Improvements in Poles for Lawn Tennis Nets.
Year: 1886

page_text: · Improvements in Poles for Lawn Tennis Nets.
I, GEORGE LANE of the city of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America formerly of England and at present residing at
Kimberley, Nottinghamshire England, Professional Cricketer, do hereby declare
the nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to poles employed for supporting the net used in the
game of lawn tennis and it has for its object the improved construction and
arrangement of such poles whereby the net may be supported and stretched in a
tight and superior manner whilst in position during a game, and when the net is
no longer required to be so stretched or suspended, it may be easily, speedily and
conveniently coiled round one of the poles by the action of a spiral spring or other
suitable arrangement of a spring connected with such pole and parts fitted thereon.
In carrying out the Invention one of the poles for suspending or holding one
end of the lawn tennis net is arranged with a concentric reel or barrel fitted upon
it so as to be free to rotate and having suitable hooks or devices upon it for the
attachment of the end of the net to it. Inside this reel there is fitted a spiral or
a coiled spring one end of which is attached conveniently to the pole which forms
the axis of the reel and the other end is attached to the reel at a convenient part."
The upright or pole must be securely fixed in the ground so that it may not turn
round and this may be effected in various ways as for instance by forming the
end of the pole with a screwed end like an augur and screwing this into the ground
or it may be fixed in any other convenient way. When one end of a net is
attached by the devices to the reel, the net is then rolled round the reel which
may be done by placing the net on the ground and rolling the reel and pole along
it until it is all rolled on the reel. It is obvious that when the pole is fixed in a
vertical position and the outer or free end of the net is pulled away from the pole
the spring is necessarily coiled up and by its tension ensures the net being tightly
Prind
'
1

page_text: held when it is secured by what may be termed its free end to another pole placed
in a suitable position for the purposes of the game. When what has been termed
the free end of the net has been released from its pole, by taking hold of this end
and walking towards the other pole, the reaction of the coiled or rolled up spring
will rotate the reel and roll the net upon it and thus it is automatically rolled up
ready for carrying away. The pole for securing the free end of the net to, may be
of any ordinary construction but it is preferred to use a hollow or tubular pole
having fitted inside it a helical spring. This spring is secured by one end to the
pole and its other end has a cord or chain attached to it and is passed round a
pulley fitted on the pole. This arrangement of the spring within a hollow or
tubular pole ensures a tension being put upon the net suspended between the
poles. This tubular pole having a spring may be used either with the pole having
the automatic reel arrangement for winding or rolling up the net, or it may be
used with any other kind of pole or two poles having springs may be used for
holding the net.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred to and representing one modification of my improvements
in lawn tennis poles.
Figure, 1, on the accompanying sheet of drawings is a sectional elevation of an
upright or pole for lawn tennis nets and Figure, 2, is a plan showing certain
details. In this modification the pole, 1, is shown as having its lower end squared
and as being fitted into a square shaped hole or recess in a bed plate, 2, which may
be formed with spikes, 3, by which the plate, 2, may be secured in the ground.
It is necessary that the pole or upright, 1, be securely fastened to the ground so
that it cannot turn round but be able to resist the strain of the coiled up spring
when the net is out and attached to the opposite post. This pole, 1, has fitted
upon it concentrically a hollow barrel or reel, 4, which extends along the greater
part of its length and may be formed of a cylinder of sheet iron secured to wooden
end pieces which are free to turn on the pole the lower one of these end pieces
resting on a collar fixed on the pole. Round the pole, 1, inside the reel, 4, a
strong helical spring, 5, is coiled, which is secured by one end to the bottom end
piece of the reel, 4, whilst its other end is attached to the pole, 1, preferably near
its top. Over the top end of the reel, 4, there is fitted a small ratchet wheel, 6,
fixed to the pole, 1, and a small pawl is fitted on the end piece of the reel, 4, to
gear with the wheel for use when necessary and shown in Figure, 2. The net, 7,
to be suspended is secured to a staple, 8, at the top and bottom of the reel, or it
may be otherwise secured, and if the net, 7, be first wound or rolled round the
reel, 4, which may be done by spreading the net out upon the ground and rolling
the pole and reel along it, then upon securely fixing the pole in the base plate so
that it cannot turn round and taking hold of the outer or free end of the net and
pulling it in the required direction the net in unrolling coils up the spring and
when the free end of the net.is secured to its post, a tension is always maintained
When the
on the net which is thus suspended in a tight and superior manner.
free end of the net is released from its pole the net may be speedily and con-
veniently rolled upon the reel, 4, by merely taking hold of the end of the net and
walking towards the pole having the reel, this rolling up action being effected by
the coiled up spring. It is desirable that a stay piece be provided to strengthen
the upright and to counteract the pull of the net and I prefer to fit this stay to a
collar, 9, having a projecting part extending beyond the reel and the stay is hinged
or centered to the outer end of this projection and extends in an inclined position
by the side of the net being held in the ground by a spike having a flat plate or
head to receive the strain and prevent the stay entering the ground beyond the
desired extent.
It is obvious that the form of the apparatus may be considerably modified as for
instance the reel instead of being cylindrical may be a frame work or skeleton one,

page_text: and instead of using a coiled helical spring other suitable spring devices may be
employed.
Figure, 3, on the accompanying drawings shows my improved arrangement of a
pole for securing the end of a lawn tennis net to, so as to maintain the net
stretched in a tight condition. The pole, 10, is preferably formed of stout iron
piping having coiled within it a helical spring, 11, which is attached by one of its
ends to the pole and has attached to its other end a cord or chain, 12. This cord
or chain is passed over a small pulley, 13, fitted in a slot near the top of the pole
and has at its end a hook, 14, or other device for connection with the net. This
hook has a plate or cross piece fitted to it to prevent the hook being drawn through
the slot into the inside of the pole by the tension of the spring which is arranged
to be always in an extended or stretched condition. When the upper end of the
net is attached to this hook the tension of the spring will maintain the net in a
tight condition while thus suspended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination and arrangement of a pole or upright for holding and
carrying a lawn tennis net, with a reel connected to the pole by a helical or coiled
spring substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of a tubular pole or upright for lawn
tennis nets, having a helical spring within it substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.