Improved Method of Suspending Lawn Tennis Nets.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1892-Accepted. 22nd Oct. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Suspending Lawn Tennis Nets.
I JAMES JOHN DAVY Lt.-Col. of Beenham Lodge Beenham in the County of
Berkshire do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
The ordinary cord supporting the net has a weight attached to each end; and,
thus weighted, is simply laid hanging over two wheels, one on each post. By my
arrangement no tightening or slackening of the cord is needed. It is retained at
the required tension by the constant automatic action of the weights in connection
with the free movement of the cord over the wheels. The posts are retained firmly
in position with very slight fixing & support, & without back stays, by the down-
ward pressure of the weights. There is no dragging of them out of the ground
as otherwise happens in the case of posts fixed without stays.
Dated this 11th dow of Anni 1902
JAS. JOHN DAVY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Suspending Lawn Tennis Nets.
I, JAMES JOHN DAVY, Lt.-Colonel, of Beenham Lodge, Beenham, in the
County of Berks 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 :-
The essence of my invention consists in the use of a weight to regulate the
tension of the cord and maintain the supports in position without any driving or
fixing of the same into the ground. The whole arrangement is clearly represented
in the accompanying drawings. The supports, which I have made of iron, have a
grooved wheel at top, and are forked at bottom into two legs, to let the weight
hang between and give lateral steadiness to the arrangement. They have also a
forked stay on the inside, working on a pin-the net hanging within the fork.
When put in position they stand thus, naturally, on four legs, which are slightly
pointed just to bite the ground. The parts of the supports being put together
with nuts & screws, they can easily be taken to pieces. The net cord is simply
laid over the wheels, and is maintained there by a weight-attached to each end
for those who don't want to have any fixture in the ground. But as a single weight
will regulate the tension of the cord as well as two, the second is dispensed with by
attaching one end of the cord to a fixture in the ground. The fixture I adopt is
of the simplest. A short iron rod-bent to a loop in the middle-is pinned into the
ground below the surface level, and the cord is hitched to the loop by a hook.
When not in use the loop lies over also below the surface level-and may be
mowed over.
The weight I employ is divided into parts for convenience of handling, one
being superposed in another, as required to bring the net to the proper tension ;-
and it is maintained thus constantly the same by the reciprocal action of the
weight & cord.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is, to have invented a superior method of suspending lawn tennis nets, the
advantages & novelties of which are
1. The net cord is, by the action of the weight; automatically maintained at the

page_text: same tension & height in spite of any tightening or slackening of the former from
the weather, temperature, use, concussion of the balls &c.
2. The supports require no fixing in the ground-they stand naturally, and,
at the same time, there is no tendency to drag together by the tightening of
the cord.
3. The whole thing can be set up or removed in a moment.
Dated this 17th day of September 1892.
J. JOHN DAVY,
Applicant.