Putter heads having enhanced rotational moment of inertia and manufacturing method

Abstract

A method for making a blade putter having a high inertia of rotation. The product of the method has a base, a ball-striking part, a toe weight and a heel weight. The base is made of a first material of relatively low mass, such as aluminum, and the other parts are made of a second material having a relatively high mass, such as copper or brass. A dovetailed groove is formed in the toe end of the base to slidingly receive a dovetailed protuberance formed in the toe weight and a dovetailed groove is formed in the heel end of the base to slidingly receive a dovetailed protuberance formed in the heel weight. A recess formed in a leading wall of the base receives the ball-striking part. Fasteners hold the parts together as they are machined so that respective perimeters of the weights are flush with the base. The fasteners are then removed and the base is anodized separately from the other parts. The putter is then reassembled and the fasteners are again installed with their respective heads protruding slightly above the leading wall of the base. The leading wall of the base and the ball-striking part are then removed by milling, exposing an unanodized surface of the base and shearing off the heads of the fasteners so that the heads are flush with the unanodized surface. The combination of copper or brass with anodized and unanodized aluminum provides a putter of enhanced aesthetic appeal. A mallet putter is made in a similar way.

1 ] A method of making a putter head, comprising the steps of: 
 milling a base of predetermined width, said base having a leading wall, a trailing wall, a heel end, and a toe end;    milling a stop plate so that it is formed integrally with said base, said stop plate projecting from said trailing wall in normal relation thereto;    anodizing said base;    forming a recess in said leading wall and securing a striking plate in said recess so that said striking plate is flush with said leading wall;    securing a heel weight to said trailing wall of said base such that a heel end of said heel weight is flush with said heel end of said base and so that a toe end of said heel weight abuts said stop plate;    securing a toe weight to said trailing wall of said base such that a toe end of said toe weight is flush with said toe end of said base and so that a heel end of said toe weight abuts said stop plate;    selecting a first material for said base and selecting a common second material for said striking plate, said heel weight, and said toe weight such that said first material has less mass than said second material; and    milling said leading wall of said base to expose an unanodized surface to enhance the aesthetic appeal of said putter head.    
     
     
         2 ] The method of claim  1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 securing said striking plate, said heel weight, and said toe weight to said base with screw fasteners that are made of said second material;    positioning a head of each of said screw fasteners in slightly raised relation to said leading wall of said base;    whereby said step of milling said leading wall includes the step of shearing each of the heads of said screw fasteners so that said heads are flush with said leading wall.    
     
     
         3 ] A method of making a putter head, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a base of predetermined width, said base having a leading wall, a trailing wall, and a perimeter wall that circumscribes said base;    said perimeter wall having a top, a bottom, a heel end and a toe end;    forming a stop plate that projects from said trailing wall in normal relation thereto;    forming a first groove of predetermined configuration in a heel end of said base, said first groove being formed in said trailing wall, said first groove having a first end in open communication with said heel end of said base and said first groove having a depth less than said predetermined width of said base;    forming a second groove of predetermined configuration in a toe end of said base, said second groove being formed in said trailing wall, said second groove having a first end in open communication with said toe end of said base;    forming a recess of predetermined configuration in said leading wall, substantially centrally thereof, said recess having a depth less than said width of said base;    forming a first throughbore in said toe end of said base, a second and a third throughbore in said recess, and a fourth throughbore in said heel end of said base;    forming a heel weight having a protuberance of predetermined configuration that mates with said predetermined configuration of said first groove and sliding said heel weight protuberance into said first groove until said heel weight abuts a heel end of said stop plate;    forming a toe weight having a protuberance of predetermined configuation that mates with said predetermined configuation of said second groove and sliding said toe weight protuberance into said second groove until said toe weight abuts a toe end of said stop plate;    forming a striking plate having a predetermined configuration that fits within said recess and forming a pair of throughbores in said striking plate that align with said second and third throughbores formed in said recess; and    fastening said heel weight, said toe weight, and said striking plate to said base.    
     
     
         4 ] The method of claim  3 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming said base from a first material having a first mass;    forming said heel weight, said toe weight, and said striking plate from a common second material having a second mass; and    selecting said first and second materials so that said first mass is less than said second mass.    
     
     
         5 ] The method of claim  4 , further comprising the steps of: 
 anodizing said base prior to said step of fastening said heel weight, said toe weight, and said striking plate thereto;    employing screw fasteners in said step of fastening said heel weight, said toe weight, and said striking plate to said base;    at completion of said fastening step, positioning respective heads of said screw fasteners in slightly raised relation to said leading wall and said striking plate; and    milling said leading wall of said base to expose an unanodized wall of said base, said step of milling also serving to make said respective heads of said screw fasteners flush with said exposed surface.    
     
