IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO BATS FOR RACKETS, LAWN TENNIS, BADMINTON, AND LIKE GAMES.”
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Richardson, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO BATS
FOR RACKETS, LAWN TENNIS, BADMINTON, AND LIKE GAMES.”
T
1000
11
Y
1
-ለ
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Richardson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th November 1879.
HENRY RICHARDSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND RELATING TO BATS FOR RACKETS, LAWN TENNIS, BADMINTON, AND LIKE
GAMES."
My Invention relates to so constructing bats for rackets, lawn tennis, and like
games, that the stringing of such bats can be adjusted and strained to an extreme
tension when required, namely, when the stringing shall have become loose
through change of temperature, or by use, such stringing can by my Invention
be re-tightened and strained to the required tension.
Either of the three following methods will accomplish the object of my In-
vention :-
A. According to this method I use a series of rollers and tightening pegs which
I sink into the frame of the bat, preferably by means of a saw cut, which divides
the bent portion of the frame; or the frame may be formed of two vertical parallel
pieces, the rollers being placed in the saw cut, or between the parallel pieces, the
tightening pegs passing through the frame in such a manner that they can be
wound up from the outside. The rollers may be thus placed, or placed in slots, or
otherwise positioned in the frame, and are free to revolve on their axis. The
tightening pegs are provided with suitable stops, and a provision for winding or
tightening up by a key or like instrument. The rollers and tightening pegs are set
in the frame at suitable intervals all round the bat. The catgut or other stringing
commences from a tightening peg, and is laced from roller to roller horizontally,
and from roller to roller vertically in manner similar to the stringing of ordinary
tennis bats, the end of the stringing terminating in a tightening peg provided with
a stop to prevent unwinding, and a key for tightening. By winding the tightening
pegs any required tension can be put upon the stringing. The stringing is by
Do21

page_text: preference done in portions, each portion commencing and terminating upon a
tightening peg, as described.
B. According to this method I use a series of small screwed eye bolts positioned
all round the frame of the bat at suitable intervals; each screwed eyebolt is pro-
vided with an india rubber washer, metal washer, and a nut. The catgut or other
stringing is by preference cut in lengths corresponding with the widths and lengths
required to string the bat. Each length is fastened by its ends to the respective
eyebolts either by knotting, or by swelling out the ends of the gut by heat. By
tightening the screwed bolts by means of a suitable key, or pair of pliers, any
tension can be put upon the stringing, and should a string at any time break, the
same can be easily replaced. If desirous the stringing may be laced through the
eyes of the bolts in manner similar to the lacing of an ordinary bat, the eyebolts
serving the same purpose as the present holes in the bat frame.
C. According to this method I use an interior frame bored with holes corre-
sponding with the required lacing of the bat. This frame may be in one or more
pieces, and is attached to the main frame of the bat by a suitable number of screws
or bolts with nuts, by the tightening of which in a manner similar to that adopted
in method B, the two frames can be brought together and the lacing tightened.
The interior frame is by preference of metal, and the exterior frame may be
grooved to partially receive the interior frame, when the stringing of the bat is
tightened up.
My Invention further consists in substituting steel or like suitable metal for
wood in the manufacture of the frames of tennis or like bata. By preference I
make the frame of steel formed of a U section, the lacing being through holes
placed in the ordinary way; or the bat inay be laced as per method A of my
Invention, or as per method B of my Invention, or as per method C of my In-
vention. The frame may be mado of any suitable rectangular section, or tubular;
or the frame may be made of two parallel bands of steel or other motal placed
vertically together, any of the beforegoing methods of lacing being adopted. The
metal frame is attached to the handle of the bat by suitable cross bolts with
nuts, or by screws, and can be removed from the handle for the purpose of
repair.
The essential features of my Invention are, that of mechanically tightening or
straining the stringing of bats when such shall have become loose by change
of temperature, or damp, or through usage, and constructing the frames of bats
of steel or other suitable metal formed in a U or other suitable section.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Richardson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th May
1880.
HENRY RICHARDSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND RELATING TO BATS FOR RACKETS, LAWN TENNIS, BADMINTON, AND LIKE
GAMES."
