A New or Improved Game of Parlour or Table Lawn Tennis.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Game of Parlour or Table Lawn Tennis.
I CHARLES ADOLPHUS WITCHELL of Lansdown Stroud in the County of
Gloucester Solicitor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
1. It is called parlour or table lawn-tennis.
2. It is played on a right-angled platform (called "the board") which is
represented on the accompanying Sheet 1 within the space marked with the
letter A. and is raised higher than the level upon which the players stand. The
game is played with bats, balls, and a net.
3. The board is either an ordinary table (see paragraph 9, post,) or it is made of
wood or of wood and slate, and is either without joint or may be made to take to
pieces and fold on hinges. Its upper surface is smooth and is coloured green,
brown, black, or other suitable colour, and is bordered by a white line. The
courts are marked in white lines upon the board as set out on Sheet 1 aforesaid
within the space marked by the letter: A and B. The size of the surface of the
board is as follows:-For adults 8 feet by 4 feet 6 inches; for children 6 feet by
3 feet 6 inches but such dimensions are not arbitrary.
4. Attached to but detachable from the board are stays, indicated on Sheet 1 by
the heavy dotted lines from A to E and from D to E, and on the accompanying
Sheet 2 at Figure 1, the part of the stay A. K on Sheet 2 represented being
intended to be inserted into a hole at the side of the board. When the stay is
used on an ordinary table the part A K shall be replaced by an ordinary clamp
made large enough to embrace the edge of the table and working by means of a
screw. On the stay are two loops (A and E on Figure 1 of Sheet 2) and through
these cords bearing guard nets (C. C. on Sheet 1) are passed and secured. The
guard nets are intended to catch any balls which may pass over the side edges of
the board and be missed by the players.
5. Across the middle of the board is the net, marked on Sheet 1 with the double
dotted line between the points D. D; and made partly of velvet or other
ornamental material. It is hung at a suitable height between two posts which
may be detachable from the board.
6. The bats are made of wood or of other suitable material. They are of the
shape set out in Figure 2 of Sheet 2 and are 8 inches long and 4 inches broad at
the greatest diameters. But such shape and size are not arbitrary.
7. The balls are of cork or other sufficiently light and springy material and are
white.
8. The game is played either by two or by four persons, and consists of striking
a ball over the net either into one of the courts or so that it shall fall upon the
board on the side of the net opposite to the striker, as in lawn-tennis. The scoring
is the same as in lawn-tennis, except that no "fault" and no "overhand stroke
are allowed; and the server, in the act of serving, must not bring any part of his
bat over any part of his own service courts.
9. When the game is to be played on an ordinary table of a suitable size white
strips of cotton or other material, arranged in the form of the courts, are strained
over the table by means of elastic or other spring stretchers attached either to the
under edge of the table or fastened together under the table. Strips of felt or
other soft material may be secured in like manner as the white strips which
represent the boundary of the board and on the outside of the same.
The purpose

page_text: of these strings of soft material is to indicate by lessening the spring of the ball
that it has fallen outside the whole court.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of October 1891.
CHARLES A. WITCHELL,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Game of Parlour or Table Lawn Tennis.
I CHARLES ADOLPHUS WITCHELL of Lansdown Stroud in the County of
Gloucester Solicitor 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 :-
It is called parlour or table lawn-tennis.
"
It is played on a right angled platform raised higher than the level upon which
the players stand and which platform is called the "board" and may either
consist of two or more smaller boards or slates hinged together, or it may be an
ordinary square or oblong table.
The game is played with bats, balls, and a net.
If a removable board is used, the courts or spaces used in play may be marked
out in white lines upon it as on Sheet 1 lodged with the Provisional Specification
of this application. The size of the surface of the board is preferably 8 feet by
4 feet 6 inches for adults, and for children it is 6 feet by 3 feet 6 inches.
Attached to but detachable from the board are stays, indicated on Sheet 1
aforesaid by the heavy dotted lines from A to E and from D to E, and on Sheet 2
(lodged with the aforesaid Sheet 1) represented at Figure 1, the part of the
stay A, K. on Sheet 2 aforesaid represented being intended to be inserted into a
hole at the side of the board. When the stay is used on an ordinary table the
part A. K. shall be replaced by an ordinary clamp made large enough to embrace
the edge of the table and working as clamps now work by means of a screw.
In
the stay are two loops (A and E on Figure 1 of Sheet 2 aforesaid) and, through
these, cords bearing guard nets (C. C. on Sheet 1 aforesaid) are passed and
secured.
Across the middle of the board is the net, marked on Sheet 1 aforesaid with
the double dotted line between the points D. D. D, and made partly of velvet or
other ornamental material. It it hung at a suitable height between two posts
which may be detachable from the board, or may be secured by means of clamps to
the edges of a table.
The bats are either made of the same shape and materials (but of a smaller size)
as ordinary lawn-tennis bats or they may be made of wood only and of the shape
set out in Figure 2 of Sheet 2 aforesaid and made 8 inches long and 4 inches
broad at the greatest diameters; but such size is not arbitrary.
The balls are made of cork, or of elastic and are white.
The game is played either by two or by four persons and consists of striking a
ball over the net either into one of the service courts or so that it shall fall
upon the board on the side of the net opposite to the striker of the ball, as in
lawn-tennis.
over-
The scoring is the same as in lawn-tennis, except that no "fault" and no
hand stroke are allowed; and the server must not in serving bring any part of his
bat over any part of his own service courts.
When the game is played on an ordinary table, white strips of cotton, silk, or
other material, arranged in the form of the courts, are strained on the table by
means of elastic or other spring-stretchers attached either to the under edge of the
table or fastened together under the table.
A thread may be attached to the ball and to some object (such as a gaselier)

page_text: above the table, or to the net, in such a way as to allow the ball free play to
hang over the edge of the table at any point. When the ball is so attached the
guard nets are unnecessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. That the new or improved game of parlour or table lawn-tennis as described
herein is new.
Dated this Tenth day of December 1891.
CHARLES A. WITCHELL,
Applicant.