US3025064A

US3025064A - Golfer's accessory

Info

Publication number: US3025064A
Application number: US15203A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ben W Flood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-03-15
Filing date: 1960-03-15
Publication date: 1962-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 1979-03-13

Description

March 13, 1962 B. W. FLOOD GOLFERS ACCESSORY Filed March 15, 1960 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Odice 3,925,664 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 3,025,964 GLFERS ACCESSORY Ben W. Flood, 1001 SE. 8th St., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Filed Mar. 15, 1951), Ser. No. 15,263 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-183) This invention relates to a golfers accessory for helping a golfer improve his or her game, and more particularly to a device for producing a sound such as a click when the golfer moves his or her head from the proper position so as to provide a signal which will help the golfer to remember to keep his or her head in the proper position so as to aid the golfer in improving his or her game.

This invention is an improvement over the golfers accessory shown and described in my prior patent application Serial No. 799,969, tiled February 3, 1959, now abandoned.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of the device which is adapted to be worn on a persons head whereby as long as the head is kept in the proper position no sound will be produced, but when the golfer inadvertently moves his or her head out of the proper position, a clicking or striking sound will be produced which will indicate that the head has been moved out of the proper position whereby the golfer will be able to more readily learn to maintain the head in the proper position for the most effective play of the game of golf.

An important feature of the present invention is the use of the device which can be attached to a band that is adapted to be worn on the persons head, or wherein the device can be concealed in an article of headgear, such as a cap so that the device is not noticeable, and wherein in either case sound deadening material is utilized in the device in order to minimize or prevent noise during normal pla Y of the game, but wherein when the head is moved out of its proper position a clicking sound is produced by a ball shaped member moving against an end piece which will provide an indication that the head has been moved from its proper or desired position so that corrective action can be taken wherein the golfer will learn to keep his or her head in the proper position vby means of the present invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golfers accessory which is economical to manufacture, simple in form and construction and which consists of few parts and which is strong, durable and highly eflicient in its practical application.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a longitudinal sectional view showing the device mounted on a band such as `a head band which can be arranged in engagement with a persons head.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the ball shaped member in a different position.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view illustrating the modification wherein the device is shown `mounted in an article of headgear such as a golfers cap, and with parts broken away and in section.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral indicates a golfers accessory of the present invention which is shown to comprise a hollow casing or housing 11 that is adapted to be fastened to a head engaging member such as the head band 12 as for example by means of securing elements or pins 13.

The casing 11 is hollow and includes spaced apart end walls 1d and also includes spaced parallel arcuate front and back walls 15 and 16, as well as spaced parallel top and bottom walls 1'7 and 18.

Arranged in the casing 11 is a track member 19, and the track member 19 includes an upstanding wall portion 20 as well as a wall section 21, and the wall section 21 is arranged contiguous to the bottom wall 16. The track member 19 is made of a suitable sound deadening material such as rubber, or a suitable plastic material or the like.

The wall section 21 of the track member 19 is shaped to include

inclined surfaces

22 and 23 which meet at a lower junction or lower recessed area 24, FIGURE 3. The numeral 25 indicates a movable spherical member or ball shaped member, and the member 25 is mounted for movement along a track member 19, and as long as the golfers head is in the proper position, the ball shaped member will remain in the area or chamber 29, but when the golfer inadvertently moves his or her head in the wrong manner, the ball shaped member will move into engagement with the end wall 14 in order to produce a clicking sound which will provide a signal that the head has been wrongly moved whereby the necessary corrective action can be taken and wherein the future wrongful movements of the head can be minimized or prevented.

There is further provided an end piece 2d which may form part of the track member 19, and the track member and end piece are adapted to be made of a suitable sound deadening material so that no sound is produced at the wrong time. The numeral 27 indicates a base portion and there is also provided an upstanding curved stop portion 2S which coacts with the adjacent parts to provide a chamber 29 for receiving the ball 2S therein. The numeral St) indicates a guide member which is suitably affixed to or formed integral with the top wall 17 so as to help guide the ball 25 in its movement, and the guide member 3@ is provided with an inclined or tapered surface 31.