My Invention relates to so constructing bats for rackets, lawn tennis, and like
games, that the stringing of such bats can be adjusted and strained to an extreme

page_text: tension, when required, namely, when the stringing shall have become loose
through change of temperature, or by use, such stringing can by my Invention
be retightened and strained to the required tension.
Either of the three following methods will accomplish the object of my In-
vention:-
A. According to this method I use a series of rollers and tightening pegs which
I sink into the frame of the bat, preferably by means of a saw cut, which divides
the bent portion of the frame; or the frame may be formed of two vertical parallel
pieces, the rollers being placed in the saw cut, or between the parallel pieces, the
tightening pegs passing through the frame in such a manner that they can be
wound up from the outside. The rollers may be thus placed, or placed in slots, or
otherwise positioned in the frame, and are free to revolve on their axis. The
tightening pegs are provided with suitable stops, and a provision for winding or
tightening up by a key or like instrument. The rollers and tightening pegs are set
in the frame at suitable intervals all round the bat. The catgut or other stringing
commences from a tightening peg, and is laced from roller to roller horizontally,
and from roller to roller vertically in manner similar to the stringing of ordinary
tennis bats, the end of the stringing terminating in a tightening peg provided with
a stop to prevent unwinding, and a key for tightening. By winding the tightening
pegs any required tension can be put upon the stringing. The stringing is by
preference done in portions, each portion commencing and terminating upon a
tightening peg, as described.
B. According to this method I use a series of small screwed eye bolts positioned
all round the frame of the bat at suitable intervals; each screwed eye bolt is
provided with an india rubber washer or a spring, a metal washer and a nut.
The catgut or other stringing is by preference cut in lengths corresponding with
the widths and lengths required to string the bat. Each length is fastened by
its ends to the respective eye bolts, either by knotting, or by swelling out the
ends of the gut by heat. By tightening the screwed bolts by means of a suitable
key or pair of pliers any tension can be put upon the stringing, and should a
string at any time break the same can be easily replaced. If desirous the
stringing may be laced through the eyes of the bolts in manner similar to the
lacing of an ordinary bat, the eyebolts serving the same purpose as the present
holes in the bat frame.
C. According to this method I use an interior frame bored with holes corre-
sponding with the required lacing of the bat. This frame may be in one or more
pieces and is attached to the main frame of the bat by a suitable number of screws
or bolts with nuts, by the tightening of which in a manner similar to that adopted
in method B, the two frames can be brought together and the lacing tightened;
the exterior frame may be grooved to partially receive the interior frame when the
stringing of the bat is tightened up.
My Invention further consists in substituting steel or like suitable metal for
wood in the manufacture of the frames of tennis or like bats. By preference
I make the frame of steel formed of U section, the lacing being through holes
placed in the ordinary way, or the bat may be laced as per method A of my
Invention, or as per method B of my Invention, or as per method C of my
Invention. The frame may be made of any suitable rectangular section, or tubular,
or the frame may be made of two parallel bands of steel or other metal placed
vertically together, any of the beforegoing methods of lacing being adopted. The
metal frame is attached to the handle of the bat by suitable cross bolts with nuts
or by screws, and can be removed from the handle for the purpose of repair.
The essential features of my Invention are that of mechanically tightening or
straining the stringing of bats when such shall have become loose by change of
temperature, or damp, or through usage, and constructing the frames of bats of
steel or other suitable metal formed in a U or other suitable section.
The beforegoing being the nature, object, and purposes of my Invention, I will
now proceed to describe the same more fully, and to particularly ascertain and

page_text: define the manner in which it shall be performed, and for that purpose I have
hereunto attached three Sheets of Drawings illustrative of my Invention marked
with Figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation. Like letters denote the same or corresponding parts throughout the
Drawings.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 14, 1B, 10, 24, 2B, 20, 2º, 2º, 34, 3B, 3º, 3º, 3º, are illustrative of
my Invention as coming under method A. According to this method I use a series
of rollers A and starting or tightening pegs B. These rollers A are let into the
frame C and also into the upper portion of the handle of the tennis bat, either
by dividing the frame C by means of a saw cut, or by forming the frame C of two
vertical parallel pieces in manner such as shown at Figures 20 and 3P. The frame
C is made of any suitable wood, or of ebonite, or of steel, or other suitable metal.
