US3360264A - Golf club grip for shafts with diametral variations - Google Patents

Description

E. B. LAMKIN ETAL 3,360,264

Dec. 26, 1967 GOLF CLUB GRIP FOR SHAFTS WITH DIAMETRAL VARIATIONS Filed Nov. 2, 1964 INVENTORS ELVER B. LAMKIN ROBERT E. LAM KIN FREDERICK G. REST United States Patent 3,360,264 GOLF CLUB GRIP FDR SHAFTS WITH DIAMETRAL VARIATIONS Elver B. Lamkin, Chicago, Robert E. Lamkin, Downers Grove, and Frederick G. Rest, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Larnlrin Leather Company, Inc., Chicago, 11]., a

corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 408,192 5 Claims. (Cl. 273--81) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An end cap-which is threaded onto an underlisting which is affixed about a shaft, for closing the opening in the butt end of the shaft.

This invention relates to golf club grips and more particularly it relates to a cap for closing the opening in the butt end of a golf club grip.

The present invention is particularly applicable for use with golf club grips of the type constructed of a molded rubber underlisting, or sleeve, which is covered by a leather gripping surface. In the past, underlistings have been fabricated with a closed end so that once assembled on the shaft of a golf club no further steps need be taken to close the open end of shaft. Such an arrangement has severalapparent advantages, but it also has the disadvantage'of being difficult to place on a shaft. It is found that the relative inextensibility of the leather gripping surface which covers the underlisting tends to force the rubber underlisting against the sharp edge of the end of the golf club shaft,'there'by making it extremely difficult to slide the grip over the end of the shaft.

In view of the difficulties experienced with underlisting with closed ends, it has generally been'the practice to use an underlisting with open ends. A starter in the form of an expander of some type may then be used to provide a gradually increasing diameter for the underlisting and to cover the sharp edge of the end of the shaft. The opening in the end of the underlisting allows the removal of the starter once the grip is in place.

Since the grip end of the shaft is open when this grip construction is used, a cap or the like is generally used to close the end -of the shaft. In the past, these caps have assumed various configurations, and numerous methods have been employed to secure the cap to the end of the shaft. Each has, however, been generally unsatisfactory, for one reason or another, and considerable efforts have been made to provide a satisfactory cap, as well as a method for securing the cap to the end of the shaft. For example, to mention only a few of the undesirable features of these caps, in the past the caps have been formed in the shape of a mushroom, having an enlarged head and a smaller tail portion. The tail portion corresponded in size with the shaft and, in some cases, it was force fitted into the end of the shaft and, in other cases, it was merely adhesively sealed therein. In still other cases, the tail portion was threadably received in the shaft by means of threads on the interior of the shaft and on the exterior of the tail portion. In the former cases, the cap usually becomes dislodged after a short period of use and is thereforunsatisfactory. In the latter case, the cost of threading the interior of the shaft so as to receive the threaded tail portion is prohibitive. In still another case, a wooden plug was forced into the end of the shaft and a cap was then secured to the wooden plug by means of a wood screw which was threaded into the wooden plug. This arrangement, like the arrangement first mentioned above, is unsatisfactory since the wooden plug would also 3,360,264 Patented Dec. 26, 1967 become dislodged eventually and hence the overlying cap would fall off the end of the shaft.

In addition to the above mentioned unsatisfactory characteristics of the prior caps and the prior methods for securing them to the end of the shaft, none of them provided an effective means for terminating the gripping surface nor are they adaptable to accommodate the normal variations in shaft sizes or to the expedients which may be used to provide an over-size grip.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved golf club grip.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a golf club grip having improved means for terminating the grip end of the golf club shaft.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved method for securing a cap to the end of a golf club grip.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved golf club 'grip having a cap which is adapted to accommodate the normal variations in shaft size. In this respect, it is further contemplated that the cap will accommodate the normal expedients which may be used to provide an over-size grip.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved golf club grip having a cap which may be fabricated of any suitable material, for durability and/ or decoration.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved golf club grip. of the type having an open ended rubber underlisting covered with a gripping surface of appropriate material and a cap; the cap being effective to terminate the gripping surface, as well as the end of the shaft.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved golf club grip of the type having an open-end underlisting covered with a gripping surface of appropriate material which grip is easily manufactured at a relatively small cost. In this respect, it is further contemplated that the underlisting and the cap may be both molded of the same or different materials.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect surface material covers the underlisting. A cap which may be of the same material as the underlisting has internal threads which are adapted to threadably receive the threaded reduced diameter section, The threads on the cap are formed with considerable diametral clearance so as to accommodate the normal variation of shaft size and also oversize grips. The underside of the cap is also undercut so as to provide a conical periphery which gathers andholds the upper edge of the gripping surface material. This conical periphery also functions to center the cap" on the underlisting.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection, with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side plan view of a golf club grip,

