Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1887
Complete Left, 14th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 13th Apr., 1888
I, HENRY HIBBARD of 105, Overbury Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Cricket Bat Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of the present invention is to provide a cricket or other bat, in which the
splicing canes are arranged so as to increase their strength, without interfering with
their elasticity.
The splicing canes in cricket bats are very frequently made square, and arranged
so that two of their flat surfaces are in the same plane as the two faces or flat surfaces
of the bat. Now my invention consists in placing them (when square canes are used)
so that their flat surfaces are not in the same planes as the faces of the bat. By this
means I provide the greatest width of cane where it is most required, namely, in the
direction of the strain. Each cane placed as in my improved bat, has likewise two
bearing surfaces in the direction of the pressure, whereas in the old system there is
only one.
I do not, however, limit myself to square canes as they may be of other sections,
such as triangular or hexagonal, so placed as to obtain the greatest number of bearing
surfaces in the direction of pressure.
A bat with splicing canes arranged in the manner before described, is much
stronger than those hitherto in use, and I find that its elasticity is amply sufficient
for the purpose. I do not limit my invention to cricket bats, as it may be applied
to tennis bats or rackets etcetera.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant,

page_text: I, HENRY HIBBARD of 105 Overbury Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Cricket Bat Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention 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 the present invention is to provide a cricket or other bat, in which
the splicing canes are arranged so as to increase their strength without interfering
with their elasticity.
The splicing canes in cricket bats are very frequently made square, and arranged
so that two of their flat surfaces are in the same plane as the two faces or flat surfaces
of the bat. Now my invention consists in placing them (when square canes are used)
so that their flat surfaces are not in the same planes as the faces of the bat. By this
means I provide the greatest width of cane, where it is most required, namely, in the
direction of the strain. Each cane placed as in my improved bat has likewise two
bearing surfaces in the direction of the pressure, whereas in the old system there is
only one.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawing, which is a
horizontal section through the handle of a cricket bat.
In this, A are the splicing canes arranged so that their flat surfaces are not in the
same plane as the faces of the bat B. The greatest width of cane is thus provided
where it is most required, and the centre canes have two bearing surfaces in the
direction of the pressure. I prefer to place a layer of india rubber C, or other
elastic substance between the canes. I can, if desired, place a layer of such substance
between each of the canes.
I do not limit myself to square canes, as they may be of other sections, such as
triangular, or hexagonal, so placed as to obtain the greatest number of bearing
surfaces in the direction of pressure.
A bat with splicing canes arranged in the manner before described, is much stronger
than those hitherto in use, and I find that its elasticity is amply sufficient for the
purpose. I do not limit my invention to cricket bats, as it may be applied to tennis
bats, or racquets, etcetera.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In cricket and other bats, the use of splicing canes arranged with their greatest
transverse width in the direction of the strain, substantially as described.
2. In cricket and other bats, the arrangement of splicing canos arranged diagonally
with the normal faces of the bat.