IMPROVEMENTS IN RACKETS FOR USE IN PLAYING LAWN TENNIS AND OTHER GAMES
Year: 1884

page_text: We ARTHUR EDWIN TRIMMINGS and CHARLES GEORGE KNIGHTON both of
16 Fenchurch Street in the City of London Manufacturers do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN RACKETS FOR USE IN PLAYING
LAWN TENNIS AND OTHER GAMES to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to produce a Lawn Tennis Racket or hat or Racket
for use in playing other games, of great strength and rigidity of stringing combined
with greatly increased durability.
In stringing a Racket according to our invention we first forin suitable continuous
grooves in diagonal directions around the outer edge or circumference of the Racket
frames and perforate therein the holes through which the gut wire or other suitable
substance adapted to retain the stringing is passed. We then pass the ends of
lengths of the gut or other suitable substance along the portions of the diagonal
groove between one hole and the next, then through one hole and back through the
next leaving a loop, and so on around the frame securing the ends of the lengths of
gut or other suitable material with which these loops have been formed. We then
take the lengths of gut which are to form the network of the Racket and these we
proceed to interlace or interweave by passing them to and fro in opposite directions
over and under each other from end to end and side to side looping with the loops
of the side stringing loops (which pass through or lace through the frame of the
Racket) so as to be retained theroby.
Or the loops or retaining strings for the network of the Racket to be interlaced
with may be obtained by passing gut or wire or other suitable material around the
framework and over or around other stringing passing lengthwise around the inner
edge of such framework so as to form a series of holding or anchoring loops for
such network to be secured to, the frame being indented or grooved as may be
found desireable but in this arrangement holes through the frame can be dispensed
with.
By these means we are enabled to obtain a stringing in two main lengths without
passing these lengths through the frame or at least except at the ends to be secured
thereby dispensing with knots and undersireable projections.

page_text: We have found that great facility is afforded in stringing the "main" and
"cross" strings by reason of the loops enabling the "main" to form the longitudinal
or end to end strands or strings to be drawn through the loops from end to end
alternately and tightened up with greater ease and then the "cross" stringing to
form horizontal or cross strands or strings in like manner is strung interweaving
with the "longitudinal main," or the order of stringing the "main" and "cross
stringing may be varied.
The spaces at the ends or sides or both of the stringing can be filled in in the
usual manner by other strings.
The strings being varnished will be found to give great additional rigidity or
tension thereto.

page_text: We ARTHUR EDWIN TRIMMINGS and CHARLES GEORGE KNIGHTON both of
16 Fenchurch Street in the City of London Manufacturers do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN RACKETS FOR USE IN PLAYING
LAWN TENNIS AND OTHER GAMES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of our invention is to produce a Lawn Tennis Racket or Bat, or
Racket for use in playing other games, of great strength and rigidity of stringing,
combined with greatly increased durability.
In stringing a racket according to our invention we first form suitable continuous
grooves in diagonal directions around the outer edge or circumference of the Racket
frames and perforate therein the holes through which the gut, wire or other suitable
material adapted to retain the stringing is to be passed and secured.
We then pass the ends of lengths of gut, wire or other suitable material into and
along the portions of diagonal grooving between each hole through the framework
and the next hole therein, taking the gut or wire through the holes so as to form
loops in series for the stringing of the face of the racket to be passed to and fro
through in succession; or gut, wire or other suitable material may be passed into
the grooving and around the framework and under and so as to lock series of loops
of other gut or other material passed through the holes in the frame and leaving
loops for the stringing to engage with so as to form the face; or, the gut or
material laid around the frame in the grooving may be passed through the holes in
a series of loops and the stringing be secured to them; or this again may be varied
by passing another strand through the loops and so forming a series of other loops
to which the stringing is to be secured.
In fact the arrangement of this looping may be secured in various ways so long
as a series of loops around the frame be provided to which the stringing may be to
and fro passed around and drawn tight.
Figure 1 shews a racket, constructed, according to our invention, looking at the
face, Figure 2 shews an edge view of the frame a of the head and part of the handle b,
whilst Figure 3 is intended to indicate by an inner edge view of a portion of the
frame a and portions of the frame loops or side stringing and the stringing of the
face, how the stringing in this arrangement is secured.
c indicates stringing of gut, wire, or other suitable material passed to and from
around the frame a through the holes a' leaving loops or anchorage for the
stringing d, e, to be passed around and secured to and these loops c are locked and
held by the strand c' laid in the grooves a³. e represents a length of gut or
stringing passing from side to side forming the face by being interwoven with the
length of stringing d passed from end to end. ƒ and g represent other strings to
fill up the end portions of the face but these may be formed by the same material
as the rest of the face according to taste.

page_text: By these means we are enabled to construct a racket or bat for Lawn tennis or
other games with a tight, firm and durable stringing, having the stringing of the
face chiefly in two main lengths which are not passed through the frame, or only
passed therethrough if at all at the ends for additional security of locking of those
ends by such passage through the frame, and all projections of knots or strings aro
avoided around the frame of the head of the racket where such are undesirable and
inconvenient in play. We also find in practice that the side loops of the
stringing c afford great facility for applying and tightening the "main" and " cross
'strings d, e, which we generally apply by passing the "main" d, to form the end
to end or longitudinal strands, to and fro through the loops c³ and the inter weaving
of the cross strands c, secured to the loops c³ at the sides but this order of stringing
may be varied.
"
In order to give the strings greator rigidity, or tension, and to protect them, wo
varnish them in some cases with a suitable varnish.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
"
The herein described arrangements or combinations of parts forming rackets or
bats for playing Lawn Tennis or other games wherein the "main" and " cross
strings of gut or similar elastic stringing do not pass through the wooden frames of
the rackets or bats as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 7th day of March 1885.
WM BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane,
Agents for the said Arthur Edwin Trimmings
and Charles Goorge Knighton.