Referring now to FIGURE 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified arrangement wherein the device is shown mounted in a cap such as a golfers cap 32 instead of being used only on a head band such as the head band 12. Thus, the device is shown positioned in an area 33 of the cap 32, and the device can be fastened in place by any suitable means, and a portion 34 of the cap 32 can conceal the present invention so that the device is not visible, when mounted in the cap or other article of headgear.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a golfers accessory which is an improvement over the device shown and described in my prior patent application Serial No. 790,969. When using the present invention, the parts are `arranged as shown in the drawings and the device is adapted to be worn or mounted on the golfers head as for example by means of the head band 12, or else the device may be mounted in a cap such as the cap 32 which can be worn on the golfers head. When the device is mounted in a cap such as the cap 32, the head band 12 can be fastened to the sweat band 3S of the cap as for example by means of securing elements 36.

It is to be noted that with the parts arranged as shown, that normally the ball 25 which is of a solid material, will remain in its proper position as long as the golfers head is maintained at the proper angle. However, when the head is tilted or moved out of the proper position, the ball 2S will move to strike against an end wall 14 so as to produce a clicking or ping sound which will serve as a signal or notification to the golfer that the head has been moved and in the wrong fashion so that corrective steps can be taken to prevent recurrence of such movement. By properly moving the device, the ball can be returned to its normal position so that the device can be used over and over again. The guide member Btl coacts with the `adjacent parts of the device to help insure that the ball will remain inthe desired position as the device is moved back and forth. By making the track member i9 of a sound deadening material such as a suitable rubberlike compound, there will be no noise to distract or interfere with the ordinary playing of the game of golf, and the end Wall 14 is made of a hard or rigid material so that when the ball 25 contacts the member or wall id, the noticeable clicking sound will be produced.

The device may be arranged as shown in FTGURE l so that it is fastened to the head band l2 which can then be positioned. on the golfers head, or as shown in FIG- URE the device can be mounted in a golfers cap such as the golfers cap 32 and wherein the portion 34 of the cap will conceal the device so that the device is not visible, to other players or observers.

The band l?. may be arranged in engagement with the golfers forehead, and the device can be used by either men or women. Suitable materials can be used for making the various parts, and the shape and size can be varied as required or desired. The device may be attractively colored land designed so as to enhance the attractiveness thereof.

The end piece 2.6 is an integral or continuous part of the track 19 and the end piece 26 as well as the entire track il@ are adapted to be made from hard rubber or a similar sound deadening material. The glass ball remains in the recessed area 29 at all times until the golfers head is raised suddenly to the left, then the ball comes out of the recessed area or chamber 29, rolls down the track 19, and strikes the ends ld of the outer case which is of a hard material so as to provide the sudden sharp click or sound action and this is an important feature or aspect of the present invention. This accessory as shown in the drawings herein is designed for a right hand golfer, and the reverse action will take place for a left hand golfer.

The glass ball 2d cornes up and over the surface 22 in FIGURE 2 to the top of the surface 23 striking the end wall 14 to produce the sound. lt is to be noted that the right hand end of the surface 23 is a higher elevation to assist the ball after striking the end wall ld in order to enable gravity to direct it back to the recessed area where it remains at all times completely noiseless until the l golfers head flies up jerking it out of this recessed area and forcing it against the right end wall le.

The accessory of the present invention is perfectly quiet during putting and playing at all times and this is the reason for the entire inside area being molded in rubber or a similar sound proof material.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the tield of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice if desired.

What is claimed is:

A golfers accessory comprising an arcuate band, a hollow casing affixed to said band and said casing embodying Jrst and second spaced apart end walls, said casing further including spaced parallel curved front and back Walls, and said casing also including spaced parallel top and bottom walls, a track member of sound deadening material arranged in said casing, a ball-shaped member movably mounted in said track member, a guide member secured to the top wall of said casing and said guide member having a tapered surface for helping to guide the ball member, said track member having an upstanding wall portion arranged contiguous to the front of the casing, said track member further embodying a wall section adjacent to the bottom wall of said casing, said wall section embodying inclined surfaces which have their lower portions meeting in a junction that provides a lower recessed `area for at times receiving said ball member, said track member further including a chamber adjacent the irst end wall of said casing, an end piece of sound deadening material arranged Within said chamber, said end piece embodying a base portion and an upstanding curved stop portion, said base portion being positioned Within said chamber at a lower level than the inclined surfaces of said wall section whereby when the golfers head is improperly moved, the ball member comes out of the chamber and rolls along the track member to strike the second end Wall of said casing so as to provide a sudden sharp click which provides a signal for helping the golfer to keep the head in proper position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Roberts Peb. 2.7, 1940