U.S. patent number 3,687,458 [Application Number 05/157,957] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-29 for exercising and training type golf club.
This patent grant is currently assigned to McLaughlin Research Corporation. Invention is credited to Wayne C. Proctor, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,687,458 |
Proctor, Jr. |
August 29, 1972 |
EXERCISING AND TRAINING TYPE GOLF CLUB
Abstract
The pivoted member at the upper end of the golf club shaft,
which is biased outwardly by a compression spring, is adapted to be
squeezed by the uppermost hand of the user and moved against the
fixed semi-cylindrical portion of the shaft to provide a generally
cylindrical grip portion. If the gripping force exerted by the
golfer's hand is not sufficient to compress the spring and force
the pivoted member against the shaft, an awkward and uncomfortable
grip portion is provided which prevents the golfer from swinging
the club in the proper manner.
Inventors: |
Proctor, Jr.; Wayne C.
(Hyattsville, MD) |
Assignee: |
McLaughlin Research Corporation
(Silver Spring, MD)
|
Family
ID: |
22566069 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/157,957 |
Filed: |
June 29, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/204;
482/49 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
69/3632 (20130101); A63B 21/0421 (20130101); A63B
21/023 (20130101); A63B 2060/464 (20151001); A63B
2220/56 (20130101); A63B 21/05 (20130101); A63B
23/16 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
69/36 (20060101); A63B 23/035 (20060101); A63B
23/16 (20060101); A63B 59/00 (20060101); A63b
069/36 (); A63b 021/30 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/193,194,81.4,81.3,165,166,69,26B,183,81D,81 ;272/67,68 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Marlo; George J.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A golf club having an exercising and training grip portion at
the outer end of the shaft of the club adapted to be grasped only
by the uppermost hand of the user, said grip portion being split
and comprising: a fixed member rigid with the outer end of the
shaft; and elongated member lying along one side of said fixed
member and forming therewith said grip portion; means pivotally
connecting one end of said elongated member to said fixed member,
said elongated member being pivotally movable between a first
position with a surface thereof substantially co-extensive with and
contiguous to an opposed surface of said fixed member and a second
position with the free outer end of said elongated member spaced
outwardly from said fixed member; and resilient means disposed
between said elongated member and spaced from the pivotal
connection, biasing the free end of said elongated member away from
said fixed member.
2. A golf club according to claim 1 including stop means for
limiting the outward movement of the free end of said elongated
member.
3. A golf club according to claim 2 in which the pivotal connection
is spaced from the outer end of the fixed member and the free end
of said elongated member is disposed adjacent the outer end of said
fixed member.
4. A golf club according to claim 3 in which the elongated member
is disposed on the upper side of the fixed member when the club is
in the position for contacting a golf ball.
5. A golf club according to claim 4 in which the opposed surfaces
of the fixed member and the elongated member are planar.
6. A golf club according to claim 5 in which said resilient means
is a calibrated compression spring and a pair of opposed recesses
are formed in said opposed planar surfaces, and the ends of said
spring are seated in said opposed recesses.
7. A golf club according to claim 1 in which the elongated member
comprises a body portion of generally semi-cylindrical
configuration and the adjacent portion of the fixed member is of
generally semi-cylindrical configuration and said grip portion is
substantially cylindrical when said elongated member is pivoted to
said first position.
Description
The present invention relates to an exercising and training grip
arrangement particularly adapted for use with a golf club.
With the grip normally used by a right-handed golfer, the left hand
grips the club at the uppermost end thereof while the right hand
grips the club immediately below the left hand and, in some
instances, the right hand partially overlaps the left hand. It is
considered essential for a proper swing, to grasp the grip portion
of the shaft firmly with the left hand, particularly with the
middle finger, ring finger and the small finger. If a golfer is
left-handed, it is the right hand that is positioned uppermost on
the shaft and it is important that the right hand grip the shaft
firmly.
The novel grip portion of this invention trains the user to firmly
grip the shaft of the club with the hand which is uppermost on the
shaft and at the same time exercises and strengthens the muscles of
this hand and arm.
The primary object of this invention is to provide a golfer with an
exercising and training type of golf club which will require the
user to apply proper pressure on the grip of the club to insure
that the left wrist of a right-handed golfer does not bend during
the swing when hitting the ball. Conversely, the mounting of the
left-handed head on the shaft would serve the left-handed golfer as
well.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a golf club
which requires the user to exert at least a predetermined force on
the grip portion of the shaft with the uppermost hand to form on
the shaft a grip portion of conventional configuration which is
comfortable to hold while he swings the club.
