrates said space dividers  41  with gate  53  to restrict the upwards movement of a golf club. Gate  53  is a piece of angle and installed on space divider  41  with a pin  52 . A thin sheet metal spring hook  54  is installed on gate  53  with rivet  51 . When gate  53  is closed rotating around pin  52 , ramp  55  at the tip of thin sheet metal spring hook  54  hits the top of space divider  41  and is pushed away and slides down the surface of the space divider  41 , then notch  57  engages with the lower edge of the space divider  41 . To open gate  53 , tongue  56  is pushed away from space divider  41  to disengage the notch  57  and then gate  53  is lifted. 
     Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, this particular embodiment of the golf club shaft retaining means consists of a golf club shaft retaining means  60 , an outer cell  61  and a spring  64 . Golf club shaft retaining means  60  is the same as golf club shaft retaining means  34  shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  except for the spring hole  63 . The internal cross sectional dimension of outer cell  61  is slightly bigger than the outside cross sectional dimension of golf club shaft retaining means  60 . Golf club shaft retaining means  60 , when inserted in outer cell  61 , can move up and down. There is a shaft passage  62  in front of outer cell  61 . Spring  64 , inserted between spring hole  63  and spring seat  65 , pushes up golf club shaft retaining means  60 . This golf shaft retaining means is used for a frame without a cap at the top. The height of outer cell  61  is adjusted so that the spring force presses the golf club head against the top of the frame casing when a golf club is stored. To withdraw a golf club, first push the golf club shaft retaining means  60  downwards to clear the club head from the top frame casing, hold its position and then lift the golf club up slightly and pass the golf club shaft through passage slit  62 . A mechanism to stop golf club shaft retaining means  60  from popping out of outer cell  61  by spring force is not shown here to make the sketch simpler. 
     Referring to FIG. 14, this particular embodiment of the golf club shaft retaining means  70  has a “U” shape. Each spring arm  73  of golf club shaft retaining means  70  has a ramp  71  at the open end and a concave  72  adjacent to ramp  71  to accommodate the golf club shaft. Generally the distance across concave  72  on each arm  73  is smaller than the diameter of the golf club shaft. The material of golf club shaft retaining means  70  is an elastic material to create spring force. When a golf club shaft is pushed between ramps  71 , both arms  73  are forced open. After the shaft passes the narrowest opening at the end of ramp  71  the shaft enters concave  72  and is clamped by two spring arms  73  and the position is secured. Golf club shaft retaining means  70  has a height adjusting column  74 . Height adjusting column  74  is inserted into cutout  76  of position setting channel  75  which is coupled with guide rail  33 . The horizontal and vertical positions of golf club shaft retaining means  70  are adjusted and set with a set screw  77 . 
     The ramps  71  which open spring arms  73  can be replaced with a pair of rollers to reduce the friction. The spring force to clamp the golf club shaft is leaf spring force in this particular example. Torsion spring with a fulcrum such as a paper clip is also a possibility. 
     Referring to FIG. 15, this modified space divider  80  is the same idea as space divider  41  except for plate extension  81  and a flange  82  on which golf club shaft retaining means bracket  37  is installed. The golf club shaft retaining means guide rail is not required when space divider  80  is used. 
     Referring to FIGS. 16,  17  and  18 , this particular embodiment is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 except that the golf club head retaining means is a cloth strip which laps over the golf club head, top access caps are not present and the golf clubs are arranged with minimum space between the golf club shafts to minimize the horizontal width of the frame. Two generally symmetrical frames  100  and  101  are joined by hinges  23 . The frames are opened to access the golf clubs and are closed and locked with locks  24  and  25 . Horizontal flat bar  102  reinforces the frame  100  or  101  and stops the grip end of club shaft from moving forward. 
     Golf shaft retaining means  103  is held in position on base plate  106  with a pair of L-shaped holders  107 . Golf club shaft retaining means  103  is the same as golf club shaft retaining means  34  in FIG. 1 except that front face  105  beside shaft passage slit  104  slopes inward towards the shaft passage slit  104 . L-shaped holder  107  is installed on base plate  106  by screw  108 . The angle of the inside corner of L-shaped holder  107  is less than  90  degrees and it is the same angle as the outside corner at front face  105  of golf club retaining means  103 . When the inside corner of L-shaped holder  107  is coupled with front face  105  of golf club shaft retaining means  103 , shaft passage plane  109  of L-shaped holder  107  is flush with the edge of shaft passage slit  104 . 
