US3350101A

US3350101A - Golf swing aid

Info

Publication number: US3350101A
Application number: US404274A
Authority: US
Inventors: Forest M Bishop; Jr Roy I Bishop; William L Howard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-10-16
Filing date: 1964-10-16
Publication date: 1967-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-31

Description

Oct. 31, 1967 F. M. BISHOP ETAL 3,350,101

GOLF SWING AID Filed Oct. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W/LL//V/ A. #060480, 50) 5/67/08 AP.

QTTUE/VE V6.

Oct. 31, 1967 F. M. BISHOP ETAL 3,350,101

GOLF SWING AID Filed Oct. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

1 N VE N TORJ. 52%;; 1 542%; FIG. .IO- ,eBaYy A ERAS/901 die:

United States Patent 3,350,101 GOLF SWING AID Forest M. Bishop and Roy I. Bishop, Jr., Olympia, Wash.

(both of 160 Van Geisen, Apt. 103, Richland, Wash.

99352), and William L. Howard, 2609 W. Albany, Kennewick, Wash. 99336 Filed Oct. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 404,274

' Claims. (Cl. 273-186) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A golf swing practice device comprising a pad having a tee area and a simulated captive ball member therein, a curved line representing the ground trace of the swing of the club extending to said tee area and a resilient upright member wound on a reel for vertical adjustment located along said line and representing a vertical point on the swing path of said club.

This invention relates to a golf swing aid, and in particular to a device for marking the swing path of a golf club, whereby a player may check his movements, and improve his stance and swing.

It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a device for improving golf play. More particularly, it is an object to provide a physical representation of a coordinate point in the three-dimensional path of swing of a golf club. In still greater particular it is an object to provide a practice station for golfers having a movable upright to mark a swing path. Yet another object is to provide an upright as aforesaid, which is resiliently bendable, and also adjustable in height. A still further object is to provide a station as aforesaid, having a fixed, resilient, simulation of a ball.

These and other objects, which will be apparent, are attained by the present invention, a preferred form of which is described in the following specification, as illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective, front view of the practice device in use,

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the practice pad, as viewed during use, by the user,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a detail from FIGURE 3, enlarged in scale,

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational view of the detail shown in FIGURE 4, as seen from the right of that figure,

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 66 of FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of a detail, enlarged in scale, taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 3, and showing the simulated ball,

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 88 of FIGURE 7,

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the pad, enlarged in scale, which includes a horizontal trace of the swing path,

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9, and

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary view of a portion of FIGURE 2, enlarged in scale.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference there is shown, in FIGURE 2, a pad of plywood or other suitable material, comprising a rectangular section 10, foldably attached, by hinges 12, to an extension 14, of roughly kidney form, arranged in general conformity with the horizontal trace of the swing path of a golf club, as related to a ball, or equivalent, located within the rectangle 16 in the forward part of section 10. As seen in FIGURES 7 and 8, the object serving as a ball target is a rectangular slab 18, of rubbery material, received through a suitable slot in the section 10, and having an integral, base flange 20, received in a suitable niche or recess in the underside of section 10. To simulate the illusion of an actual ball, a circle 22 is-inscribed on the pad, in encircling relation to the slab 18.

The horizontal trace of the swing path of the club is made manifest by a family of three,

curved lines

24, 25, 28, generally conforming to the hook portion of hinged section 14, and converging to a meeting point at the ballsimulating slab 18. This convergence constitutes a visual aid in contacting the target slab 18. In addition to the curved, horizontal projection of the swing path, the increments of swing also have vertical components, resulting in a more or less helical path, about the body of the player, as an axis, and the invention contemplates the location of guide points, adjustable vertically, for location along the actual swing path. Thus, there is provided a yieldable, upright strip, 30, receivable in spirally wound form on a spool 32, to which its inner end is anchored, the spool being journalled in a casing 34. The precise structure of the extensible unit, per se, is not claimed to be novel, and an ordinary extensible scale may be used for this purpose. In any case, the extensible ribbon 30 is preferably bowed transversely, so as to resist bending under relatively light loads, and thus stand up.

In order to arrange for adjustable positioning of the casing 34 along the swing path, the casing is provided on its bottom with a magnetic plate 36, which is positionable, selectively, on one of three elliptical, steel plates, 38, 40, 42, secured in suitable niches in the

board sections

10, 14, by screws 44, and arranged with their major axes transverse to the

path trace curves

24, 26, 28. Obviously, the height of ribbon 30 will increase as the distance from the ball increases.

