US2633317A - Golf bag support - Google Patents

Description

March 31., 1953 H. s. MARSH GOLF BAG 'SUPPORT Filed Sept. 2. 1949 2 Sl-lEETS-SHEET l HERBERT 5. MARSH,

' INVENTOR.

4% AT RNEK 0 f f Q March 31, 1953 H. s. MARSH GOLF BAG SUPPORT 2 SWETS-SI-IEET 2 Filed Sept. 2. 1949 INVENTOR. z%%

HERBERT s. MARSH,

ATTO NEK Patented Mar. 31, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to golf bag supports, and more particularly to one which will support a golf bag in an upright or vertica1 position.

The device of the present invention, in the broadest aspects thereof, comprises an elongate casing housing a pin normally held within the casing but movable therefrom to extend beyond the lower edge of the bottom of the bag and into the ground to hold the bag in an upright position. Such devices have been heretofore proposed but have not been manufactured and sold in any large quantity for a number of reasons. The principal objection to these prior devices has been to the manner in which their makers have proposed to mount the same to the bags.

In some cases these prior devices have been mounted to the bag and by clampingly supporting a bracket or the like to the upper and lower edges of the bag. If the bracket was securely fixed to the bag, the upper edge of the same often buckled or broke down, which not only marred the appearance of the bag but also impaired the support itself. As many golf bags differ in height or depth, it was diificult, if not impossible, to mount some of the devices heretofore proposed to some bags, for there was no means for accommodating the differences in depth between bags. This was particularly true of those prior devices which were provided with an elongate, bracket-like support having means at opposite ends thereof intended to engage the'upper and lower edges of the bag.

In other instances the prior devices were formed with a bracket provided with apertures for passing fastening elements, such as rivets, which were used to secure the bracket to the wall of the golf bag. This, of course, required'that the wall of the bag .be cut to receive the fastening elements and the latter after some'use oftentimes tore loose from the wall of the bag'to which they were secured. If repairs were not made to the wall of the bag, it was difficult to remount the bracket securely, and if the bracket-was not remounted the torn openingsdetracted from-the appearance of the bag.

These difficulties are not had with the device of the present invention, for the same can be mounted to any golf bag and without cutting or perforating the material of the same. The mounting means of the device of the present invention comprises a clamping element fixed to the lower end of the casing which is intended to encircle the lower edge of the bag. As the lower edge portions of golf bags are reenforced to support the weightof the clubs -carried within the bags, the clamp can be very securely tight ened about the embraced portion of the bag to rigidly mount the lower end of the casing. The upper end of the casing carries an elongate rod element which is longitudinally adjustable relative to the casing. This rod extends above the upper face of the casing and is intended to be inserted into or through the buckle used to adjustably secure the lower end of the strap, which forms the support for the .bag on the shoulder of the user. Although the distance between the lower edge portionof the bag about which the clamp is secured and the buckle may differ in bags of different manufacturers, this presents no difficulty, for the rod, as above explained, is adjustable longitudinally of the casing, so that the device of the present invention may be easily attached. to any golf bag.

In the one embodiment of the bag of the present invention the rod is adjustably carried 'to the one side of the casing by a support element fixed to the upper end of the casing. In another embodiment of the device herein shown the rod is coaxially mounted to the upper end of the casing by support means which close the upper end of the same. As some golf bags are furnished with a small pouch fixed-to the wall of the bag just below the shoulder strap for receiving and storing spare balls, one embodiment of the present invention is formed with a rod which is curved outwardly and then'inwardly to form a laterally offset portion to provide clearance for such pouc'h.- In this embodiment of the invention, the rod; although free to move longitudinally of the casing, is held against rotation so that the offset portion can not swing outwardly and overlay the pouch.'

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be hereinafter apparent from the following description, particularly when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one form of the device of the present invention shown mounted to a golf'bag;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the device shown in'Figure'l removed from the golf bag; I

Figure 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2';

Figure 4 is a sec'tion'taken along line 5- 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a view; similar to Figure l but show'inga modified form of the device of the present invention mounted ma golf bag;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 6, the device being shown removed from the golf bag;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of the device of the present invention; and

Figure 9 is an elevational view similar to Figure 1 but on a slightly reduced scale showing a still further modified form of the device.

The device of the present invention, in the embodiment thereof shown in Figure 1, comprises a tubular casing H3 in which is mounted for longitudinal movement an elongate pin l I having the lower end thereof formed as a relatively sharp point 12. The pin H is supported for movement within the casing 10 by a cylindrical bearing member 53 fixed about the pin H by means of a small transversely extending rivet or other fastening element M. The cylindrical surface of the bearing member engages the inner wall surface of the casing 10 to support and guide the pin in its movement longitudinally of the casing [0.

