Improvements in Tennis Racquets.
Year: 1896

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 25th June, 1897
Improvements in Tennis Racquets.
We ARTHUR EDWIN TRIMMINGS Bat Maker of Carnarvon Villas, Gedling in
the County of Nottinghamshire and ALFRED AUGUSTUS TRIMMINGS, Bat.
Maker of Carnarvon Villas, Gedling in the County of Nottinghamshire do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An ordinary tennis racket is made of a length or strip of ash or cane which
strip is steamed and bent in a particular shape forming a frame or hoop.
This frame or hoop is sometimes composed of one, two, three, or more strips or
lengths of wood or cane glued or cemented together shewing the separate layers on
the face and back, these strips not being visible edgewise.
A wedge or centre piece of wood or cane is then glued or cemented into the
shoulder of the frame or hoop this formes a complete tennis frame.
The frame is..
then drilled with a given number of holes. The gut is then passed through these
holes from the inside of the frame or hoop, passing over the outer edge returning
through the next hole back to the inside and so on until the net work or laceing is
formed. The handle is then worked to a convenient size and shape.
This constitutes a finished tennis racket.
Our invention consists of a central frame of fibre, horn, valconite or any other
suitable material inserted in an ordinary tennis frame or hoop.
. We take an ordinary tennis frame or hoop, cut a central opening edgewise
continuing through the shoulders and wedge.
We then proceed to insert a frame or hoop of fibre, horu, vulcouite, or any other
suitable material in this central opening and secure the same by glue or cement
allowing it to progect on the inner side of the ordinary frame or hoop sufficient to
permit holes being drilled to receive the gut. The gut is then laced from these
holes in the central frame and by this means the drilling of the ordinary frame or
hoop is dispensed with entirely, and thereby strengthens and prevents the ordinary
frame or hoop from breaking, twisting or warping.
By the insertion of this central frame or hoop of fibre, horn, vulconite, or any
other suitable material a tighter tension can be obtained without any fear of the
frame or hoop breaking, twisting or warping.
When it is required to strengthen any particular portion or part of the ordinary
frame or hoop sections only of the fibre, horn, vulconite or any other suitable
material may be inserted.
This central frame or hoop may also be used to strengthen any ordinary frame or
hoop where the ordinary stringing or lacing is required.
Dated thie Twenty-third day of June 1896
A. E. TRIMMINGS.
A. A. TRIMMINGS.

page_text: Improvements in Tennis Racquets.
We, ARTHUR EDWIN TRIMMINGS and ALFRED AUGUSTUS TRIMMINGS of
Carnarvon Villas Gedling in the County of Nottinghamshire Bat Makers 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 :-
. Our invention consists of an ordinary strip or length of ash which is made into
an ordinary tennis frame this frame is then cut edgeways through the centre
continueing through the wedge leaving an opening. We then procure a frame of
hard fibre, horn, vulcanite, or any suitable material which will resist the ordinary
stringing of a tennis bat. This central frame of hard fibre etc. is then secured, in
the opening by glue or cement & projecting on the inside of the hoop or frame
sufficient to allow holes to be drilled to receive the gut entirely dispensing with the
drilling through the hoop or frame.
The interlacing is then secured from this projection or "central frame" entirely
preventing the hoop from twisting, warping or breaking which is prevented by
the frame not being perforated.
This frame or hoop may be interlaced by allowing the projection of the
central frame to appear at the top, and at the shoulders to receive the up and
down strings.
This central frame can also be used where the ordinary drilling and stringing
is required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Improvement in tennis racquets.
2. The lacing of a tennis racquet without in any way drilling the ordinary
tennis racquet.frame.
3. The insertion of a frame of hard fibre in an opening in the edge of a hoop
or frame of an ordinary tennis racquet frame, and projecting on the inside of
the hoop or frame of the ordinary tennis racquet, from which the gut is laced,
this mode of interlacing preventing the racquet from twisting warping or breaking.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of March 1897.
A. E. TRIMMINGS,
A. A. TRIMMINGS,
Applicants.