IMPROVEMENTS IN BATS FOR LAWN TENNIS, RACKETS, AND OTHER LIKE GAMES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Watkins Trimmings, of Tufnell Park Road, in
"
the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN BATS FOR LAWN TENNIS, RACKETS, AND OTHER LIKE GAMES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Watkins Trimmings
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1880.
SAMUEL WATKINS TRIMMINGS, of Tufnell Park Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BATS FOR LAWN TENNIS, RACKETS, AND
OTHER LIKE GAMES."
The object of my Invention is to provide bats for lawn tennis, rackets, and
other like games, with means whereby the strings or guts can be tightened at
will.
For this purpose I double string either the main strings or the cross strings, or
both the main and cross strings of the bats, and I tighten these double strings as
required by twisting or coiling them.
In carrying out the Invention I lead the string through an eye in or otherwise
through or around the shank of a device, which may with advantage be in the
form of a button let into the head or other part of the bat. From this eye I carry
back the string to the point from which it started, so that the string thus becomes
double. I provide the button or other device with means by which it can be
rotated or turned on its axis, such for example as a groove in the head to receive a
screw driver. When it is required to tighten the string it suffices to give rotation
to the button, which thereby causes the two parts of the double string to coil or
twist upon each other. This tightening can be repeated from time to time as the
strings get slack from use, and if desired the player can slack the strings by the
reverse action when the play is over.
The strings are not pulled upon in any way by my method of tightening, but
simply coiled or twisted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Watkins Trimmings in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th June 1881.
SAMUEL WATKINS TRIMMINGS, of Tufnell Park Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BATS FOR LAWN TENNIS, RACKETS, AND
OTHER LIKE GAMES."
The object of my Invention is to provide bats for lawn tennis, rackets, and
other like games, with means whereby the strings or guts can be tightened at
will.
For this purpose I double string either the main strings or the cross strings, or
both the main and cross strings of the bats, and I provide the bats with means of
twisting these double strings so as to tighten them when required.
In carrying out the Invention I lead the string through eyes in or otherwise
through or around a device which may with advantage be in the form of a button
let into the head or other part of the bat. From this button or device I carry
back the string to the point from which it started, so that the string thus becomes
double. I provide the button or other device with means by which it can be
rotated or turned on its axis, such for example as holes or a groove in the head to
receive a key or a screw driver. When it is required to tighten the string it
suffices to give rotation to the button, which thereby causes the two parts of the
double string to twist upon each other. This tightening can be repeated from time
to time as the strings get slack from use, and if desired the player can slack the
strings by the reverse action when the play is over. The strings are not pulled
upon by my method of tightening, but simply twisted.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings is a face view, partly in section, and Figure 2
a view of the top or head of a lawn tennis bat provided with means of tightening
the main strings or guts according to my Invention; Figures 3 and 4 are detached
views of one of the buttons or devices by which the twisting of the strings is
effected.
a is the frame or hoop of the bat; b, b, are the main strings or guts; and
c, c, the cross strings. The main strings, except those next the sides of the bat, are
double. In the head of the bat at positions corresponding with the double strings
I form recesses or countersinks d, d, to receive buttons or devices e, e. I lead the
gut for the main string through an eye or hole f in the corresponding button, then
back through another eye or hole from which I carry back the gut to the point
from which it started, thus forming a double string. The gut lies in a groove i in
the button. The button has two other holes k, k, to receive the points 1, 1, of a key,
shewn detached in Figure 5. When it is required to tighten the double string, the
button e is rotated on its axis by means of the key, Figure 5, the effect of which
is that the two parts of the double string are twisted upon each other, and the
string is thereby tightened. The main strings marked 1, 2, 3, 4, are shewn
twisted.
Figures 6 and 7 represent another device which may be substituted for the
button e, Figures 3 and 4, but I do not think it so good. It is a shanked button
with an eye or hole in the shank for the string or gut to be led through, and a
groove in the head to enable it to be rotated by a screw driver.
Although I have shewn my Invention applied to the main strings only, it may
be applied to the cross strings also or to the cross strings only, but I do not
consider it necessary to apply it to both the main and the cross strings, and I apply
it to the main strings in preference to the cross strings. Apart from the leading of

page_text: the strings or guts through the button or device e, the stringing of the bat is the
same as in an ordinary double strung bat.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Watkins Trimmings, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
S. W. TRIMMINGS. (L.S.)