IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS BATS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Charles Powell of The Sanctuary Westminster
London and Frederick Thompson of 72 Sancroft Street Kennington Cross
in the County of Surrey for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN
TENNIS BATS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said Richard Charles Powell
and Frederick Thompson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 7th March 1883.
:
RICHARD CHARLES POWELL of The Sanctuary Westminster London and
FREDERICK THOMPSON of 72 Sancroft Street Kennington Cross in the county of
Surrey IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS BATS
Our invention relates to improvements in Lawn Tennis Bats & consists of a
simple method of tightening up the Cat cut web, or mesh, when from any cause
the same shall have become loosened or vice versa. To accomplish this we stretch
across the base of the web a thin plate made of any suitable metal, such plate
being perforated with holes, which are countersunk on either side, through these
holes the longetudinal strings of Cat-cut are laced, their ends being fastened to the
outside of the hoop containing the web or mesh in the usual manner. Through
the centre of the metal plate or on either side of it, one or more square headed or
round bolts are passed, one end of such bolt or bolts being cup headed or riveted
over the metal plate, the other end being screwed into the wood handle, or into
a nut or nuts provided for the purpose, let into the wood, and fixed rigidly Upon
turning round the bolts, by a spanner, or in any other convenient way, the metal
plate is drawn down towards the stock or handle, & the web or mesh tightened or
vice versa We sometimes tap the bolt or bolts into the metal plate instead of
into the wood-stock, nut or nuts fixed therein

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Charles Powell and Frederick Thompson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 3rd September 1883.
-J
RICHARD CHARLES POWELL of The Sanctuary Westminster London and
FREDERICK THOMPSON of 72 Sancroft Street Kennington Cross in the County of
Surrey IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS BATS
Our Invention relates to improvements in Lawn Tennis Bats and consists of a
simple method, of tightening up the catgut web, or mesh; when from any cause
the same shall have become loosened, or vice versa. To accomplish this, we stretch
across the base of the web a thin plate made of any suitable metal, such plate
being perforated with holes, which are countersunk on either side, through these
holes the longitudinal strings of catgut are laced, their ends being fastened to the
outside of the hoop, containing the web, or mesh, in the usual manner. Through
the centre of the metal plate, or on either side of it, one or more square headed, or
round bolts are passed; one end of such bolt or bolts being cupheaded; or rivetted
over the metal plate, the other end being screwed into the wood-handle, or into a
nut, or nuts provided for the purpose, let into the wood, and fixed rigidly. Upon
turning round the bolt, or bolts, by a spanner or in any other convenient manner.
the metal plate is drawn down towards the stock, or handle, and the web or mesh
tightened, or loosened. We sometimes tap the bolt, or bolts, into the metal plate,
instead of into the wood stock, or nut or nuts fixed therein.
Having now generally described our invention, we will do so more fully by
means of the drawing annexed. Fig 1, Shews our improved method of tightening
or loosening the web, or mesh, applied to an ordinary lawn Tennis bat. A is the
metal plate referred to through holes in which the longitudinal strings of catgut B
are laced; the holes are carefully countersunk, so that no cutting, or abrasion of
the gut may take place. (see enlarged section at fig 3) and the end of the strings,
are fastened to the rim of the bat in the usual manner: C is the bolt, which is
screwed into the wooden stock at D, and which passes through the centre of the
metal plate, when a spanner is applied to the bolt C; the metal plate can he
drawn down, and the strings tightened, or upon turning the spanner the reverse
way the web can be loosened. Fig 2. shews a modification of our invention. in
which two bolts are employed, to draw down or release the metallic plate A. Fig 3,
is an enlarged view shewing how the holes in the metal plate are countersunk, the
way in which we secure the bolt to the metal plate, and also the bolt C. passing
through a metal nut screwed into the stock. We can also secure the nut, as shewn
at Fig. 4. An oblong shaped hole E, is made in the stock, of just sufficient size,
to hold the nut, intended to be used, and prevent it turning round, upon turning
the bolt C by means of the spanner, the metal bar A, is drawn down or released;
In Fig 5 the bolt C, is tapped into the metal plate A
Having now described our Improvements, to the best of our ability, we wish it
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details described herein,
since they can be varied to suit differing forms. of..bats, without departing from
our invention, we are aware that there are methods in existence for tightening up
the mesh of lawn tennis bats, and to these we lay no claim, What we consider as
original, and desire to have secured to us by letters patent is,
The combination in a Lawn Tennis Bat, of a metal bar through which are laced
the longitudinal strings, or gut forming the mesh, such bar being drawn down, or
released by means of a bolt screwed into the stock, or by one or more bolts, and

page_text: nuts; the nut being screwed into the stock, or sunk into the wood work, of which
it is composed substantially, as and for the purposes, and in the way and manner
described herein
In Witness whereof we the said Richard Charles Powell and Frederick
Thompson have hereunto set our hands and seals this twenty ninth day of August
in the year of Our Lord 1883.
Witness
PERCY T HEDGES.
21 Finsbury Pavt EC.
RICHARD CHARLES POWELL (L.B.)
FREDERICK THOMPSON
(LS)