US2756056A - Mechanical golf instruction aid - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1956 F. ZEGA MECHANICAL GOLF INSTRUCTION AID ATTUENEYS July 24, 1956 F, ZEGA 2,756,056

MECHANICAL GOLF INSTRUCTION AID Filed March l0, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY fr'k Z gy@ ATTRNE'YS July 24, 1956 F. zEGA MECHANICAL GOLF INSTRUCTION AID 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 10, 1954 INVENTOR.

,9 r TURA/EVS United States Patent O MECHANICAL GOLF INSTRUCTION AID Frank Zega, Bridgeport, Conn. Application March 10, 1954, Serial No. 415,403

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-191) This invention relates to mechanical golf instruction aids, more particularly to aids of the type which are adapted to guide a golf club during a practice swing for the purpose of perfecting the swing.

The present invention concerns improvements in the mechanical golf instruction aid described and claimed in my Patent No. 2,653,025 dated September 22, 1953.

An object of the invention is Lto provide a greatly simplified yet very effective mechanical instruction aid lof the club-guiding type, which may be used `as a practice device by a person desiring to improve his or her golf swing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified mechanical instruction aid as above sel forth, wherein the golf club is accurately and easily guided without the aid of attachments thereto yor carriages therefor, throughout its entire arc of movement, from the initiation of the swing to the follow-through.

A further object of the invention is to provide yan improved golf instruction device in accordance with the foregoing, wherein the upper end portions of the guiding means, comprising guide rails, cross each other and are so arranged that they can be swung laterally to provide clearance for the golf club, thereby to allow the club to have a fullkand complete swing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified golf instruction aid wherein novel entrance means are provided at the lower portion of the guide, to permit insertion of the club between the rails while at the same time preventing inadvertent displacement of the club from its interposed position during the swing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved guide means for a golf club, which is so arranged that a limited yielding occurs during the swinging of the club, such yielding, however, being insufficient to interfere with proper guidance in the required predetermined path.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of novel and simplified means by which the guide rails of the instruction aid may be readily adjusted -to the individual user.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the improved golf instruction aid of this invention, for guiding a golf club when practicing.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of the lower central portion of the golf instruction aid, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top or plan view of the lower portion of the golf instruction aid.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top or plan view of the starting end of the club-guiding means of `the instruction Vaid, as

'y sen'when standing to the rear of the device, said vview 2,756,056 Patented July 24, 1956 2 showinga swing-away end portion and the releasing trigger therefor.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the swing-away portion of the club-guiding means shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail showing in elevation a portion of the supporting structure for the guide means.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the adjustment device employed with the supporting means.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top or plan view lof the finish or tail portion of the guide means as seen from the front vof the device, said view showing a pivoted rail end.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view taken in thedirection of the arrows 11, 11 of Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the improved golf instruction aid kof this invention comprises a club-guiding means generally designated by the numeral 10, said means essentially ncomprising a pair of spaced, coextcnsive guide rails 11 and 12. As seen in Fig. 1 the guiding means 10 extends in a curvilinear path which covers the entire range of movement of the golf club, from the initiation or start of the swing to the finish or follow-through. The upper terminal portions 13 and 14 of the guide means cross each other, the starting guiding portion 13 appearing behind the finish guiding portion 14 when the instruction aid is viewed from the front as in Fig. 1.

In accordance with the present invention the starting and yfinish guiding portions 13 and 14 of the guide means are pivotally mounted and arranged to swing out of vtheir normal positions wherein they are aligned with the adjacent portions kof the guide means, thereby to provide clearance for the golf club during the swing.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the starting portion 13 of :the guide rails comprises an elongate, U-shaped rail member 15 secured to a pivot bracket 16 which latter is mounted by means of a hinge pin 17 on a second pivot bracket 18 fastened to the guide rail 12. One end of the guide rail 11, see Figs. 5 and 7, carries an eye member Y19 in which the free end 20 of the member 15 is loosely received when the latter is aligned With the rails 11 and 12. The end member l5 is normally urged from its normal aligned position by means of an extension spring 21 secured at one end to the member by an eye 22a and at its other end to support means later to be described. The end member 15 is held in its aligned position by a latch comprising a plunger 22 bearing in the pivot bracket 16 and normally urged to the right as viewed in Fig. 5 by a compression spring 23. The rightmost extremity of the plunger 22, Fig. 7, is received in an aperture 24 of the bearing bracket 18, thus locking the member 1 5 in alignment 4with the guide rails 11 and 12. Movement of the plunger 22 out of the opening 24 to release the end member 15 for swinging counterclockwise movement as viewed in Fig. 5 is effected by a trigger y25 pivoted at 26 on the bracket 1li, the trigger normally extending across the space between the bracket 18 and the rail 11 and being adapted to extend through a slot 24a in the bracket 1S. It will be understood that clockwise movement of the trigger 25 from the position shown in Fig. 5 will retract the plunger 22, unlocking the end member v15 and enabling it to be swung counterclockwise under the action of the lspring 21. The member 15 is manually returned to aligned position prior to starting the next kpractice swing. The parts 15 and 11, Fig. 5, are seen Vto be long and slender, and thus somewhat yieldable, and this fact, together with the loose fit in the eye member 19, enables the rod end 20 to lreadily slide out of the eye member 19 when the trigger 25 is actuated.

