1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of golf club putters and more specifically a golf club putter in which the angle of the shaft with respect to the head and hosel is adjustable over a preselected range by means of a linkage device comprising an adjustment gear which may be used to interconnect a variety of different shafts to a variety of different putter heads and hosels.
2. Prior Art
The following patents disclose subject matter which may be considered relevant to the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,444 Chamberlain
U.S. Pat. No. 2,217,338 Fuller
U.S. Pat. No. 2,847,219 Shoemaker
U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,231 Moore
U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,951 Grant
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,205 Melanson
U.S. Pat. No. 2,091,794 Pester
U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,346 Phillips
U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,185 Andis
U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,019 Palotsee
U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,170 Warnock
U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,169 Rupnow
U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,726 Barrett
U.S. Pat. No. 2,107,983 Hamilton
U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,619 Napolitano
Of the foregoing patents, the one that appears to be the most relevant to the present invention is U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,019 to Palotsee which discloses a golf putter having a telescoping shaft and a swivel connection permitting the upper portions of the shaft and grip to be angled relative to the main portion of the shaft and putter head wherein the upper portion of the shaft can be made to pivot in a plane parallel to the ball striking face as is done in the present invention. Unfortunately, the disclosure by Palotsee relates to an adjustable golf putter which suffers from a number of disadvantages. One such disadvantage is the apparent difficulty of adjusting the shaft portions relative to one another without the use of a special tool that would have to be carried separately by the golfer during play in order to make adjustments during the game. Another disadvantage thereof is the fact that the angular adjustment of the shaft as noted in the aforementioned patent is accomplished at the upper end thereof, near the grip, wherein for most adjustment positions, the plane of the upper portion of the shaft, does not intersect the putter head, thereby making it more difficult for the golfer to accurately control the putter to obtain the direction of ball roll that he wishes in order to putt the ball precisely in the direction of the hole. Perhaps the most significant disadvantage of the aforementioned prior art patent is the fact that the shaft thereof has to be unique in all respects, thus making it impossible or at least impractical to change shafts or putter heads and alternatively making it necessary to buy an entirely new putter in the event that the shaft or head is damaged or the user otherwise wishes to alter either such component. Another significant disadvantage of the aforementioned prior art patent is the unusual configuration and complex structure of the shaft adjustment mechanism thereof, which raises questions in regard to the expense of manufacture, the cost effectiveness to the consumer and the overriding question of whether such complex and unusual structure could receive approval by the U.S.G.A. or other official golf agencies which rule on the question of what can be used as a golf club in tournament play.
Thus, there is, despite the prior art, a continuing need for an adjustable golf club putter, allowing the shaft to be adjusted along a pivot in a plane parallel to the ball striking face, but in a simple configuration which can be made relatively low cost, which can receive the approval of the U.S.G.A. or other governing bodies in the golf industry, which provides a straight, elongated shaft which allows the user to have conventional grip and control of the putter and which is likely to lead to commercial success by permitting the golfer to make adjustments during the game without requiring the golfer to carry separately from the club, special tools for making such an adjustment.