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The Richard M. Weiss Revocable Trust

Weiss, Richard M.

Richard M Weiss

Joseph H Butler

Michael J Twigg

Larry R Palmer

F Sherrill Vowell

David Nichols

Brian E Townsend

Lew Gibson

Franklin S Vowell

An apparatus measures displacement of a structure having a curved surface, such as a pipe, conduit, shaft or rod. The apparatus includes a support structure having opposing first and second ends, with a first laser distance measurement device at the first end and a second laser distance measurement device at the second end. The laser distance measurement devices generate dual laser beams that illuminate the curved surface of the structure, detect laser energy reflected from the curved surface of the structure, and generate distance signals based on the detected laser energy. A measurement device on the support structure measures a spacing between the two laser beams. The support structure is pivotally attached to a stabilizing base, thereby providing for the tilting of the support structure and the laser beams. An inclinometer on the support structure measures an angle of tilt. A computer processor calculates position values indicating displacement of the curved surface based on the distance signals, the spacing between the laser beams, the radius of curvature of the curved surface, and the angle of tilt of the laser beams. Tripod-mounted and portable handheld versions of the apparatus are described.

Apparatus and method for measuring displacement of a curved surface using dual laser beams

A computer-controlled system automatically measures and records various physical characteristics of an elongated shaft or tube, such as a golf club shaft or other structural member. The characteristics measured include the principal planar oscillation plane, oscillation frequency, stiffness asymmetry, relative stiffness, torsional stiffness, shaft length, shaft straightness and tip angle.

Automated system for determining physical characteristics of a shaft

A method of making a golf club includes making a first determination of the location of the effective seam in a shaft and then more precisely locating the seam before attaching a golf club head with the face of the club head facing in a neutral direction.

Apparatus and method for tuning a golf shaft

The preferred orientation, or planar oscillation plane, of a golf club shaft is located by measuring the oscillation of the shaft when an impulse is applied. A reaction mass is mounted on one end of the golf club shaft and is attracted with an electromagnet, and the electromagnet is deactivated in order to initiate vibratory motion. Preferably, the out-of-plane oscillation is measured at a large number of angular positions about the shaft axis, and the principal planar oscillation plane is identified by that pair of opposed angular positions in which the out-of-plane oscillation is smallest. The location of the preferred orientation may be marked on the shaft and used to assemble a golf club with the planar oscillation plane in a predetermined orientation. The straightness of the shaft can also be determined by deriving its spring constant from its oscillation frequency and then measuring the restoring force when the shaft is deflected by the same nominal amount at different angular positions; differences in restoring force can be attributed to differences in actual deflection distance resulting from lack of straightness.

Method and apparatus for measuring and orienting golf club shaft

The preferred orientation, or planar oscillation plane, of a golf club shaft is located by measuring the oscillation of the shaft when an impulse is applied. Preferably, the out-of-plane oscillation is measured at a large number of angular positions about the shaft axis, and the principal planar oscillation plane is identified by that pair of opposed angular positions in which the out-of-plane oscillation is smallest. The location of the preferred orientation may be marked on the shaft and used to assemble a golf club with the planar oscillation plane in a predetermined orientation. The straightness of the shaft can also be determined by deriving its spring constant from its oscillation frequency and then measuring the restoring force when the shaft is deflected by the same nominal amount at different angular positions; differences in restoring force can be attributed to differences in actual deflection distance resulting from lack of straightness.

The preferred orientation, or planar oscillation plane, of a golf club shaft is located by measuring the oscillation of the shaft when a horizontal impulse is applied and from those measurements determining an orientation in which the oscillation would be substantially planar. In a preferred embodiment an iterative process is used to converge on the preferred orientation. The location of the preferred orientation may be marked on the shaft and used to assemble a golf club with the planar oscillation plane in a predetermined orientation. The assembly of the golf club can be done manually&mdash;e.g., in a refitting situation&mdash;or automatically&mdash;e.g., in a new club manufacturing setting.

Method and apparatus for locating and aligning golf club shaft spine

Apparatus for locating and aligning golf club shaft spine

A shaft and club head separation device for a golf club includes a base having padded shaft gripping members and a separation disk having at least two peripheral recesses into which the end of shaft is inserted; the gripping members are arranged to maintain the club shaft parallel to the axis of the separation disk; a plunger in slidably disposed in a bore in the base and an actuation device is provided to engage the plunger and move the plunger and disk away from the base so that, with the hosel of a club engaging a face of the disk, separation of the shaft and club head will occur.

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Miami, FL, United States of America

Richard M Weiss