To control the positioning of the lever 25 a leaf spring 27 is provided on the bracket 18, and also aplunger 28 'charged by a compression spring 29. The action of the trigger 25 is normally as follows: When the golf club,

n in travelling between the rails 11 and 12 during the back- 'swin`g, strikes the trigger 25 (in moving from right to left as viewed in Fig. 5) it will `shift the trigger counterclockwise against the leaf spring Z7 and the latter will cause a rebound of the trigger, restoring `it to the posithe trigger and shift the latter clockwise, retracting the plunger 22 and releasing the end member 15for swinging movement-under the action of the spring 21. The

` golf club will move quickly past the trigger 25 and .the latterwill be caused to rebound when it strikes the plunger 28, thus returning it to the position shown in Fig. 5. By this action the end portion of the guide means is made to swing backward quickly, shortly after the beginning of the forward swing of the golf club, and when the club reaches the termination of its swing, on the follow-through of the stroke, the portion 15 will be out of the way, thereby preventing its interference with the final phase of the swing. Prior to commencing the next practice swing, the portion 15 is manually returned to its normal operative position as shown in Figs. l and 5. The assembly 15, as above stated, must beswung back so as to be out of the way of the club on the follow-through portion of the stroke, and this will be apparent from a consideration of Figs. 1 and 2, which show the member 15 extending below and across the portion 14.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, l0 and ll, the follow-through or finish portion 14 of the guide means comprises a single rail extension member 30 pivotally secured to the rail 12. The member 30 is carried by a pivot bolt 31 and `engages a sector plate 32 secured to the underside of `the rail 12, said plate steadying the member when it .is pivotally moved.

An yangle-shaped stop pin 33 is secured to one end of the member 30, for engagement with the rail 12, and an extension spring 34 is connected between the member 30 and a supporting means to be hereinafter described, whereby the member is normally held in alignment with the rail 12 as shown in Fig. 10.

The member 30 crosses the member 13 above the latter, and is so close to the member 13 as to be engaged along its back surface (upper surface as viewed in Fig. l0) by the golf club at the end of the backswing thereof. However, due to the pivotal mounting of the member 30 it may be pushed forward and out of the way by the golf club, thereby enabling the club to be moved completely back to the yoke of the member 15. Shortly after the club commences its forward swing, the member 30 will again be returned to its normal position in alignment with the rail 12 by the spring 34.

In accordance with this invention the guide Vmeans comprising the rails 11 and 12 is arranged at its lower portion so that it will readily receive a golf club to be interposed between the rails, and will not permit the club to inadvertently shift out of its interposed position during the swing. As shown in Fig. 4 the rail 11 has a cut 35 in it, and an end portion 36 of the rail at the said cut is bent outward at an angle. Thus the golf club may be readily inserted between the rails and yet when travelling from left to right, as viewed in Fig. 4, during the `forward swing it will knot inadvertently pass out through the cut or be interfered with appreciably. During the forward swing of the club, at the lower portion of the path which it travels (adjacent the cut 35) the normal tendency which a person swinging the club has is t to bear downward and thus the club is maintained in i intimate pressing contact with the rail 12 and held out of contact with the rail 11. Thus the presence of the cut 35 `does not interfere in any way with the normal swing of the golf club.

The present invention provides novel and improved support means by which the guide means 10 is mounted to permit it to be readily adjusted to suit the person making the practice swing, and to permit it to yield to a certain extent while still providing the proper guidance for the golf club. Referring to Figs. l and 2, a pair of hollow upright posts 37 and 38 isprovided, said posts being braced by struts 39 and by a tie rod 40 and telescopically receiving upper extension members 41 and 42 respectively, on which are mounted horizontal arms 43 and 44. The extensions 41 and 42 have holes or recesses 45 disposed at intervals along their lengths, for receiving pins 46 adapted to be received also in notches 47 in the upper extremities of the posts 37 and 38. The holes 45 are preferably not only axially spaced but also circumferentially spaced slightly, thereby providing for a slight automatic rotative adjustment of the horizontal arms 43 and 44 in conjunction with the vertical adjustment of the arms. This adjustment tends to conform the supporting structure more closely to the club-guiding means 10 for the dilferent positions of the latter.

At is lowermost portion the guide means is supported by a framework 48 having ball-deflecting cover members 49 and a mat 50 over which the golf club head passes during the swing. If desired, golf balls may be placed on the mat 50, to be driven by the golf club during the swing.

