Golf swing practice device

Claim 2

A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a practice swing, comprising a support, a pair of closely-spaced, inner and outer curved rails, a lower portion of each of which is attached to said support, said rails extending alongside each other and arranged to loosely receive between them the lower shank portion of the golf club, said rails extending along only a predetermined curvilinear path adapted to form the backswing portion of a prescribed golf-club swing; a single curved guide rail secured to an end of said inner rail and constituting a continuation of said rail, said single guide rail extending along a predetermined curvilinear path adapted to form the remainder of said prescribed golf-club swing; hinge and latch means connecting the juxtaposed upper end portions of said pair of rails to the remainders thereof to enable said end portions to be swung out of said curvilinear path and thereby provide clearance for the golf club on the follow-through of the latter; and unitary carriage means supporting said hinge and latch means, the upper portions of said inner and outer curved rails and the upper portion of said guide rail and being adjustably attached to said support whereby adjustment of the position of said unitary carriage means relative to said support simultaneously changes the height of said rails and the angle of said curvilinear path in order to accommodate users of different height.

Claim 3

A mechanical instruction aid according to claim 1 in which said support and said unitary carriage means are each provided with a multiplicity of spaced attachment means which cooperate with one another in supporting the carriage in a number of adjusted positions.

Claim 4

A mechanical instruction aid according to claim 2 in which an adjustment means is provided between said support and said carriage, intermediate said spaced attachment means, for changing the position of said carriage relative to said support.

Claim 5

A mechanical instruction aid according to claim 2 in which at least one pair of said cooperating attachment means is provided with indicia defining a series of positions of the carriage relative to the support.

Claim 6

A mechanical instruction aid according to claim 1 in which the said guide rail is attached to the support adjacent the point at which the golf club will strike the golf ball during a practice swing, and said support and said guide rail are provided with relative indicia, the indicia on the support enabling the user to assume a proper foot position and the indicia on the guide rail enabling the user to assume a proper club position during the use of the device.

Claim 7

A mechanical instruction aid according to claim 5 in which a position stand is associated with the indicia on the support and is provided with further indicia to enable the user to position his feet at the proper distance and angle relative to the indicia on the guide rail.

Claim 8

A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a practice swing, comprising a pair of closely-spaced, curved rails extending alongside each other and arranged to loosely receive between them the lower shank portion of the golf club, said rails extending along only a predetermined curvilinear path adapted to form the backswing portion of a prescribed golf-club swing; a single, curved guide rail secured to an end of one of said pair of rails and constituting a continuation of said one rail, said single guide rail extending along a predetermined curvilinear path adapted to form the remainder of said prescribed golf-club swing, the upper end portions of said pair of rails and single rail being attached to a unitary adjustable carriage, the said path of said rails being generally in the shape of a closed loop; hinge means connecting the juxtaposed upper end portions of said pair of rails which define the beginning of the swing to the remaining portions of the rails to enAble said end portions to be swung out of said curvilinear path and thereby provide clearance for the golf club on the follow-through of the latter; latch means releasably holding said hinged upper end portions in said curvilinear path; spring-charged means for swinging said end portions out of said path about said hinged connection; flexible bumper means yieldably-attached to said hinge means and closely-spaced from said end portions of said pair of rails in order to contact said end portions during their swing out of the curvilinear path and yieldably restrain said end portions to a stop position; and means engaged by the golf club when leaving said end portions, rendering inoperative said latch means whereby the end portions are automatically swung clear of the club and into contact with the bumper means on the follow-through of the club.

Claim 9

A mechanical instruction aid for guiding a golf club during a practice swing, comprising a pair of closely-spaced, curved rails extending alongside each other and arranged to loosely receive between them the lower shank portion of the golf club, said rails extending along only a predetermined curvilinear path adapted to form the backswing portion of a prescribed golf-club swing; a single, curved guide rail secured to an end of one of said pair of rails and constituting a continuation of said one rail, said single guide rail extending along a predetermined curvilinear path adapted to form the remainder of said prescribed golf-club swing, the upper end portions of said pair of rails and single rail being attached to a unitary adjustable carriage, the said path of said rails being generally in the shape of a closed loop; hinge means connecting the juxtaposed upper end portions of said pair of rails which define the beginning of the swing to the remaining portions of the rails to enAble said end portions to be swung out of said curvilinear path and thereby provide clearance for the golf club on the follow-through of the latter; latch means releasably holding said hinged upper end portions in said curvilinear path; spring-charged means for swinging said end portions out of said path about said hinged connection; flexible bumper means yieldably-attached to said hinge means and closely-spaced from said end portions of said pair of rails in order to contact said end portions during their swing out of the curvilinear path and yieldably restrain said end portions to a stop position; and means engaged by the golf club when leaving said end portions, rendering inoperative said latch means whereby the end portions are automatically swung clear of the club and into contact with the bumper means on the follow-through of the club.

Claim 10

A mechanical instruction aid according to claim 7 in which said flexible bumper means comprises a cushioning material mounted on a lever spring attached to a stationary portion of said hinge means, said cushioning material being positioned to contact a movable portion of said hinge means attached to said end portions of said pair of rails during their swing out of the curvilinear path.

Claim 11

A mechanical instruction aid according to claim 7 in which the said upper end portions of said pair of rails are connected and are provided with a protective cushion at the point of connection.