Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Use in Adjusting the Height of Lawn Tennis or like Nets.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 10th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Dec., 1888
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Use in Adjusting the
Height of Lawn Tennis or like Nets.
I FREDERICK HENRY AYRES of 111 Aldersgate Street in the City of London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The invention relates to means or apparatus for use in adjusting the height of lawn
tennis nets or the like nets used in playing games.
In playing lawn tennis it is desirable to maintain a certain height of net, at present
the rule of the game as generally played prescribing three feet from the ground as the
normal height. The means at present generally employed to maintain or adjust this
height when the net is drawn up at the posts consist of looped rods of metal or slender
standards with ground prongs and top chains catches hooks swivels or ties to hold in
place the top line of the net, but amongst the disadvantages of these arrangements are
the dangers of the rigid or other parts projecting above the net, the liability of the
balls striking thereon and the wear and tear arising to the net itself, as well as
derangement of the net retainers.
I form my net retainers of a flat flexible band passing from the ground or thereabout
up over the net, either over or under the binding, or through a slit left in the binding
or adjacent to the top of the net. At foot the band passes to and is secured by
slot, loop catch or hooked part to an anchor pin or part thrust into the ground.
The band may be made continuous by means of buckle to one end, or friction clasp or
other locking means.
The anchoring part may be a loop based on a tee head of a barbed spike or screw
spike or a split spike.
The band should be of material as little liable to variation by contraction or
extension under influence of damp or use as possible and for this purpose linen or
thread webbing will serve or band having waterproofing, and fine wire interwoven
therein, or other suitable band capable of resisting wear.
117

page_text: The height regulator I adjust from time to time by shortening or lengthening the
part projecting from the clasp or catch and I adjust by the aid of a measure which
may conveniently be a rod of normal length conformable to the current rule of the
game.
1000
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Use in Adjusting the
Height of Lawn Tennis or like Nets.
I FREDERICK HENRY AYRES of 111 Aldersgate Street in the City of London
Manufacturer, 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 :-
The invention relates to means or apparatus for use in adjusting the height of lawn
tennis nets or the like nets used in playing games.
In playing lawn tennis it is desirable to maintain a certain height of net, at present
the rule of the game as generally played prescribing three feet from the ground as the
normal height. The means at present generally employed to maintain or adjust this
height when the net is drawn up at the posts consist of looped rods of metal or slender
standards with ground prongs and top chains, catches, hooks, swivels or ties to hold
in place the top line of the net, but amongst the disadvantages of these arrangements
are the dangers of the rigid or other parts projecting above the net, the liability of the
balls striking thereon and the wear and tear arising to the net itself as well as
derangement of the net retainers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side view of the lower part of a net retainer according to my invention
applied in its simpler form.
Figure 2 is a side view thereof in part section.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the anchor alone.
Figure 4 is a view to smaller scale of parts of a net with the improved retainer
applied.
Figure 5 is a detail shewing the retainer band passing through the upper
binding.
Figure 6 is a detail shewing the band passing over the net and under the
binding.
Figure 7 shews a modification in which the buckle of the previous arrangement is
superseded by a separable connecter and adjustable tension regulator consisting of a
crossbar, chain, swivel, screw and loop taking hold on the ground anchor or this screw
adjuster may have two hooks as Fig. 15.

page_text: Figure 8 shews a side view of Figure 7.
Figure 9 shews the bar, chain, swivel, screw adjuster and loop separately.
Figure 10 shews the double pointed ground anchor separately.
Figure 11 shews the ends and middle or bend of the band with the eyelet holes for
inserting the bar.
Figure 12 shews the alternative of a jagged single spike to hold the hook of the
screw adjuster.
Figure 13 is another form of screw anchor
fastened and
which the adjuster hook may be
Figure 14 shows a general view of the whole device according to Figure 7 in
position as used on a net.
I form my net retainers of a flat flexible band a passing from the ground or there-
about up over the net b, either over (Figure 4) or under the binding (Figure 6) or
through a slit left in the binding or adjacent to the top of the net (Figure 5). At
foot the band a passes to and is secured by a slot, or loop c¹ (Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4) or it
may be a catch or hooked part to an anchor pin or part c (Figs. 7, 8, 10 & 14) thrust
into the ground represented by d. The band a may be made continuous by means of
a buckle e to one end or friction clasp or other locking means may be substituted.
The anchoring attachment part c for the band a may be a loop based on a tee head
of a barbed spike c as in Figures 1 to 4 or it may be a screw spike (Fig. 13) or a split
spike or other anchor.
The band a should be of material as little liable to variation by contraction or
extension under influence of damp or use as possible and for this purpose linen or
thread webbing will serve, or band having waterproofing, and fine wire interwoven
therein, or other suitable band capable of resisting wear.
The height regulator I adjust from time to time by shortening or lengthening the
part projecting from the clasp or catch and I adjust by the aid of a measure which
may conveniently be a rod of normal length conformable to the current rule of the
game.
In use the band a is, as arranged in Figure 14, placed in position as aforesaid the
anchor c is inserted in the ground the cross bar is inserted in the holes ff the loop g
is passed over the hook c¹ of the anchor c and then the swivel portion of the adjuster
is turned on its joint and on the screw pin g¹ of the loop g until such accurate
adjustment as is needed is attained.
Fig. 16 shews a hook c¹ applied to a weight c* to replace an inserted piece c for
asphalte or other hard courts.
From time to time this adjustment may be varied by screwing or unscrewing these
parts.
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. In means or apparatus for use in adjusting or regulating the height of a lawn
tennis or like net a band or tape applied as described and secured to an anchor piece
in or on the ground with means of regulating or adjusting the height of said net
substantially as set forth.
2. The various arrangements or combinations of apparatus for regulating the height
of a lawn tennis or other like net substantially as described.
Dated the 9th day of November 1888.