Games racket frame

A games racket frame comprising a head portion defining a string bed of main strings and cross strings, a shaft portion and a handle portion wherein at the crown of the head portion a cross-section through the head portion perpendicular to the string bed reduces in width towards the string bed, and the main strings wrap around the head instead of passing through drilled string holes. The invention has the potential advantages of improving breakage resistance properties and allowing a player to play close to the wall shots.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a novel games racket frame, and particularly to a 
squash racket frame. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Conventional squash rackets comprise a head portion for stringing, a shaft 
portion and a handle portion, the head consisting of a hollow tube e.g. 
made from fibre reinforced epoxy resin. The head is drilled so that 
main-strings and cross-strings can be passed through the resulting string 
holes. 
A disadvantage with this construction is that the string holes constitute a 
weakness in the head, particularly with the main-string holes at the crown 
of the head where contact with the wall of a court is more likely to 
occur. This is particularly true where the racket is designed to be very 
lightweight and thus has very thin walls in the head portion. 
A further disadvantage of conventional squash rackets is that for close to 
the wall shots a significant thickness of the head portion, parallel to 
the strung area, intervenes between the wall and the strung area when the 
racket contacts the wall. This constitutes a "dead" area which cannot be 
used to strike the ball effectively. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is possible to overcome these disadvantages by means of the present 
invention in which a games racket comprises a head portion defining a 
string bed of main-and cross-strings, a shaft portion and a handle portion 
wherein at the crown of the head portion 
(i) a cross-section through the head portion perpendicular to the string 
bed reduces in width towards the string bed and 
(ii) the main-strings wrap around the head and 
(iii) there are substantially no drilled string holes at the crown. 
Potential advantages resulting from the present invention are i) an 
improvement in the breakage resistant properties of the racket resulting 
from accidental contact with the wall of a squash court; and (ii) an 
improvement in the ability of a player using the racket to play close to 
the wall shots. 
The cross-section of the crown region may taper towards the string bed, for 
example it may have a tear-drop or triangular configuration. Alternatively 
the cross-section may have a T-shape or pear shape. The objective is that 
the effective thickness of the frame being the distance between the point 
where the strings contact the frame and the point of contact with the 
court wall is reduced to a minimum. Of course, the frame must still be 
sufficiently stiff and strong to withstand the stresses encountered during 
play. 
In a preferred embodiment the head portion is designed so that main-and 
cross-strings all pass through holes therein except for the main-strings 
in the crown region which wrap around the head portion. To facilitate this 
the cross-section of the head portion in the crown region differs from 
that of the remainder, in that the thickness of the frame perpendicular to 
the string bed reduces and the thickness of the frame parallel to the 
string bed increases in the crown region as compared to the remainder of 
the head portion. Thus the major axis of the cross-section rotates by 
90.degree. in passing from the crown region to the remainder of the head 
portion. Preferably the reduction and increase are achieved by tapering 
rather than by an abrupt change. 
Conventionally, the frame for a squash racket is made by wrapping sheets of 
resin-impregnated fabric around an inflation tube which is subsequently 
moulded by expanding it within a heated mould to the desired shape of the 
racket. To facilitate this moulding technique and according to a further 
embodiment of the present invention the circumference of any section 
through the head portion perpendicular to the plane of the strings is 
substantially the same, even though the cross-section may vary in shape. 
In the crown region where the main-strings wrap around the head portion, 
preferably location means is provided for locating the strings and holding 
them in position. This location means may also protect the strings from 
abrasion against the court wall. Examples of suitable location means are 
grooves moulded into the surface of the head portion or separately moulded 
saddle portions which are fitted onto the head portion. 
The length of the head portion at the crown which does not have string 
holes and around which main-strings wrap around is preferably between 20% 
and 40% of the total circumference of the head portion, more preferably 
between 25% and 35%.

Referring to FIG. 1(a), this shows a conventional squash racket where the 
main-and cross-strings pass through the head portion. FIG. 1(b) shows a 
cross-section of the crown (1) of a conventional squash racket in contact 
with a court wall (2). Main-strings (3) interlace with cross-strings (4) 
and pass through the crown (1). Distance (5) between court wall (2) and 
main-strings (3) constitutes a "dead" area which cannot be used to strike 
a ball effectively. 
Referring to FIG. 2(a), this shows a novel squash racket according to the 
present invention in which main-strings (6) wrap around the crown (7). 
FIG. 2(b) shows a cross-section of the crown (7) of the racket shown in 
FIG. 2(a) which is pear shaped and provided with grooves (8) moulded into 
the crown (7) over which the main-strings (6) wrap and are held in place 
by the side walls defining the grooves (8). Distance (9) between the court 
wall (10) and main-strings (6) constitute a "dead" area which is smaller 
than that (5) resulting from the conventional racket of FIG. 1(b). 
Referring to FIG. 3, this is cut away to show the tear drop shaped 
cross-section of the crown (11), the axis (12) being the major axis in the 
crown and the axis (13) being the major axis outside the crown. Thus the 
major axis (13) rotates by 90.degree. as it enters the crown (11) to 
result in the major axis (12). 
Referring to FIG. 4, main-strings (14) wrap around the crown (15) and are 
held in place by means of saddles which are fitted onto the crown (16). 
Again, the cross-section of the crown (15) is tear-drop shaped (17). 
Referring to FIG. 5, the main-string (14) subtends an angle (X) with the 
plane of the string bed (18). The size of this angle (X) depends upon the 
thickness of the crown (19) and the position of the first interlaced 
cross-string (20). Preferably this angle (X) is as small as possible (e.g. 
5.degree. to 15.degree.) consistent with the strength and stiffness 
considerations of the frame in this region and appropriate positioning of 
the first cross-string.