An Improved Bat for Lawn Tennis, Racket, Cricket, and similar Games.
Year: 1885

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bat for Lawn Tennis, Racket, Cricket, and similar
Games.
I, RICHARD GEORGE OWEN, of N° 40, Warwick Road, Earl's Court, South
Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby declare the, nature
of my invention for AN IMPROVED BAT FOR LAWN. TENNIS RACKET, CRICKET
AND SIMILAR GAMES, to be as follows:-
The tennis bats at present in use are made of wood with a net work of cat-gut
strings occupying the open space of the loop or frame.
In my improved bat I construct the frame or loop of curved metal, by preference
steel, somewhat similar in shape to that used in the rim of a wire bicycle wheel
which is usually semicircular U or V shaped in section the cavity being placed
outwards.
In my improved bat I use, by preference, an oval metal rim more like the
letter O in section, but having at its outward edge a slot or opening to allow of
the strings being inserted.
Suitable holes are punched on the inner side of the rim through which the
strings pass.
In lieu of cat-gut strings, I use in some cases steel or metal wires either straight
or twisted spiral fashion, or undulated so as to give increased elasticity.
The handles of my improved bats are by preference of wood, or may be formed
by continuing the metal rim to the length required and padding or covering the
same with wood, leather, india-rubber or other material to the required size.
I wish it to be understood that I claim also the application of my improved
method of making bats to Racket, Cricket, and any other description of bat.
By the above improvements I obtain the following advantages, viz:
1. A smaller neater rim which cannot warp.
2. Less weight than wood with greater durability.
3. Better play, with greater accuracy especially in "cutting” strokes.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bat for Lawn Tennis, Racket, Cricket, and similar
Games.
I, RICHARD GEORGE OWEN of 40 Warwick Road Earl's Court, West Kensington,
in the County of Middlesex Civil 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:-
In my improved Bats I construct the frame or loop of curved metal, forming a
hollow tubular rim, which rim I make preferably of steel or of steel plated with
nickel, or of brass or enamelled iron, or other suitable metallic substance, coated
or finished in various ways.
The section of the rim somewhat resembles that of a bicycle wheel having a
rounded semicircular end which is pierced with holes for inserting the strings or
wires, and the sides or wings being either short and parallel to each other as in a
bicycle rim, or bent so as to converge together at a short distance until they nearly
meet,
I do not however confine myself to this or any other special section of rim.
In lieu of the ordinary cat gut strings, I use in some cases wires of steel or
other metal, or small hollow tubes, such wires or tubes being plated coated or
finished as before stated to correspond with the rim, and either straight, or twisted
spiral fashion, or undulated, so as to give increased elasticity.
The bandles of my improved bats are made by preference of wood, to which the
ends of the metal rims are firmly attached, or may be formed by continuing the
metal rims to the length required and covering or padding them with wood,
leather, india-rubber or other suitable material, to the required size.
My improved bats are applicable to Racket, Cricket or any other descriptions of
bats used for striking a ball.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1. shows a Lawn Tennis Bat constructed entirely of metal.
Fig. 2. shows a Cricket Bat, with metal frame spliced on to a wooden handle.
Fig. 3. shows a metal cap designed to form the end of the metal handles as used
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4. shows a section of the metal rim as designed for Tennis bats.
Fig. 5. shows a Lacrosse Bat constructed of metal according to my system,
Fig. 6. shows a side view of the bat in Fig. 1.
By the foregoing improvements I obtain the following advantages.
1. A smaller neater rim, which will not warp and requires no pressing or
clamping to keep it in proper form.
2. A bat lighter or equally light with wood, and having greater strength and,
durability with less aerial resistance.
3. More accurate results in playing, as owing to the smallness of the rim,
"cutting strokes " or screws are far easier to make successfully.
"
"
T

page_text: 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 bat suitable for Tennis, Cricket or other purposes constructed wholly or
chiefly of metal as herein described.
2. A hollow metallic rim for Tennis and other Bats, with or without metallic
wires, as herein explained and set forth.
3. The application of straight coiled or undulated metallic wires or tubes to the
construction of Bats, in lieu of catgut strings as herein described.
Dated this 90th dow of Anzil 1906
S. S. BROMHEAD,
Agent.