Improvements in Suspending and Tightening the Nets for Use in Lawn Tennis and Analogous Games and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Suspending and Tightening the Nets for Use in
Lawn Tennis and Analogous Games and in Apparatus therefor.
1, EDWARD BIDDELL of Orsett in the county of Essex, Land Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of suspending and tightening the
nets used for lawn tennis and other games, and to apparatus therefor, and it has for its
object the more ready and easy adjustment of the tension or height of the net.
Hitherto as far as I am aware the nets have always been adjusted and tightened
from the ends, the suspending cord or chain being continued from one side post
to the other, so that the entire weight of the not is suspended between these two
side posts.
Now according to my invention I use a stiff and rigidly fixed centre post, which
besides serving as a gauge for the proper height of the not, also provides a means
of supporting the net in the centre and allows the supporting cord or chain to be
fixed thereto, or adjusted therewith, so that the strain of the whole net is equally
divided, and consequently the power required to tighten or adjust it is reduced by
approximately one half.
My invention may be carried into effect in many ways, a fow of which I will
briefly describe as illustrating the principle of my invention, though they must not
be taken as the only ways of carrying it into practical effect.
When adjusting the net from the centre I fix the cord or wire suspending the
net, rigidly to each of the sido posts, and about a foot or eighteen inches on each
side of the exact centre of the net, I fix or connect to the suspending cord or chain
a short length of cord or chain, each of which passes round a small guide pulley
carried on the top of the rigid centre post and is adjusted and made fast thereto in any
convenient position, and in any convenient manner by cleats or otherwise. Instead of
making the ends of the supplemental cords or chains fast to the post, they may be
attached to a weight or weights, to act automatically and keep the net tight.

page_text: As a modification, the suspending cord or chain may be made fast to the rigid
centre post and each half of the net tightened or adjusted independently, by tightening
or adjusting the suspending cord or chain from each of the side posts in the usual
manner.
I do not limit myself to any particular method of fixing the rigid centre post, as
any of the well known methods of fixing the sido posts are suitable for the
purpose.
It will be obvious that with my invention all the existing fittings of a lawn
tennis net may be utilized, and that the only additional device or apparatus required
is the rigid centre post and its fittings.
D
1000
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agont,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Suspending and Tightening the Nets for Use in
Lawn Tennis and Analogous Games and in Apparatus therefor.
I, EDWARD BIDDELL, of Orsett in the County of Essex, Land Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved method of suspending and tightening the nets
used for lawn tennis and other games, and to apparatus therefore, and it has for its
object the more ready and easy adjustment of the tension of the net.
Hitherto, as far as I am aware, the nets have always been adjusted or tightened
from the ends, the suspending wire, cord, or chain being continued from one side post
to the other, so that the entire weight of the net is suspended between theso two side
posts. Now according to my invention I use a fixed centre post which besides serving
as a guage for the proper height of the net, also provides a means of supporting and
adjusting the tension of the net at the centro instead of at the ends, thus the strain of
the whole net equally divided, and consequently the power required to tighten or
adjust it is reduced by approximately one half.
The supporting cord of the net may be tightened from the centro post in many
ways, and for the purpose of making my invention fully understood I herewith append
a drawing, illustrating one method of effecting this. In this drawing Figure 1. is a
broken viow on a small scale of a net fitted with my invention. Figures 2. and 3. are
broken views in elevation showing the top part of my new centre post and the
tightening mechanism, and Figure 4. is a broken view in elevation of the foot of the
said post. Throughout these views similar parts are marked with like letters of
reference.
I fix the cord or wire X. which supports the net, rigidly to each of the side posts Z. Z.
and after cutting the top binding tape-if there be one-I pull out about eighteen
inches of the cord or wire at the exact centre of the net I pass the loop of cord or
wire over two small guide pulleys A. A mounted on the top of the centre post B, and
then round another small pulley A' mounted on a socket C, or its equivalent, adapted
to slide freely up and down on the post B. On to the post B. in a convenient position
is pivotted a hand lever D. to which is pivotted a link E, the free end of which is
hooked to adapt it to engage with a stud c. on the back of the socket . By this
device the socket C carrying the pulley A¹ may be drawn down the post B, and thus
tighten the cord or wire X. It will be seen by the arrangement of the pulleys A A
and A', the cord or wire is strained equally on each side of the centre post B. and
that the distance through which the socket C. moves is only half that of the slack of
the cord or wire to be taken up. After the cord or wire is tightened sufficiently, the
socket C is fixed to the post B by any suitable device, that illustrated in the
uccompanying drawing being the one I prefer to use on account of its simplicity. It
consists of a length of bell chain F fixed to the lower end of the socket C and passing
through a hole & in the post B. On the exit side of the holo b. is hinged a small

page_text: flap G which engages, with the links of the chain F, and so prevents it being drawn
through the hole 6 by the tension of the cord or wire X. After the cord or wire is
strained, and the socket fixed, the link E is unshipped from the stud c and folded
on the hand lever D, which is then turned to lie behind the post B as shown in dotted
lines in Figure 2. Figure 2. illustrates the position of the respective parts before
the cord supporting the net is tightened, and Figure 3 illustrates the position of
the parts after the said cord is tightened, and the hand lever and link folded to lio
behind the post B. To allow the post B to oscillate with the net when it, or the net,
is struck by the ball it is pivotted by the pin to its base B' which may be of any
suitable shape or construction.
It will be understood that the ends of the cord or wire X are fixed to the sido
post ZZ. by cleats, or any other equivalent and suitable device. By adjusting the
tension of the cord or wire carrying the net at the centre of its length, the strain
on each of the side posts is considerably lessened, and the power required to strain
the cord is reduced by nearly fifty per cent., and further by the use of the centre
post as hereinabove described, the height of the net at its centre always remains
constant.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the particular
arrangement for straining or tightening, and fixing, the cord or wire to the centre
post hereinabove described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and
modifications as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. For
instance, may draw the pulley A' down the post by a small winch handle and
drum and hold it from running back by a ratchet and pawl gear, or I may keep the
cord or wire taut by means of weights or springs acting on the socket or its
equivalent carrying the pulley A'.
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
1st. Suspending and tightening the nets used in lawn-tennis and analogous games,
as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. Adjusting the tension and height of nets used for lawn-tennis and similar
games, from a post fixed midway between the side posis, in the manner set forth.
3rd. The use of a centre post, pivoited at or about its foot, to allow it to oscillate
with the net when struck by a ball, for the purpose of tightening the cord carrying
the net, and maintaining the same at the proper height from the ground, as set
forth.
4th. In a lawn-tennis net, the combination with the two side posts to which the
ends of the supporting cord are made fast, of a centre post pivolted so as to be free to
oscillate with the net, and adapted to carry mechanism whereby the supporting cord
of the net may be tightened, and the height of the net regulated by one operation
as hereinabove set forth.
T
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71 & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.