WO2002021951A1

WO2002021951A1 - Curling garment brush retainer

Info

Publication number: WO2002021951A1
Application number: PCT/CA2000/001062
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edmund Gene Butts
Original assignee: Edmund Gene Butts
Priority date: 2000-09-14
Filing date: 2000-09-14
Publication date: 2002-03-21
Also published as: CA2390535C; CA2390535A1

Abstract

A retainer (14, 16) for a curling brush handle, adapted for use when suspended from a curling garment worn on the upper body, comprising a strip of flexible material adapted to be formed into an open loop configuration when suspended on the offarm side of the garment, to engage with the distal end of the handle of a curling brush (10) in order to provide on-ice support for the curler's body upon delivery of a curling rock (12).

Description

CURLING GARMENT BRUSH RETAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the sport of curling and more particularly to curling garments worn on the upper body, such as jackets, and more specifically, to a retaining loop suspended from the garment and engaging the handle of a curling brush or broom.

In the game of curling, the curler intending to deliver a curling rock on a sheet of curling ice, holds the rock in his address hand, and a curling brush or broom in his offhand, engaged by its handle. The rock is released by the curler onto the surface of the ice in a sliding motion of the curler's body, while partially supporting himself on his offside with hand pressure on the brush engaging the ice surface. Heretofore and since its origin, a curling broom was the standard device used in curling, for support of the curler and for brushing or brooming the ice ahead of the sliding rock. Today, brooms have largely been replaced by brushes as more convenient and effective devices.

Since its inception in the early 1940s, a sliding delivery has become a dynamic component in the sport, with the curler's balance on the ice sheet becoming one of the principal components of success. For delivery of the rock, the curler positions himself in the hack, with the rock secured in his curling hand and the curling brush secured in the offhand. The curler crouches closely to the surface of the ice sheet, addressing the target area at the opposite end of the ice while holding the brush with the brush head engaging the ice, in order to provide a measure of support to the curler during delivery of the rock. The curler moves forwardly in the crouching posture at delivery, to make a slow and controlled release of the rock by supporting himself with much of his body weight distributed on the brush head. Heretofore, curlers have encountered varying degrees of difficulty in the process of releasing the rock, because of the infirm support provided to the curler by the brush held in the of farm. The weak handgrip provides inadequate support to the curler to provide the necessary stabilizing body-balance necessary for the smooth release and delivery of the rock as the curler slides forwardly from the hack, with the supporting brush sliding with him freely on the ice. This inadequate support provided by the brush leads to the negative result of the curler attempting to obtain extra support from the rock, which results in the rock being pushed or pulled off-line.

One recent attempt at addressing the problem is the provision of a hand-held "crutch", held in the curler's offhand. This device comprises a support having a small. crossbar positioned at a right-angle to an engaging longitudinal bar, surmounted by a handle. While this device does provide balancing support, it must be carried to the rink, and then carried end-to-end on the ice sheet for availability; and in use, it is generally limited to a "no- swing" delivery of the rock, in which both the rock and the crutch remain in continuing contact with the ice during address. Curlers who lift the rock in the backswing must simultaneously lift the crutch, which then must be returned to the ice, with attendant difficulties in stability. It is the object of the present invention to address and overcome the problem of instability at address encountered by curlers in attempting to obtain support from the offarm from the handle of the brush bearing on the surface of the ice. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention comprises a retaining loop for engaging and retaining the brush handle, thereby to secure the brush to the curler's body garment on the offarm side. The loop is positioned and adapted to conveniently admit the distal end of the brush handle when the handle is held in the offarm during the rock release period during which the curler is in the crouch position. The invention is formed by a strip of flexible cloth material secured at each end to the curler's garment, thereby to form the retaining loop with the adjacent part of the garment .

In its first preferred embodiment, the invention partially encircles the curler's upper arm adjacent the shoulder of the garment. The length of the retaining loop is such as to provide a convenient opening adjacent the arm-pit for easy entry of the distal end of the curler's brush handle so engaged, the brush head then being extended sidewardly on the ice surface to form a three-point support system for the weight of the curler's body, the weight being distributed among the curler's feet, the brush head in its sidewardly extended position, and in light engagement with the rock. This three-point support allows the curler's arm and hand on the offside to rest comfortably on the top surface of the brush handle in a natural configuration, for maximum leverage and safety, the brush being free for orientation relative to the curler's body. With the curling brush freely sliding on the ice surface, unrestricted movement of the curler's body is permitted as the curler slides forwardly on the ice during address, without being required to drop into a haπd-on-ice position now sometimes favored by curlers finding the brush to be a weak and insecure balancing aid. The retaining loop of this invention provides the curler with improved ice support while accommodating the high delivery body position, as well as the lower delivery, at address.

In a second embodiment, the retaining loop is located on the body of the curler's garment on the offarm side, behind the arm position. It has been found that some curlers prefer greater freedom of the off arm, with the brush handle secured at its distal end by the retaining loop secured to the garment body. This location provides all of the advantages described above for the shoulder-positioned loop,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, both as to its organization and use will be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 1A are frontal views of a curler set up in the hack and after the rock is released, respectively, in traditional delivery, depicting the weak relationship of hand- to-brush in providing balance to the curler;

FIG. 2 is a frontal view of a curler using the "crutch", heretofore described, to provide balancing support;

FIGS. 3 and 3A depict a curler using the first preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the retaining loop is positioned adjacent the curler's shoulder with the loop extending underarm, and the curler's brush engaged by the loop;

FIG. 4 depicts a curler using the second preferred embodiment, with the brush handle engaged by a retaining loop formed in the rear quarter of the garment on the offarm side;

FIG. 5 depicts in broken enlarged outline, the preferred embodiments of the invention in situ on a typical curler's garment, with the brush handle in broken outline. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 1A in traditional delivery heretofore in popular use, the curler positioned in the hack holds a brush 10 in the of farm side in the of farm hand 11, while holding a rock 12 for delivery in his curling hand 13. At this point virtually all of the curler's weight is supported by his feet, and little, if any, of his weight is supported by the brush. As delivery progresses, the curler's active arm, engaging the rock, is extended rearwardly behind the curler in a backswing, followed by the foreswing release during which the curler's body moves down ice towards the target. During the foreswing the curler imparts any necessary rotary motion to the rock and regulates the forward velocity of the rock on the ice, all directed to achieve the planned result at the target end of the ice sheet.

FIGS. 1 and 1A illustrate the delicate balance which is necessary in the traditional delivery, with the weak hand-to- brush relationship depicted in the curler's offarm side, both at the instant of delivery and release, and immediately following release when much of the curler's attention and effort are necessarily directed to self-support on the ice sheet, as distinct from control of the rock. FIG. 2 illustrates the use of the crutch, recently introduced into the sport of curling, with indifferent success, as a means of maintaining balance on delivery. While this device does provide adequate balancing support, its use is attendant with distinct disadvantages: it is required to be stored when not in use, it must be carried to and from the rink, and carried end-to-end on the ice as the game proceeds . While effective in a "no-swing" delivery when both rock and crutch remain in ice contact, it has a distinct disadvantage with curlers who lift the rock in the backswing, since the crutch must also be lifted in the backswing and then returned to the ice at delivery.

FIGS. 3 and 3A depict the first preferred embodiment in use, in which a retaining loop 14 is formed on the shoulder of the curler's body garment, with the loop in suspended relationship under the armpit, as at 15, having an adequate clearance from the underside of the garment at the armpit to readily admit the distal end of the curling brush.

When the curler drops into the crouch position, the distal end of the brush is introduced into the retaining loop without any directed effort from the curler. The curler in the delivery position with the curling arm extended forwardly as in FIGS. 3 and 3A and with the brush extending sidewardly as depicted, the curler will transfer much of his body weight to the brush, which is firmly supported by the retaining loop 14 and the curler's hand grip.

FIG. 4 depicts the second preferred embodiment described of the invention, wherein the retaining loop 16 is secured to the garment adjacent the rear quarter on the of farm side. In this embodiment, the anchor loop may be formed in several configurations, for individual preference, and this embodiment conveniently adapts to the high delivery favored by many curlers, as depicted in FIG. 4.

A significant feature of the invention in use, is its adaptation to the sliding engagement of the brush handle within the loop, which permits the curler to vary the bridging effect of the brush handle in transferring the load on the brush head tβ the curler's body through the retaining loop, as particularly illustrated in FIG. 4. In the embodiment described in FIG. 4, the load applied by the curler on the brush handle is distributed to the brush head, and with the engagement of the retaining loop, to the curler's back.

The retaining loop may be formed from, any suitable material, such as woven fabric, and may match the garment for off-ice wear.

The extension of the loop from the garment has been found in practice to function best when approximately two diameters of the brush handle, in order to admit ready entry of the handle. Length of the strip will normally depend on the body size of the garment, and will be a matter of choice to the designer.

The retaining loop may be permanently secured to the garment as by stitching, or may be removeably secured, as with pressure-activated fasteners.

A single garment may of course include the retaining loops of each of the embodiments described, since each will function independently of the other. While the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF AN INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A retainer for a curling brush handle for use with an upper body garment comprising a strip of flexible material adapted to be formed into an open loop configuration when secured to the garment on the of farm side thereof, further adapted to engage the handle of a curling brush when introduced therein.

2. The retainer for a curling brush handle of Claim 1 in which the open loop of the strip defines an opening positioned to underly the armpit of the curling garment.

3. The retainer for a curling brush handle of Claim 1 in which the open loop of the strip defines an opening adjacent the rear of the curling garment on the of farm quarter thereof.

4. The retainer for a curling brush handle of Claims 2 or 3 in which the open loop of the strip is approximately one to two centimetres in width.

5. A curling garment including a retaining loop for a curling brush comprising a strip of flexible material adapted to be formed into an open loop configuration when secured to the garment on the of farm side thereof, further adapted to engage the distal end of the handle of a curling brush when introduced therein.

6. The curling garment of Claim 5 in which the open loop of the strip defines a loop opening underlying the armpit of the curling garment.

7. The curling garment of Claim 5 in which the open loop of the strip defines an opening adjacent the rear of the garment on the of farm side thereof.

8. A curling garment including a pair of retaining loops for the handle of a curling brush, the first of such loops comprising a strip of flexible material adapted to be formed into an open loop configuration when secured to the garment on the offarm side thereof underlying the armpit of the curling garment, and the second of such loops comprising a strip of flexible material adapted to be formed into an open loop configuration when secured to the garment adjacent the rear thereof on the offarm side thereof.