By the present invention the rails 11 and 12 are supported so as to be yieldable slightly, not only as a. whole A but also with respect to each other, the latter being particularly true where they guide the golf club at the follow-through or termination of the forward swing. As shown in Figs. l, 2 and 8 the horizontal arms 43 and 44 carry large resilient hoops 52 and 53 having a generally rectangularshape, the hoops being secured at their corner portions to the arms and extending angularly downwardly therefrom. The rails 11 and 12 are secured to the hoops 52 and 53 by suitable brackets as shown, arranged so as to not interfere with the movement of the golf club. The hoop 52 is somewhat resilient or yieldable andtherefore enables the track or guide means 10 to yield somewhat with respect to its support 41 during the initial forward swing of the golf club. The same is true of the hoop 53, and this latter in addition permits a limited relative movement between the rails 11 and 12 at the time that the club is completing the forward swing, during the follow-through thereof. The amount of yielding of the guide means 10 is not suicient to adversely aect the proper guidance of the golf club, but still enables a certain amount of leeway to be had by the operator, and this is a desirable feature of the invention.

I also provide a triangular deector plate 52a on the hoop 52, having one corner connected to the upper extremity of the rail 11 to deflect the club on the followthrough of an improper swing and prevent the club from becoming entangled with the said hoop.

It will be seen that by the above construction I have provided a novel and simplified, effective means for perfecting a golf swing by providing proper guidance for the golf club, said means being devoid of carriages which were heretofore used, being secured to the shank of the club. My improved instruction device is very simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and enables a full guided 'swing of the club to be had without interference either at the termination of the backswing or the follow-through. The instruction aid may be readily adjusted to adapt it to persons of diierent height, and is strong and durable `in its construction while at the same time of relatively light weight.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

' I claim:

1. A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a Vpractice swing, comprising a pair of closelyspaced, curved rails extending alongside each other and arranged to loosely receive between them the lower shank portion of the golf club, said rails extending along a predetermined curvilinear path conforming to a prescribed golf-club swing; and means hingedly connecting one set of juxtaposed upper end portions of said rails to the remainders thereof to enable said end portions to be swung out of said curvilinear path and thereby provide clearance for the golf club on the follow-through of the latter.

2. A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a practice swing, comprising a pair of closelyspaced, curved rails extending alongside each other and arranged to loosely receive between them the lower shank portion of the golf club, said rails extending along a predetermined curvilinear path conforming to a prescribed golf-club swing; means hingedly connecting one set of juxtaposed upper end portions of said rails to the remainders thereof to enable said end portions to be swung out of said curvilinear path and thereby provide clearance for the golf club on the follow-through of the latter; a rail extension; and means hingedly connecting said rail extension to a rail of the other set of juxtaposed upper end portions, said one set of juxtaposed upper end portions crossing said extension and the latter being swingable out of said path when engaged by the golf club at the termination of the backswing.

3. A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a practice swing, comprising a pair of closelyspaced, curved rails extending alongside each other and arranged to loosely receive between them the lower shank portion ot' the golf club, said rails extending along a predetermined curvilinear path conforrning to a prescribed golf-club swing, the upper end portions of said rails crossing each other and the said path being generally in the shape of a closed loop; and means hingedly connecting the set of juxtaposed upper end portions of said rails which dene the beginning of the swing to the remaining portions of the rails to enable said end portions to be swung out of said curvilinear path and thereby provide clearance for the golf club on the follow-through of the latter.

4. A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a practice swing, comprising a pair of closelyspaced, curved rails extending alongside each other and arranged to loosely receive between them the lower shank portion of the golf club, said rails extending along a predetermined curvilinear path conforming to a prescribed golf-club swing, the upper end portions of said rails crossing each other and the said path being generally in the shape of a closed loop; means hingedly connecting the set of juxtaposed upper end portions of said rails which define the beginning ot` the swing to the remaining portions of the rails to enable said end portions to be swung out of said curvilinear path and thereby provide clearance for the golf club on the follow-through of the latter; latch means releasably holding said hinged upper end portions in said curvilinear path; spring-charged means for swinging said end portions out of said path about said hinged connection; and means engaged by the golf club when leaving said end portions, rendering inoperative said latch means whereby the end portions are automatically swung clear of the club on the followthrough of the latter.

5. A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a practice swing, comprising a pair of closelyspaced, curved rails extending alongside each other and arranged to loosely receive between them the lower shank portion of the golf club, said rails extending along a predetermined curvilinear path conforming to a prescribed golf-club swing; a rail extension; and means hingedly connecting said rail extension to a rail of one set of juxtaposed upper end portions, said extension being swingable out of said path when engaged by the golf club at the termination of the backswing.

6. A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a swing, comprising guide means cooperable with the shank of the club and including an elongate structure extending along a predetermined curvilinear path conforming to a prescribed golf-club swing; and an upright stanchion connected with and supporting said structure, said stanchion comprising a pair of telescoping members, the inner of which has means disposable adjacent an end of the outer member for adjustably positioning a pin in ditierent, axially spaced locations, said end of the outer member having a notch adapted to receive said pin, thereby toposition the said members axially and prevent relative turning thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,854,392 Bambrick Apr. 19, 1932 2,084,901 Eisenberg .lune 22, 1937 2,520,287 Plunkett Aug. 29, 1950 2,653,025 Zega Sept. 22, 1953

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