Improvements in Cricketing Stumps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cricketing Stumps.
GEORGE HOLMES Boys' High School Arboretum Street Nottingham Drill Instructor
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in stumps as used in playing the game of
cricket; and is intended to set aside and supersede my Invention No. 1727:
January 1889, for which Provisional Protection was then granted, in which Inven-
tion I used steel springs and in testing them, they where found to be useless, owing to
frequent breakages.
My present Invention consists: firstly of a base plate of iron or other material ;
this plate is fixed into the ground by two or more prongs or spikes which are driven
into the ground or permantly fixed in a block of wood or stone, and on the upper
surface of the plate are three studs to which the stumps are attached.
:
Secondly fix on the lower end of the stumps a socket or shield of brass, or other
metal, circular in form and tapering. This socket is divided into two compartments
by a partition cast with and of the same material as the socket, and in the upper or
smaller compartment, I cast or cut a thread by which the lower end of the stump
having a thread cut to match, that it may be firmly fixed in like manner of a bolt and
nut; the one being screwed into the other. In the lower or larger compartment of
the socket, I fix two or more levers or catches, but 1 prefer three, as giving a maximum
amount of grip, with a medium amount of material and fitting.
The said levers or catches are attached to a small circular plate, each lever being
fixed between two small lugs, and held there by means of a pin or rivet passed through
them; the three levers being placed at equal distances apart around the centre, being
free to move to or from the centre sufficiently to allow the catches to open or close
over the studs on the base plate before named.
Around the catches I fix an india-rubber ring, suitable notches being cut in the
said catches to receive it-the rubber ring is for the purpose of keeping the catches
closed over and giving a firm grip to the studs on base plate, when the stumps are
placed in position.
The small circular plate to which the catches are attached in the manner just
described is now fixed to the partition in the socket, by means of a screw or bolt
passing through the partition and screwing into the plate-thus at any time it may be
removed by unscrewing the stump out of the socket, and removing the small screw
from the plate when repairs or removals are necessary-or if preferred the socket may
be east below the base plate and the catches fixed therein, in which case the stump
would be fitted with the stud; thus inverting the whole arrangement.
In using my Invention the plate would first be fixed in the ground (flush) then
the stumps be placed on the studs, the catches opening over the end of the studs and
closing into a groove turned in the studs for the purpose-thus giving a sufficiently
firm grip to hold the stumps in position until struck by the ball, when the catches
will open and allow the stumps to fall.
Dated this Fifth day of Santamber 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
· Improvements in Cricketing Stumps.
I GEORGE HOLMES of the Boys High School Arboretum Street in the Borough of
Nottingham Drill Instructor 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 :-
Improved spring, and spring clip or lever stumps to facilitate the setting up, also to

page_text: prevent disputes in setting up the same, with this new form of stump there is no
stopping up of holes with turf after knocking down the wickets a number of times as
with the old form of stump, the holes being made in a suitable plate of iron or other
material, this said plate with suitable spikes being driven down level with the turf and
not requiring to be taken up until the end of the game, and in case of two or three
days matches the plate may be left in the ground until said match is ended :-
Now to make my spring clip or lever stump hereinbefore mentioned I use a socket
of brass or other material, attached to the wood by means of a screw thread in the
upper end of the socket; in or about the middle of said socket there is a partition, to
which is attached by a small screw; a round plate or table, having lugs cast on it to
which are jointed three or more clips or levers before mentioned, to which is attached
steel springs or indiarubber in the form of a round collar expanded over said clips or
levers, suitable notches being made in clips or levers to hold it in position.
To affix spring clip or lever stumps to plate hereinbefore mentioned I affix three
studs to receive the said clips or levers in the aforesaid socket; there are two modifica-
tions of the spring stump, one as described and the other without clips or levers and
with springs inserted in grooves.
Now to make my other modification I cast a socket of iron, brass, or other material
of a suitabte thickness for slots or grooves to be cast, or cut in, to receive springs, of
which there are three or more in number being fixed by rivets or other means in said
grooves in sockets, the wood part of stumps being driven into hole in centre of socket
and held there by means of a common wood screw passing through lower end of socket
into the wood, another modification of the spring stump is made by inserting the
springs into grooves cut in the wood without socket, said springs having their upper
ends bent at right angles and driven into the wood, said springs can be covered with
ferrule, or wire lapping. The said sockets and springs can be attached to existing
stumps having the bottoms altered to suit.
By pushing the stumps into the holes in the aforesaid plate it causes the springs to
close inward in the modification; Fig. 4. and in modification; Fig. 2. the clips or
levers opens out to receive stud affixed to plate herein before mentioned.
The aim and object of my invention is to greatly facilitate the setting up of
cricket stumps and to put an end to cause of disputes.
To enable my said invention to be more distinctly understood I will describe the
same and refer to the sheet of drawings herewith and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, viz. :-
Fig. 1. is plan of plate, for which I do not claim in this specification only in
forms of construction, a similar device having been used before for the same purpose;
A, is stud riveted into plate to receive clips or levers, B, B; shown in Fig. 2. over
which is expanded the indiarubber collar; shown at b. fig. 2.
Fig. 2. is section of socket for spring clip or lever stump; C. is plate or table
to which is jointed said clips or levers; D, is screw to hold same to partition.
Fig. 3. is section of stud for spring clip or lever stump.
:
Fig. 4. is section of socket for springs without clips or levers; H. is spring, only
one being shown in drawing to avoid complication; G. is hole in socket to receive
wood; F. is hole for wood screw to secure wood in socket; E. E is holes in plate
fig. 1. which is undercut bevel as shown by dotted line to receive springs. H.
Fig. 5. is section of dirt cap to cover bottom side of holes E. E. fig. 1; to be
attached to plate by small rivets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1.—Improvements in the manufacture of cricket stumps, also to facilitate setting up
same, the same true and accurate wicket is, always available, thereby putting an end
to a frequent cause of disputes..
2. The easy manner in which my sockets figs. 2. and 4. can be attached to existing 5
stumps.

page_text: 3. For socket fig. 2. in combination with parts B. C. b. and A shown in the
accompanying drawings.
4. For socket fig. 4. with springs H. attached to socket, or upper end bent and
driven into the wood in grooves cut in same, and covered with a light ferrule, or wire-
lapping.
D
C
1000
GEORGE HOLMES.