Improvements in Golfing.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1888
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Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1399
Improvements in Golfing. Appliances,
I, JAMES CABELL JERRARD, of Ravenshoe, Denmark Hill, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in golfing appliances, such as golf clubs
and balls.
According to my invention I make the head of the golf club hollow and in
this hollow space I arrange a fixed or detachable pneumatic cushion or chamber.
The head of the club is made of wood or of a comparatively light and rigid
metal or other material and it is weighted or not as desired. Preferably how-
ever I provide the head with adjustable weights at the back so as to permit of
regulating the weight of the club to suit windage. The weights are made so
as to fit into the place arranged for them and means are provided for holding
them in place and to prevent their moving when in position. The pneumatic
cushion is provided with a valve for the purpose of inflation and deflation as in
usual with pneumatic cushions. Inflation is obtained by means of a pump of
ordinary construction.
As applied to balls my invention consists in making the centre of the ball
hollow which contains a pneumatic chamber in the form of a sphere or of other
suitable shape, such sphere or the like being made of metal or other suitable
material and of such a weight as to correspond with the weight of a sphere of
Such a ball would
equal cubic contents made of gutta percha or the like.
therefore be about equal in weight and dimensions to the balls usually employed
and it would float in water not only when new but also when re-made. Some
golf balls at present made will float when new, but, when re-made, they gener-
ally sink and if the links contain a water hazard great many balls are lost
owing to their inability to float. Balls constructed according to my invention,
however, are heavy enough to comply with the ordinary conditions and yet are
capable of floating in water.

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My.invention relates to improvements in golfing appliances, such as golf clubs
and balls.
B
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in inserted plan partly in
section a golf club constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a section on the line X-Y Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of a modified construction of club.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section of another modification and
Figure 6 represents a golf ball in section.
According to my invention and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 I make the
head A of the golf club hollow and in this hollow space I arrange a fixed or
detachable pneumatic cushion or chamber B. The head A of the club is made
of wood or of a comparatively light and rigid metal or of other suitable material
and it is weighted or not as desired. The pneumatic cushion B is provided
with a valve C for the purpose of inflation and deflation as is usual with pneu-
matic cushions and inflation is obtained by means of a pump of ordinary con-
struction. The bottom of the head of the club is or may be provided with a
sole plate D which is screwed to the head by screws E in the usual manner.
The surface F which comes into contact with the ball may if desired be rough-
ened or covered with some material to afford a certain amount of grip and the
wall of the head at F may either be of wood as shewn or of other suitable hard
and elastic material such as ivory or celluloid.
As shewn in Figure 3 the head A of the club is as before made hollow and
further there is a hole in the wall of the surface F through which the pneumatic
cushion B is visible and the surface of the latter is covered with metal or leather
or the like at G to form a striking surface and with a metal or other plate G
or at least the cushion at that place is made more rigid as compared with its
walls elsewhere. In this instance the metal plate G¹ is attached to the cushion
by canvas G³ solutioned thereto and the striking surface G is cemented to the
canvas. The head of the club in this instance is shown provided with a recess
at'the back in which I mount a weight H kept in place by a nut I which also
serves to keep the valve C and cushion B in position. There may be several of
these weights to each club and a heavier or lighter weight or weights may be
put in so as to permit of regulating the weight of the club to suit windage.
As illustrated in Figure 4 the weight H' is fastened independently of the valve
that is to say by the two screws II and milled headed nuts 1° 1° there being a
hole in the middle of the weight H¹ larger than the greatest diameter of any
part of the valve C projecting beyond the head A of the club. In this case
the striking surface of the club consists of a band or bands G of stitched
leather attached to the head A of the club by means of screws K and small metal
plates L and if desired there may be a stiffener of wood metal ivory or the like
attached to the leather G¹ or to the pneumatic cushion or to both.
As applied to balls my invention consists as shewn for example in Figure 5
in making the centre of the ball hollow which space contains a hollow casing
forming a pneumatic chamber M in the form of a sphere or of other suitable
shape, such casing being made of metal or of other suitable material and of
such a weight as to correspond with the weight of a sphere of equal cubic con-
tents made of gutta percha or the like. Such a ball would therefore be about
equal in weight and dimensions to the balls usually employed and it will float
in water not only when new, but also when re-made for while some golf balls
made heretofore will float when new, they generally sink when re-made and if
the links contain a water hazard a great many balls are lost owing to their
inability to float. Balls however constructed according to my invention are
heavy enough to comply with ordinary conditions and yet are capable of floating
in water.
:

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
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1. A golf club provided with a head having a pneumatic chamber or cushion
substantially as set forth.
2. A golf club provided with a head adjustable as to weight and having a
pneumatic chamber or cushion substantially as set forth.
3. A golf club provided with a head A having a pneumatic chamber B and a
valve C substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
4. A golf club provided with a head A having a pneumatic chamber B, a
valve C and a weight II substantially as described with reference to Figures 3
and 4.
5. A golf ball provided with a pneumatic chamber formed by a hollow casing
of metal or other suitable material substantially as and for the purposes sot
forth.
;
1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.