Another object of the invention is to provide the upper end of the
shaft of a golf club with a grip portion which is uncomfortable to
hold while using the club unless the user grasps the shaft with the
uppermost hand with at least a predetermined gripping force.
A further object of the invention is to provide a golf club with an
exercising and training grip portion which has a pleasing
appearance and which may be employed by either right-handed or
left-handed golfers.
Other objects of the invention are to provide a golf club with an
exercising and training grip portion which is of rugged, durable
construction, which is formed of relatively few parts, which is
easily assembled, and which is relatively inexpensive to
manufacture.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become
more apparent from the following specification and claims when
taken in conjuction with the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a golf club having the improved
grip portion of the present invention with the correct position of
the hands of a right-handed golfer shown in phantom lines;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the grip portion
of the golf club, taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 with the hands
omitted for purposes of clarity;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line
3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the end
club grip;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the grip portion shown in open
position;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the grip portion of FIG.
4;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the stationary portion of the grip;
and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the pivotal portion of the
grip.
For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, there is
shown in FIG. 1 a right-handed golf club 1 having a shaft 3 with a
head 5 for striking a golf ball secured to the lower end thereof in
a conventional manner.
The novel exercising and training grip portion 7 includes a
substantially rigid member 9 which may be fixedly secured to the
upper end of the shaft 3 by any suitable means. For example, the
rigid member 9 may be formed of any suitable light weight material
such as strong plastic, aluminum, etc. and may be molded in place
on the shaft 3.
The outer end portion 11 of the member 9, which is remote from the
shaft 3, is of generally semi-cylindrical configuration with and
the diametrical planar face 13 thereof facing forwardly and
upwardly when the club is held in the position shown in FIG. 1
addressing a golf ball.
The planar face 13 extends from the outer end 15 of the member 9 to
a shoulder 17 which forms an end wall portion between the generally
cylindrical inner end portion 19 of the member 9 and the outer end
portion 11.
A narrow rectangular-shaped slot 21 is formed in the inner end
portion 19 and extends axially of the shaft 3. The slot 21 includes
the side walls 23 and 25, which extend from the shoulder 17 to the
end wall 27, and a bottom wall 29 which is an extension of the
planar face 13.
An elongated pivoted member 31, also formed of suitable strong,
lightweight, rigid material, is of generally semi-cylindrical
configuration complementary in shape to the end portion 11 of the
member 9 and includes a diametrical planar surface 33. A tongue 35
formed integral with the member 31 extends outwardly from the inner
end 37 and into the slot 21. The pivoted member 31 is connected to
the member 9 by a pin 39 which extends through aligned openings 41
and 43 formed in the end portion 19 and through an opening 45
formed in the tongue 35.
A calibrated coil compression spring 47 is positioned between the
member 9 and the member 31 with one end of the spring seated in a
recess 49 formed in the planar surface 13 and with the other end
seated in an opposed recess 51 formed in the planar surface 33 of
the pivoted member 31.
The tongue 35 includes a first lower surface portion 53 which is an
extension of the planar surface 33 to approximately opposite the
opening 45, and a second lower surface portion 55 which diverges
outwardly from the surface 53. The surface 55 of the tongue 35
abuts against the bottom wall 29 of the slot 21 to provide stop
means for limiting the extent to which the member 31 may pivot
outwardly under the action of the spring 47.
The present golf club is intentionally constructed to be awkward
and uncomfortable to hold and difficult to swing unless sufficient
gripping force is exerted by the uppermost hand on the shaft to
tightly and firmly grasp the shaft for a proper swing and to
prevent the club from turning in the hands when a golf ball is
struck.
In use, the palm of the uppermost hand of the user is placed over
the pivoted member and the fingers are wrapped around the shaft in
the usual manner while the other hand grips the shaft immediately
below the pivoted member. If the force exerted by the uppermost
hand is not sufficient to compress the spring and bring the planar
face of the pivoted member against the planar of the rigid member,
an awkward and uncomfortable grip portion is provided which
prevents the user from swinging the club in the proper manner. A
comfortable and normal grip is provided on the shaft, which permits
the user to correctly swing the club, when the user grips the shaft
with the uppermost hand with sufficient force to compress the
spring and to move the generally semi-cylindrical pivoted member
against the complementary semi-cylindrical fixed portion of the
grip. The construction is such that the compression spring 47 can
easily be changed to increase or decrease the pressure required to
close the grip, thereby making the exercising and training golf
club extremely versatile in its usage.
It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to
the exact construction shown and described, but that various
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *