Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 11th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1900
JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, of Newcastle Road, Stone, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
Instead of fixing the head of my improved golf club rigidly to the shaft as at pre-
sent I attach the head of the club to the shaft. by a readily removable swivelling
elastic joint. The joint may be similar to the present splice on wooden golf
clubs but instead of using the usual rigid glued joint with lashing of twine I
lash the splice with indiarubber of suitable section or other suitable elastic
material or I retain the splice in position by suitable elastic or india rubber ring
or rings. I sometimes thicken up the extremity or extremities of the ends of the
wood splice & round off the sharp corners. I use a fulcrum pin of suitable form
in a suitable position in the splice and I sometimes strengthen the wood at the
fulcrum pin with metallic sockets or other suitable means.
I arrange the head
of the fulcrum pin to lock and prevent withdrawal or I use a plain pin with clip
around the splice or a lashing of twine or through bolt or other suitable method
to retain the joint at the fulcrum. I sometimes use a plain rubber lashing only
with corrugations or projections inside the splice to retain it in position and out-
side of the splice to retain in position the rubber rings or lashings on the outside.
I sometimes use a jaw formed within the head of the club and I insert the
shaft which I flatten for the purpose instead of the spliced joint. I adapt my
improvements readily to existing golf clubs. In applying my improvements
to metallic or Iron golf clubs I employ the above methods of construction, or
I may splice the wood shaft above the iron head with the improved splice. I
sometimes use a jaw open on one side only or with both sides open, the wood
of the shaft being flattened and oscillating between the said jaws and being held
by suitable fulcrum pin and elastic bands. I may use any ordinary form of
joint with socket in the upper portion for reception of wood shaft with the re-
taining elastic bands or lashing. The plane of the joints or splices is in all cases
in the direction of the path in which the ball is desired to travel the joint yielding
when the ball or ground is struck, the elastic bands returning the head to its
normal position. The clubs are thus less liable to damage and the elasticity
extends the flight of the ball. I lubricate the surfaces of the wood where the
splice is in contact with plumbago or other suitable lubricant. I prevent a golf
eluh from cutting up the ground when the ball is being struck by using an in-
verted crutch. The crutch head resting on the ground between the shaft of the
club and the striker. The upper end of the crutch is attached by a fulerum pin
to a socket clip fixed on the shaft. The crutch end has a spring catch which
embraces partially the shaft near the head of the club and when the crutch strikes
the ground the catch releases and the club head passes onwards over the ground
leaving the crutch. The crutch can be instantly removed from one club to
another that is provided with the socket clip on the shaft.
1

page_text: JOHN WILLIAM HARTLEY, of Newcastle Road, Stone, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, 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:-
Instead of fixing the head of my improved golf club rigidly to the shaft as
is the usual practice I attach the head of the club to the shaft by readily re-
movable swivelling elastic joint. The joint may be similar to the present splice
on wooden golf clubs but instead of using the usual rigid glued joint with lashing
of twine I lash the splice with india rubber of suitable section or other suitable
elastic material, or I retain the splice in position by suitable elastic india rubber
ring or rings. I sometimes thicken up the extremity or extremities of the wood
splice and round off the sharp corners I use a fulcrum pin of suitable form in a
suitable position in the splice and I sometimes strengthen the wood at the fulcrum
pin with metallic socket or other suitable means. I arrange the head of the
fulcrum pin to lock and prevent withdrawal or I use a plain pin with clip
around the splice or a lashing of twine or other suitable method to retain the
joint at the fulcrum. I sometimes use a plain rubber lashing only with cor-
rugations or projections inside or outside the splice, or both to retain in position
the splice or rubber on the outside. I sometimes use a jaw formed within the
head of the club & I insert the shaft which I flatten for the purpose instead of the
spliced joint. I adapt my improvements readily to existing golf clubs. In
applying my improvements to iron or metallic golf clubs I employ the above
methods of construction or I may splice the wood shaft above the iron head with
the improved splice. I sometimes use a jaw open on one side only or with both
sides open, with fulcrum pin the wood of the shaft being capable of oscillation
but retained in normal position by elastic bands I may use any recognized form
of joint with socket in its upper portion to receive the wood shaft with the re-
