IMPROVE- MENTS IN CRICKET BATS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL DIECIFICATION.
I, HENRY COVIL CRAWFORD of Plumstead in the County of Kent, Cricket Bat
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CRICKET BATS" to be as follows: —
The object of this Invention is to give great flexibility to the handle and to
the blade of bat, so that from whichever part of the blade the ball is struck,
whether by the face of blade as in "driving" or by the edge of blade, the elasticity
of the bat causes a better blow to be delivered and also prevents the concussion
stinging or jarring the hand, as happens with the bats now in use. A ball will be
sent a much greater distance and with more ease, when struck with this bat than
with any other. Other advantages are that the bat constructed according to this
my Invention is more effective and will last much longer than those now in use
and the handle of my bat is much less liable to be broken than the ordinary bat
handles.
This my Invention refers to improvements in the construction of the handles of
cricket bats and consists, essentially, of the insertion of vulcanised india rubber
into the handle from the top of said handle to the level of the shoulder of the bat,
in the following manner :-
In a bat handle as ordinarily made I cause, before binding, two cuts to be made
longitudinally from top of handle to level of shoulder of bat. These cuts cross
one another at right angles and divide the handle into four segments; I then take
two strips of vulcanised india rubber about the same width as the diameter of the
handle of bat, and with said india-rubber cover the sides of two opposite segments
of the handle the full length of the cuts; I then press the four segments of the
handle together and bind same in the ordinary manner, thus each aforesaid
segment of handle will be wedged into a cushion of india-rubber and the advan-
tages above referred to obtained.
I am well aware that india-rubber has been previously applied to cricket bats
but not in the manner above described.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, HENRY COVIL CRAWFORD, of Plumstead, in the county of Kent, Cricket Bat
Manufacturer, do hereby declaro the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CRICKET BATS," and in what manner the same is to bo performed;
to be particularly described & ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference!
marked thereon; that is to say:—
Tho object of this Invention is to give great flexibility to the handle and to
the blade of bat, so that from whichever part of the blade the ball is struck,
whether by the face of blade, or by the edge of blade, the elasticity of the bat
causes a better blow to be delivered, and also prevents the concussion stinging or
jarring the hand, as happens with the bats now in use. A ball will be sent
a much greater distance, and with more ease whon struck with this bat, than with
any other.
Other advantages are that the bat constructed according to this my invention,
is more effective, and will last much longer than those now in use, and the
handle of my bat is much less liable to be broken than the ordinary bat handles.
This my invention refers to improvements in the construction of the handles of
cricket bats, and consists essentially of the insertion of vulcanised india rubber into
the handle, from the top of said handle to the level of the shoulder of the bat, in
the following manner :-
In a bat handle as ordinarily made I cause, before binding, cuts to be made
longitudinally from top of handlo to level of shoulder of bat, these cuts cross one
another, and divide the handle into segments. I then take strips of vulcanised
india rubber, about the same width as the diameter of the handle of bat, and with
said india-rubber cover the sides of opposite segments of the handle the full length
of the cuts. I then press the segments of the handle together, and bind same in the
ordinary manner; thus each aforesaid segment of handle will be wedged into a
cushion of india rubber, and the advantages above referred to obtained.
I am well aware that india rubber in the form of a flat longitudinal strip has
been previously applied to the handles of cricket bats, giving a spring only to
the face of the blade, but to the best of my knowledge and belief not in the
manner herein set forth.
And in order that this my invention may be fully understood reference is had to
the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shews my bat handle before it is bound; a a boing the strips of india
rubber placed in the cuts running the length of handle.
Figure 2 shews my bat handle bound.
Figures 3 & 4 are views of my bat handle with one of aforesaid segments
removed, shewing the manner in which the india rubber a is inserted into the
handle.
Though I have illustrated, my bat handle in the accompanying drawings divided
into 4 segments with consequently but, two strips of india-rubber inserted, I wish
it to bo understood that, in accordance with this my invention, bat handles may
bo constructed divided into any number of segments, and containing any number
of strips of india rubber.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
.
The construction of cricket bats with india-rubber strips inserted in the
handles thereof, in the manner herein particularly set forth and for the purposes
described.