A NEW OR IMPROVED CRICKET BAT FOR LADIES' AND CHILDREN'S USE
Year: 1884

page_text: DE BOIFICATION
I WILLIAM PEACOCK of 14 Queen's Head Street, Essex Road Islington in the
County of Middlesex, Map Dissector and Publisher. do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for A NEW OR IMPROVED CRICKET BAT FOR LADIES' AND
CHILDREN'S USE 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 an improved bat (for playing cricket and other similar
games) which by its lightness is peculiarly adapted for the use of ladies and
children and the invention consists in a bat constructed of a frame of approximately
the form and dimensions of an ordinary cricket bat, upon which a gut lacing is
interlaced and distended to form the face of the bat, said lacing being preferably
bedded on an elastic fillet let into the frame which is strengthened by transverse
distance pieces and is shod with metal at the end.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a face view of the bat. Figure 2 is
a back view. Figure 3 an edge view partly in section. Figure 4 a cross section
on line 1-1 and figure 5 a cross section of one side of the frame on line 2-2.
A is the frame of wood bent to the outline shown and united to a handle. B is
the gut interlaced and distended upon said frame which is pierced with holes C to
receive the same. These holes are in a line externally but are drilled in directions
alternately parallel and inclined to the plane of the bat as shown respectively in
figures 4 and 5 in order to give the lacing an oblique direction on the inner side
of the frame as shown in figure 2 and avoid weakening the frame. d is a strip of
vulcanised indiarubber or other suitable material which may be let into a groove
in the frame and projects slightly from the face thereof for the gut lacing to bed
upon, the object being to prevent the gut cutting into the wood and to impart a
certain amount of elasticity to the lacing which forms the face of the bat, or
instead of being let into a groove the strip of elastic material may be merely laid
on the frame the lacing alone serving to hold it in its place. e are rods whose ends
are let into holes in the side bars of the frame to form struts or distance pieces to-
support the frame against the tension of the lacing. There may be any required
number of these struts. f is a metal shoe embracing the face and edge of the
rounded end of the bat to protect it and particularly the lacing, from injury by
striking the ground.
It will be observed that the lacing of this bat is distended upon or over the
frame so that the frame does not project beyond the lacing as in lawn tennis
racquets, which, in a bat of this description would be objectionable.

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 cricket bat for the use of ladies and others constructed of a frame of the
form shown having a gut or other lacing stretched over or upon it in combination
with struts or distance pieces to maintain the form of the bat substantially as
shown and described.
.
2nd A cricket bat for ladies' and childrens' use constructed of a frame of the
form shown having lacing stretched over an elastic fillet or bed on the face of the
frame and distended by struts or distance pieces substantially as shown and
described.
3rd A cricket bat for ladies' and childrens' use, constructed of a frame with
lacing stretched upon it as herein described the holes for the lacing being drilled
alternately parallel and inclined to the plane of the bat substantially as and for
the purpose specified.