taining elastic bands or lashing. The plane of the joints or splices is in all
cases in the direction in which the ball is desired to travel the joint yielding when
the ground is struck and slightly also when the ball only is struck the elastic
hands returning the head to its normal position. In using such clubs it is
found that when the rubber bands are extended the vertical angle of the striking
face of the club alters in its relative position with the shaft & this alteration
may be utilized to set the angle of the face to a definite degree by inserting a
small-piece of wood or cork between the upward extension of the club head & the
shaft, or the same object may be attained by using an adjustable screw or by an
obstruction such as a pawl or prop. The screw or prop extends the rubber hands
as they are extended in the act of striking but the clubhead yields still further
when the ground or other obstruction is encountered in the act of striking-
clubs so constructed are less able to damage than ordinary golf clubs and the
elasticity corrects & extends the flight of the ball. I lubricate the surfaces of
the wood where the splice is in contact with plumbago or other suitable lubricant
I prevent a golf club from cutting up the ground when the ball is being struck
by using an inverted crutch the crutch head resting on the ground between the
shaft of the club and the striker. The upper end of the crutch is attached by
a fulcrum pin to a socket clip fixed on the shaft near the head of the club is
attached a spring clip which embraces partially the shaft near the head of the
club & when the crutch strikes the ground the spring clip releases its hold upon
the shaft and the club head passes onwards over the ground leaving the crutch.
The crutch can be instantly removed from one club to another club that is

page_text: provided with a socket clip attached to its shaft. Fig. 1 is a side view of my
improved wooden golf club which is similar in form to that of an ordinary
golf club but instead of glueing the surfaces of the joint between C & D and
lashing the joint around bodily with waxed thread I insert a fulcrum pin F
which retains the joint in position. I lash that portion of the head between C
and above and below the fulcrum pin F with waxed thread T T to strengthen
the wood where the grain as frequently happens in ordinary golf clubs crosses
diagonally. I sometimes inlay a suitable metallic plate A in the head H which
I secure with screws AI. The plate A is provided with a suitable hole or re-
cess A3 for the admission of the fulcrum pin F. India rubber or suitable
elastic band or bands R R or a lashing of india rubber tape or cord I preferably
use to maintain the head H in its normal position. A leather band L of suitable
strength may be used to retain the joint at the fulcrum F. This leather band may
be retained in position by a projection K2 or by a pin or nail passed thro' it
into the wood of the head II or the shaft S. Figure 2 is an elevation partly in
section of Figure 1 taken on the line C D looking in the direction of the arrow Q2
in which F2 is a steel or other suitable metallic plate with a fulcrum pin F
affixed thereto. Figure 3 is an elevation of the upper portion of the club head
looking in the direction indicated by the arrow Q shewing the hole A3 in the
metallic plate A for reception of fulcrum F the lashing of twine T and in section
the leather band L and the rubber bands R R. I sometimes use the leather band
only at the fulerum by pinning it to shaft S & head H & I dispense with fulcrum
pin & plates A 2 and F2 or I may use a somewhat loose lashing of twine at
the centre. I sometimes groove the wood around the outside of the fulcrum F
& lay therein the leather band or twine lashing. I lubricate the surfaces of the
joint between C and D Figure with any suitable lubricant such as soapstone
beeswax plumbago or I use as an insertion a thin sheet of aluminium lead or
other suitable metal for the prevention of abrasion and I use this with or without
other lubricant. I thus ensure a smooth movement when the joint yields.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of my wooden golf club looking in the direction
indicated by arrow Q2 the dotted lines shew the club in normal position the
position of the head H and the extension of the rubber bands R and slight
twisting of the leather hand L when the club head is deflected. Figure 5 is a
sectional plan view on line Q Q2 Figure 1 the leather band L being shewn twice
coiled around the joint and stitched or rivetted. Figures 67 and 8 are different
plan views of different securing joints at the fulcrum F. C3 Figure 6 being
metallic clips or ferules these may be of any suitable length & form sockets for
the head H and the shaft S. At Figure 8 I shew the fulcrum pin alongside the
shaft S instead of thro' the centre. In the examples described & illustrated I
have shewn the fulcrum pin attached to shaft S but I may secure it to the head H
and socket it into shafts if desired. Figure 9 shews a method of securing head H
to shaft S by a stepped splice. The head H and shaft S are shewn bound
around with an elastic tape or cord R R either of plain rubber or rubber inter-
woven with cotton silk wool or other fibre I cover with this the whole of the
splice. I secure the end of such elastic tape R by loop & button & I strengthen
the end by attaching leather or canvass or I use any usual device adopted with
bands of umbrellas. I also use a band or ring of india rubber R3 for holding
the ends of bands or tape R I sometimes dispence with the fulcrum pin and
depend for holding together the splice upon the friction of the outer surfaces of
head H& shaft S with rubber hands R. Sometimes I employ a metallic ball B2
Figure 9 to serve as a fulcrum with retaining metallic plates B4. Figure 10
is a side elevation of an ordinary iron golf club head shewing improved method of
attachment to shaft S. Figure 11 a sectional plan view taken on the line C2-D2
of Figure 10 shewing the metallic plate F2 with fulcrum pin Fattached by
serews and Figure 12 a sectional plan view on the line C-1) of Figure 10
In these figures H2 is the ordinary head of an iron gulf club & S3 the socket
which I make semicircular instead of circular as is usual in transverse sections,

page_text: I cut away socket $3 between the letters Y y 2 and y3 so as to form a tongue $3
extending from y2 to y3 so that the fulcrum F will pass through such tongue
Into its socket I tightly fit or wedge a piece of suitable wood which extends to
the point B and is encircled & held against shaft S by bends of rubber R and
leather band L as before described or by rubber lashing as in Figure 9.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 14 is a front view partly in section of my
improved iron club having a metallic fulcrum pin F5 passing transversely througli
neck H3 of head and lower portion of shaft S which is strengthened by a metallic
tubular socket T3 such fulcrum pin being threaded and screwed into shaft S and
socket T3 a metallic lock nut N 2 securing the fulcrum pin F5. I affix socket T3
thus I cut a wedge shaped piece W out of shaft S and spring ends together & force
on socket T3 I wedge up the opening with wedge U. I interpose metallic M2
and india rubber washer R2 between neck H3 and tubular socket T3 which I
flatten at T 4. The elastic washer R2 enables the fulcrum pin F5 to be screwed
up so as to make a firm and easy joint. I use a rubber band R holding the
extension H3 of the head against shaft S. The said extension making about
a quarter turn around the shaft S after leaving the fulcrum pin F5. The dotted
lines at Figure 14 shew approximately the position of the head H2 and the
extension of the rubber band R when an obstacle is encountered when striking
Figure 15 is a front elevation of my improved iron club shewn with head H2
attached to the socket $4 upon shaft S by fulcrum pin F6 passing thro' jaws jl
and 2. Figure 16 is a plan view of Figure 15 with shaft S removed & with the
neck of the clubhead broken off. Figures 17 and 18 are side elevations of my
improved iron club having the plane of its joint at right angles to the base
line NO of its head H2. This position of the plane of the joint I prefer for
the reason that when the head H2 is held or forced backwards the line of the
face shewn at Figure 16 remains parallel to its original position whether set
with face at an angle as on line S3-S4 Figure 17 or in vertical line K3 MB
Figure 18. The head H2 having an extension H3 held against socket S4 and
shaft S by the rubber band R such extension passing between jaws J1 and J2
and having metallic pawl P3 hinged or pivotted to its upper end shewing same
disengaged from its serrated or toothed rack at Figure 17 and the face of the club
at its greatest angle. The fulcrum pin F6 being made as shewn and metallic
washers M2 and rubber washer R2 as described in Figure 15 and partially fitting
in recess shewn at Figure 16 with lock nut N 2 as described & shewn Figure 15
I sometimes dispense with the side of jaw J1 attaching fulcrum pin FG to side
of jaw J2 only. Figure 18 which is a similar elevation to Figure 17 shewing
pawl P3 acting as a prop or stay against the tension of rubber band R holding
extension H of head H2 away from shaft S and holding face of club in a
vertical position as on line K3-M3. The angle of face may be adjusted by
placing free end of pawl P3 into any other of the recesses P2. The set screw P4
shewn in dotted lines being threaded into socket S4 & pressing against neck H
of head H2 may be used for the adjustment of the angle of face instead of
pawl P. The fulcrum F6 as shewn at Figures 17 and 18 is in advance of the
axis of shaft S but it may be placed on the opposite side as at K3 or in a line
under and intersected by the axis of shaft S as shewn at Figure 19. The socket
& jaws J1 and J2 shewn at Figures 15 to 19 inclusive may be of steel brass or
other suitable metal. Figure 19 shews pawl P3 hinged to socket S4; a set screw
(2 shewn in dotted lines threaded into head H2 & bearing against a bridge B2
formed as portion of socket $4 is an alternate means of adjusting angle of head H2
I use india rubber bands or lashing on any of the clubs described herein or coiled
springs may be used if preferred. I sometimes use aluminium wire for strengthen-
ing the wood splices & this also answers for a lubricant for the joint surfaces.