A second bearing member l spaced from the bearing member i3 is fixed to the pin l I by rivets it or the like and is also formed with external cylindrical surfaces which closely engage the internal cylindrical wall surface of the casing [0. The bearing [5 is provided with a laterally extending arm ll which extends outwardly of the casing through a slot is longitudinally formed in the wall of the casing Hi. The arm 11 carries or supports a pedal or foot-engaging member l9, preferably formed with an upper surface knurled as shown at 2i in Figure 4.

The lower end of the casing I0 is closed by a plug-like element 22 having a centrally located passage formed therethrough for passing the pin H when a downwardly exerted force is applied against the pedal element 19. This can be most conveniently accomplished by the user placing his foot against the pedal 19 and then applying a downwardly exerted force which will consequently move the pin downwardly and outward ly through the lower end of the casing H1.

The pin l I is normally retained within the easing It by means of a coiled spring 23 carried within the upper end of the casing. The upper end of the spring 23 is secured to a plug 24 which is fixed to a cap 25 by means of a screw 26. The cap 25 closes the upper open end of the casing and can be held to the casing by a set screw as clearly shown in Figure 3. The lower end of the spring 23 is coiled about and fixed to bushing 21, which in turn is secured to the upper end of the pin H. The spring 23 is a tension spring of sufficient strength to but normally hold the pin in its elevated position shown in full lines in Figure 2.

Secured to the lower end of the casing ID is a clamp 28 having a flexible band adapted to encircle the lower edge portion of a golf bag 29 to securely mount the lower end of the casing ill to the encircled portion of the golf bag. The clamp 28 may take any form desired as long as it will, when tightened, compressively engage the bag to the extent necessary to securely anchor the casing.

To mount the upper end of the device to the golf bag, the cap 25 closing the open end of the casing is formed with a laterally extending boss 3| formed with a passageway the longitudinal axis of which is substantially parallel to the axis of the casing Hi. This passageway slidably receives a rod 32 which is reciprocally movable relative to the boss 3!. The rod 32 forms the means of the present invention for mounting the upper end of the casing 10 to the golf bag, for this end is insertable through the buckle 33 used on all bags to adjustably anchor the lower end of the strap 34 of the bag which forms the means for supporting the same on the shoulder of a user. To hold the rod 32 in its desired position of longitudinal adjustment in which the upper end thereof is engaged with the buckle 33, the boss 3! carries a thumbscrew 35 which when tightened will clamp the rod 32 against the one wall surface of the passageway extending through the boss. Whether the upper end of the rod 32 be inserted under or over the portion of the strap 34 engaged by the buckle is relatively unimportant, for in either position of the rod the casing is held securely to the bag.

As the longitudinal position of the rod 32 can be adjusted relative to the boss 3|, this permits the device to be mounted to bags of different manufacturers in which the distance between the buckle and the lower edge of the bag may differ. The rod 32 obviously should be made of a length which will provide a relatively large range of adjustment to accommodate a relatively large range of distances between the buckle and the lower edge of the bag.

To prevent the hands of the user from being scratched or otherwise injured by the opposite ends of the rod 32, these ends are preferably formed with smoothly curved or spherical end faces. There is therefore little likelihood of a user being injured, even though his hands may come in contact with 'the'opposite end faces of the rod 32 in the use of the bag.

With the device of the present invention mounted to a golf bag a user may, when he desires to select a club from the bag, place the lower face of the bag on the ground and then by merely raising his one foot and placing it against the pedal [9 urge the sharpened end of the pin ll downward into the ground. After the pin II has been urged into the ground the pin obviously will hold the bag in a vertical or upright position to allow a golfer to conveniently select a club from the bag. After the club used is replaced within the bag the golfer may by merely lifting the bag from the ground pull the pin I l upwardly out of the ground, whereupon the spring 23 will return the pin to its normal position laying totally within the casing m. It might be mentioned here that the spring 23 is not sufficiently strong to overcome the friction between the pin and the ground within which it is imbedded, so that there is no danger of the pin being accidentally withdrawn from the ground once it has been thrust thereinto.

Some golf bags are formed with relatively large pouches carried just beneath the shoulder strap for receiving not only spare golf balls but articles of clothing such as sweaters or light jackets. Such a golf bag is indicated at 36 in Figure 6. It will be seen that the pouch 31 would prevent the device of the present invention from being mounted in the manner shown in Figure 1. To obviate the mounting difficulties produced by the particular location of the pouch 31 the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 6, in which elements identical to elements of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure l have been given the same reference characters.