     Golf club head retaining means  111  is a strip of cloth or leather attached in back of base plate  106  with a snap  114 . Both ends of golf club retaining means  111  come out to the front of base plate  106  through horizontal slot  116 . Adjusting horizontal position of golf club shaft retaining means  103  so that the golf club head is positioned between two horizontal slots  116  then screws  108  are tightened. A pair of L-shape holders  107  press golf club shaft retaining means  103  to base plate  106  and the vertical position of golf club shaft retaining means  103  is fixed. Then golf club head is lapped with golf club head retaining means  111  ends of which are fastened with Velcro  112  and  113 . The golf club head upward movement and rotation around golf club shaft axis are restricted now. Threaded holes  110  for screw  108  are shown in FIG. 18 
     FIG. 19 illustrates another alternative of the golf club head retaining means and the bracket to hold the golf club shaft retaining means. The golf club head retaining means consists of a C-shaped body  117 , a club head holder  118  and a spring  119 . Club head holder  118  is made of steel wire which is rectangular shape with an arch to accommodate and hold down the golf club head located inside C-shaped body  117 . The lower end of the wire is inserted in a hole  121 . The part of wire on the other side of arch goes through another hole  120  of C-shaped body  117  and the rest of wire is bent to shape arm  122  and spring hook ring  123 . Club head holder  118  with arm  122  rotates around axis  4 — 4  which goes through the center of holes  120  and  121 . Spring  119  is hooked between spring hook ring  123  at the end of head holder  118  and spring hook ring  124  on base plate  106 . Looking from the top of axis  4 — 4 , spring action shown in FIG. 19 creates counter clockwise torque to hold the golf club head in C-shaped body  117  toward base plate  106 . Looking from the top of axis  4 — 4 , when club head holder  118  is turned clockwise and the center of spring hook ring  123  passes the line  5 — 5 , the torque created by spring  119  is now clockwise. Therefore club head holder  118  stays open on the opposite side of the line  5 — 5  with snap action. Club head holder  118  in this embodiment is made of wire. Another alternative may utilize a club head holding plate and an arm to create snap action which are welded on a shaft which goes through holes  120  and  121 . Similarly latch-unlatch mechanism can be used instead of spring  119  to hold golf club head holder in position. 
     Bracket  125  is similar to bracket  37  in FIG.  1 . Bracket  125  is a rectangular tube with slightly larger inside dimensions than the sidewise cross section of golf club shaft retaining means  34 . There is an opening for the golf club shaft passage at the front. Bracket  125  is inserted through vertical slot  128  in base plate  106  from behind. Golf club retaining means  34  is inserted between edges  127  at the front opening and base plate  106 . After adjusting the height of golf club shaft retaining means  34 , set screw  126  is tightened into the base plate  106 . Instead of the bracket  37  in FIG. 1, modified bracket  125  can be used adding a slot at each side in which guide rail  33  is inserted. 
     FIGS. 20,  21  and  22  illustrate other examples of frames. Referring to FIG. 20, the over all frame unit consist of a main frame  135  and door frames  136  and  137 . Generally door frames  136  and  137  are symmetrical; the same height and half the width of main frame  135 . The door frames  136  and  137  are joined to the main frame  135  with hinges  23  so that the door frames  136  and  137  can be swung open to access the golf clubs and can be secured with locks  24  and  25  when closed. 
     FIG. 21 illustrates main frame  135  which has a pair of wheels  141 ( 141  is not part of this invention.). Wheel leg  142 ( 142  is not part of this invention.) is installed at the side of main frame  135  with a pair of wheel brackets  134 . Carrying rack pull handle  145  is installed at the top. Thus, the rack is converted into a golf cart. Wheel leg  142  is a simple flat plate bent to make the wheel span wider than the width of main frame  135 . Both wheels are parallel and at right angles to the ground. Wheel leg  142  is attached to main frame  135  by inserting it into the slit or space  133  which is created between bracket  134  and main frame  135 . Bracket  134  can be also used to install a golf cart using an appropriate adapter. 
     Referring to FIG. 22, this example of the golf club carrying rack consists of a cap frame  150  and two main frames  151  and  152 . Cap frame  150  has a cap  153  at the top. Cap frame  150  is between main frames  151  and  152  and is joined to them with hinges  23 . The purpose of cap  153  is to restrict the upward movement of the golf clubs. When the golf club carrying rack is carried both main frames  151  and  152  are closed and locked with locks  24  and  25 . Open limit mechanism  154  is attached on each side of the two main frames  151  and  152  to cap frame  150 . When main frame  152  is unlocked and pulled out clear of cap  153 , all golf clubs contained in main frame  152  are exposed and any club is accessible. When a golf club in main frame  151  is required, main frame  152  and cap frame  150  are locked. Main frame  151  is unlocked and pull out clear of cap  153 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 23,  24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27  and  28 , this particular embodiment is for the golf club carrying rack with a cylindrical housing and a rotating rack. The cylindrical housing consists of a top housing  221  to protect the golf club head and a lower housing  220  to protect the golf club shaft. Top housing  221  consists of a top housing wall  258 , a top housing cover  259 , an access door  222  and locks  252  and  253 . Access door  222  consists of a door top cover  255 , a door wall  256  and a door bottom plate  254 . Door top plate  255  and top housing cover  259  have the same outside radius. Door bottom plate  254  and lower housing flange  257  have the same internal radius. Top housing wall  258  and door wall  256  have the same radius. Door bottom plate  254  and lower housing flange  257  are crescent shaped. The internal radius of door bottom plate  254  and lower housing flange  257  is the same as the outside radius of lower housing  220 . Access door  222  is attached to housing  221  with hinge  251 . When door  222  is closed and locked, top housing  221  and access door  222  make a complete cylindrical housing. Lower housing  220  and top housing  221  are bonded with lower housing flange  257 . Lower housing  220  has golf club access opening  223  and lower housing bottom cover  250 . Top housing cover  259  and lower housing bottom cover  250  work as the bearing for shaft  225  to which space divider  235  and golf club shaft retaining means  229  are installed. 
