Golfer's head movement indicating device

June 20, 1967

3,326,558

H. F. EATON, JR

GOLFER'S HEAD MOVEMENT INDICATING DEVICE

Filed April .:. 1964

Sheets-Sheet 1

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ATTORNEY

June 20, 1967 _{H F EATO}n, jr 3,326,558

GOLFER’S HEAD MOVEMENT INDICATING DEVICE

Filed April, p, .1964 _{9 ς)1Μ}. . „

Sneets-Sheet 2

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BY

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ATTORNEY

United States Patent Office

3,326,558

Patented June 20, 1967

3,326,558 GOLFER’S HEAD MOVEMENT INDICATING DEVICE

Harold F. Eaton, Jr., Tarrytown, N.Y., assignor to HowTo Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York

Filed Apr. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 357,175 10 Claims. (Cl. 273—183)

This invention relates to golf practice and instruction apparatus and particularly to improved golf instruction and practice apparatus adapted to improve a player’s head immobility during a golf swing.

The importance of minimizing the degree of, if not actually avoiding, movement of one’s head during the execution of a golf swing is well understood and accepted by professional golfers. In fact, it is recognized that consistently good golf shots cannot be executed unless a high degree of head immobility is achieved. Such a high degree of desired head immobility requires conscious and deliberate muscular control and the consistent attaining of such desired high degree of head immobility takes prolonged effort and concentration on the part of a golfer.

In view of the importance of desired head immobility many attempts have been made to provide golf instruction and practice apparatus which will aid in effecting this end or will aid a golfer in concentrating to achieve this end. Many varied apparatus have been developed for either coercively holding or guiding the player’s head and/or body members during a swing. Such apparatus ³⁰has been largely impractical in that they interfered with or impeded the swing itself or tried to mold a swing to a predetermined pattern which was not suited to the physical attributes of the user and moreover broke the required concentration by the user. Even if not subject to the above, ³⁵prior devices were almost universally impractical or ineffectual in that they provided a crutch which, when withdrawn in actual play, left the player without the sense of guidance to which he had then become accustomed. Still other apparatus has been developed which, while de- ⁴⁰parting from coercive guidance, nevertheless required some form of contact with the person of the player and necessarily produced a distractive influence to the senses of feel or sight or both and thereby derogated from the concentration required for necessary head immobility.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved golf practice and. instructional apparatus to aid in the minimization, if not avoidance, of undesirable head displacement during a golf swing and to do so without introducing body contact or other concentration distrac- ⁵⁰tive influences of either a visual or sensing nature.

Another object is to provide a practice and instructional device which is effective and reliable in developing a desirable degree of head immobility during a golf swing which is essential for consistent execution of good golf ⁵⁵shots and concomitant reduction in score.

A further object is to provide a device which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object is to provide a device which is portable and readily foldable to compact minimum space requirements for transportation or storage.

A further object is to provide a device which is readily adjustable to player height or stance.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from 1’ -”-· drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which

FIGURE 1 is an oblique view of apparatus incorporating the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of FIGURE 1 schematically showing the adjustability of spaced depending members which define an area of permissible head displacement;

FIGURE 4α is an enlarged oblique view of a portion of the structure of FIGURE 4 showing the tilt arm and the manner of lateral adjustment of the members depending therefrom;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 5—5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 6—6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, showing details of a preferred form of the signal actuating means; and

FIGURE 8 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrative of the esssentials of a modified structure incorporating the principles of this invention.

By way of general introduction, the apparatus hereinafter described broadly includes a pair of depending means disposed in adjustably spaced relation and adapted to define therebetween a selective area of permissible head displacement, an adjustably positionable overhead support means for the depending means and signal producing means responsive to displacement of the depending means.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, there is shown, in erected operational position, a preferred embodiment of a golf instruction and practice apparatus incorporating the principles of my invention. As illustrated, there is provided spaced depending means 2 and 4 which define therebetween a permissive area of head displacement. The depending means 2 and 4 may be of any suitable form or construction such as metal or plastic strips or wires which, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 4a of the drawings, may be detachably adjustable in spacing along the length of a horizontally positioned carrier arm member such as a tilt arm 6. Tilt arm 6, as best shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, is pivotally mounted at its mid-point to a rigid vertically positioned support arm 8 which forms part of the overhead support means to be described hereinafter, and is of a light weight and readily displaceable nature.

As best shown in FIGURES 1 to 3, the overhead support means may suitably constitute a frame assembly including a vertical standard 10 suitably formed of a pair of separable upper and lower sections, an elongate overhead section 12 and a base section 14. The overhead section 12 of the frame assembly is supported on the upper end of the upper vertical portion 10 by means of a slotted clamping device 16 through which the section 12 is passed and secured in desired position by a suitable detent screw 18.

The overhead section 12, as so supported, is thus divided into a pair of moment arms of unequal length about the pivotal support 16. To hold the overhead section 12 in desired angular position relative to the vertical section 10, an adjustable tension stop means is provided. In the embodiment shown, the tension stop means suitably comprise a flexible cord 20 having one end secured — «_u,au_uasci wiu oe apparent trom ²² °ί ^{the overhead section} the following description and from the accompanying ⁶⁵ A ^ltS A®!^end ®^{ecured throu}8^h an adjustable fasten----... . accompanying _mg _{26 and a hook 24 t0 the vertica}j _{standard 10 The}adjustable fastening 26 is provided to vary the effective length of the cord 20, and thereby vary the angular position of the overhead section 12 and elevation of the de70 pending means 2 and 4. A preferred embodiment of adjustable fastener 26 is a conventional spring biased clothes line type tightener whereby the lower end of the

3,326,558 simple system, as schematically shown, may include a battery 84 connected in series with a buzzer 86 and disposed intermediate strap 69 and arm 12. The signal device could also be a light or a combination of sound and light and could be mounted anywhere on the frame. In any event, any means for producing a visual or audible signal responsive to a tilt of the arm 6 from its normal biased rest position in which the flange 68 of the electrical contact arm is centered between and spaced from each of the electrical contacts 72 and 74 to a position in which the flange 68 engages one of the electrical contacts 72 or 74 and completes an electric circuit through the light or sound producing device, may be employed.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the depending means 2 and 4 are fastened to the tilt arm 6 in such manner to provide for lateral adjustment of the members 2 and 4 as indicated by dotted line figures of the elements 2 and 4 and by the arrows 94 and 96. Any suitable means may be provided for such lateral adjustment. In a preferred form indicated in FIGURE 4 α, the elements 2 and 4 are formed of a stiff wire bent into a general hair pin form and having one free end formed in a hook and turned at right angle to the plane defined by the looped wire. The tilt arm 6 is suitably formed of light weight channel stock and is provided with spaced apertures and recesses as shown to secure the free ends of the elements 2 and 4. More particularly the flanged portions 6α and 6b of arm 6 are formed with spaced aligned sets of apertures 98 and 100 to receive there। through the straight end 4α of the element 4, for example, and a companion aperture 102 to accommodate the hook end 4b of the element 4. Thus, to attach the element 4 to the tilt arm 6, the end 4α of the element 4 is passed vertically up through the aligned apertures 98 and 100 i after which the unit is rotated to align the hook 4b with aperture 102. The element 4 is then moved downwardly to pass the tip of the hooked end 4b through the aperture 102. Preferably the various major components of the subject unit are made so as to be conveniently assemblable and disassemblable and to be erected in a simple manner.

In use of the disclosed and described apparatus the golfer assumes his stance relative to the tee in accordance with the length club to be used and in accordance with his height, reach and physical requirements in such manner as to position his head between the depending elements 2 and 4. Vertical adjustment of elements 2 and 4, if required, may be provided by adjusting the length of cord 20. Adjustment of the position of the elements 2 and 4, toward or away from the frame mid-section may 50 be accomplished by sliding the frame section 10 in the clamp support 16. The spacing of the elements 2 and 4 may be set in accordance with the dictates of the user to provide a large area of permissible head movement during initial training of the golfer and gradually reduced 55 to effect greater sensitivity to head displacement as the golfer progressively becomes more expert in reducing his degree of head displacement during the golf swing.

In the described apparatus there is no contact with or coercive or restrictive force exerted directly or indirectly 80 on any portion of the golfer’s person and there is no obstruction or distractive influence that would tend to break the required concentration. As such, the user is as free in his swing as he would be in normal play.

With his head so positioned intermediate the spaced and 74 to a position in ³cord can be pulled through the tightener 26 to shorten the cord.

To hold the vertical section 10 normal to the base section 14, a conventional foldable stop hinge 28 having its opposite ends connected, respectively, to· the vertical section 10 and the base section 4 is provided.

