and other Games.
Year: 1885

page_text: Tennis and other Games.
I FREDERICK HENRY AYRES of 111 Aldersgate Street in the City of London
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
RACKETS OR BATS FOR USE IN PLAYING LAWN TENNIS AND OTHER GAMES, to be
as follows:
The improvements relate to rackets or bats used in the game of lawn tennis and
other games, and have for their object the production of a highly efficient
implement, of great durability, strength and to afford facility for the construction of
rackets or bats of a weight adapted to any particular requirement.
In carrying out my invention I form my improved racket of sections or pieces of
cane or such like light fibrous material the abutting or adjoining sections or pieces
having the lines of the grain arranged at a different angle to each other or the
lines of the grain in certain of the pieces are arranged at different angles and the
whole is cemented together and protected from the action of damp by polish,
varnish or otherwise.
Thus, the frame of the head of the bat, or racket, is made of such sections or.
pieces of cane or like suitable material cemented together as for instance by
forming the frame of two bands of cane with the grain lengthwise extending
completely around the racket from base of handle up round the face or head and
back down to the base again, with a space between the two bands filled in with
sections or pieces of cane arranged with their grain or fibres at angles one to
another, or in series at angles, and the handle may be again overlaid with strips
of like material at different angles of grain to the grain of the other parts and
also having its own parts at such angles of grain as will give the greatest stability
and elasticity, or the whole of the head or frame and head may have its parts made
up of pieces at different angles of grain.
The handles of these improved bats or rackets also may be cut away in a
direction parallel with the face of the head and approximately centrally and be
filled in with a series of sections or pieces of cane or like suitable material cemented
together in alternate or other series of alternations of angle of fibre or grain.

page_text: The filling piece, wedge or tongue formed at the junction of the sides of the
head on its turning into, or for the formation of the commencement of the handle
may in like manner be made up of series of sections, or of pieces, of cane or like
suitable material in various angles of grain.
In the stringing of my improved racket the strings may be secured at the tongue
by means of wires locked interiorly or similarly fastened or secured.
Ordinarily it has been found to be a matter of difficulty to obtain a racket or bat
of cane for lawn tennis requirements of sufficient weight, whilst conforming to
other conditions but by my invention I am enabled to produce rackets having
suitable elasticity, great strength, durability adaptability to various modes of
stringing and other advantages whilst the weight of the whole may be adjusted to
a nicety within an amply sufficient range.

page_text: Improvements in Rackets or Bats for Use in Playing Lawn
Tennis and other Games.
I FREDERICK HENRY AYRES of 111 Aldersgate Street in the City of London
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
RACKETS OR BATS FOR USE IN PLAYING LAWN TENNIS AND OTHER GAMES and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The improvements relate to rackets or bats used in the game of lawn tennis and
other games, and have for their object the production of a highly efficient implement,
of great durability, strength and to afford facility for the construction of rackets or
bats of a weight adapted to any particular requirement also in part my object is to
further develop and improve the invention or method of construction contained in
the specification of Alfred Augustus Trimmings filed in pursuance of his application
for Patent No 14958 dated 13 November 1884.
In carrying out my invention I form my improved racket of sections or pieces
of cane or such like light fibrous material the abutting or adjoining sections or
pieces having the lines of the grain arranged at a different angle to each other
or the lines of the grain in certain of the pieces are arranged at different angles
and the whole is cemented together and protected from the action of damp by
polish, varnish or otherwise.
Thus, the frame of the head of the bat, or racket, is made of such sections or
pieces of cane or like suitable material cemented together as for instance by
forming the frame of two bands of cane with the grain lengthwise extending
completely around the racket from base of handle up round the face or head and
back down to the base again, with a space between the two bands filled in with
sections or pieces of cane arranged with their grain or fibres at angles one to
another, or in series at angles, and the handle may be again overlaid with strips of
like material at different angles of grain to the grain of the other parts and also
having its own parts at such angles of grain as will give the greatest stability and
elasticity, or the whole of the head or frame and head may have its parts made up
of pieces at different angles of grain.
The handles of these improved bats or rackets also may be cut away in a
direction parallel with the face of the head and approximately centrally and he
filled in with a series of sections or pieces of cane or like suitable material cemented
together in alternate or other series of alternations of angle of fibre or grain.
The filling piece, wedge or tongue formed at the junction of the sides of the bead
on its turning into, or for the formation of the commencement of the handle may in
like manner be made up of series of sections, or of pieces, of cane or like suitable
material in various angles of grain.
In the stringing of my improved racket the strings may be secured at the tongue
by means of wires locked interiorly or similarly fastened or secured.
Ordinarily it has been found to be a matter of difficulty to obtain a racket or bat
of cane for lawn tennis requirements of sufficient weight, whilst conforming to
other conditions but by my invention I am enabled to produce rackets having suitable

page_text: elasticity, great strength, durability, adaptability to various modes of stringing and
other advantages whilst the weight of the whole may be adjusted to a nicety
within an amply sufficient range.
The drawings annexed show by Figure 1 a face view of a lawn tennis racket
formed of sections or pieces or crossed courses or layers of cane or it may be other
light fibrous material around the racket head and down the handle A, in series,
the adjoining series of pieces or adjoining sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (or so on as the case
may be) having their lines of the grain at angles to each other.
Thus whilst the line of grain of layers 1, 3 and are supposed in the present
racket to run longitudinally of the frame and handle the fibre of layer 2 runs
diagonally across the line of fibre of layers 1, 3, and 5 and across layer 4 which
also runs diagonally across the line of fibre of layers 1, 3 and 5. The handle in
this Figure 1 is cut away in steps 6-7 to shew the line of the grain or fibre of the
crossed layers of the tongue inserted into the handle A.
Figure 2 is a side view and Figure 3 a similar side view of Figure 1 but cut
away in steps to shew the layers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the head frame B and the
direction of their fibres and also in like manner having the handle A cut away to
shew the like directions of fibre in the handle A. Figure 4 shews a section across
the handle about the middle of its length.
Figure 5 shews part of a handle having the layers alternating substantially as in
Figure 3 but with the central tongue 6-7 omitted and Figure 6 shews this more
clearly by a cross section similarly to Figure 4.
The number and order of such layers may be varied.
C is the filling piece or wedge at the junction of the sides of the head B which
may be similarly built up in layers or be of one piece.
Ď are the wires locked interiorly or fastened to retain the stringing.
E. E are the ordinary finishing layers.
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
1 make no claim separately to any invention disclosed by the specification of Alfred
Augustus Trimmings lodged in pursuance of his application for Patent No 14958
dated 13th November 1884 but what I do claim is :-
1. The manufacture and use of Lawn Tennis Rackets, or such like rackets, or bats
for playing games having their frames and handles built up of layers or pieces of
cane or other light fibrous material superposed or arranged with their fibres or grain
in crossing directions and fastened together substantially as set forth.
2. The combination or arrangement in a Lawn Tennis or such like racket or bat
for playing games of a frame and handle built up of layers or pieces of cane or
other light fibrous material superposed or arranged with their fibres or grain in
crossing directions with an inserted splice or tongue piece inserted in the handle
crosswise of the forementioned layers and all secured together as set forth.
3. The constructions of, or arrangements of parts forming, Rackets or Bats as
and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 19th day of Navamber 1985