Improvements in Lawn Tennis and other like Rackets or Bats.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Lawn Tennis and other like Rackets or Bats.
We, FREDERICK HENRY AYRES, of 111, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, -
Manufacturer, and GEORGE EDWARD POTTS, of 52, Grove Park Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker, in the employ of the said Frederick Henry Ayres,
do. hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of rackets for use
in playing the games of lawn tennis and the like.
The invention is designed to afford a better hold and security to the portions
of the stringing within the framing of the head of the implement and to protect
those portions especially, from the damaging effects of wet, or damp, and to aid
in the prevention of distortion of the frames of these implements, known com-
monly as warping; and to gain other advantages.
In carrying out our invention we make the frame of the head of the racket, say,
for lawn tennis, with a rebate, or recess around each outer edge, and in some cases
we carry the recess down each edge of the handle, more or less to or towards the
butt end of the same..
The holes in this frame on the inside of the head commence substantially in
one line and substantially centrally of the depth of such frame and each hole
alternately passes in an inclined direction to the opposite rebate or recess, and
alternated between these holes so passing from the inside of the frame are other
holes passing from rebate to rebate across and through the between substance, so
that in the course of the stringing the "main" is passed into an inside central
frame hole through an inclined hole to and for a short distance along the bed of
the rebate, into and through one of the cross holes to the opposite rebate, then for
a short distance along the bed of that (the rebate of the opposite face of the frame)
rebate and into and through the adjoining inclined hole and out at the next cen-
tral hole, of the inside of the racket, then across the face of the racket, where it
takes a similar course through similarly arranged holes on that part of the frame,
then back to the side first described and so on to and fro, in the usual manner
the mains crossing to form the striking faces.
The rebates are filled up to the desired contour of the finished frame around
the head, and down the handle too, if they are carried down the same, by means
of fillets, or closing strips of cane, or the like, secured therein by means of glue,
or the like, over and so as to lock in position and protect the portions of the mains
therein. Or these fillets in the rebates may be composed of celluloid or like com-.
positions united to the material of the frame by usual celluloid solution. Instead
of the rebates and fillettings occupying the displaced corner substance of the frame,
or frame and handle, they may be constituted by a groove or recess on each face of
the frame, and the inclined and cross holes pass therefrom to the central line of
the inner side of the frame and opposite recess or groove respectively, as before.

page_text: The holes or some of them may be eyeletted or defended by metal or other
strengthening material.
1
1000
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicants.
We, FREDERICK HENRY AYRES, of 111, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, and GEORGE EDWARD POTTS, of 52, Grove Park Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker, in the employ of the said Frederick Henry Ayres,
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 fol-
lowing statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of rackets for use
in playing the games of lawn tennis and the like.
The invention is designed to afford a better hold and security to the portions
of the stringing within the framing of the head of the implement and to protect
those portions especially from the damaging effects of wet, or damp, and to aid
in the prevention of distortion of the frames of these implements, known com-
monly as warping; and to gain other advantages.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shows a face view of one side of the head of a racket.
Fig. 2 shows an edge view of a portion of the frame looking from the outside.
Fig. 3 shows a corresponding view looking from the line of the stringing
towards the inner side of the frame.
Fig. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the frame on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, the
fillets or strips being omitted.
Fig. 5 is a like sectional view taken on the line 2 of Fig. 2 looking towards 1-1.
Fig. 6 is a like section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. looking towards 1--1
Fig. 7 shows a face of a piece of the frame showing method of applying stringing.
Fig. 8 shows a like view of a part of the head of the racket, showing arrangement
of the holes where strings meet and pass at such holes.
Fig. 9 shows a face view, Fig. 10 an edge view and Fig. 11 a cross sectional
view of a portion of a frame, with stringing, arranged with the inclined and cross
holes passing from a groove or recess on each face of the frame, instead of from
the rebates formed by displacing the corner substance, as in the previous figures.
In carrying out our invention we make the frame of the head of the racket, say,
for lawn tennis, with a rebate, or recess a (see Fig. 4) around each outer edge, and
in some cases we carry the recess down each edge of the handle, more or less to
or towards the butt end of the same--not shown.
The holes a a¹ in this frame on the inside of the head commence, substantially
in one line see Fig. 3 and substantially centrally of the depth of such frame and
cach hole a alternately passes in an inclined direction to the opposite rebate or
recess a, and alternated between these holes a¹ so passing from the inside of the
frame are other holes a² passing from rebate a to rebate a across and through the
between substance a³ so that in the course of the stringing the "main" is passed
into an inside central frame hole a¹ through an inclined hole to and for a short

page_text: distance along the bed of the rebate, into and through one of the cross holes a² to
the opposite rebate a then for a short distance along the bed of that (the rebate of
the opposite face of the frame) rebate and into and through the adjoining inclined
hole and out at the next central hole, of the inside of the racket, then across the
face of the racket, where it takes a similar course through similarly arranged holes
on that part of the frame, then back to the side first described and so on to and
fro, in the usual manner the mains crossing to form the striking faces.
The rebates a are filled up to the desired contour of the finished frame around
the head, and down the handle too, if they are carried down the same, by means of
fillets, or closing strips of cane, b, b, or the like, secured therein by means of glue,
or the like, over and so as to lock in position and protect the portions of the mains
therein. Or these fillets b, b, in the rebates a may be composed of celluloid or like
compositions united to the material of the frame by usual celluloid solution.
Instead of the rebates a, a, and fillettings b, b, occupying the displaced corner
substance of the frame, or frame and handle, they may be constituted by a groove
or recess c on each face of the frame, and the inclined holes a¹ and cross holes a³
pass therefrom to the central line of the inner side of the frame and opposite
recess or groove respectively as before.
The holes a¹ or some of them may be eyeletted or defended by metal or other
strengthening material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
The construction and use of lawn tennis and other like rackets or bats with the
holes for the stringing arranged in connection with rebates or grooves in the edges
or sides of the frame and closing fillets or strips so as the better to hold and
secure the locking portions of the stringing within said recesses protected from
effects of wet or damp as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated the 6th day of December 1898
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicants.