Improvements in Golf Clubs.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 21st July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Golf Clubs.
:-
I, THOMAS AGMONDISHAM VESEY Rector of Marske, Richmond in the.
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object. a golf club which will do the work both of
a driver and a brassy, and will plug most cleek shots, and thus will save the player
or his caddie the necessity of carrying a brassy.
The club consists of a light brass steel, iron, or other metallic tough, hard case
or shell made in the same shape as the head of any ordinary wooden driver, but
slightly smaller and open on the front side, or it may be made in a shape somewhat
similar to the head of an ordinary wooden driver. This hollow can or shell is filled
with melted gutta-percha or equivalent tough material; the shaft is either of wood..
or wood with a steel core, or of steel only covered with india-rubber or gutta-percha.
The shaft fits through a collar of brass or other metal down into the head and is
there rivetted or otherwise fixed, and is held also by the gutta-percha which sits
hard around it. The head can be made heavy or light according to the wish of the. :
player by inserting lead, cork, or wood among the melted gutta-percha. A wooden
face can be laid over the gutta-percha in which case there is a backing of gutta-
percha with a thin facing of wood or other material.
The advantages, I expect to maintain by this invention are, that the club will
have equal if not superior driving power to present wooden clubs, and will possess
very great durability when compared with wooden clubs owing to the strength of
the case or shell and the lasting qualities of the gutta-percha facing. This latter
can be repaired if necessary in a few moments by drawing a red hot poker or piece
of iron over it and dropping ou a little more gutta-percha. As the shaft runs down
into the bead, driving power is secured to the very end of the shaft, whereas in the
present wooden clubs the driving power for eight inches or so is lost on account
of the splice and binding with waxed end. I propose applying the above style of
making golf heads to drivers' brassies, putters and spoons and possibly to some of
the present iron clubs.
Dated this 19th day of March 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Golf Clubs.
I, THOMAS AGMONDISHAM VESEY, Rector of Marske, Richmond in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object a golf club, which will do the work both of a
driver and a brassy. The same arrangement is applicable also to a greater or
lesser extent for putters, lofters mashies and spoons. It is also designed to plug
most cleek shots and thus save the player or his caddie the necessity of carrying a
brassy.

page_text: The club consists of a light, preferably steel, shell, made in the same shape as
the head of any ordinary wooden driver, but slightly smaller and open on the front
side, or it may be made in a shape somewhat similar to the head of an ordinary
wooden driver. In place of being made of steel, it can however be made of brass,
iron or other suitable metal. The hollow in this shell is filled with melted' or soft
plastic gutta percha, vulcanite or other similar tough hard material. The gutta
percha if used should be boiled in water, not dry melted, and run in the case of
Liquid, or firmly pressed and tamped in the case of plastic material, into the shell.
The shaft is either of wood or of steel core surrounded by wood or equivalent
tough strong material. It can however be of steel covered with india rubber
or similar hard tough material, plastic when hot or on being formed, but such
as will not soften with the heat of the hands. The shaft fits through a collar
of brass or other metal down into the head, and is there rivetted or otherwise
fixed, the filling also, which is round it, assisting in securing it. The head can be
made heavy or light according to the wish of the player by inserting lead, cork,
or other material of the required specific gravity among the vulcanite or gutta-
percha.
The gutta percha can be repaired if necessary in a few minutes, by steaming it
with steam of a kettle; this is better than heating it before the fire or with a
red hot poker, as the latter is apt to overheat the surface and cause the evolu-
tion of gas, thus destroying the quality of the gutta percha. From time to time
as the gutta percha wears, it can be softened in this way, and a little liquid or 'the
softened gutta percha added.
The advantages of my club are its superior driving power to the present wooden
clubs, greater durability owing to the strength of the case or shell, and the lasting
and repairable qualities of the gutta percha facing. Seeing that the shaft runs
down into the head, the driving power is secured at the very end of the shaft,
whereas in the present wooden clubs, the driving power for about eight inches is in
great measure lost on account of the splice and binding with waxed end.
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 manufacture of golf clubs formed of a hollow shell filled in with gutta
percha, vulcanite or other plastic tough material with or without such substances
as lead or cork for increasing or diminishing the weight substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of July 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.