     FIGS. 25,  26  and  27  illustrate the golf club head retaining means and the golf club shaft retaining means. The basic idea of the golf club retaining means is the same as the embodiment shown in FIG.  1 . The golf club head retaining means is created by space divider  235 , door top plate  255  and top housing cover  259 . Space divider  235  also has a C-shaped channel as space divider  41  mentioned previously. Space divider guide rail  228  is a circular ring installed on shaft  225  by means of guide rail support  227 . The C-shaped channel of space divider  235  is coupled with and can slide along space divider guide rail  228 . 
     Golf club shaft retaining means  229  is the same as golf club shaft retaining means  34  illustrated in FIG. 1 except for a T-shaped sidewise cross section groove at the back. Since the extension of the side plane of golf club shaft retaining means  229  passes the center of shaft  225 , the side plane of golf club retaining means  299  is perpendicular to shaft retaining means guide rail  233 . Shaft retaining means guide rail  233  is a circular ring installed on shaft  225  by means of shaft retaining means guide rail support  234 . Golf club shaft retaining means  229  is installed by a C clamp  230 . The back side of C clamp  230  has a T-shaped tongue which is coupled with the T-shaped groove of golf club shaft retaining means  229 . After assembling C clamp  230  and golf club shaft retaining means  229  by fitting the T-shaped tongue into the T-shaped groove, C clamp  230  is coupled with shaft retaining guide rail  233 . At the top of the C clamp  230  opening, there is a flange with a slope extension  237 . At the bottom of the C clamp  230  opening, there is a flange with screw  232 . Capped on the top of the screw  232  is wedge piece  23   1 . Wedge piece  231  has a hole at the bottom; the hole diameter is slightly larger than the outside diameter of screw  232 . The wedge piece  231  has a sloped plane which touches the inside edge of shaft retaining means guide rail  233 . When the screw  232  is turned, wedge piece  231  moves toward the center of C clamp  230 . Golf club shaft retaining means  229  is pulled toward the center of shaft retaining means guide rail  233  by the wedge force created by sloped extension  237  and wedge piece  231 . Screw  232  is tightened until golf club shaft retaining means  229  is pressed to shaft retaining means guide rail  233 . The position is fixed. 
     How to fix the golf club head in position is the same as mentioned for the embodiment illustrated in FIG.  1 . First let the golf club face touch one of space dividers  235  which is fixed in position. Then the height of golf club shaft retaining means  229  is raised until the top of the golf club head touches door top plate  255 . Tighten the shaft retaining means set screw  232 . This adjustment restricts the upwards movement of the golf club along the golf club shaft axis. Then another space divider  235  is adjusted so that the space divider  235  touches the opposite side of the golf club head. Tighten set screw  236 . This adjustment restricts the rotation of the golf club around the golf club shaft. 
     Referring to FIGS. 24 and 28, when the golf clubs are laid out in the rack the golf club grips  262 ( 262  is not part of this invention) are inserted in grip holding drum  246 . Grip holding drum  246  is a cylindrical drum attached to shaft  225  with grip drum support  247 . Spacer  249  maintains the separation between grip drum support  247  and lower housing bottom cover  250 . Shaft  225  is inserted into the hole at the center of lower housing bottom cover  250  and the hole at the center of the arc of top housing cover  259 . Shaft  225  position is stabilized with a top stopper  226  and a bottom stopper  248  attached to it. Lower housing bottom cover  250  and top housing cover  259  work as the bearing for shaft  225 . All the golf clubs revolve and each chosen is taken through access opening  223 . A counter weight  265  is installed on counter weight plate  264  which is attached to shaft  225 . The golf clubs are not laid out with evenly because the size of head is different. The driver head  260 ( 260  is not part of this invention) is bigger than the iron head  261 ( 261  is not part of this invention) as shown in FIG.  24 . Thus, the rack loaded with golf clubs would be out of weight balance. A proper size of counter weight  265  with a proper position on counter weight plate  264  would produce a balanced rack which would rotate smoothly. 
     This rotating rack can be driven by a motor installed in the cylindrical housing with forward, off and reverse switch. 
     The parts of the golf club carrying equipment with a cylindrical housing and a rotating rack can be made by plastic molding to reduce the number of parts mentioned above.