A Method and Apparatus for Setting Out Lawn-tennis Courts.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 5th Apr.. 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Method and Apparatus for Setting Out Lawn-tennis Courts.
I, JOHN OSMOND, of Clifton, Blackheath Park, in the County of Kent, Engineer,
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:
My invention relates to simple and easy means of setting out a lawn tennis court,
which I effect as I will explain referring to the accompanying diagram.
I first provide a tape, cord, wire or chain of such a length that it will form an
isosceles triangle the base of which is equal to half the base line of a tennis court
and the distance from its base to its apex half the length of a tennis court, having a
ring or loop at each end, and two rings equidistant from the ends, measuring between
their outer edges a length equal to half the base line of a tennis court. The tape is
also marked in 8 places for determining the various required points.
Assuming the net posts a a to be fixed, then stretching the tape across so that two
marks on it equidistant from its middle coincide with the posts a a, its two middle
rings determine two points B and C, and pegs are driven through these rings close
against their outer sides.
Placing now the end rings of the tape on B and C and holding the two middle
rings together with a loose bight of the tape between them, a middle point D is
determined, being the apex of an isosceles triangle, and a peg is driven in close to
the outer side of the two rings. One of these rings is then removed from the peg
at D and drawn out to the side of the court to its full extent, and a peg driven through
the ring into the ground determines the point E which is one corner of the outer
court, and marks on the tape determine the points F and G.
By replacing the ring from E on peg at D and removing the other ring from D
in a similar manner the corner H is determined and the points J and K; and by a
similar process, on the farther side of the net line a a, the other points of the
outer and inner courts are determined, whereupon the lines defining the courts can
be drawn.
Although 1 have described the process as starting from the net line a a, obviously
the order of the steps might be varied. For instance, the start could be made from
the point E determining by an isosceles triangle the points C and D and the marks F
and G, also the other points B and H and marks J and K by repeated isosceles
triangles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The herein described method of setting out a lawn tennis court by employing a
ape, cord, wire or chain to determine by rings and marks on it points through which
he lines of the court can be drawn.
2. For setting out a lawn tennis court in the manner above referred to, a tape,
ord, wire or chain provided with two end rings with two rings equidistant on each side
f its middle, and with marks, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 20th day of February 1890.
ADEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.