AN IMPROVED HAND GUARD FOR BATSMEN IN THE GAME OF CRICKET
Year: 1885

page_text: I JAMES JEFFERY of The Parade, Epsom in the County of Surrey, Schoolmaster
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED HAND GUARD
FOR BATSMEN IN THE GAME OF CRICKET to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a hand guard which may be applied to the handle of
a cricket bat with the object of enabling the Cricketer to dispense with the ordinary
cricketing gloves and allow him a better grip of his bať,
I may make my hand guard in one piece to protect both hands, but I now give
preference to a seperate guard for each hand. I may make the guard of leather
padded like an ordinary cricketing glove, or of india rubber and leather or any
suitable material lined with whatever substance I may in practice find most
desirable, compressed wool or horse hair for example.
I propose to provide both upper and lower guard at top and bottom with a ring
or opening, elastic or otherwise, by which it may be passed over the handle of
the bat.
To the upper guard I may also fit a piece of elastic or other material whereby
the guard may be made to shift with the hand when required in playing the ball.
In using my Invention the Cricketer will first pass the lower guard over the
handle of his bat, then the upper guard, or he may first pass his hand into this
latter and then slip it over the handle.
Thus the parts of the hand which would otherwise be exposed to a blow, from
the ball will be adequately guarded while the palm of the hand will be left free to
grasp the handle of the bat without any intervening material.

page_text: I JAMES JEFFERY of the Parade Epsom in the County of Surrey Schoolmaster,
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 :-
My Invention relates to a hand guard which I apply to the handle of a cricket t
bat with the object of enabling the cricketer to dispense with the ordinary
cricketing gloves and allow him a better grip of his bat, leaving the wrist free
from ligature or band.
It consists in providing both upper and lower guard at top and bottom with
a ring, loop or opening, elastic or otherwise, by which it may be passed over the
handle of the bat, or in the case of the upper guard be held by the finger and
thumb of the hand.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing
Figure 1 is a front view of a Guard of my invention.
Figure 2 is a view of the same as seen from above.
Figure 3 shows the method of attaching the guard to the hand.
Figure 4 illustrates the position of guards as seen from the back when applied to
handle of bat.
Figure 5 is a similar view as seen from the front.
A A¹ being the Guards,
B. B. are the elastic rings.
C. perforations in Guards.
D handle of bat.
1
In using my guard the Cricketer will first pass the lower guard A' over the
handle D of his bat, then the upper guard A, or he may first pass his hand into
this latter (as at Figure 3) and then grip the handle of the bat.
Thus, the parts of the hand which would otherwise be exposed to a blow from
the ball will be adequately guarded, while the palm of the hand will be left free to
grasp the handle of the bat without any intervening material.
I may make my hand guard in one piece to protect both hands, but I give
preference to a separate guard for each hand, as shown.
I may make the guards of leather padded like an ordinary cricketing glove, or
of india rubber and leather or any suitable material, both lined with whatever
substance I may in practice find most desirable, compressed wool or horse' hair for
example, and the loops or rings B be flat or round.
The guard may of course extend across the back of the hand and as far
along the fingers and towards the wrist as may be necessary to sufficiently protect
the hand.

page_text: I have shown a guard having india rubber tubing and perforations C, deeming
them preferable, but, as aforesaid, the guard may be of any material.
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:-
An improved hand guard for batsmen in the game of cricket, having the loops
rings or openings B substantially as described for the purpose specified.
Dated this Seventh day of May 1886.
For the Applicant,
W. E. GEDGE,
Agent.