"IMPROVED GOLF CLUB CARRIER"

This invention relates to an improved golf club carrier.

It is customary to use a golf bag to carry the clubs and in turn to carry the golf bag on a golf buggy.

5. Golf bags generally simply comprise an elongated bag through the mouth of which the clubs are inserted generally in a random manner and this form of support allows the heads of the clubs to move about with con¬ sequent possible wear and some damage. Golf buggies are

10« designed to carry a golf bag and to provide further auxil¬ iary carrying surfaces and usually are of a foldable nature so that they can readily be stowed.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for carrying the golf clubs and this is achieved 15. according to this invention by replacing both the golf bag and the golf buggy by a single unit which may serve both purposes.

The invention comprises a golf club carrier arranged to transport and store golf clubs having a wheeled trans- 20. portable frame and means to carry the golf clubs charac¬ terised by means to independently hold the clubs in sel¬ ected positions, and means to adjust the holding means between a compacted storage position and an extended position.

25. The means to hold the clubs conveniently comprise two frame members hinged together at an upper part and arranged to deploy from a relatively parallel compacted position to a position where one frame is at an angle to the other frame, the means which engage the clubs com-

30. prising cups at a part remote from the hinge means and

means on the frame adjacent the hinge means to releasably engage the shafts of the golf clubs.

In a preferred form the invention consists of a golf club carrier comprising a pair of frames held to-

5. gether by hinge means and generally downwardly coexten¬ sive from the hinge means when in use but variable in angle the one to the other, there being means to hold the frames in a folded generally parallel position or extended to a generally inverted "Vee" shaped configur-

10. ation, the frames carrying a series of cups or other holding members remote from the hinge means which are adapted to locate one end of the clubs, preferably the handles of golf clubs, the frames also having a series of holding members such as guides adjacent the hinge means

15. which are adapted to engage the shafts of the golf clubs, means such as magnets being provided to releasably hold the shafts of the clubs in the guides, the holding means on one frame being staggered in relation to those on the other frame, at least one of the frames having ground

20. support means. By means of this arrangement, when the frames are folded, golf clubs carried thereby are held in two relatively parallel planes but when the frames are extended, the golf clubs carried by one frame are in a plane which may cross the plane of the golf clubs in the

25. other frame.

The actual construction of the device can be substan¬ tially varied but to enable the invention to be fully appreciated an embodiment of a preferred construction will now be described with reference to the accompanying 30. drawings in which:—

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the carrier in the extended position as when in use as a golf buggy to carry a set of clubs,

Fig. 2 is a similar isometric view showing the car- 35. rier in its folded position,

.

Fig. ^' 3 is a side elevation of the carrier in folded position,

Fig. 4 shows an alternative clip,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but is a computer- 5. produced see-through view showing details,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the carrier in folded position as shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a bag for use with the carrier.

10. The improved carrier comprises a pair of frames 1 and 2, each having side members, the side members of the frame 1 being designated 3 and the side members of the frame 2 being designated 4.

The frame 1 has transverse joining members 5 and 6 15. arranged so that these members 5 and 6 can engage and hold golf clubs, the frame 2 having transverse joining members 7 and 8 also arranged to hold the golf clubs.

Each of these frames so formed have along a bottom portion a series of cups, the cups of the frame 1 being

20. designated 10 and the cups of the other frame 2 being designated 11, the cups 10 and 11 being disposed in the lower joining members 5 and 7 respectively, and engage the ends of the handle of the golf clubs, and the frames 1 and 2 have, near the top adjacent hinge means 12,

25. guides 14 and 15 into which the clubs can be engaged to hold the clubs on each side in selected planes. The guides 14 and 15 being formed in the upper joining mem¬ bers 6 and 8 respectively.

The cups 10 and 11 and guides 14 and 15 are stag- 30. gered so that the clubs supported by one frame project through between the clubs on the other frame.

Magnetic or other holding members 17 and 18 are arranged in the guides 14 and 15 respectively and are arranged to retain the clubs in position but the clubs can be readily released by breaking the magnetic hold 5- when they are to be withdrawn from the club carrier.

The frames 1 and 2 are held in their deployed posi¬ tion by an articulated tray 19 comprising two sections 20 and 21 hinged together at a medial line 22, the section 20 being hinged at 23 to the transverse joining member 5

10.. having the cups 10 formed therein, while the section 21 is hinged at 24 to the transverse joining member 6 having the cups 11 formed therein, the two sections having sides 25 which interengage to prevent the tray 19 from moving down further than a relatively horizontal position, but

15. when the tray centre is pushed upwardly the action is to move the lower ends of the frames 1 and 2 toward each other, changing the planes in which the clubs are held from where they cross over adjacent to the hinging means to a storage or folded position where the two planes are

20. approximately parallel.

Thus, when in normal use the frame 1 is extended outwards relative to the frame 2 so that the two side members 1 and 2 slope outwardly at the bottom relative to each other to carry the clubs in a crossed position, the 25.= planes of the club positions being shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by chain lines designated A and B.

While the clubs are preferably retained in cups or similar locating means at the lower part of the said carrier as described according to the illustrated embodi- 30. ment, magnets could be used to simply engage the clubs or their shafts in two spaced-apart places, and it will be realised that while herein the description has been made to the golf clubs being supported in an inverted position

OMPI

^ "WIPO .$> "

with the handles engaged in cups at the lower ends of the frames 1 and 2, the clubs could be positioned the other way up with the heads engaged in cups or held by magnets at the lower part of the frame members 1 and 2.

5. The use of magnets in either arrangement serves the purpose of firmly holding the clubs in position and re¬ strains the clubs against release and rotational movement and thus serves to protect the clubs against damage by moving against each other or generally becoming displaced.

10. Each of the side members 4 of the frame 2 have a wheel 27 on an axle 28 carried on a sleeve 29 encircling the relevant side members 4 so that the device serves as a golf buggy, and a handle 30 is provided whereby the buggy can be drawn around by the player, the clubs at

15. that stage being spaced for ready selection and removal so that the device forms an ideal buggy which holds the golf clubs in selected positions.

The carrier could however have means other than wheels as its ground support means, such as sleds, or 20. could be carried on an independent wheeled frame applied when required.

The sleeves 29 can be rotational on the side members 4 to allow the wheels to be positioned relatively paral¬ lel to the frame 2 for storage, pins 31 being used to 25. lock the sleeve against rotation about the sleeve axis when the wheel position has been selected. Means other than pins can be used to effect the locking.

While it is preferred to use a tray as shown, other means can be used such as a lower platform which is remov- 30. able or can be swung out of position when folding, the lower member in this case being either attachable or being hinged to one of the side members so that it can be

"BTJ £^ _QMPI

swung up when the device is to be folded to lie between the then relatively parallel side frames, but when it is swung down it can engage members which hold the buggy in the position where it is transportable on the wheels.

5. The handle 30 is itself of a foldable nature and has its lower end 32 connected by a transverse hinge to the transverse frame members 7 and extends upwardly therefrom and has an upper- part 33 which is telescopic in the lower part 34 and can be locked by a pin or clamp in an ex-

10. tended or a telescoped position and also it can be turned to have the grip 35 arranged as a hook by means of which the device can be hung on a suitable support when folded.

Locking of the part 33 to the part 34 can be by means of a wedge control 36 or by other means and the

15. spacer 37 between the handle 30 and the upper transverse frame member is adjustable in that the spacer is slidable through the sleeve 38 which is connected by hinge 39 to the transverse member 8 and locking means in the form of a pin 40 or the like and may be used to hold the handle

20. In this operative position but when unlocked the handle can be pushed towards the frame 2 and the spacer 37 will swing downwardly into the plane of the frames 1 and 2 because the bracket 41 which pivotally connects the spacer 37 to the part 34 of the handle 30 is positioned

25. to be higher than the sleeve 40 and its pivoting means 39 and therefore changes the angle of the spacer as the handle is pushed forward to bring the spacer more in the plane on the handle.

A seat can be provided on one or both of the side 30. frames if this is required but this is not shown in the drawings.

From the foregoing it will be realised that an im¬ proved device is provided which serves as a golf club carrier and replaces both the normal golf bag and the usual type of golf buggy, and because of its folding

5. nature the clubs can, during play, be positioned in two crossing planes for ready selection of the clubs but when the carrier is to be stored the clubs are brought into substantially one plane or generally parallel planes to take minimum space, as is also the club carrier, and the

10. device is then readily transportable in a vehicle or can be stored when not required. A cover is preferably provid¬ ed to go over the folded club carrier to provide a neat and effective device, which cover can have carry handles along for instance one side to enable easy carrying of 15. the unit between the periods of use on a golf course and the transport period in between.

The magnetic lock for the golf clubs can of course be replaced by other means and could comprise a bar ex¬ tending along the sides to be movable away from the clubs 20. when they are to be released to allow one of the clubs selected to be removed, or independent mechanical means could be used for each club to provide an interlock to ensure that the club shafts are firmly held. With this arrangement clubs are not liable to move out of position

25. excepting when the release means are actuated when a selected club is to be withdrawn, and as the clubs are held with the striking head ends separated, unwanted rubbing or contacting of one head with another can be avoided or minimised. A clip is shown in Fig. 4 and is

30. designated 45.

The bag 47 shown in Fig. 7 has a base 49 adapted to engage the tray 19 when the carrier is extended and has sloping sides 48 to fit between the frames 1 and 2 the bag having handles 50 whereby it may be carried 5. when not supported on the tray 19.

The device thus comprises a simple unit which can be constructed mainly of rods of relatively light weight and will hold the, clubs securely in selected position and thus giving a great advantage over the normal golf 10. bag and also of the buggy which is in use at the present time.

1 ^* 4 _O OMMPPII . ';* ^• *