US3397891A

US3397891A - Dry-grip sleeve

Info

Publication number: US3397891A
Application number: US419436A
Authority: US
Inventors: Koch Tobias
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-12-18
Filing date: 1964-12-18
Publication date: 1968-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1985-08-20

Description

Aug. 20, 1968 T. KOCH 3,397,

DRY-GRIP SLEEVE Filed Dec. 18, 1964 INVENTOR. TOBIAS KOCH ATTOR/VEX United States Patent 3,397,891 DRY-GRIP SLEEVE Tobias Koch, 149 Friendship Road, Drexel Hill, Pa. 19026 Filed Dec. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 419,436 4 Claims. (Cl. 273162) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a sleeve for keeping dry the handle of a golf club or the like so as to prevent the handle from getting wet and becoming slippery. It assists the golfer in maintaining a good grip on the club.

The sleeve includes a body member of thin waterproof material, a small front opening which is adapted to receive the shaft, a larger rear opening which is adapted to receive a hand or both hands of the golfer, means for contracting the size of the front opening to fit snugly around the shaft of the golf club, and means for contracting the size of the rear opening so as to fit snugly around the wrist or wrists of the golfer, with the body member flaring outwardly from the rear opening and then tapering inwardly toward the front opening, and with the sleeve being long enough to admit both hands or to admit one hand inside with the other hand gripping the outside of the sleeve around the shaft of the club.

This invention relates to improvements in an article for preventing slipping of the hands from the gripping portion of an implement, which slipping is caused by the gripping portion being wet. The invention more particularly concerns a dry-grip sleeve for golf clubs or the like which prevents the gripping portion of the golf club from getting wet.

It is very difiicult to hold onto a golf club and swing it properly when the shaft of the golf club is wet, such as when the golf game is being played in the rain. Wet weather does not deter the enthusiastic golfer from playing, and this is especially so when the rain starts during the course of a match. Unless there is lightning, the match may continue and the golfer may protect himself from the wet weather by all sorts of rain gear, including a hat, a water-proof plastic jacket which is roomy enough to permit a free swinging of the golf club, a pair of waterproof plastic rain pants, and water-proof shoes or overshoes which are usually made of rubber. In addition to this, a golf umbrella may be used. This rain gear keeps the golfer dry and comfortable, and the golf match may proceed without endangering the golfers health.

However, it is a very difficult problem to hold onto a golf club and swing it properly when the shaft is wet. The golfer may use a towel to dry his hands and dry the club shaft, but as the game proceeds the shaft becomes wet and slippery and very difiicult to control. In some cases, the golf club may become so slippery as to slip entirely out of the hands of the golfer during the course of the swing and fly out of his hands, presenting considerable danger to the other golfers and caddies in the immediately vicinity.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a dry-grip sleeve which keeps dry the shaft of a golf club and the like.

It is another object to provide such a sleeve which does not interfere with the swinging of the club by the golfer.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, including its simplicity and economy, as well as the ease with which it may be adapted to existing equipment, will fur- 3,397,891 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 ther become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a dry-grip sleeve constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of the dry-grip sleeve in position around the shaft of a golf club and the left hand of a golfer, with portions of the sleeve cut away to show the position of the left hand;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation similar to FIG. 2 except that now the golfer is also grasping the shaft of the golf club with his right hand, the right hand being outside the sleeve;

FIG. 4 is a view of a modified form of the invention which is larger than the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-3 and provides for both hands of the golfer gripping the club inside the dry-grip sleeve; and

FIG. 5 is a partial view of another embodiment of the invention which has a band with an adjustable buckle for varying the size of the opening.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the structure shown in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, there is shown a dry-grip sleeve 11 for a golf club and the like which comprises a body member 12 which is made of a thin, water-proof material such as plastic or water-proofed fabric. Body member 12 may be seamless, or it may' be made of two identical pieces which are sewn or sealed together by other means at two seams.

Body member 12 is provided with a front opening 13 and a rear opening 14, with front opening 13 being smaller than rear opening 14. Body member 12 flares outwardly from rear opening 14 and then tapers inwardly toward front opening 13.

Adjustable means are provided at front and

rear openlugs

13 and 14 for contracting and expanding the size of the front and

rear openings

13 and 14. In FIGS. 1 and 3, those adjustable means comprise a band 15 having snap buttons 16, and a band 17 having snap buttons 18. Band 15 is opened to permit expanding of front opening 13 so that it may easily receive a shaft 21 of a golf club, and then the opening 13 is contracted to fit snugly around shaft 21 by closing snap buttons 16.

