Improvements in Cricket Bats.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 2nd June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 5th July, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cricket Bats.
I, JAMES O'CONNOR, of 34 Mark Street, Hulme, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Brass Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The object of this invention is to enable a cricket ball to be more easily and
effectually arrested or struck by providing the bat with an elastic face or covering.
For this purpose sheet india-rubber is used which is caused to adhere to the front
face of the bat by adhesive substance, and the edges of the india-rubber sheet are
turned over the edges of the bat and have slots or holes formed therethrough, corre-
sponding holes being formed in the back of the bat, to which battens or strips of
wood of suitable cross section are applied, which are provided with projections that
through the slots or holes in the india-rubber sheet and into the holes in the back of
the bat, the arrangement being such that the said battens or strips of wood are
securely attached to the back of the bat, and the india-rubber sheet is firmly held
between the said battens or strips of wood and the back of the bat.
Dated this 7th day of September 1886
pass
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I JAMES O'CONNOR of 117 Clopton street Stretford road Hulme Manchester late
34 Mark street Hulme Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Brass Finisher
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 object of this invention is to enable a cricket ball to be more easily and
effectually arrested or struck by providing the bat with an elastic face or covering.
For this purpose sheet india rubber is used. The manner in which it is applied and
securely held to the bat is hereinafter fully described.
The front face of the bat, as shown in the drawing from a to a, is indented, the
edges of the bat is likewise indented part of an inch deep to admit of the sheet
india rubber. The two back edges of the bat is grooved from the bottom to the top
of the bat to admit of the edges of the rubber and strips or batterns of wood which
hold the rubber.
The sheet india rubber is smeared with melted glue and laid into the indentation on
the front face of the bat and the edges of the rubber is laped over the edges of the bat
and enters the grooves in the back edges of the bat. The edges of the rubber is then
securely held in the grooves by forceing two strips or batterns of wood into the
grooves the strips of wood being previously covered with a coating of glue holds the
edges of the rubber firmly to the back of the bat as shown in cross section B, is
the edges of the rubber held in the grooves by C the strips or batterns of wood.
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. That by the application of the sheet india rubber to the face of the bat the
bat is thereby strengthened or made more powerfull.
2nd. The face of the bat being india rubber the wearing properties of the rubber are
more lasting or will wear longer that the wood face there will be no pieces of wood
shelling of the face of the bat.
3rd. The arrangement by which the sheet india rubber is held to the bat making
it impossible for it to come off the bat.
Dated this First day of June 1887.