IMPROVEMENTS IN CRICKET BAT HANDLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN CRICKET BAT HANDLES A communication to
him from abroad by James Chalmers Brodie of Port Augusta in the Province
of South Australia, Gentleman.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th November 1882.
IN
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS
CRICKET BAT HANDLES," a communication to me from abroad by James Chalmers
Brodie of Port Augusta in the Province of South Australia, Gentleman,
The invention consists of new methods for making cricket or other bat handles
springy and so increasing their driving power at less cost than the spring handle
bats ordinarily in use.
The manner in which the invention is performed is as follows but of course it
can be varied in detail according to the degree of elasticity which may be required.
When making or treating a cricket bat with the handle in one piece the weight
of the solid handle is to be reduced by making it hollow, the hollow being filled
with cork or some light material. The weight when so constructed will not
exceed that of an ordinary spring handle bat and the cost be considerably reduced.
The handle is to be made of springy hard wood such as American or English
hickory or ash and the weight reduced by boring with a 3 or 7 inch auger down
the centre of handle as far as may be necessary; the handle is well fitted and
glued in the pod. To increase the spring if necessary, a half inch auger hole is
made in the side of the handle immediately above the pod and another similar
perforation say from one to six inches up the handle of the bat and the intervening
timber is removed. To prevent sound the cavity is filled up with cork or some
light and pliant material which will not sensibly increase the weight, or interfere
with the springiness of the handle. To give the handle still greater spring if
necessary a small piece say from 1/2" to 3 inches may be removed from the back of
the handle commencing from immediately above the shoulder of the bat and a
Prins C31

page_text: metal or wooden spring may be inserted, such as a V or spiral spring of steel or other
means for reducing the weight and increasing the springiness of such handles may
be adopted to suit the style of any player.
For improvements for treating any bat from the common bat made all in one
pieco, to the very best spring handled bat consist in inserting a piece of solid hickory
or any other hard and springy substance such as a steel tube so as to strengthen
the handle and if necessary increase its elasticity and driving power-the elasticity
to be determined according to the style of the player, a hard hitter requiring only
sufficient spring in the handle to prevent a jar and for one who simply guards his
wicket or cuts and slips the spring may be very much increased. In this form of
bat the hickory is inserted in the centre of the handle from 4" to 6 inches from the
top of the handle to say from 4" to 6 inches into the pod the upper end of the
handle being filled up with cork or other light material so as to maintain the balance
of the bat without materially increasing the weight.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd May 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS. IN
CRICKET BAT HANDLES," a communication to me from abroad by James Chalmers
Brodie of Port Augusta in the Province of South Australia, Gentleman,
The invention consists of a new method of making cricket bat handles springy
and so increasing their driving power at much less cost than the spring handles bats
ordinarily in use.
The drawings deposited herewith show samples of cricket bats and illustrate the
manner in which the invention is applied, but of course it can be used in other
ways and according to the degrees of elasticity which may be required.
Drawing No 1 shows a bat with the handle in one piece. It will be seen
however that the weight of the solid handle is reduced by it being made hollow
and the hollow being filled with cork or some light material. The weight altogether
will not exceed that of an ordinary spring handle bat and the cost thereof is reduced
at least one half.
The handle is to be made of springy hard wood such as American or English
hickory or ash. The weight is reduced by boring with or auger down the
centre of handle as far as may be necessary and the handle is well fitted and glued
in the pod. To increase the spring if necessary a half inch auger hole is made in
the side of the handle immediately above the pod and another similar perforation
say from one to six inches up the handle of the bat and the intervening timber is
removed. To prevent sound the cavity is filled up with cork or some light and
pliant material so as not to increase the weight or interfere with the springiness of
the handle. To give the handle still greater spring if necessary a small piece say
from "to 3 inches may be removed from the back of the handle as in drawing No 2
commencing from immediately above the shoulder of the bat and something of a
springy nature may be inserted such as a V or spiral spring of steel. The variety
of plans of reducing the weight and increasing the springiness of such handles may
be indefinitely multiplied and so reduced or intensified to suit the style of any
player.
Drawing N° 3 illustrates the plan of improving and strengthening any bat from
the common bat all in one piece to the very best spring handle bat by inserting a
piece of solid hickory or any other such hard and springy substances so as to
strengthen the handle and if necessary increase its elasticity and driving power-the
elasticity to be determined according to the style of the player-a hard hitter
requiring only sufficient spring in the handle to prevent a jar, and for one who
simply guards his wicket or cuts and slips the spring may be very much increased
without detriment to its durability. In this bat the hickory is inserted in the centre
of the handle from 4 to 6 inches from the top of the handle to say from 4 to 6
inches into the pod, the upper end of the handle being filled up with cork or other
light material so as to maintain the balance of the bat without materially increasing
the weight.
Another method of making cricket bats springy is to make the pod or blade
hollow and either to leave it so or to fill it with some springy material such as cork.
In order to produce such hollow I make the bat on two pieces-a front and a back
piece. In the latter of these I make a recess which forms the hollow just referred
to. I then join the two halves together by means of nails, screws, glue or other
adhesive substance either combined or alone. I prefer first to make the bat of solid

page_text: i
wood, then to cut it into two pieces and then to make the hollow or recess but
it may be made of two pieces in the first instance if so preferred. In the sketch
in drawing N° 4 A and B are the two parts of the bat and C the recess.
CLAIMS:
1st. The method of making the spring handle of a cricket bat in one piece
substantially as shown in drawing N° 1.
2nd. The method of increasing the spring of a cricket bat by cutting the handle
substantially as shown in drawing No 2 and inserting or not as circumstances may
require a steel or other spring or piece of elastic material.
3rd. The method of giving additional spring to a cricket bat by the insertion of a
piece of hickory, ash or other springy wood down the centre of the handle into the
pod of the bat substantially as shown in drawing N° 3.
4th. The manufacture of cricket bats with a hollow pod or blade such hollow
being either left empty or filled with some springy material substantially as herein
described and explained.
V
In witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 23rd day of May A.D. 1883.
H. J. HADDAN (LS.)