Patent ID: 6415502
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: A63B,G01D,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for positioning and holding a head of a golf club, which includes a shaft having one end thereof attached to the head, in a predetermined position and providing a visual indication of that position of the head to a location proximate an opposite end of the shaft to facilitate aligned installation of a grip on the opposite end of the shaft, said apparatus comprising:a) a vertical support plate; b) a holding mechanism mounted on said support plate for receiving the golf club to be gripped and having an unclamped state in which the received golf club is free for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of its shaft and a clamped state in which the received golf club is held fast against any movement; c) a golf club position indicator mounted on said support plate for engaging the head of the golf club when it is received by said holding mechanism and producing an electric signal when the head of the received golf club is rotated into the predetermined position; d) said holding mechanism coupled to receive the electric signal from said position indicator and being actuated from the unclamped state to the clamped state upon receiving the electric signal; e) an aligner coupled to said support plate and disposed in coextending parallel relationship with the shaft of the golf club when the golf club is received by said holding mechanism to provide visual alignment between the predetermined position of the head and the opposite end of the shaft of the golf club so that an installer can position the grip being installed in alignment with the predetermined position of the head of the golf club; f) said position indicator being located on one side of the head of the golf club when the golf club is received in said holding mechanism; and g) a positioning device mounted on said support plate and located on the opposite side of the head of the golf club when the golf club is received in said holding mechanism, said positioning device including a pusher plate movable into and out of engagement with the head of the received golf club to rotate the golf club about the longitudinal axis of the shaft and move a leading edge formed at an intersection of a face and a sole of the head into a vertical position which is the predetermined position of the received golf club, and actuator means coupled to said pusher plate for movement thereof toward and away from the head of the golf club when the golf club is received in said holding mechanism.