Band 17 is attached to rear opening 14 and is opened to admit the left hand of the golfer, and then is contracted after the hand is in gripping position by closing the snap buttons 18. This position is shown in FIG. 2, and it may be seen that band 15 fits snugly around shaft 21 and band 17 fits snugly around the golfers wrist. The contracting of the

bands

15 and 17 causes body member 12 to wrinkle or crinkle in the portions near those bands, but this presents no problem to the golfer and does not hinder his swing.

After the golfer has gripped the club as in FIG. 2, he-

may then grip the shaft 21 of the club with his right hand as shown in FIG. 3. The left hand is the control hand that guides the club, and the right hand is the hand which applies the power. Accordingly, the grip of the right hand need not be as slip-proof as the grip of the left hand. However, even though the right hand is outside dry-grip sleeve 11, and the outside of the sleeve may be wet, the crinkling or wrinkling of the sleeve 11 beneath the right hand provides some purchase for an improved grip and does help prevent the right hand from slipping.

Turning now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, there is shown a dry-grip sleeve 22 which is made of thin water-proof material and is somewhat larger than dry-drip sleeve 11 so as to admit both hands of the golfer. Sleeve 22 has a front opening which is provided with an elastic band 23 and a rear opening (or two openings, one for each hand) which has an elastic band 24. Body member 25 extends between

bands

23 and 24 and flares outwardly from hand 24 and then tapers inwardly toward band 23.

Elastic band 23 is adapted to contract the size of the front opening and to fit snugly around a shaft 26 of a golf club, and is adapted to expand when desired to more easily receive shaft 26. Elastic band 24 is easily expanded to permit the easy insertion of the golfers hands, then contracted to fit snugly around the golfers wrists.

The snug fit of

bands

23 and 24 prevents entry of rain and yet does not impede the golfers swing.

Bands

23 and 24 even fit snugly during the course of the swing and expand and contract in response to the movement of the golfers hands and wrists.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. is similar to those shown in FIGS. 14, except that the front and rear openings are provided with bands having one end portion 31 which has a friction device such as buckle 32 mounted thereon. Another end portion 33 of the band is adapted to pass through buckle 32 and is held in place by the buckle. Instead of the buckle shown in FIG. 5, a snapbuckle may be used, such as the one commonly used in golf caps to provide for varying the fit of the cap to suit all sizes. In the snap-buckle, the free end of the band may be inserted through the buckle to a desired position when the buckle is open, and then the buckle is snapped closed to securely grasp and hold the band.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the size of openings may be adjusted to suit the golfer, and the bands may be of elastic or non-elastic material as desired.

It will be realized that elastic bands may be used in the dry-grip sleeve 11 in place of

snap button bands

15 and 17, and that snap button bands may be used in dry-grip sleeve 22 in place of

elastic bands

23 and 24.

The dry-grip sleeve of the present invention may be used in sports other than golf. For example, the sleeve may be used in baseball to keep dry the handle of a baseball bat.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a presently preferred embodiment. Various changes may be made in the'shape, size and arrangement of parts. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

The claimed invention is: I

1. A dry-grip sleeve for golf clubs and the like, comprising a body member made'of a thin, waterproof material, said body member having a front opening and a rear opening, said front opening being smaller than the rear opening, said body member flaring outwardly from the rear opening and then tapering inwardly toward the front opening, adjustable means attached to the front opening for contracting the sizeof the front opening and for permitting expanding of the front opening to receive a shaft of a golf club and the like and then contracted to fit snugly around said shaft, and adjustable means attached to the rear opening for contracting the size of the rear opening and permitting expanding of the rear opening so that the rear opening may be expanded to receive a hand of the golfer and then contracted to fit snugly around his wrist, whereby the sleeve shields the shaft from rain and keeps it dry for better gripping, said sleeve being long enough to admit both hands with one hand disposed longitudinally of the other in substantially non-overlapping relationship one to the other or to admit one hand inside with the other hand gripping the outside of the sleeve around the shaft of the club with one hand disposed longitudinally of the other in substantially non-overlapping relationship one to the other.

2. The dry-grip sleeve defined in claim 1, wherein the adjustable means comprise bands of elastic.

3. The dry-grip sleeve defined in claim 1, wherein the adjustable means comprise bands having snap buttons which are open when said openings are expanded and closed when said openings are contracted.

4. The dry-grip sleeve defined in claim 1, wherein the adjustable means comprise bands having a friction device to assure proper closure of said openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,089,086 8/1937 Farkas z 2-17 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

R. J. APLEY, Assistant Examiner.