An Improved Cover for the Handles of Cricket-bats, Tennis-rackets, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1891-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
An Improved Cover for the Handles of Cricket-bats, Tennis-rackets,
and the like.
1, JOSEPH CAFFAREY, of 125, Hambro Road, Streatham, in the County of Surrey,
Foreman in Rubber Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to covers for the handles of cricket bats, tennis rackets and
the like.
It has been usual to provide the handles of cricket bats, tennis rackets and the
like with covers intended to facilitate the holding thereof. These covers have been
heretofore made of india-rubber and of a cylindrical or tubular form, and are
objectionable amongst other reasons on account of the difficulty experienced in
placing them in position upon the handle of the cricket bat or other article, owing
to the necessity of the said india-rubber tube being of considerably smaller diameter
than the said handle, in order to ensure a tight grip, and obviate any twisting or
other displacement thereof when in use.
The object of my invention is to provide an india-rubber cover for the handles of
cricket-bats, tennis rackets and the like, which can be easily and expeditiously
placed in position upon the handle of the bat or other article or removed therefrom
by the user or other person.
In carrying my said invention into practice I cut or form a strip of uncured
india-rubber of any suitable width and of sufficient length to cover the handle of the
bat or other article. The said strip is preferably rounded at one extremity. This
strip is then vulcanized and a small eyelet is secured at or near the rounded
extremity or one extremity thereof. At a suitable distance from the said eyelet I
provide a stud, button hook or the like adapted to engage in the said eyelet. I
sometimes form that portion of the strip to which the above mentioned eyelet, and
the stud, button, hook or the like are secured of double thickness or I back it with
any other suitable material, or I provide other means for preventing the accidental
tearing and damage thereof.
In using my improved cover, say for example upon the handle of a cricket bat,
I place the extremity of the strip which is not provided with the eyelet, and the stud,
button, hook or the like upon the end of the handle furthest from the blade of the
bat and I wind or coil the said strip downwards towards the said blade.
When the entire strip is wound upon the said handle the lower extremity
thereof is secured in position by engaging the stud, button, hook or the like in the
eyelet.
The strip being composed of elastic material it can be stretched whilst being
wound upon the said handle thus ensuring its taking a firm grip of the latter
and obviating any chance of its twisting, turning or becoming otherwise displaced
during use.
To remove my improved cover it is only necessary to disengage the said stud,
button, hook or the like from the hereinbefore mentioned eyelet and unwind the
strip from the handle.
The said strip is preferably so wound or coiled upon the said handle that the
convolutions thereof will slightly overlap each other thus producing a series of
ridges or elevations which facilitate the holding of the said handle.
It is obvious that my improved cover can be placed in position upon the handle of
bat or other article and removed therefrom with great facility.
My improved cover is also advantageously applicable to the handles of bicycles
and other velocipedes, oars, sculls and the like.

page_text: Instead of the hereinbefore mentioned eyelet, and stud, button, hook or the like
I may employ any other suitable means for fastening or securing the free or lower
extremity of the strip or cover.
Dated this 22nd day of Sentember 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
'An Improved Cover for the Handles of Cricket-bats, Tennis-rackets,
and the like.
I, JOSEPH CAFFAREY, of 125, Hambro Road, Streatham, in the County of
Surrey, Foreman in Rubber Works, 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 covers for the handles of cricket-bats, tennis-rackets and
the like.
It has been found desirable to place upon the handles of cricket-bats, tennis-
rackets and the like, covers intended to facilitate the holding thereof. These
covers are usually made of india-rubber, and of a cylindrical or tubular form, and
in order to ensure their taking a tight grip of the handle and thus obviating any
liability to turning or other displacement thereof when in use, must be of con-
siderably smaller diameter than the said handle. It is therefore extremely difficult
without the use of a special appliance, to place such covers in position upon the
handle.
The object of my invention is to provide a cover formed of india-rubber or other
suitable material which can be easily and expeditiously placed in position upon the
handle of the bat or other article or removed therefrom, by the user or other
person and without the use of any special appliance for that purpose.
