IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS OR OTHER RACQUET PRESSES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, DONALD BARNS MORISON of 9 South Crescent Hartlepool in the County of
Durham Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN LAWN TENNIS OR OTHER RACQUET PRESSES to be as follows:-
The Racquet Press consists of one or more metallic frames, upon which the
racquets are held by adjustable paws or clamps, or other suitable means. The
frames may be of any suitable form: for example, the plan of the frame may be in
the form of a cross (X) having nearly equal arms. On this cross the racquet is held
by adjustable paws or other suitable means, which are at, or near, the extremity of
each arm of the cross, and which are made to grip the racquet and hold it down on
the frame, or cross, in any suitable manner and by screws or any suitable means.
The parts of each metallic frame which are in contact with the racquet placed
thereon, and to which the racquet is held by the herein before described clamps or
paws, are in the same plane; thus the racquet is kept in a fixed position, and is
prevented from twisting or warping.
Each frame may be arranged to hold a racquet on one side only, or there may be
a racquet on each of the two sides of each frame, each racquet being held to the
frame by any suitable means.
The frames may be of any suitable material, or materials, but are preferably
metallic.
To prevent injury to the racquets, those parts of the metallic or other frame upon
which the racquet rests are preferably covered with some soft material, such as felt,
or leather, as also are those parts of the clamps or paws which rest on the racquet.
Dated this eleventh day of May 1885

page_text: improveшения Mawl Асцю
I DONALD BARNS MORISON, of 9 South Crescent, Hartlepool, in the county of
Durham, Engineer, 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 improvements in lawn tennis and other racquet presses.
In carrying out the invention I construct the racquet press of a metallic or other
frame upon which the racquet is held by adjustable jaws or clamps or by other
suitable means.
The frame may be of any suitable form for example the plan of the frame may
be of the shape of a cross (X) having arms of nearly equal length. On this cross
shaped frame the racquet is held by suitable means such as adjustable jaws situated
at or near the extremity of each arm of the cross and which can be caused to grip
the racquet and hold it down on the frame or cross by means of suitable screws.
The parts or arms of the metallic frame which are in contact with the racquet
placed thereon are in the same plane and the racquet is thereby kept in a fixed
position and is prevented from becoming warped.
The frame may be arranged to hold a racquet on one side only or to hold a
racquet on each of the two sides of the frame each racquet being held to the frame
by suitable means.
To prevent injury to the racquets those parts of the metallic or other frame upon
which the racquet bears are preferably covered with some soft material such as felt
or leather as also are those parts of the clamps or jaws which bear on the racquet.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1 represents a
plan of a racquet press constructed according to my invention the frame of the same
being made of the shape of a cross, and provided with hinged jaws or clamps;
figure 2 is an elevation of the end of one of the arms of the frame with its jaw or
clamp; figure 3, is a cross section of one of the arms of the frame on line A, B, of
figure 1; figure 4, is a plan and figure 5, a side elevation of the press shewing a
racquet placed therein; figure 6, is a similar view to figure 1, but shewing the
frame of the press made rectangular in shape; figures 7, 8, and 9 are similar views
to figure 2, but shewing various modified forms of jaws or clamps suitable for use
with my improved press; figures 1 to 6 are drawn about one third full size and
'figures 7, 8 and 9 full size. Similar letters in all the figures represent similar or
corresponding parts.
Referring to figures 1 to 5, a, a, a, a, are the arms of the cross shaped frame
which by preference are formed of a T shape in cross section as shewn in figure 3
and of nearly equal length the outer ends of the arms being bent at an angle as shewn
in figure 1 ; b, b, b, b, are the jaws or clamps hinged at c, (figure 2) to the outer ends
of the arms a; d, d, d, d, are screws passing through the back part of the jaws or
clamps b, and bearing on the extreme outer ends of the arms a, the said screws
when operated by means of the fingers and thumb serving to press the jaws b, onto
the edges of the racquet as shewn in figures 4 and 5, or as shewn in dotted lines
at figure 2 to allow the jaws or clamps b, to be moved backwards on their binges
when required to release the racquet from the press; e, e, are the pieces of soft
material such as felt or leather with which the frame a, is covered at those parts

page_text: upon which the racquet bears and f, f, are the pieces of similar material with which
the parts of the jaws or clamps b, are covered which bear on the racquet.
To make use of my improved racquet press the screws d, are operated so as to
allow the jaws or clamps to be moved backwards on their hinges as shewn in
dotted lines in figure 2 and the racquet g, is then placed on the frame a, with its
edges in the clamps or jaws b, and by operating the screws d, in an opposite
direction to that just described the clamps or jaws can be brought to bear upon the
edges of the racquet with any required degree of pressure and the racquet will be
prevented from becoming warped whilst at the same time the press being light
it can conveniently be carried with the racquet therein. To remove the racquet
from the press it is simply necessary to unscrew the screws d, and again move the
jaws or clamps b, back on their hinges c.
The press shewn in figure 6, is the same in construction as that herein before
described when referring to figures 1 to 5 with the exception that the frame a, is
rectangular in plan instead of being of the shape of a cross and it therefore needs
no further description.
The jaw or clamp shewn in figure 7, is provided with a downward projection h,
bearing upon the frame a, the screw d, for operating the jaw or clamp passing
loosely through an oval shaped hole in the jaw or clamp b, so as to allow the same
a backward and forward play upon the screw d, which latter works in the frame a,
and is provided with collars i, i.
The jaw or clamp shewn in figure 8, is similar to that shewn in figure 7, except
that the downward projection h, is extended and works in a hole in the frame a,
and serves to guide the clamp or jaw b, so that it always maintain a horizontal
position; the hole in the jaw or clamp in which the plain part of the screw d,
rotates is made circular instead of oval.
Instead of employing moveable jaws or clamps b, at all of the four places on the
frame a
I can form or fit the upper part of the frame for example with two fixed
jaws having inclined under surfaces as shown in figure 9, the two lower jaws or
clamps being adjustable and of any suitable construction such as those hereinbefore
described and shown in the drawing.
The frame instead of being formed in one piece may be made in parts hinged or
fitted together so as to render the press more portable when not in use and it will
be obvious that the press is suitable for use with any racquet or bat which is liable
to become warped the shape of the frame being varied to suit the requirements of
the case.
If it is required that the press shall serve to hold a racquet on each side I form
the frame a, thereof of I shape in cross section and provide the same with two sets
of jaws or clamps.
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:
1. A racquet press constructed of a frame such as those herein described provided
with adjustable jaws or clamps or other suitable means for holding the racquet
or racquets substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawing.
2. The improved racquet presses hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawing.