US2852779A - Adjustable elastic gripping member - Google Patents

Description

p 23, 1958 E. w. ROESSLER I 2,852,779

ADJUSTABLE ELASTIC GRIPPING MEMBER Filed Jan. 12. 1955 J INVENTOR.

E llamae W Roess/er BY A T TOR/VE Y United States Patent Ofifice 2,852,779 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 2,852,779 ADJUSTABLE ELASTIC GRIPPIN G MEMBER Ellamae W. Roessler, Aurora, Colo.

Application January 12, 1955, Serial No. 481,333

1 Claim. (Cl. 2--161) The present invention relates to a device to be used when engaged in sport activities requiring the tight gripping of a shaft or handie. More particularly, this invention relates to An Adjustable Elastic Support Member adapted for positioning about a hand closed upon the shaft of a golf club or the like to hold the palm and fingers of the wearers hand securely against the shaft during movements of the hand and/ or shaft.

Previously, many diiferent types of gripping devices have been designed and patented, the main purpose of which was to eliminate faults in a golf swing or when stroking at a ball with a club, bat, racket or the like. In general, all such prior devices have used at least one member for direct engagement with the shaft or handle. These devices do not keep the Wearers hand firmly on the shaft or handle, and accordingly the alignment of the shaft may be changed during the course of the swing at the ball or other object. Experience, in the field of golf particularly, has shown that a main fault of inexperienced golfers is the tendency to release the grip on the golf club shaft by the directing hand at either the top of the back swing or during the follow-through. This releasing of the grip by the directing hand (the left hand of the righthanded golfer) has been found to be a major cause for misdirection of the ball and loss of power in the swing.

In order to correct this main failing of golfers and as an aid in developing the proper golf swing and grip, the present inventor has been guided by the following objectives: to provide a device for securely holding the fingers of the participant upon the shaft or handle of striking members; to provide a device for the foregoing purpose which will not bind or encumber free movement of the wearers wrist; to provide such a device in which the holding pressure exerted against the wearers fingers and hand is adjustable in accordance with the size of the hand and other requirements; to provide a device in which an elastic member exerts ,pressure against the fingers and hand of the wearer in order to hold such fingers and hand in fixed relative position with respect to a shaft or handle as necessary to prevent inadvertent release of the grip exerted between the palm of the hand, the fingers and such shaft or handle. A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the foregoing type that may be conveniently and accurately positioned on a golfing glove or the like. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the appended description and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective drawing showing use of the device of this invention on the left hand of a righthanded golfer and in which a golf club shaft is shown in position within the palm of the closed fist of the golfer;

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the elastic holding device of the present invention mounted on and attached to the back of a golfing glove; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing details of an adjustable clip device for use in connection wth the present invention.

Briefly stated, the present invention provides an elastic band or resilient member which may be stretched and secured about the fist of a golfer or other sport participant after the fist has been closed correctly about the handle or shaft of the striking member. Since an adjustable fastener device is provided, the pressure exerted to hold the fingers against the shaft can be regulated irrespective of the size of the wearers hand or decrease in the strength of the elastic. Preferably the device of .this invention is afiixed to an ordinary glove commonly worn when participating in golf or other sports.

Referring now to the drawings, the detailed features of the present invention will. become more readily apparent. In Fig. 2 it will be noted that the invention provides a resilient member or elastic band 11 of considerable Width which is connected at one end as by stitching 12 to a leather or other type anchor piece 13 which may be re movably mounted on the back 14 of a gloove 15 as by stitching 12 or the like. The free end of the elastic band is likewise secured to a fastening support member 16. The fastening device utilized in the present embodiment of the invention includes a hook member 17 adapted for selective engagement in any of a plurality of eye members 18 mounted on the anchor piece 13. Further, a pull tab 33 is provided to facilitate fastening and release of the fastener members 17-18.

in the present drawings the elastic web band 11 is shown afixed to a glove is having full finger sheaths 21; however, it will be readily apparent that the device may be mounted on a glove or gauntlet without fingers. Since the device will probably not be used while putting, a frog 22 has been provided, through which the free end 16 may be threaded in reverse direction to keep such free end from interfering with the swing.

It should be noted that the anchor piece 13 is secured to the back 14 of the glove 15 at a slight angle. This angular position of the anchor piece 13, and consequently of the elastic band 11, with respect to the glove is made to facilitate the proper positioning of the elastic member about the closed fist of the wearer. This positioning of the device is more clearly shown in Fig. l, where it will be noted that the elastic covers the entire little finger, past the second joint of the third finger and the first joint of the second finger. When used in this position, the elastic web member exerts a force inwardly against the second, third and fourth fingers to compress these fingers against the club shaft 23 thereby holding the club shaft in the palm of the wearers hand with the main pressure exerting fingers of the hand in fixed relative positions throughout the golf swing. The first finger itself is left in a free position, so that the golfer may use an interlocking or otherwise grip as desired.

With the fingers, hand and club shaft held in their true and correct positions throughout the golf swing, misdirection of the club head and of the swing is minimized.

Significantly the present device prevents incorrect release of the golfing grip at the top of the back swing and in the follow-through, and accordingly the golfing stroke is immediately improved. However, additional advan tages have been noted through use of the present device. With elimination of the tendency to release the grip the golfer will develop a stronger grip. Further, the restraint afforded by the elastic support teaches the golfer the necessity of developing increased flexibility and power in the wrists themselves.

While the present device has been shown and described for use on the left hand of a righthanded golfer, it is apparent a comparative structure can be used on right hand of a left-handed golfer. Further, the main use of the device has been described in the use: in the game of golf, but it will be apparent to those experienced in other sports that the device is readily adaptable to use in the games of tennis, badminton, etc. It should further be recognized that various other types of fastening devices could be used in connection with the present invention and that other features of the invention are likewise adaptable to various modifications and changes. All such modifications as come Within the'scope of the hereunto appended claim are deemed to be a part of this invention.

In the foregoing description and in the appended claim the terms elastic, elastic member, and elastic band and resilient member have been used to designate and describe a main element of the invention. For the purpose of this description all such terms may be defined to include materials and fabrics having characteristic ability to return substantially to former size and shape after elongation greater than 10%. Leather and fabrics made of natural fibres of Wool, cotton and the like are specifically excluded from the above definition, together With other materials that are stretchable but that do not exert a significant force when elongated tending toward re-compression. Such materials are inefiective to hold the wearers hand tightly against the object being gripped. Webbing having cords of natural or synthetic rubber inmember may be Wrapped around the closed hand of the sports participant to hold the hand in closed position about the handle-shaft When the said fastener and fastener member are engaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 20 2,447,328 Gerrits Aug. 17, 1948 2,522,344 Carmin Sept. 12, 1950 2,567,489 Lewis Sept. 11, 1951

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