Instead of pawls as shewn Figures 18 and 19 I may use loose wood or cork blocks
stepped or otherwise between extension H 3 of club head and shaft S. Fig. 23
shews a crutch Wattached in working position to an ordinary iron golf club &
is an elevation viewed towards the striking face H of said club Crutch Wis

page_text: attached by a spring clip Z2 and the fulcrum pin FS passing into the socket
clip Z3 which is clamped by screws on shaft S. Figure 20 is an elevation looking
in the direction indicated by arrow Q5. Figure 21 is a sectional plan shewing
the socket clip Z3 attached to shaft S with fulcrum pin F8 passing therethro'.
Figure 22 is a sectional plan shewing the spring clip Z2 attached to crutch W
and partially embracing the neck or socket S2 of the head H.
Crutch W may
be made of wood aluminium papier maché vulcanite or any light & strong metal.
The fulcrum pin F8 is solid with metallic socket Z5 and is attached at the upper
end to the crutch W, a small pin F9 Figure 21 or an equivalent raised pro-
jection on fulcrum pin FS prevents its withdrawal from socket Z6 Figure 20
until such pin is brought opposite groove Z4. The spring clip Z2 is fixed in a
suitable manner by screws or rivets to crutch W. When club H is being used
in the usual act of striking and the Head of crutch W encounters the ground the
crutch arrest the further downward progress of the club and in its further forward
movement the head H passes over the ground in the direction of arrow Q6
Figure 22 the spring clip being forced open by the impetus of the head and the
crutch W holding & resting upon the ground where it came first into contact.
Thus the ground is saved from injury.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. In golf clubs a head H attached to their shaft S by a plane joint held in
normal position & caused to return to normal position when displaced by yielding
or elastic lashing R and band L substantially as set forth for the purpose
described.
2. In golf clubs a head H pivotally attached to their shaft S by recessed
pivot and yielding or elastic lashing R and band L substantially as set forth
or the purpose described.
3. In golf clubs a recessed ball or spherical pivot 12 between the golf head &
its shaft and yielding or elastic lashing R and band L substantially as set forth
for the purpose described.
4. In golf clubs a stepped joint as at Figure 9 with leather band L attached
to head H and shaft S with india rubber or elastic lashing R substantially as
set forth for the purpose described.
6. In golf clubs a head pivotally attached to a shaft S with pawl P3 or set screw
adjustment of angle of head & held in normal position by rubber band or lash-
ing R substantially as set forth for the purpose described.
7. In golf clubs a head pivotally attached to a shaft between jaws J1 and J2
of socket $4 fixed to lower end of shaft S with elastic lashing R substantially
as set forth for the purpose described.
8. In golf clubs a head pivotted to a shaft with adjusting and steadying elastic
washers R2 and metallic washers M2 substantially as set forth for the purpose
described.
9. In golf clubs a crutch W with spring clip Z2 embracing shaft socket $2
and pivottally attached to socket or shaft S substantially as set forth for the
purpose described.