Improvements in Golf Clubs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1893-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Golf Clubs.
I, ROBERT ANDERSON of 67 Princes Street, Edinburgh in the County of
Midlothian, North Britain, Fishing Tackle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention which relates to improvements in golf clubs has reference more
particularly to those clubs which are made of wood, celluloid or like material, and
has more particularly for its object to prevent heeling of the ball and thereby to
drive longer and straighter balls than by the present shape of wood clubs ; and
other advantages are obtained by my improvements.
I get rid of the present rounded heel by making that part a continuation of the
striking surface; I am thus enabled to shorten the head, whilst at the same time
obtaining as long a striking surface as with the present club. The striking surface
is thus brought nearer to the line of the shaft, the lead being correspondingly placed
nearer the line of the shaft.
By this arrangement, the part of the club where there used to be a rounded heel
and which was a part liable to be struck and the ball thereby caused to be glanced
off the club and thus to be badly driven, is now made a part of the flat striking
surface from which the ball is driven as strong and as true as from the middle or
other part of the striking surface.
Also by my invention of shortening the head and bringing the lead nearer to the
line of the shaft, the leverage from a badly struck ball, which tended to divert
the proper position of the club when striking the ball, is reduced or is overcome,
that is to say, for example, when a ball is struck by the toc or heel end of
the club.
The face of the head may be in a line with the shaft, or it may project a sufficient
extent to increase the strength of the neck, and to improve the balance of the club
by tending to equalize the weight of the head at either side of the neck; this
construction further reduces the tendency of the club to turn or twist when striking
the ball.
The improved form of the face of the club offers special facility for facing it
with leather, horn, celluloid or the like, when a facing is required for playing with
very hard balls.
As a modification of my said invention, I attach the head to the shaft without a
neck.
I take any ordinary head formed without a neck portion and bore a hole
for the reception of the shaft, in such a position that the striking surface is behind
as well as in front of the shaft, whereby I obtain a perfectly balanced head by
equalizing the leverage before and behind the line of the shaft.
In this arrangement the centre of the lead is immediately behind the centre of
the shaft where the shaft passes through the head and also behind the centre of the
striking face or surface.
I might in some cases add a neck to the head to improve the appearance of the
club or to strengthen the club.
I do not limit myself to the adaptation of my several improvements to the
precise kind of golf club heads described as it is obvious that my improvements are
applicable to various other kinds or shapes of golf club heads.
Dated this 28th day of March 1892.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioner's Agents,

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Golf Clubs..
I, ROBERT ANDERSON of 67 Princes Street, Edinburgh, North Britain, Fishing
Tackle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention which relates to improvements in golf clubs has reference more
particularly to those clubs which are made of wood, celluloid or like material and
has more particularly for its object to prevent heeling of the ball and thereby to
drive longer and straighter balls than by the present shape of wood clubs; and
other advantages are obtained by my improvements.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view of the striking face of the
club and Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views of modifications.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2 I get rid of the present rounded heel by making
that part a continuation of the striking surface as shown at A; I am thus enabled
to shorten the head whilst at the same time obtaining as long a striking surface as
with the present club. The striking surface is thus brought nearer to the line
of the shaft B, the lead C being correspondingly placed nearer the line of
. the shaft.
By this arrangement, the part of the club where there used to be a rounded heel
and which was a part liable to be struck and the ball thereby caused to be glanced
off the club and thus be badly driven, is now made a part of the flat striking surface
from which the ball is driven as strong and as true as from the middle or other
part of the striking surface.
Also by my invention of shortening the head, and bringing the lead nearer to the
line of the shaft, the leverage from a badly struck ball, which tended to divert the
proper position of the club when striking the ball, is reduced or is overcome, that
is to say for example when a ball is struck by the toc or heel end of the club.
The face of the head may be in a line with the side of the shaft or as shown in
the drawing Figure 2 it may project a sufficient extent to increase the strength
of the neck and to improve the balance of the club by tending to equalize the weight
of the head at either side of the neck; this construction further reduces the
tendency of the club to turn or twist when striking the ball.
With regard to the modified form of head as shown in Figures 3 and 4, I attach
the head to the shaft without a neck, the hole for the shaft.being bored through the
head in such a position that the striking surface is behind as well as in front of the
shaft, whereby I obtain a well balanced head by equalizing the leverage before
and behind the line of the shaft.
I do not limit myself to the precise formations as shewn in the drawings, for
example Fig. 5 shews a modification in the position of the shaft relatively with the
head by which there is a striking surface at the side of or a little behind the line
of the shaft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improvements in wood golf clubs, or golf clubs of like material, substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioner's Agents.