GB2210798A

GB2210798A - Golf training apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2210798A
Application number: GB8823003A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman Higginson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-10-15
Filing date: 1988-09-30
Publication date: 1989-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2008-09-30
Also published as: GB8823003D0; GB2210798B; EP0312287A1; GB8724226D0; JPH01160578A

Description

PKD080988 GOLF TRAINING APPARATUS u This invention relates to golf

training apparatus.

Everyone familiar with the game of golf appreciates the importance of proficient and consistant swinging of a golf club for achieving drives of long distance and hence success in the game. A good swing depends on several factors including the initial posture of the golfer's body, the movement of the body during the swing and the path of the golf club itself.

The object of the present invention is to provide apparatus which enables a golfer to become familiar with an ideal swing path and proficient at performing same.

With this object in view, the invention provides golf training apparatus comprising a flexible rail held by adjustable support members in a looped configuration representing a golf club swing path, and a carriage which is slidably mounted on the rail and adapted for attachment of the shaft of a golf club.

It will be understood that in use a golfer stands centrally within the area defined by the looped rail and fastens his club to the carriage so that when he swings the club the carriage slides freely along the rail and PKD080988 - 2 - the club attached thereto follows the path set by the position of the rail.

The apparatus is simple in concept yet very effective in achieving its purpose and it is believed that it will prove extremely popular.

Preferably the support members comprises upright stanchions which are adjustable in height, e.g. by telescoping of upper and lower portions, and have laterally adjustable means at their upper ends.

The flexible rail needs to be about 6m long and advantageously consists of a pair of plastics tubes which are of substantially equal length and are joined together side by side. The aforesaid construction tends to resist deformation as it is placed into a suitable curved configuration and adjusted for different users, and this is extremely important in ensuring that the carriage can move freely therealong without jamming. The carriage preferably comprises two housing parts which are hingedly connected and which each seat around the rail. This has been found most suitable for free movement around the looped rail. In a practical embodiment, there may advantageously be a bridging bar or similar providing the hinged connection between the housing parts. Naturally, the housing parts should be provided internally with rollers to facilitate free PKDO80988 - 3 running along the rail.

For attachment of the golf club shaft, the carriage is preferably provided with a device which includes elements rotatable in mutually perpendicular planes as well as clamping members with complementary grooves for reception of the shaft.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred practical embodiment of the apparatus. In the drawings:

Fig-1 is a front perspective view of the apparatus when in use, the golfer and club being shown at the start position, and the carriage and part of the club additionally being shown in broken outline during and at the end of the forward stroke of the swing; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section along the line IlII in Fig. 1 showing the rail and carriage in detail; Fig. 3 is a view in the direction of the arrow III in Fig. 2 showing the carriage from above; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view showing one stanchion and the attachment of the rail thereto.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the apparatus comprises a flexible rail 10 supported in a looped configuration by seven stanchions 11 to 17 of PKDO80988 4 differing heights which are mounted upon a generally rectangular base 20.

The stanchions are arranged summetrically spaced apart around the periphery of the base 20 such that the two highest 11,12 are at the rear and these are flanked at each side by successively shorter stanchions 13, 14 and 17,16 respectively, positioned further towards the front, with a single stanchion 15, the shortest one of all, positioned centrally at the front of the base 20. Each stanchion comprises a tubular lower portion 22 and an upper portion 24 in the form of a tube or rod which is telescopically adjustable in said lower portion 22. The lower portion 22 is connected to the base 20 by a foot 26, in the form of an annular flange, at its lower end.

With reference to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the upper portion 24 ofeach stanchion is provided with a vertical row of holes or recesses 30, these being selectively engagable by a bolt 28 inserted through a hole in the lower portion 22 to hold the upper portion 24 in any selected vertical position. A lateral arm 32 in the form of a channel section having aligned elongate slots 33 in its side wall and a further elongate slot 35 in its central web is adjustably connected to the top of the upper portion 22 of each stanchion by a further bolt 29 engaging in the uppermost hole or recess 30 and is PKDO80988 - 5 supported by an oblique strut 34 which is secured by further bolts 31 engaging the aligned slots 33 and selected ones of the holes or recesses 30. An attachment assembly, indicated generally by reference numeral 40, is adjustably securable to the aforesaid arm 32.

