US1843039A - Grip guide for golf clubs - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 26,- 1932. w. H MOHR Y 1,843,039

GRIP GUDE FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed septl 1o, 1930 Em- EUR MZ/Mn 7a( @af Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM Hg'AIvIOHR, or CI'IICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIeNoR `'IO ALEXANDER MOIIR COM- f PANY, INC., or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS GRIP GUIDE FOR GOLF CLUBS i y y ",Ap'plica'tion led' September 10, 1930. Serial No. 480,896.

VThis'invention yrelates to improvements in grip guides for golf clubs, and more particularly to means for guidinga players hand into" the proper position for correctly gripping the shaft of la golf club, although the inventionmay be utilized for many and vario'uspurposes,y as, for instance, holding various types of stick-like elements, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Inthe past, many and various devices havejbeen vdeveloped for guiding the hands of a Vuser into the ,correct position for holding a stick-like element such as a golf club, but, especially with lregard to golf clubs, these formerly known devices have, in many instances proven objectionable due to the fact that although they would permit the user to assume vtheproper hold upon the shaft of the club yet theyalso permitted the user in spite of the device itself to assume an improper hold. ln other Words these formerly known guiding devices necessitated the user adjusting his hand to the guiding device as hewould adjust his hand to the club shaft A inthe event no guiding device was present, and with the human equation involved in the proper functioning of the device, it quite frequently happened that the user would ad-` just his hand to thesatisfaction of the user regardless of the relationof the hand and device. It may thus be seen that While devices ofthis character heretofore known in many 'instances aided in correcting a wrong grip ofthe club, in many other instances they were susceptible of encouraging a stillmore incorrect grip. Y t

'A The'present invention has been designed to overcome the above'noted as well as other defects andobjections in the provision of a grip rguide for golf clubswhich will cause a play- 'ers hand toY automatically assume the proper position on the shaft of the club.

. It is another' object of this invention to provide grip guide which aids to a degree not heretofore known in preventing the turning of the club in the players hands during a stroke. 1

,Still another object of this invention is the p'rovisionof agrip guide for golf clubs and the likev which causes a proper distancing of the players hands from the end of the shaft of the club, and results in a proper orienting of the club face.

It is still a further object of this Ainvention to provide a golf club grip guide which forces the player to embody more wrist action in his swing, increasing the wrist action up to but not in excess of the proper amount.v i

Still a further object of this invention is theprovision of a golf club grip guide which 1s very quickly interchangeable from onev club to another and, due to suitable indicia, is readily mounted in proper position on any of the clubs.

A still further object of this linvention is the. provision of a grip guide for golf clubs which embraces at least a portion of a users hand, and while the device is sufficiently rigid for causing the hand to properly grip the shaft of the club, yet the device is not so rigid as to cause discomfort or injury to the hand.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of a device embodying the present invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures.

The invention includes these and other feaT tures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and vshown in a preferred form in the drawings, as more particularly indicated by the claims.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a golf club equipped with a device embodying principles of the present invention, and illustrating the use of the device.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, with the device itself shown in longitudinal section.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View, in elevation, with parts of the device broken away, illustrating more clearly how the device is secured to the shaft of the club.

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the device itself as the same is seen in Figures l, 2, and 3. v

Figure 5 is a plan sectional view taken of Figure 3.

substantially as indicated by the line V-V As'shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, there is shown a golf club shafty 6 upon which is mounted a device embodying principles of the vpresent invention, this d evice including broadly a cup-shaped member 7 from which depends a preferably inte;Y

gralf ti'iliu'lar portion 8- 'engagedfin' intimate;

ofAV ay club, fthe'V handldoesnot `grip the guide gmember, but the guide member engages the hand 'to theextent that it contacts with those contact withthe shafdwhenf the ldevice is mounted in proper position.

As is clearly seen in Figurelthe yshaft 6" projects through the tubular-.portion Elrand a suitable aperture 9 (Figure l) in the 'bottomfvof the cup-shapedl-member :7, thedevice being .readilyv `position'able atk l. fany ydesired point along theshaft.

In the device itself, -thefcup-sha'ped member 7i is preferablyfmadeof a-moldable material,

l a. rubber. compoundjbeing suitable. since it will-1 .affordfthe desired' rigidity and still be sufficiently flexibley to preventY injury ordis# comfort to the hands of a user. The tubular mernberv is preferably molded integralI with the anemberlbutmay'," i-f. so desired', be more.

flexible.or,el'astic.than.the member? so that there willrbeno diilicultyin moving'the. por'- i tion 8,. back. and forth over the .beador cap normally'placed on the top endV ofa golfclub shaft: The device is designed.Y toreceive therein. at least a portion of the lowermost handof the "player or club holder, but, of course,:the device'frnay ..be..made to vreceive or cover a playerls ,hand or hands to any ldesired extent, theillustr'ated embodiment of theiinvention showing one .desirable 'formv .wherein Vthe thumb, 'forelingen and most of the second linger, .of the lowermost. hand 9k of the player 'is received within the vcup.member-7.. VSince the lodged portion of the players handiis not movablewithinthe member 7, obviously this member will 'increase-.the iwrist' -action of the xlayerin -the event theuplayer .moves-this wrist too'` little during hisy .stro-ke'.

' Thereceivedportion of the lowermost hand Y handgras" 4fis "seen niorelclearly j'in Figurieft:

For example, leading fdownztothe central aperture'y 9 through: which the shaftiprojfects, is a thumbisockl-itiflmL andf-to one-side ofthe thumb socket is another socket 11 for the knuckle .of .the forefinger,= this socketr merginginto f a -recesslQ which. accommodates Athe" forefingerin close proximity tothe club shaft.

7, this' lower hand will automaticall be caused to properly grip the golf club shaft and with one hand properly gripping the club it is a simple matter for the player to properly grip the club with hisV other hand.. Of course, theV devices Vare.'preferably lmade in varioussiZes to acconrnmdateay variously sized hands.

It should be noted however that in thus properly# positiningv thehaidon the shaft portions ofthe and lingers which are external when the hand is around the shaft landlwhich itis.A to be understoodare referred towhere.the-backs of @the fingersxare men.-

tioned- The result isthat'thehand-iszguidend into proper .positionon the shaftwithout. in

any .way finterferingV with "the pressure .grip y.

designated,v generally as' lll-fin Figurel, which includes a band E1,5. .circuinscribing theportion t?v and;-likewisetapered Oneaendof the 'bandl' .formedinto. loop A1.6. which pivot/ally engage-s; the link 4.the linkin turn pigotally.- supporting alever l18 having a. pro jection19 on'ftheinner end thereof that .engageswith adetent. 20 on theiother'end. of the band. 4.When the lever 18 is forcedrdown-v wardly `or toward jthe. sha-ft o-f i the club, the projection 1.9 .is movedinwardlywith ar cam.L like .action Y forcingth-e detent 20 ahead.: ofk .it and. exerting a l.pull on the: link.17,w.hereby the bandpistightened around the. tubular portion Sto 'hold ythe i same securely vo n theshaft in a desired position.- y i; t Y l ln using ithe presenti invention, cup mem'- ber -7- having the proper .size of .interior formation is-selected and placed,upony the .shaft of a golf club until lit is lin y the :proper posiF tion. Whenin this positioiuithe shaft. of

the club is. preferably marked withaI cross as indicated iat 21V Figure, and the cup member is ithen, r or has.been previously marked witha line as indicated-.at 22 in Figurefl. Therefore,..whenplacing the-device upon.- a-clubshaft,r it is simply necessaryfto insert thegendoftheshaft in thextubular portionV 8, until-thelowergedge ofl this: portion coincides with the'horizontal .mark in the v-cross 21, .and rotates the cup member 7' 1 until the` mark22 onthe portion 8.coincides with the vertical mark of the cross 21 when the devicefis in exactlyv the .proper Vposition for spacing the hand.fro'm. .the end` lof vthe Shaftand fori-properly orienting.. `the face of the club. After theV device is moved to the proper position the lever 18 of the clamping element 14 is thrown downwardly to secure the device in this position. In the event it is desired to change the device from one club to another, it is simply necessary to release the clamp 14, slip the device off the end of one club, and slide it over the end of another club, again locating the proper position and clamping the .device in the aforesaid manner.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided grip guide means for golf clubs and similar stick-like elements, which positively guide the hand of the user and forces this hand to assume the proper grip upon the club shaft. Moreover, the present invention is easily interchangeable from one club to another, may be made in Various sizes to suit various individuals, and causes no discomfort or injury through its use. It should be further noted that the utility of the present invention is not limited to student golfers but is very desirable for any golfer to use in playing, in that it saves considerable time in taking proper hold of the club and also aids in very quickly assuming the proper stance. Furthermore, the present invention is light in weight, easy to carry and handle, and may be very economically manufactured.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, a cup-shaped member of a moldable somewhat iexible material and internally formed to fit at least a portion of the back of the hand of a user, when clasped upon a golf club shaft, said member having an axial opening and a tubular extension for engagement with a gold club shaft.

2. In combination with the shaft of a golf club, a guide member attached thereto presenting a. concave face around the shaft toward its handle end, said face of said guide member being grooved to fit the outer contours only of the fingers of one hand and to thus position the hand on the shaft without affecting the proper pressure grip of the hand on the shaft.

3. In combination with. the shaft of a golf club, a guide member adjustable lengthwise of and around the shaft and having means engageable as a guide with external portions only of a hand placed around the shaft and against the gui-de member whereby to properly position the hand on the shaft Without affecting the gripping pressure of the hand on the shaft.

Illinois.

vWILLIAM II. MOHR.

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