To provide the necessary lateral support for the frame assembly sections 10, 12 and 14 erected as described above, the end of the base section 14 is provided with a terminal cross arm 30. If desired, and particularly for indoor use, there may also be included an elongate rollable mat 32 having one end thereof engaged by said cross arm 30. If desired, the mat 32 may include stroke guide markings indicating a tee location.

The overhead frame section 12 at one end thereof as illustrated in FIGURE 5, may suitably comprise a pair of channel members 36, 38 mounted back to back and bolted together to provide for additional strength and rgidity in the support area. The other end of the frame section 12 may suitably consist of an extension of channel 38 having a smaller reinforcing channel section 40 disposed therewithin and secured thereto as by bolts 42, as illustrated in FIGURE 6. Preferably channel member 38 is sectioned as at 44 to permit ready disassembly and storage, said channel 40 being of sufficient length to bridge the joint.

Referring now to FIGURE 7, the tilt arm 6 is supportingly connected to the free end of the frame over head section as by its pivotal connection to the rigid vertically positioned depending arm 8. Thus, arm 8, which is shown as a channel member, is secured by a bolt 46 and nut 48 to a downwardly depending terminal flange portion 50 of the frame section 12, the bolt passing through aligned apertures in the flange 50 and arm 8. The pivotal mounting of the arm 6, which may also be a channel member, is readily effected by means of a bolt 52 passing through an aperture in the arm 6, through a bearing washer 54 interposed between the arm 6 and the support arm 8 and through an aligned aperture in the support arm 8. A spring 56 may be mounted on the bolt 52 intermediate the head thereof and the adjacent surface of the support arm 8 to provide a light frictional force resisting pivotal displacement of the tilt arm 6.

The tilt arm 6 is normally biased to horizontal position, i.e., a position normal to the depending support arm 8, by balanced spring means 58 diagonally connected to the tilt arm 6 on either side of the support arm 8 and to said support arm 8 as at 6ft. Any suitable return spring means may be used and rubber bands have proved to be particularly satisfactory.

As shown in FIGURES 7 and 4, an electrical contact arm 66 is fixed to the tilt arm 6 adjacent the bolt 52 by welding or other suitable means. The electrical contact arm 66 projects upwardly normal to the tilt arm 6 and has at its upper end an inwardly directed flange portion 68. Fixed to the end of the over head frame section 12 adjacent the contact arm flange 68 is provided a flat electrical conductor member 69 having vertically directed laterally spaced electrical contacts 72 and 74 between which the flange 68 of the contact arm 66 projects.

In the arrangement as above described, a tilting of arm 6 either clockwise or counter clockwise will cause the contact arm 66 to be rotatably displaced to cause the flange portion 68 of the contact arm 66 to engage either . . .

the contact 72 or the contact 74 of the conductor mem- 65 depending means, should the golfer move his head during her 69.

As best shown in FIGURE 7, the conductor member 69 is electrically insulated from the frame section 12 by interposition of a sheet of electrical insulating material 78 and utilization of suitable electrically non-conductive 70 ^tacts 72 and 74 and producing an audible signal, fastenings 80 and 82. As schematically shown in FIG- ’

URE 7, an attention arresting warning system is connected intermediate the conducting strap 69 and the base adapted to be energized upon contact of the flange 68 — _ .

with the switch contacts 72 or 74. A suitable and yet 75 8, such modification, for example, can be effected by in40 the swing an amount sufficient to engage either of the depending elements 2 and 4, such engagement will displace the tilt arm 6, effecting contact between the electrical contact arm 66 and one or the other of the conThe heretofore described unit may, if desired, be readily modified to limit the period during the swing in which displacement of the tilt arm will effect energization of the audible signal. As shown in FIGURES 1 and

3,326,558 elusion of a normally closed switch member 110 in series with the battery and buzzer and of such character as to be opened by passage of the club head past the tee or tee location. In such a system, as will be apparent, the degree of head displacement subsequent to the passage of the 5 club head past the tee will not result in the production of an audible signal. With such a modification, therefore, it will be apparent that head displacement, such as may occur during the “follow-through” portion of the swing will not effect the audible signal, although any selectable jq degree of undesired head displacement prior to the point of passage of the club head past the tee will produce such a signal.

While applicant has described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be understood 15 that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended in the appended claims to define and claim the invention as broadly as may be permitted by the prior art. 20