US2158211A - Light for golf clubs - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1939.

LIGHT-FOR GOLFCLUBS Filed June 13,1958 1 flazzkwflimew I I INVENTOJQ Arromm'.

M. AI'1'KEN 2,158,211

Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFiQE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to golf clubs, the primary object of the invention being to provide a golf club designed primarily for teaching the golf swing.

An important object of the invention is to provide a practice golf club having a head illuminated in such a way that when the golf club is swung, in executing a golf stroke, the person swinging the club may determine the angle of the club face as the club head passes the place where an imaginary ball would be teed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf club having means to indicate when the club is being swung with the proper speed and timing, to assist the person using the club in determining when a proper stroke of the club has been executed.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means which will enable the user to keep his eyes fixed at the point of contact between the club and ball, thereby eliminating the common fault of lifting the head, during the golf stroke.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Figure l is an elevational view of a golf club constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2' is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a club head, the cover-plate having been removed.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2. V

Figure 5 is a. diagram indicating the line of flight when the club is swung from the inside out.

Figure 6 is a diagram indicating the line which is visible while viewing the club head when swung from the outside in, which usually causes a slice.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the club includes a shaft embodying the grip section 5 and head section 6, the sections 5 and 6 being pivotally connected as at 1. This pivotal connection between the sections 5 and 6 is such that the shaft of the club will break in the direction of swing. As shown, the section 5 is provided with spaced openings indicated at 8, for the reception of the securing bolt, whereby the length of th shaft may be adjusted.

Positioned on the shaft, is a coiled spring indicated by the reference character Q, the coiled spring having an enlarged portion l0 which com--.-

pletely surrounds the pivotal connecting point between the sections. The coiled spring engages the section 6, at a point between the pivot and the club head, so that under normal conditions, the spring will act to hold the club shaft sections in direct alignment with each other. This coiled spring 9 is of such a character that when the club is swung in the proper manner, and at the proper speed, the coiled spring will overcome the tendency of the shaft sections to move with respect to each other, but when the club shaft is swung too rapidly on either the back swing or the through swing, the club section 6 will pivot with respect to the section 5. It follows that this movement will be immediately felt by the hands of the operator, with the result that when the club head is again swung through simulating a golf swing, the speed of the club will of course be reduced. In this way the person using the club ,may readily determine the exact speed at which the club should be moved on the back swing and the follow through swing, for a perfect stroke.

As clearly shown by the drawing, the upper surface of the club head indicated by the reference character H, is cut away providing a compartment l2 in which the supporting plate 13 is mounted. This supporting plate I3 is provided with lamp sockets in which the lamps M are mounted. These lamps 14 have their contacts engaging the contact bar 15 mounted on the spring arm it, that in turn is secured to the bottom of the compartment 12. The contact arm ll, which forms a part of the member 16, lies in the path of travel of the battery l8, which is mounted within the curved support I9 that is pivotally supported within the compartment, as by means of the connection 25. Forming a part of the curved support 19, is a finger 2| that contacts with the battery providing one of the circuits to the lampsl l,

The reference character 22 designates one of the terminals of the battery, which is so located that it will engage the contact arm ll, when the battery and curved supporting plate I9 move downwardly under the centrifugal force caused by swinging the golf club to imitate the golf swing, should the club be used in hitting a ball.

A cover-plate indicated by the reference character 23 is secured over the cut-out portion or drawing,

compartment l2, completely enclosing the lamps and battery. It might be further stated that this cover-plate 23 is constructed of translucent material, so that the light rays from the lamps I may pass therethrough and be viewed by the person swinging the golf club.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, I have provided a golf club which will be illuminated when the golf club is swung with the proper speed, which is suflicient to overcome the tension of the spring l6, allowing the battery to move into engagement with the contact arm I I completing the circuit to the lamps.

It will further be seen that when the golf club is swung through an imaginary golf ball, parallel streaks of light will be visible to the person swinging the club as the club head passes the tee.

It follows that if the club head comes through with an open face as shown by Figure 5 of the two substantially close parallel streaks will appear at the outside of the club and a third streak spaced from the innermost first mentioned streak, indicating the position of the club face.

If the club is swung with a closed face as shown by. Figure 6, two substantially close streaks will appear adjacent to the inner side of the golf head, indicating the position of the golf face.

I claim:

1. A practice golf club including a head, electric lamps within the head an electric circuit, a suitable source of electric current within the head, a contact member within the head and means coacting with said contact member and operable to complete the circuit to the electric lamps illuminating the lamps when the club is swung in executing a practice golf swing.

2. A practice golf club including a head, electric illuminating means within the head, said illuminating means comprising electric bulbs, a pivoted battery support, a battery mounted on the support, a contact member in circuit with the bulbs, means for normally holding the battery in spaced relation with the contact member,

and said battery adapted to move into engagement with the contact member completing the circuit to the bulbs when the club is swung in executing a practice swing with the club.

3.-A practice golf club including a head, electric illuminating means within the head, a source of electricity-supply, mounted within the head, an electric circuit between theillumin'ating means and source of electricity supply, a switch within the head and operable by centrifugal force resulting from the normal swing of the club, a?

shaft for the club including pivotallyconnected sections, and said shaft sections being adapted to pivot with'respect to each other when sudden angular acceleration is imparted to the club.

MATTHEW AI'I'KEN.

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