In the case of the stanchions 13 to 17 this attachment assembly 40 comprises an angled rod 41 a pair of clamping blocks 42, and a rightangled bracket 44. One limb of the rod 41 has a screw threaded end margin which is securable to the flexible rail 10 by a pair of nuts 43, one at each side of said rail 10. An auxiliary angled limb 46 is also provided, which is securable to rail 10 in like manner, at a spacing from the main limb. This forked arrangement provides for dual connection points, thus minimising mis-alignment of the rail 10. The other limb of the rod 41 is securable at any selected position therealong between the clamping blocks 42, which are themselves attached to an upright limb of the right-angled bracket 44. The clamping blocks 42 are clamped together, with the rod 41 gripped between recesses in their mutually facing surfaces, and are at the same time secured to the bracket 44 by a bolt 45 with a knurled head. The other transversely extending limb of the bracket 44 is provided with a slot 47 and is both swingably adjustable relative to the lateral arm 32 of the stanchion by a bolt 48 extending PKD080988 - 6 through the slot 47 in the bracket 44 and the slot 35 in the central web of the arm 32 and engaging with a nut (not shown) retained within the channel section.

Overall the attachment assembly 40 is vertically, laterally and angularly adjustable relative to the lower portion 22 of its stanchion. In this respect, vertical adjustment is achieved by telescoping of the upper portion 24 of the stanchion within the lower portion 22 thereof, lateral adjustment is achieved by sliding of the bracket 44 along the arm 32, and also by adjustment of the position of the arm 32 relative to the top of the stanchion, and angular adjustment by swinging of the bracket 44 relative to the arm 32 and also by swivelling of the rod 41 and the clamping blocks 42.

Additionally, once a suitable setting of the bracket 44 on the arm 32 has been obtained the rod 41 can be extended or retracted within a range of a few centimetres by releasing the clamping blocks 42 and sliding the rod 41 therebetween before re-tightening. In this way, the respective attachment assemblies can be adjusted to hold the rail 10 in any desired configuration.

The attachment assembly connected to the top of the two highest stanchions 11,12 is somewhat different in that the vertical limb of the bracket 44 is much longer PKDO80988 - 7 and is slotted and has two sets of clamping blocks 42 attached, clamping respective rods 41 which secure the respective end regions of the looped rail 10. In other respects the construction of the attachment assemblies and their mounting on the arms 32 is the same as just described for the other stanchions.

As most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, the rail 10 consists of a pair of plastics tubes 38,39 which are joined together, side-by-side, e.g. by heat welding or by co-extrusion. These tubes 38,39 are obviously of substantially equal length. The rail 10 as a whole is about 6m long. The screw threaded rods 41 mounted at the top of the stanchions 11 to 17 extend through spaced apertures in the region of the joint between the tubes 38,39 as illustrated in Fig. 2, with the nuts 43, securing said rods 41, being accommodated in the opposed grooves in the rail configuration (which mcay rough.ly be considered like a figure eight.

A carriage 50 is slidably mounted on the rail 10. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 the carriage 50 consists of two housing parts 51,52 connected by respective hinges 54 to an intervening bridging bar 53. The housing parts 51,52 each take the form of a slotted box section provided, internally, with rollers 55, and each seat round or embrace both the conjoined plastics tubes 38,39 forming the rail 10. A golf shaft attachment device 60 PKDO80988 8 is attached to the bridging bar 53.

The precise construction of the housing parts 51,52, is shown in more detail in the drawings. Each consist of an opposed pair of channel sections 56,57 connected at one side, so as to have facing channels, by a strap 58, which is rivetted or bolted thereto, and each having an inwardly projecting lip 59 at the other side (Fig. 2). Overall, the configuration is equivalent to a slotted box section. Internally, ten rollers 55 are provided on spindles, one pair of rollers extending adjacent each wall of the box section, namely one pair, the longest, extending across the inside of the strap 58, one pair at each side, across the central web of each channel section 56,57, and one pair adjacent each of the side walls terminating in the lips 59. The rollers 55 all impinge upon the rail 10 over which the parts 51,52 of the carriage 50 are seated.