For convenience in positioning the operator, the pad section 10 has a square section 46, stepped off in a square gridwork, the individual grids of which, as shown in FIGURE 11, are given numerical values so that, once determined, a players most favorable position, or stance, may be reproduced. In particular, as shown in FIGURE 11, the coordinates of the square grid are based on a line 48, through the ball 18, with the numbers, representing inches from, and on each side of the ball, increasing in the downward direction, and increasing in each side direction away from the base line 48.

In use, the casing 34 is spotted on one of the elliptical plates, in particular middle plate 40' as shown in the drawing, and the ribbon 30 extended tentatively to a height intended to correspond with the swing path of the club. The correctness of this setting can be checked immediately by taking a stance, and drawing the club in the back swing. Preferably the guide will be set so that it is barely grazed in the back swing, and an index of marksmanship and follow-through technique will be evidenced by a contact of like degree on the return stroke. These effects will be easily detected by the audible results, so that it is possible for the operator to keep his eye on-the ball, as he should, during the entire swing. It may be found necessary for the operator to move about before he finds the most favorable standing position, and adjustment of the upright must be made accordingly. Once the standing position is determined, the swing may be practiced with the upright 30 in any one of the three positions. Obviously, provision may be made for more than three such positions.

The flexibility of ribbon 30 is such that little or no damage thereto will occur, and the magnetic attachment being releasable, will provide an added degree of protection. During the early practice swings the upright ribbon is adjusted, as needed, until the contacted area of the ribbon is minimized.

The hinged feature on the pad makes for easier storage and transportation.

While a certain, preferred embodiment has been shown and described, various modifications will be apparent, in the light of this disclosure, and the invention should not, therefore, be deemed as limited, except insofar as shall appear from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A golf swing practice device comprising a pad having a ball tee area, a curved line representing the ground trace of the swing of a club to said area, and an upright member located along said line and representing a point on the swing of the path of said club, said upright member being wound on a reel, for adjustment vertically.

2. A golf swing practice device comprising a pad having a ball tee area, a curved line representing the ground trace of the swing of a club to said area, and an upright member located along said line and representing a point on the swing of the path of said club, said curved line being in triplicate, converging to a meeting point in said area, and said area having a captive simulation of a ball, said simulation being a rectangle of rubbery material, said upright member being wound on a reel, for adjustment vertically.

3. A golf swing practice device comprising a pad having a ball tee area, a curved line representing the ground trace of the swing of a club to said area, and an upright member located along said line and representing a point on the swing of the path of said club, said curved line being in triplicate, converging to a meeting point in said area, and said area having a captive simulation of a ball, and said simulation being a rectangle of rubbery material, said upright member being wound on a reel, for adjustment vertically, said pad having a square gridwork of lines for defining a standing position of a player.

4. A golf swing practice device comprising a pad having a ball tee area, a curved line representing the ground trace of the swing of a club to said area, and an upright member located along said line and representing a point on the swing of the path of said club, said curved line being in triplicate, converging to a meeting point in said area, and said area having a captive simulation of a ball, and said simulation being a rectangle of rubbery material, said upright member being wound on a reel, for adjustment vertically, said pad having a square gridwork of lines for defining a standing position of a player, and magnetic means securing said upright member to said pad.

5. A golf swing practice device comprising a pad having a ball tee area, a curved line representing the ground trace of the swing of a club to said area, and an upright member located along said line and representing a point on the swing of the path of said club, said curved line being in triplicate, converging to a meeting point in said area, and said area having a captive simulation of a ball, and said simulation being a rectangle of rubbery material, said upright member being wound on a reel, for adjustment vertically, said pad having a square gridwork of lines for defining a standing position of a player, and magnetic means securing said upright member to said pad, said magnetic means including steel inserts in said pad across said curved line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,427,538 8/1922 Long 273-1'86 1,596,919 8/1926 Burgoyne et a1. 273186 1,819,896 8/1931 Irish 273183 2,862,714 12/1958 Smith 2,73 X 2,941,808 6/1960 Smith et a1. 273-187 3,224,772 12/1965 Wells et al 46241 X FOREIGN PATENTS 383,767 11/1932 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.