According to my said invention I provide a strip or band of india-rubber or other
suitable material of any convenient length and width in accordance with the
dimensions of the handle to be covered, and with either plain or smooth surfaces, or
having on that surface intended to be on the outside when the said strip or band is
in position upon the said handle corrugations or raised ribs, points, or the like so as
to form a rough surface and therefore enable a better grip or hold to be taken
thereof. I provide moreover at or near one extremity of the strip, band or cover
an eyelet hole and at a suitable distance therefrom in accordance with the diameter
of the handle to which it is to be applied a stud or projection adapted to engage
therein when the said strip band or cover is placed in position upon the said handle
as hereinafter described.
Instead of the hereinbefore mentioned eyelet and stud, button, hook or the like
I sometimes employ other suitable means for fastening or securing one or both
extremities of the strip or cover.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front view showing one form of the improved strip band or
cover applied to the handle of a cricket bat.
Figure 2 is a view showing in plan the said strip band or cover removed
from the handle of the bat.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 showing a portion of another form of strip
band or cover drawn to an enlarged scale.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is the cricket bat and A' is the handle thereof. B is the strip, band or
cover which is preferably formed by cutting a piece of uncured india-rubber to
the required shape and then vulcanizing it. The band strip or cover thus formed
is preferably rounded at one extremity as shown in Figures 1 and 2. C is a

page_text: small metal or other eyelet secured in the said band, strip or cover at or near
the rounded extremity or one extremity thereof. D is a metal or other stud,
button hook or the like also secured in the said band, strip or cover at a suit-
able distance from the eyelet C and adapted to engage therein. I sometimes
form that portion of the strip to which the abovementioned eyelet and the stud,
button, hook or the like are secured of double thickness or I back it with any
other suitable material, as indicated by the dotted lines at B' in Figure 2. I
may however provide other means for preventing the accidental tearing or damage
thereof.
I sometimes moreover provide upon the outer surface of the said strip band
or cover B raised or embossed points or projecting portions B2 (as shown in
Figure 3) for enabling a better grip or hold to be obtained, or I form thereon
corrugations, ribs or the like for this purpose.
In applying my improved strip band or cover to the handle A' of the cricket
bat A, the extremity of the strip band or cover B which is not provided with
the eyelet and stud, button, hook or the like is placed upon the end of the said
handle furthest from the blade of the bat, and the said strip band or cover is
folded over the said extremity and is wound or coiled upon the said handle
downwards towards the said blade.
When the entire strip is wound upon the handle the lower extremity thereof
is secured in position by passing the eyelet C over the stud, button or hook D,
the distance at which the latter is situated from the said eyelet being regulated
as before stated by the diameter of the handle.
The strip band or cover being composed of elastic material can be stretched
whilst being wound or coiled upon the said handle thus ensuring its taking a
firm grip, of the latter, and obviating any chance of its twisting, turning or
becoming otherwise displaced during use. The said strip band or cover B is
moreover preferably so wound or coiled upon the handle that the convolutions
thereof slightly overlap each other thus producing a series of ridges or elevations
(as indicated at B³ Figure 1) which further facilitate the holding of the said
handle.
To remove the strip band or cover the eyelet C is released from the stud, button
or hook D and the strip band or cover B unwound or uncoiled from the handle.
It is obvious that my improved cover can be placed in position upon the handle
of a cricket bat or other article and removed therefrom with great facility.
My improved band strip or cover is advantageously applicable to the handles of
tennis rackets, to oars, or sculls, the steering handles of velocipedes or to any article
upon which it is desirable or advantageous to form a good surface for enabling a
firm grip or hold thereof to be obtained by the person using the said article.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
:-
The improved cover for the handles of cricket-bats, tennis-rackets and other articles
substantially as hereinbefore described and for the purpose specified.
This 1at does
December 1890
JOSEPH CAFFAREY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.