It is obviously most important that the carriage 50 should be freely slidable along the rail 10 and the illustrated constructions of rail 10 and carriage 50 have been designed with this very much in mind. The form of the rail 10 is particularly advantageous in resisting deformation when curved into a suitable looped configuration, which deformation might otherwise interrupt the free sliding of the carriage 50.

PKDO80988 - 9 - Rivetted to the bridging bar 53 of the carriage 50, midway therealong, is the aforesaid device 60 for attachment of a golf club shaft 70. This device 60 comprises a connection plate 62, which is the part connected to the bridging bar 53, carrying, near its end remote from the bar 53, a cylindrical basal element 64. Additionally, a rotatable shaft 63 extends between the base 64 and a transversely oriented cylindrical coupling 65. Finally, a disc 66 rotatably mounted on the coupling 65 carries one (68) of a pair of co-operating blocks 68,69 each provided with one of a pair of complementary grooves 67 of semi-circular cross-section which will fit around the golf club shaft 70. The other of the blocks 69 is releasable fixed to the first block 68 by nuts and bolts 71 such that the respective grooves 67 are aligned. Thus, when a golf club is attached to the device 60 by its shaft 70 being clamped between the grooves 67 of the blocks 68, 69 it can be swivelled in two perpendicular planes by rotation of the shaft 63 relative to the base and rotation of the plate 68 relative to the disc 66.

Referring back to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the two highest stanchions 11,12 are connected by parallel upper and lower cross-pieces 72,74 which are bolted thereto. Auxiliary vertical members 76,78 extend between these cross-pieces 72,74 and carry respective forwardly projecting guide elements 80,82, which in this case are PKDO80988 - 10 U-shaped, the ends of the U limbs being fixed to said members 76,78. These guide elements 80,82 are positioned at about the height of a golfer's hips and should be spaced a sufficient distance apart that a golfer can stand therebetween with a little room to spare. The cross-pieces 72,74 are provided with slots 84 in each end region so that the vertical members 76,78 carrying the guide elements 80,82 can be readily adjusted in the position of their mounting thereon. This allows the position of the guide elements 80,82 and their spacing from each other to be modified to accommodate the different statures of golfer who may wish to use the apparatus.

At the front of the base 20, a golf ball 86 is attached by a spring to the end of a tube 88, which is pivotally attached to the base and is adjustable in length, e.g. by having a telescopic inner portion.

The mode of use of the apparatus will readily be understood by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The apparatus is assembed as illustrated with the rail 10 bent into an encircling loop and the end portions thereof overlapping for one or two metres or thereabouts. The rail 10 is supported in this configuration by being secured to the attachment assemblies 40 at the top of each stanchion. In this PKD080988 - 11 respect, appropriate spaced pairs of apertures are provided, at intervals around the rail 10, in the joint region between the tubes 38,39 for insertion therethrough of the rod links 41,42, and the stanchions 11 to 17 and the attachment assemblies 40 are appropriately adjusted as previously described. The carriage 50 can be mounted onto the rail 10 simply by insertion onto one end thereof.

The apparatus is suitably adjusted for the stature of the user 90. This involves adjustment of the guide elements 80,82 and both coarse and fine adjustments of the positions of the attachment assemblies 40 holding the rail 10 so that the rail is put into a configuration which is considered to be the ideal swing path for that particular user 90. In this respect, males of different stature extremes (i.e. tallest and shortest) usually only differ by about 6 to 7cm in the extent of their reach to front and rear and downwardly, so the telescopic adjustment of the stanchions 13 to 17 as well as the lateral adjustment along their arms 32 will be sufficient to compensate for this. A greater variation is found in the overhead reach, but then a greater adjustment length is possible with the two highest stanchions 11 and 12.

The upper region of the user's golf club shaft 70, near the handle, is then clamped onto the carriage PKD080988 - 12 attachment device 60. The length of the tube 88 carrying the ball 86 is also adjusted so that the ball 86 is appropriately positioned for the reach of the user 90.