The lower end of the casing I0 is mounted to the lower portion of the bag by the clamp 28 as in the form of the invention shown in Figure 1. Although the upper end of the casing is again secured to the bag by the interengagement of one end of a rod 38 and the buckle 39, the rod 38, in-theform of the invention now being described, is bent outwardly at 4| and then upwardly at 42 to bring the upper end into a position in which it can be engaged with the buckle 39 This, it will be seen, permits the casing H) to be mounted offset from the buckle 39 but yet permits the upper end of the casing to be mounted to the bag by the interengagement between the upper end of the rod and the buckle. Here again the rod is longitudinally adjustable relative to the boss 3| and held in its desired position of adjustment by the thumbscrew 35. As the thumbscrew 35 holds the rod against rotational movement as well as longitudinal movement, the casing is securely anchored and there is no danger, as long as the thumbscrew 35 remains tight, of the casing pivoting or swinging about an axis coincident with the axis of the upper end of the rod engaged with the buckle.

In another form of the invention, referring now to Figure 8, the casing 43, formed throughout the lower portion of same in a manner identical to the casing i0, is closed at its upper end by a cap member 44 threadedly mounted to the upper wall portion of the casing, as clearly shown in the figure referred to above.

In this embodiment of the invention the upper end of the spring 45 is fixed to a plug 46 having an annular flange 41 clamped between the upper edge of the casing 43 and the cap 44 as the latter is threaded downwardly over the upper wall portion of the casing. The lower end of the spring, although not shown, is secured to the pin in the same manner as is spring 23 attached to pin I The cap 44 is formed with an integral upstanding cylindrical boss 48 having a bore therethrough aligned with a bore formed through the plug 45 to form a passageway in which is slidably mounted a rod 49. The rod 49 performs the same function as does the rod 32 of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2. To hold the rod in its desired position of adjustment with the upper end thereof engaged with the buckle of the golf bag, the boss 48 carries a thumbscrew which when tightened will clamp the rod 49 against the one surface of the bore of the boss 48.

There is shown in Figure 9 a further modified embodiment of the present invention which is particularly adapted to be used with golf bags having a pouch 52 smaller than the pouch 3'! of the golf bag, shown in Figure 6 but yet located beneath the shoulder strap 53. In this embodiment of the device the casing is identical to the casing I9 and is therefore identified by that reference character, and is mounted at the lower end thereof to the bag by the clamp 23 in the same manner as was casing l9 mounted to the bag shown in Figure 1. The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 9 difiers merely in the form of the mounting rod 56, for this rod, although slidably mounted within the pas sageway of the boss 3| of the cap 25, is curved outwardly intermediate the ends thereof and then inwardly to form an offset portion 59 passed about the pouch 52. The. upper end 6| .of the rod is substantially aligned with the portion of the rod slidably mounted in the boss 3| and is engaged with the buckle 52 of the shoulder strap 53 to hold the upper end of the casing to the bag. The thumbscrew 35 holds the rod not only against longitudinal movement but also rotational movement, so that there is no danger of the rod rotat ing-to swing the offset portion 59 over thepouch' 52 which might interferewithmovement of the balls into and out of the pouch 52.

It should be seen now that the device of the present invention can be conveniently and easily attached to golf bags differing greatly in construction as well as size. The device when mounted is rigidly held to the bag and there is little likelihood of the device becoming loose from the bag. Furthermore, as the only clamping action required is that of the clamp used to mount the lower portion of the casing to the bag, there is no danger of the mounting means deforming the bag. As the device requires no openings to be formed in the material of the bag, the material of the bag is not weakened and its service life is in no way impaired.

Although the now preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto, for it is susceptible to changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended clams.

I claim:

1. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustably anchoring one-end of a shoulder strap adjacent to an upper edge of a pouch in which spare balls are stored, comprising: a casing; a pin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilient means for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing; foot-engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in said wall-thereof adapted to be engaged by thefoot of a user tourge the pin downwardly and into the ground against the action of said resilient means; an elongate rod; means for slidably mounting said rod to the'upper end of said casing, whereby said rod may be slidably moved to a preselected position wherein the upper end of said rod is engaged with said buckle to hold the upper end of said casing to said bag; means carried by said mounting means for holding said rod in the preselected position of adjustment to maintain the upper end thereof in engagement with said buckle, said rod being curved outwardly intermediate the ends thereof and then inwardly to form an offset portion passed about said pouch; and means fixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag to anchor the lower end of said casing to said bag.

2. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustably anchoring one end of a shoulder strap adjacent to an upper edge of a pouch in which spare balls are stored, comprising: a casing; a pin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilient means for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing; foot-engagingmeans carried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in said wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin downwardly and into the ground against the action ofsaid resilient means; means closing the upper end of said casing and including means adjustably mounting a rod to the upper end of said casing, whereby said rod may bemoved to engage said buckle'to hold the upper end of said casing to said bag; said rod being curved outwardly intermediate the ends thereof and then inwardly to form an 01T- set portion adapted to be passed about said pouch; means fixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag to anchor the-'lower'end-of said" casing to said bag; and means carried by said closing means for holding said rod against movement whereby said offset portion is held against pivotal movement to a position overlying said pouch and the upper end of said rod may be maintained in engagement with said buckle.

3. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustably anchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a hollow casing; a pin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilient means for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing; foot-engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in said wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin through the lower open end of said casing and into the ground; an elongate rod; means carried within and closing the upper end of said casing for coaxially mounting said rod for longitudinal movement relative to said casing; said rod being movable whereby the upper end thereof is insertable through said buckle to hold the upper end of said casing to said bag; means carried by said mounting means for holding said rod in a desired position of longitudinal adjustment to maintain the upper end thereof in engagement with said buckle; and means fixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag to anchor the lower end of said casing to said bag.

4. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustably anchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a casing; a pin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilient means for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing; foot-engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in said wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin into the ground; an elongate rod; means carried by the upper end of said casing for mounting said rod exteriorly of said casing for longitudinal movement along an axis displaced from and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said casing, whereby said rod is movable relative to said casing to a position in which the upper end of said rod is inserted with said buckle; means for holding said rod in a desired position of adjustment to maintain the upper end thereof engaged with said buckle to hold the upper end of said casing to said bag; and means fixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag to anchor the lower end of said casing to said bag.

5. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustably anchoring one end of a shoulder strap, adjacent the upper edge of a relatively large pouch mounted to the wall of said bag, comprising: a casing; a pin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilient means for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing; footengaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in said wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin into the ground; an elongate rod; means carried by said casing adjacent the upper end thereof for adjustably mounting said rod to the upper end of said casing; the upper end of said rod being formed with a laterally extending section normal to a body section of the rod and terminating in an upwardly extending terminal section substantially parallel to said body section whereby said casing can be mounted adjacent the one side of said pouch and said rod moved to a position wherein said terminal section is engaged with said buckle to hold the upper end of said casing to said bag; means carried by said mounting means for holding said rod in a desired position of adjustment to maintain the upper terminal section in engagement with said buckle; and means fixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag to anchor the lower end of said casing to said bag.

6. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustably anchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a hollow casing; a pin having a pointed lower end; spaced bearing means carried within the lower end of said casing for coaxially mounting said pin within said casing for movement longtudinally thereof; means closing the upper end of said casing; resilient means having one end fixed to said closing means and the opposite end fixed to the upper end of said pin for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing; foot engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in the wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a golfer to urge the pin through the lower end of said casing and into the ground; a cap member threadedly mounted to the upper end of said casing and adapted to hold said closing means against movement relative to said casing, said closing means and said cap member having aligned passages extending therethrough; a rod slidably mounted within said passages, said rod being longitudinally movable whereby the upper end thereof is insertable through said buckle to hold the upper end of said casing to said bag; means carried by said cap member for holding said rod in a desired position of longitudinal adjustment to maintain the upper end thereof in engagement with said buckle; and means fixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower portion of the golf bag to anchor the lower end of said casing to said bag.

'7. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustably anchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a hollow casing; a pin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; means for closing the upper end of said casing; resilient means mounted on said closing means and engaged with said pin for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing; foot engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in the wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin through the lower open end of said casing and into the ground; an elongate rod slidably carried by said closing means for longitudinal movement relative to said casing, said rod being movable whereby the upper end thereof is insertable through said buckle to hold the upper end of said casing to the golf bag; means carried by said closing means for holding said rod in a desired position of longitudinal adjustment to maintain the upper end thereof in engagement with said buckle; and means fixed to the lower end of the casing for encircling the lower end of said casing to said bag.

8. A support to be used with a golf bag having a buckle adjustably anchoring one end of a shoulder strap, comprising: a hollow casing; a pin having a pointed lower end slidably supported in said casing; resilient means mounted within said casing for normally holding said pin in an elevated position within said casing; foot engaging means carried by said pin and projecting laterally of said casing through a slot formed in the wall thereof adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user to urge the pin longitudinally of said casing and into the ground; an elongate rod; means carried by said casing adjacent the upper end thereof for mounting said rod for longitudinal movement relative to said casing, said rod being movable whereby the upper end thereof is insertable through said buckle to hold the upper end of said casing to the golf bag; means carried by said mounting means for holding said rod in a desired position of longitudinal adjustment to maintain the upper end thereof in engagement with said buckle; and means fixed to the lower REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,291,359 Babcock Jan. 14, 1919 1,599,786 Overand Sept. 14, 1926 1,731,755 Snow et a1. Oct. 15, 1929 1,757,471 Platt May 6, 1930 1,978,242 Zack Oct. 23, 1934

Images