INDICATORS FOR INDICATING ACCELERATIONS IN SPORTS EQUIPMENT WHICH ARE SWUNG IN USE

• US 3,848,873 A
• Filed: 03/26/1974
• Issued: 11/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Lees Linning
• Original Assignee: David Lees Linning
• Inventors: Linning, David Lees
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US05/454,903
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 273/183,186,194,162,26
• US Class Current: 473/234
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3635 with sound-emitting source

Abstract

A lightweight indicator appendant to a golf club, or other sports equipment involving a swinging action in use, gives to the user of club an indication of any lack of smoothness of his swing during the actual making of the swing. The indicator is arranged to be responsive to accelerations of the shaft in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft. The indicator has a threshold level of operation and when the threshold is exceeded a movable part is actuated to produce mechanically, such as by impact between movable and fixed parts, an audible signal.

Claims

1. In combination with the shaft of an article of sports equipment which is swung in use, a lightweight indicator for indicating predetermined acceleration of the shaft, said indicator comprising a body part, a movable member part movable in the body part in response to accelerations of the shaft in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft during the swinging of the shaft, a stop member for arresting the movable member part, means on the body part for secure and demountable attachment of the indicator on said shaft and means for controlling the movement of said movable member part so that it moves, at a threshold level of the transverse acceleration, from a first rest position, through a neutral equilibrium position to a second rest position at said stop member and thereby produces mechanically an audible signal on impact with said stop member.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which said movable member part comprises a pivoted mass pivotable against the force of a spring whereby the spring holds the movable member part in said first rest position and, with pivoting of the mass, the spring force increases until said neutral equilibrium position is reached whereupon the spring accelerates the mass towards said second rest position where the mass strikes the stop member to produce said audible signal.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 having means to adjust said threshold level, that means comprising an adjuster for adjusting the line of action of the spring on the mass.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 2 having means to adjust said threshold level, that means comprising an adjuster for adjusting the location of said first rest position.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 1 having means to adjust said threshold level.

6. The combination of claim 1 in which said movable member part is exposed for manual resetting from said second to said first rest position.

7. The combination of claim 1 in which there is provided reset means to reset the movable member part from said second to said first rest position.

8. The combination of claim 1 in which the body part and said means on said body part are formed integrally of plastics material.