The user 90 takes up position on the base 20, centrally of the stanchions 11 to 17 and between the guide elements 80,82 exactly as illustrated. As he swings the club the ideal path will automatically be followed as the carriage 50 slides freely around the rail 10. The full swing starts from the centre frontal position shown in Fig. 1. The club is then drawn backwards, as shown in broken lines to the left in Fig. 1, to above the golfer's head, and subsequently swung forwards and right around the front of the body and up again to a position beyond the top of the backswing, as shown in broken lines at the top of Fig. 1.

The guide elements 80,82 inhibit unfavourable swaying or lateral movement of the golfer's body during the course of the swing.

After prolonged and repeated swinging of the club in the properly adjusted apparatus the golfer should have "grooved" a proficient swing and be able to perform this out on the golf course.

It is believed that the apparatus is especially useful PKD080988 - 13 in allowing inexperienced golfers to feel how their bodies should be moving and should be orientated at various sections of the overall swing. This is something which is difficult to learn by oral tuition i.e. taking instructions, or by watching others.

It will be understood that the foregoing is illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention and many variations are possible. The main components of the stanchions, the attachment assembly, the carriage and the club attachment device are preferably made of aluminium or perhaps steel, but other materials may prove equally suitable. The form of the supports, the carriage, and the fixing means for the rail and the golf club may also vary from those described. For example, the support members need not or need not all comprise upright s.tanchions and could, in fact, be suspended from overhead means or some of thein attached to side walls. They should, however, be adjustable. The carriage could alternately comprise only a single housing part, instead of two parts hingedly attached via a bridge, and the housing part or parts need not be in the form of slotted box sections; they could, for example have a curving or other configuration. Also the rollers, or some of them, could be replaced by wheels or other means facilitating free running of the carriage along the rail. Furthermore, although the carriage must seat around the PKD080988 - 14 rail, it could be such as to seat around only one of the pair of tubes making up the rail, in its preferred form, instead of completely enframing the rail as in the 2.

illustrated embodiment. Many other variants of constructional detail are possible.

PKD090988 - 15 -

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Golf training apparatus comprising a flexible rail held by adjustable support members in a looped configuration representing a golf club swing path, and a carriage which is slidably mounted on the rail and adapted for attachment of the shaft of a golf club.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support members comprise upright stanchions which are adjustable in height by telescoping of upper and lower portions and which have laterally adjustable means at their upper ends.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the rail consists of a pair of coextensive tubes joined together side by side.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the carriage comprises two housing parts, which are hingedly connected and which each seat around the rail.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the housing parts. each take the approximate form of a slotted box section.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the housing parts are provided, internally with a plurality of rollers which impinge upon the rail.

PKD090988 - 16 -

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, for attachment of the golf club shaft, the carriage is provided with a device which includes elements rotatable in mutually perpendicular planes as well as clamping members with complementary grooves for reception of the shaft.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including respective attachment assemblies for securing the rail at intervals to the respective support members, each attachment assembly including a rod securable to the rail, means for adjustably clamping the rod and a bracket which carries the clamping means and is itself angularly and/or laterally adjustably relative to the support member.

9. Golf training apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the rod is angled and is provided with an auxiliary-angled limb as additional securement means.

10. Golf training apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

-V7- Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. Golf training apparatus comprising a flexible rail held by adjustable support members in a looped configuration representing a golf club swing path, and a carriage which is slidably mounted on the rail and adapted for attachment of the shaft of a golf club, characterised in that the rail consists of a pair of tubes joined to each other, side by side, throughout their length.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the carriage comprises two housing parts, which are hingedly connected and which each seat around the rail.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the housing parts each take the approximate form of a slotted box section.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein the housing parts are provided, internally, with a plurality of rollers which impinge upon the rail.

PKD160289 - 10, - 6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, for attachment of the golf club shaft, the carriage is provided with a device which includes elements rotatable in mutually perpendicular planes as well as clamping members with complementary grooves for reception of the shaft.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including respective attachment assemblies for securing the rail at intervals to the respective support members, each attachment assembly including a rod securable to the rail, means for adjustably clamping the rod and a bracket which carries the clamping means and is itself angularly and/or laterally adjustably relative to the support member.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the rod is angled and is provided with an auxiliary angled limb as additional securement means.