An Improved Lawn-marker for Lawn Tennis, allied Games, and other purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1893-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Lawn-marker for Lawn Tennis, allied Games, and
other purposes.
I, FREDERICK SCOTT MITCHELL of 265, Stretford Road Hulme Manchester
Commercial Traveller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
A small carriage upon wheels, to be propelled by hand, or other motive power,
supporting a tank to contain a marking fluid, such as a mixture of whiting and
water, and provided with an outlet tap, through which the marking fluid is supplied,
from the aforesaid tank, into the bristles of a brush, the extremities of which come
into contact with the ground (or lawn) when in use, and are kept in regular contact
therewith, by the assistance of a spring (of any known kind), so placed as to bear
downwards upon the stock of the aforesaid brush. The brush, aforesaid, may be,
in form, either circular-having a rotary, wheel-like motion when in use,-or of
any other convenient shape, without the above named rotary motion taking
place; in either case the principle involved being the same to all intents and purposes
of this invention. The details of the principle and action of this invention are as
follows:-
When the aforesaid carriage is propelled, the marking fluid is continuously
supplied, from the contents of the tank above-named, by the simple force of
gravitation, through the aforesaid tap (which is fixed near the lower extremity of
the tank) into the centre of the aforesaid brush and thence to the extremities of the
aforesaid bristles of that brush, which are in contact with the ground (or lawn) as
aforesaid, and is thereby applied to that ground (or lawn) forming a continuous and
regular mark thereon. The aforesaid brush is fitted to movable cranks attached to
the aforesaid carriage, by which cranks the aforesaid brush may, at the will of the
operator, be raised or lowered, so that only when in direct operation need the
aforesaid brush remain in contact with the ground (or lawn). [To these cranks,
above-named, I reserve the option of attaching a lever, to bear upon the valve of
the aforesaid tap, in such a manner as to turn on the supply of the marking fluid,
aforesaid, when the brush is caused to descend into contact with the ground (or
lawn), and vice versa to stop the supply thereof when the brush be raised from
the ground, as aforesaid. This option is reserved as an alternative to the use of an
ordinary stop-cock to be worked separately by hand.]
"
When the aforesaid brush is made in a circular form (resembling a wheel with
bristles closely and regularly projecting from the circumference) it is fixed upon
an axle, which is made to revolve in sockets in the above-named cranks by the
combined action of cog-wheels, so placed, respectively, upon this axle, and upon
the axle of the aforesaid carriage-wheels, as to cause the aforesaid circular brush,
when the aforesaid carriage is propelled, to revolve in the reverse direction to that
taken by the wheels of the carriage aforesaid, thus adding to the friction between
the aforesaid brush and the ground, or lawn, over which the carriage is propelled,
as aforesaid, and causing a more definite impression to be made thereby, upon
ground of rough or uneven surface.
Dated this Fifteenth day of August 1892.

page_text: shown the raising of the brush serving to close the tap. The brush H is held
against the ground with the desired pressure by the spring F and may be lifted by
the chain E. The action of the brush in applying the marking liquid is to force it
in amongst the roots of the grass or the pores of wood, stone or other material
forming a floor and so render the marking more durable than when merely laid
lightly upon the surface as is usually the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A marker for tennis lawns or other purposes provided with a brush which
receives the marking liquid through a tap or valve from a tank or receptacle and
forces it well into the ground over which it travels substantially as described.
2. In a lawn marker for tennis or other purposes the combination with the liquid
tank or receptacle mounted upon wheels of a rotating brush which deposits the
liquid on the ground, a swinging frame or crank arms which carry the brush, a tap
or valve for delivering the liquid onto the periphery of the brush, a spring or weight
for holding it in contact with the ground, and a chain attached to it for lifting it
out of contact with the ground and at the same time closing the tap or valve
substantially as described.
3. A marker for tennis lawns or other purposes having the several parts
combined and arranged substantially as described and shown with reference to
Figs. 1 to 4 or to Figs. 5 and 6.
Dated this 16th day of May 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.