Patent Publication Number: US-4317986-A

Title: Convertible electrically heated tool for removing wooden or metal golf club heads

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 949,623 filed Oct. 10, 1978, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Heat has been applied to metal heretofore by contact of heated metal to the metal such as in soldering as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,233, but though in existence for many years, does not appear in the golf club art. 
     The methods heretofore used to accomplish the above in the golf club art are as follows, in the case of iron heads having metal hosels, a blow torch flame is applied to the outside of the hosel. Since products of combustion are created, blemishes appear on the hosel, which then will require metal refinishing to restore it to original condition. 
     In the case of wooden heads having wooden hosels and metal shafts, the wooden head with its broken off shaft intact is wrapped in two plastic boiling bags, tied around the hosel, then immersed in an electric boiling pot for about twenty minutes. Steam is created within the inner plastic bag wherein the wooden club head resides. The steam softens the epoxy bond sufficient to remove the head from the broken shaft. However, the steam generally attacks the finish, making it necessary to refinish the wooden head. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A convertible tool comprising plier-like pivoted jaws each with an actuating handle, each jaw being equipped with an electrically heated block recessed to receive a tapered golf club hosel of a metal club head for the transmission of heat thereto by contact with the surface of the recess in the block or through a heat exchange member held in the block for the wooden head. Thus, the device is adapted for use in both metal and wooden head golf clubs, the blocks being adjustable in the pivoted jaws. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating largely in perspective the heating elements which I employ for heating the hosel and shaft of a golf club for removal of the same; 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of a plier-like device into which these heating elements are secured; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the plier-like device clamping the hosel of a golf club head within the heating elements; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an additional part utilized in the heating of the inside of a hollow golf club shaft; and 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view with parts in section illustrating the use of the part shown in FIG. 4 in the heating elements and with one part extending into the hollow golf club shaft which is within the hosel of a wooden club head. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown metal block-like members 10 and 11 which are provided with mating surfaces 12, and 13, each with concavities 14 and 15 to receive the hosel of a metal golf club head. These members 10 and 11 are each provided with a bore 16 and 17 into which a resistance electric heating element is positioned and is connected up to an electrical source 20 of some alternating current and wired as shown diagrammatically. Included in the circuit with these heating elements designated 21 and 22, respectively, there is a thermostatic control 23 which may be adjusted by handle 24 to control the current over a certain range and which may be adjusted so that the current will go on at one low temperature point and will go off at a high temperature point of the heating elements which are connected by the circuits as shown. 
     Each of these heating blocks 10, 11 is provided with a threaded recess 30 so that each block may be mounted in a plier-like device designated generally 31 which consists of pivoted jaws 32, 33 with handles 34 and 35 to move the jaws toward each other with a toggle action from the position in FIG. 2 to the position in FIG. 3 where the toggle action will hold them in closed position. Each of these jaws has a threaded rod 36 and 37 which may be threaded through a threaded bore portion 38 and 39 of the jaws and into the threaded opening 30 in the blocks 10 and 11 while set nuts 40 and 41 will serve to hold these threaded rods in position. Thus, the elements 10 and 11 may be moved toward and from each other by the handles 34 and 35 so as to clamp the hosel of a metal club head which is designated 45 and seen in FIG. 3 with its head 46 in position and with the shaft 47 extending therefrom which is in position to receive the heat from the electrical source when some switch such as 48 for turning the current on and off is closed. The clamp is such that when the handles are closed, the hosel will be clamped in place without further pressure on the handles regardless of any difference in outside diameter of any hosel that may be encountered. The broken shaft to be removed from the club head is held in a shaft holder, which is a clamping device that is tightened on the shaft with a wing nut. This device is then mounted in the bench vise. The method of heating is then applied, permitting club head removal. After the heat is applied while the device is clamped in place by closure of the handles 34 and 35, softening of the epoxy cement will occur after two to three minutes. The shaft may then be rotated or twisted relative to the hosel, and when this occurs, the shaft may be withdrawn from the hosel, all without injury to the finish of the hosel or golf club head. 
     In cases where a wooden club head such as designated 50 in FIG. 5 with its wooden hosel 51 is to be removed from the broken-off hollow metal shaft 52, a device such as shown at 55 in FIG. 4 will be utilized by placing the head or coiled portion 56 thereof in the concave jaws 14 and 15 with its straight portion 57 extending into hollow shaft 52, while in the hosel 51 of the club head, and then heat will be applied by contacting the metal portion 57 of the device 55 against the inner surface of the hollow club shaft 52 until it is heated, and this heat has melted the epoxy cement of the bond between the metal part of the shaft 52 and the wooden part of the head 51. Similarly, a torsion action may occur between the club head and the shaft until some slight twisting rotation may be had and the club head may be removed from the shaft. 
     There is in existence a holder for a shaft which may be clamped on the shaft and then this may be placed in a bench vise for better holding the parts to have the heat applied. 
     However, if the shaft is broken off at the entrance to the hosel, such condition does not permit use of the shaft holder. Heat is applied internally to the broken shaft tip by use of the pigtail, which is removed when sufficient heat has been applied. Then a tempered hook tool is inserted to engage the shaft tip at its bottom end and the shaft tip is withdrawn in this manner. 
     This device may also be used to remove the sole plate from a wooden club by placing the blocks 10, 11 against the plate. For convenience an electrical receptacle 60 may be mounted on handle 34 to receive the double prong of an extension cord from an electrical 110 volt outlet and from the base of this receptacle wires 61, 62 may lead to the heating thermostat 23 and from there to the heating elements 10, 11 as shown in FIG. 1.