The rollers A are placed in the saw cut or between the two parallel pieces forming
the frame C. The starting or tightening pegs B pass through the frame C in such
a manner that they can be wound up from the outside by a suitable key, such as
'shown at Figures 14, 34, one end of which forms the key, and the other end the
screw driver. The rollers A are free to revolve on their axis, and the tightening
pegs B are provided with stops or locking screws a and a provision b for inserting
the key for winding, as illustrated in detail at Figures 14, 1, 1°. The stringing of
the bat which may be formed of catgut, or ordinary string, or other suitable known
material, and which is hereinafter designated as the stringing and indicated by the
letter E commences from a tightening peg B, and is laced from roller to roller A
horizontally, and from roller to roller A vertically in lengths. The ends of the
stringing E terminate at tightening pegs, such as shown at Figure 1B provided with
'n stop screw such as a, and a provision such as b to receive the key D for
tightening the stringing E by winding the same on the tightening peg B, the stop
screw a being removed before tightening and replaced after tightening. By winding
the ends of the stringing E upon the pegs B, any desired tension can be put upon
the stringing E. The stringing E is by preference done in portions, as shown at
Figure 1, each portion commencing and terminating upon a tightening peg B. The
Drawing shown at Figure 1 illustrates a bat with rollers A arranged to produce a
nine sixteenths of an inch inesh of the stringing E, as likewise the Drawing, Figure 2.
The Drawing at Figure 3 illustrates a bat with rollers A arranged to give a five
sixteenths of an inch mesh. In the bat shown at Figure the stringing E is
brought to a point, as at F, to effect the simultaneous tightening by means of the
screw bolt G and nut H, which work in the recess K in the handle J of the bat, as
shown at Figure 24. The end of the handle J is provided with a screwed metal
cap 3, so that the player can tighten up the stringing E when required by screwing
down the nut H by a suitable key. Figure 2. A modification of this simultaneous
tightening is shown at Figure 2. The ends of the stringing E are attached to the
head of the screw bolt G which works in the recess G'and which is actuated by the
milled nut H, as illustrated. A further modification of the simultaneous tightening
is shown at Figure 3 in which by winding the ends of the stringing E round the
bolt G which passes through the handle J and through the hole G', and which is
provided with a stop screw a and a provision b to receive the key for winding up
the stringing, as shown in detail Figure 3A, 3B, and 3°. In the stringing of the
bats it is sometimes necessary to have a double roller, this is effected as shown at A¹³,
Figure 2° or 3º. The handle J shown at Figure 2A may be used with any of the
bats.
Figure 4 is illustrative of my Invention as coming under method B. According
to this method I use a series of small screwed eyebolts A positioned round the
frame C and projecting through it on the inner side, not less than one quarter inch
and countersunk on the outer side, and provided with an india rubber washer or
metal spring d, a metal washer e, and a nut f, for details see Figures and 4.
The stringing E is by preference cut in lengths corresponding with the widths and
lengths required to string the bat. Each length is fastened by its ends to the
respective eyebolts A, and may be fastened thus oither at one or both ends, that is,

page_text: one end may be fastened to the frame of the bat and the other end to an eyebolt, as
shown at A, or both ends may be fastened to eyebolts, as shown at A. The
fastening may be accomplished either by knotting, twisting, or, in the case of catgut,
by swelling out the ends of the gut. By screwing down the nuts f by means of a
suitable key, such as shown at Figure 40, or a pair of pliers, the screw bolts A can
be drawn within the frame C and tension thus put upon the stringing E, as will be
understood. If desired, the stringing may be laced continuously through the
eyebolts A instead of being cut into lengths, as before mentioned.
Figure 5 is illustrativo of my Invention as coming under the method C. According
to this method I use an interior frame, band, or hoop L of cane, wood, metal, or
other suitable material, bored with holes corresponding with the required stringing E
of the bat. The frame L may be of one or more pieces, and is attached to the main
frame C by a suitable number of screws or bolts and nuts N, by the indrawing of
which the two frames C and L are brought together and the stringing E thereby
tightened. The frame C is grooved at C, as shown at Figure 54, which is a section
of the frame C, and as shown by the dotted lines C, Figure 5, to receive the frame L
when the stringing is tightened up.
Figure 5B is a side view.
Figure 5° is a front view, and
Figure 5º a section of a method of tightening the stringing E by means of levers
and screw bolts M. The stringing E is passed over the ends of the levers M, as
illustrated, the frame C being grooved at the outside at C to receive the levers M.
The stringing E is tightened by screwing down the bolts O and thereby bringing
the levers M up as will be understood. These latter methods, Figures 4, 5, 5³, show
my Invention as it may be applied to bats strung with knots, or stringing, such
as is known as the Gibralter stringing.
My Invention further consists in substituting steel or other suitable metal for
wood in the manufacture of frames of tennis or like bats. One method is illustrated
at Figure 6. This consists in forming the frame C of steel of U or other section (see
Figure 6). The stringing E is passed through holes in the frame of the bat,
preferably through eyelet holes (see Figure 6), and also through the gusset piece,
which fits between the ends of the metal frame, and which is secured in position by
screws, as shown; or the bat may be strung as per method A, B, or C, before
described, or as shown at Figure 5B; or the bat may be strung, as shown at
Figure 64, round an inner band C³ formed of wood, cane, cork, gutta percha,
leather, or other suitable material. If desired, the tightening of the stringing E
may be effected by providing screw bolts with nuts or sockets, such as i or i,
Figure 6, by the action of which the frame C³ is drawn out or expanded and the
stringing E thereby tightened.
In Figure 6B R is a filling of paper, cork, or other suitable material, which is
covered by the covering band Š; Figure 6c is a side view of Figure 6B.
In Figure 7 the bat is shown with a metal frame C composed of two vertical
parallel metal bands C², C, embracing a band or hoop of wood, cane, cork, or other
suitable material C+, see Figures 74, 7B. The bands C² are held and supported by the
stays C5, which also serve to secure the band C in position. The stringing E is
passed through the band C and also through the handle, as shown in the Drawings,
and is covered over with a band of india rubber, cloth, leather, gutta percha, or
other suitable material, which band I also employ in connection with the wooden
or ebonite frame bats.
I attach the handle to the metal frame by the method illustrated at Figure 6,
namely, by splitting the handle J and bending the split ends out so as to form a
gusset, the inside of the ends being of section to suit the metal frame which fits in
between the ends; the gusset or lower portion of the metal frame is filled in before
stringing with a gusset piece h, as before mentioned, and the handle and frame are
secured and held together by bolts and nuts, as shown at Figure 6.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 7 the ends g of the handle J and gusset
piece pass up between the vertical parallel metal bands C and are secured

page_text: thereto by the screws 1; the gusset piece h may be as shown in full lines or as
shown in dotted lines.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and purposes of
this my Invention, and shown how the same may be carried out into practical
effect, what I claim as my Invention and secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid is,-
Firstly. Constructing bats for rackets, lawn tonnis, Badminton, and like games,
so that the stringing of such bats can be tightened, adjusted, and strained to any
desired tension when they have become slack, by means of rollers, screws, levers, or
like mechanism, such as herein described and illustrated.
Secondly. Under method A I claim a bat constructed and arranged with tightening
apparatus or appliances, operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
set forth.
Thirdly. Uuder method B I claim a bat constructed and arranged with tightening
apparatus or appliances, operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
set forth.
Fourthly. Under method C I claim a bat constructed and arranged with tightening
apparatus or appliances, operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
set forth.
Fifthly. As a means for tightening the stringing of bats, the use and application
of a series of adjustable levers, as shown at Figures 5B, 5C, and 5", operating
substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Sixthly. Constructing the frames or heads of bats for rackets, lawn tennis,
Badminton, and like gaines, of steel or other metal of a U or other section, and
stringing them under any of the methods described in the beforegoing Specification
or in the usual manner.
Seventhly. Constructing the frames or heads of bats for rackets; lawn tennis,
Badminton, and like games, of steel or other suitable metal of U or other suitable
section, filled in with a band of wood, cane, cork, or other suitable material, as
herein before described, and lacing them as illustrated at Figure 6 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
Eighthly. Constructing the frames or heads of bats for rackets, lawn tennis,
Badminton, or like games of two parallel vertical bands of metal, filled in with
cork, cane, wood, or other material, as hercinbefore described and illustrated at
Figure 7 of the accompanying Drawings.
Ninthly. Constructing bats, such as are shown at Figures 6 and 7, with detachable
handles, which are attached to the heads or frames in manner such as shown and
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Richardson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One