partially sectioned to show its interior construction, which is exemplary of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded, partially sectioned view 3 of the golf club grip of FIG. 1, illustrating the construction of the cap and the underlisting; and

FIGURE 3 is a partially sectioned view illustrating how the cap is removably secured to the golf club.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a golf club grip exemplary of the present invention is shown in assembled fashion on the grip end of a golf club shaft 12 (only partially shown). The grip 10 includes an underlisting 14, in the form of a tapered, open-ended tube or sleeve. The underlisting 14 may be fabricated of any moldable material, however, it is preferably of soft rubber material. A gripping surface material 16 covers the underlisting 14 and, in the embodiment described, is fabricated of leather. Other materials may, however, be used if desired. The grip 10 is terminated at the butt end of the club by means of a cap 18.

The gripping surface material 16 may be applied to the underlisting 14, and both assembled on the shaft, in any suitable manner. For example, as indicated above, the grip 10 may be slipped onto the shaft 12 by means of a starter in the form of an expander inserted within the underlisting 14, to provide a gradually increasing diameter for the underlisting and to cover the sharp edge of the end of the shaft 12. The starter is removed after the grip is in place, through the opening in the end of the underlisting.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, it may be noted that the underlisting 14 has a reduced diameter portion 20 having external threads 22 formed thereon, and that the cap 18 has a threaded cavity 26 formed therein, the threads 28 of which are adapted for engagement with the threads 22 formed on the reduced diameter section 20 on the underlisting 14.

The threads 28, as may be best seen in FIG. 3, have a substantial depth and are formed so as to have a diametral clearance of approximately 20 thousandths of an inch from the threads 22. The depth of the threads 28 and the diametral clearance between the threads 22 and 28 accommodates the normal variations in shaft sizes, since there is sufficient overlap on the threads 22 and 28' to still retain a firm threaded engagement in the case of a smaller shaft and there is sufficient diametral clearance to allow the underlisting 14, and hence threads 22, to be stretched transversely in the case of a larger shaft. The cap 18 can therefore be of a standard size, and still be usable on shafts of both the standard size and those having normal variations in size, without having to modify it. It will therefore be appreciated that considerable savings may be realized, since only caps of a standard size need be provided.

A still further advantage provided by the diametral clearance between the threads 22 and 28 is that the expedients normally used to provide an oversize grip can be accommodated, without having to provide a specially modified cap. For example, one such expedient is to wrap one or more layers of adhesive tape or the like about the shaft 12 to, in effect, transversely stretch the underlisting 14. As indicated above, the threads 22 and 28 automatically compensate for this difference in size, hence the same cap can be used. In this respect, additional savings can be realized.

The underlisting 14 has a beveled edge 24 and the underside of the cap 18 is undercut so as to provide a conical peripheral surface 30 which is adapted to matingly engage the beveled edge 24. As may be best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the gripping surface material 16 is arranged'at its upper end to overlap the beveled edge 24 so that the end is gathered, pressed and securely retained between the beveled edge 24 and the conical peripheral surface 30, when the cap 18 is threaded onto the underlisting 14; The cap 18 co-acting with the underlisting 14 therefore provides an effective means for terminating, or securing, the end of the gripping surface material 16, and hence it is unnecessary to secure the end, by means of an adhesive or the like, as in the past.

The beveled edge 24 and the conical peripheral surface 30 mate with one another and therefore also cooperate, or coact, to center the cap 18 on the end of the shaft 12. Without this arrangement, the cap 18 could shift transversely to the shaft 12 because of the diametral clearance between the threads 22 and 28, leaving a rough ridge on one side of the grip 10. The fact that the cap 18 could shift transversely to the shaft 12 also gives a flexible, rather than a firm, feel to the grip 10 and this likewise, is an undesirable feature. With the above described arrangement, the cap 18 is held in a fixed position, thus giving the desired firm feel to the grip 10.

The cap 18 may be fabricated of any suitable material, for durability and decoration, and is preferably proportioned so that the top surface 34 of the threaded cavity 26 firmly engages the end of the shaft 12 when the cap 18 is threaded onto the threaded reduced diameter portion 20 of the underlisting 14. This construction assists in providing the firm feel of the grip 10, since the cap 18 is, in addition, firmly supported longitudinally by the shaft 12. The side wall 36 of the cap 16 is slightly tapered and its diameter substantially corresponds to the overall diameter of the shaft 12, the underlisting 14 and the gripping surface material 16, so that a smooth substantially flush joint is effected about the periphery of the grip 10, as illustrated. The cap 18 has a convex-shaped top 38 which joins the side wall 36 so as to provide smooth curved surface.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction Without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A grip for golf club shafts having normal diametral variations comprising, in combination: an elongated openended tube of an elastically expandable material adapted to be force-fitted on said shafts ends and having a reduced diameter portion at its one end which has threads formed thereon; a gripping surface material formed about said tube; and a cap having a cavity formed therein which substantially corresponds in size with said reduced diameter portion and which is correspondingly threaded, the threads having sufficient depth and the diametral clearance between the threads on the cap and the tube being sufiicient to accommodate shaft diametral variations. said cap being threaded onto said reduced diameter portion of said open-ended tube to close the open end thereof and to close the end of said golf club shaft.

2. The grip of claim 1 further including a beveled edge formed about the periphery of said tube; and a corresponding conical peripheral surface formed in the underside of said cap, said beveled edge and said conical peripheral surface cooperating to align said cap on the end of said shaft.

3. The grip of claim 2, wherein said gripping surface material is overlapped on said bevel edge and said cap fixedly secures said overlapped end through the cooperative action of said beveled edge and said conical peripheral surface.

4. The grip of claim 3, wherein the outside diameter of said cap substantially corresponds to the overall diameter of the combination of said shaft, said tube and said surface, so that a smooth, substantially flush joint or surface is provided on said grip.

between said threads.

5 6 5. The grip of claim 1, wherein a diametral clearance 2,084,568 6/1937 White 220-39 X of approximately 20 thousandths of an inch is provided 2 03 12/1937 Brisick 5 FOREIGN PATENTS References C'ted 5 22,528 4/1936 Australia. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 1925 Kraeutel- 273 31 5 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

3/1925 Armstrong 27381 I 4/1928 Nethefland 215 43 DELBERT B. LOWE, Examznel. 10/ 1933 Barrett 27381 10 G. J. MARLO, R. J. APLEY, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A GRIP FOR GOLF CLUB SHAFTS HAVING NORMAL DIAMETRAL VARIATIONS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: AN ELONGATED OPENENDED TUBE OF AN ELASTICALLY EXPANDABLE MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE FORCE-FITTED ON SAID SHAFTS'' ENDS AND HAVING AS REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION AT ITS ONE END WHICH HAS THREADS FORMED THEREON; A GRIPPING SURFACE MATERIAL FORMED ABOUT SAID TUBE; AND A CAP HAVING A CAVITY FORMED THEREIN WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY CORRESPONDS IN SIZE WITH SAID REDUCED DIAMETWE PORTION AND WHICH IS CORRESPONDINGLY THREADED, THE THREADS HAVING SUFFICIENT DEPTH AND THE DIAMETRAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE THREADS ON THE CAP AND THE TUBE BEING SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE SHAFT DIAMETRAL VARIATIONS, SAID CAP BEING THREADED ONTO SAID REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION OF SAID OPEN-ENDED TUBE TO CLOSE THE OPEN END THEREOF AND TO CLOSE THE END OF SAID GOLF CLUB SHAFT.

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