IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS AND SUCH LIKE RACKETS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALFRED AUGUstus Trimmings of 78 Grove Road, Upper Holloway in the
County of Middlesex Tennis Racket Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS AND SUCH LIKE RACKETS to be as
follows:-
.
These improvements have for their object the production of a Lawn Tennis or
such like racket of improved construction so as to secure increased strength,
lightness and spring to the handle portion and generally to improve the racket
for use.
•
For this purpose I cut away or remove the interior portion of the handle parallel
with the centre line of the racket face and leaving only so much of the central
portion of the tongue or wedge piece at the base of the head of the racket as to
give sufficient holding material for the insertion and securing of the holding means
for the stringing at the tongue.
The means of holding may be wires bent over on the inside or be links locked
by another wire or other equivalent means of fastening which may be let or forced
into the material of the tongue or wedge shaped piece at the base of the racket
head.
This central space thus formed in the handle I fill up with cane, light_elastic
wood, india rubber or other suitable material, and I cement this material to the
upper and lower leaves or forks left in forming such groove, by means of glue or
other suitable cement adapted to the material used and aided if desired by the use
of pins, screws or such like connections.
These parts of the combined material forming the handle are held tightly
together in the usual manner by clamps weights and stringing or otherwise until
the whole has dried and set.
This central piece or layer of cane or other elastic material serves when properly
cemented into the parts of the racket handle to hold the tongue or wedge, the
frame and handle securely and strongly together.

page_text: I ALFRED AUGUSTUS TRIMMINGS of 78 Grove Road, Upper Holloway, in the.
County of Middlesex, Tennis Racket Maker do heroby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS AND SUCH LIKE RACKETS and in
what mannor the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
These improvements have for their object the production of a Lawn Tennis or
such like racket of improved construction so as to secure increased strength,
lightness and spring to the handle portion and generally, to improve the racket
for use.
'
Figure 1 shews a racket according to my invention adapted for playing lawn
tennis. Figure 2 shews an edge view thereof showing inserted layers of cane light
elastic wood or other elastic substance a, a¹ of suitable character spliced in the
handle A between its two outer leaves a² a³. Figure 3 shows a section of the
handle taken about the line B B of Figure 2 from the line 1. 1. to 2. 2. and about
the line CC thereof from the line 2. 2. to 3. 3. the remaining part of handle being
drawn as if seen externally.
The arrangement of the inserted wood or other material in two layers a. a, a¹ a¹,
the grain crossing in each superposed layer will be found very convenient in most
cases but this may be varied to circumstances and only one layer used or otherwise
equivalent arrangements adopted.
For this purpose I cut away or remove the interior portion of the handle A
parallel with the centre line C of the racket face and leaving only so much of the
central portion of the tongue D or wedge piece at the base of the head of the
racket as. to give sufficient holding matorial for the insertion and securing of
the holding means for the stringing at the tongue.
This means of holding may be looped or eyed wires d bent over on the inside
at or bo links locked by another wire or other equivalent means of fastening
which may be let or forced into the material of the tongue or wedge shape pieco at
the base of the racket head d¹.
This central space thus formed in the handle between the leaves a² a³, I fill up
with cane, light elastic wood india rubber or other suitablo matorial a, a¹ in layers
or a layer, and I cement this inatorial to these upper and lower leaves a³ a³ or
forks left in forming such groove, by means of glue or other suitable cement
adapted to the material used and aided if desired by the use of pins, rivets, screws
or such like connections passed through and secured into the two parts a³ a³ of the
fork and through the filling material.
These parts of the combined material a, a, a, forming the handle are held
tightly together in the usual manner by clamps weights and stringing or otherwise
until the whole has dried and set.
This central pieco or layer or central pieces or layers of cane, or other elastic
material a, a¹ serves or serve when properly cemented into the parts of the racket
handle A to hold the tongue or wedge D, the frame A' and bandle A securely and
strongly together.
"

page_text: 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
The manufacture and use of Lawn Tennis Rackets or such like rackets with
handles having the material of the interior portion of those handles cut away or
removed substantially parallel with the face of the racket and cane, light wood,
india rubber, or other suitable material inserted or spliced therein and secured
thereto by glueing or other suitable cementing aided if desired by pins, rivets,
screws or other suitable connections substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 12th day of August 1885.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the said Alfred Augustus Trimmings.