     
         6 ] The method of claim  4 , further comprising the step of selecting aluminum as said first material.  
     
     
         7 ] The method of claim  5 , further comprising the step of selecting said second material from a group of metals having a greater mass than aluminum.  
     
     
         8 ] The method of claim  6 , further comprising the step of anodizing said aluminum after said recess and grooves have been formed therein.  
     
     
         9 ] The method of claim  3 , wherein said predetermined shape of said first groove is a dovetail shape and wherein said predetermined configuration of said heel weight protuberance is a dovetail shape complementary thereto.  
     
     
         10 ] The method of claim  3 , wherein said predetermined shape of said second groove is a dovetail shape and wherein said predetermined configuration of said toe weight protuberance is a dovetail shape complementary thereto.  
     
     
         11 ] The method of claim  3 , further comprising a first internally threaded blind bore formed in said toe weight, said first internally threaded blind bore extending through said heel weight protuberance, a first throughbore formed in said base adjacent said toe end of said base, and said first internally threaded blind bore being in alignment with said first throughbore when said toe weight is connected to said base.  
     
     
         12 ] The method of claim  11 , further comprising a second internally threaded blind bore formed in said toe weight, a throughbore formed in a toe end of said recess, and said second internally threaded blind bore being in alignment with said second throughbore when said toe weight and said striking plate are connected to said base.  
     
     
         13 ] The method of claim  12 , further comprising a third internally threaded blind bore, formed in said heel weight, a throughbore formed in a heel end of said recess, said third internally threaded blind bore being in alignment with said third throughbore when said toe weight and said striking plate are connected to said base.  
     
     
         14 ] The method of claim  13 , further comprising a fourth internally threaded blind bore formed in said heel weight, said fourth internally threaded blind bore extending through said heel weight protuberance, a fourth throughbore formed in said base adjacent said toe end of said base, and said fourth internally threaded blind bore being in alignment with said fourth throughbore when said toe weight is connected to said base.  
     
     
         15 ] The product of claim  1 .  
     
     
         16 ] The product of claim  3 .  
     
     
         17 ] A method of making a putter head, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a base of predetermined width, said base having a leading wall, a trailing wall, and a perimeter wall that circumscribes said base;    said perimeter wall having a top, a bottom, a heel end and a toe end;    forming a block that has a leading wall adapted to abuttingly engage said trailing wall of said base;    forming a first groove of predetermined configuration in a heel end of said block, said first groove being disposed normal to a plane of said base;    forming a second groove of predetermined configuration in a toe end of said block, said second groove being disposed normal to said plane of said base;    forming a recess of predetermined configuration in said leading wall, substantially centrally thereof, said recess having a depth less than said width of said base;    forming a first throughbore in said toe end of said base, a second and a third throughbore in said recess, and a fourth throughbore in said heel end of said base;    forming a heel weight having a protuberance of predetermined configuration that mates with said predetermined configuration of said first groove and sliding said heel weight protuberance into said first groove until said heel weight abuts said trailing wall;    forming a toe weight having a protuberance of predetermined configuration that mates with said predetermined configuration of said second groove and sliding said toe weight protuberance into said second groove until said toe weight abuts said trailing wall;    forming a striking plate having a predetermined configuration that fits within said recess and forming a pair of throughbores in said striking plate that align with said second and third throughbores formed in said recess; and    fastening said heel weight, said toe weight, said block and said striking plate to said base.    
     
     
         18 ] The method of claim  17 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming said base from a first material having a first mass;    forming said heel weight, said toe weight, and said striking plate from a common second material having a second mass; and    selecting said first and second materials so that said first mass is less than said second mass.    
     
     
         19 ] The method of claim  18 , further comprising the step of anodizing said base.  
     
     
         20 ] The method of claim  19 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming a first throughbore in said toe end of said base, a second and a third throughbore in said recess, and a fourth throughbore in said heel end of said base;    fastening said heel weight, said toe weight, said striking plate, and said block to said base with screw fasteners made of the same material as said common second material;    positioning respective heads of said screw fasteners in slightly raised relation to said leading wall at the completion of said fastening step; and    milling off a predetermined layer of said leading wall of said base to expose an unanodized surface, so that said screw fasteners are flush with said unanodized surface.