Improvements in Handles of Cricket Bats and other similar Strikers for Use in Playing Games with Balls.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Handles of Cricket Bats and other similar
Strikers for Use in Playing Games with Balls.
I FREDERICK HENRY AYRES, of 111 Aldersgate Street, in the City of
London, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of cricket-bats and
other similar strikers for use in playing games with balls and is designed to give
the handles thereof greater elasticity and freedom from "sting or unpleasant
jarring in the hands in use, without materially diminishing their strength.
"
In carrying out my invention I take square rods preferably of cane and at say
about the centre of the length of one, two, or more, of such rods I reduce each
rod in diameter clothe it with india rubber sheet, which for convenience I bind
with string either temporarily, or permanently, and then I glue, or otherwise
cement, together and around the rod or rods treated as already described, other
rods of (say) cane and then when sufficiently dried and pressed into a solid handle
the mass is turned up to form, bound and fixed in the bat or other like striking
implement as usually practised.
The part, or parts of the rod, or rods of cane, which are say rounded, or other-
wise reduced at parts in diameter, may be located at the centre of the length of
the handle, or elsewhere, or such parts may be distributed about the interior of
the handle.
Dated the 15th day of June 1894
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Handles of Cricket Bats and other similar
Strikers for Use in Playing Games with Balls.
I, FREDERICK HENRY AYRES, of 111 Aldersgate Street, in the City of
London, Manufacturer 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 :-
"
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of cricket bats and
other similar strikers for use in playing games with balls, and is designed to give
the handles thereof greater elasticity "driving power" and freedom from "sting
or unpleasant jarring in the hands in use, without materially diminishing their
strength.
In carrying out my invention I take square rods, preferably of cane, and at, say,
about the centre of the length of one, two or more of such rods I reduce each rod
in diameter, clothe it with india rubber sheet, which sheet is surfaced with fabric
to aid adherence of the glue and then I glue, or otherwise cement, together and
around the rod or rods treated as already described, other rods of (say) cane, and
then when sufficiently dried and pressed into a solid handle the mass is turned up

page_text: to form, bound and fixed in the bat or other like striking implement as usually
practised.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shows a number of rods adapted to form part of a bat handle according
to my present invention. The ends of the rods are shown broken away for the
convenience of the drawing. The rods are shown in the relative positions which
they occupy when glued or cemented together, as will be described, with the india
rubber strips.
Fig. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the rods, and strips shewn in Fig. 1, the
section being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows a rod having a strip of rubber glued to each side and Fig. 4 shows
a cross sectional view of the same.
Figs. 5 and 6 show, by front view and cross sectional view respectively, the rods
shown in Figs. 1 and 2 assembled and glued or otherwise cemented together. The
rubber strips, Figs. 3 and 4-are also shown.
Fig. 7 shows a strip of rubber separately.
Fig. 8 is a like view to Fig. 6, but with two strips of rubber added, similar to
that shown in Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 shows the component parts of my improved cricket bat handle assembled
and glued or cemented together, by a cross sectional view.
Fig. 10 shows a like view to Fig. 9 but with the superfluous wood or cane
removed.
The rod a is reduced, say about the middle of its length, as shown in Figs. 1
and 2.
A strip of rubber is then glued or otherwise cemented to each side as shown in
Figs. 3 and 4.
When the rods a, b, c, d, e are assembled and glued together, the rubber strips f
fit into recesses f' suitably formed in the rods b, c, for the purpose.
Other strips of rubber g Fig. 7 are then cemented into the grooves or
recesses g¹ g¹ thus forming a compact and elastic layer of wood and india-rubber,
as shown in section by Fig. 8. Two of these layers are then glued together and
further supplemented by other layers of cane rods h-see Fig. 9.
When sufficiently dried the mass is turned up to shape and fixed in its position.
in the bat or other like implement.
I prefer to use canvas-covered strips of india rubber for glueing or cementing
about the cane rods, or india rubber strips covered with similar fabric that will in
the manufacture be strongly embodied with the rubber, the surface of which will
give good attachment for the glue or cement.
The rods of cane may be reduced in diameter at about the middle of the length
of the handle, or elsewhere, or such reduced parts may he distributed about the
interior of the handle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The construction and arrangement or combination of parts of the handles of
cricket bats, and other similar strikers, for use in playing games with balls, so as to
attain greater elasticity and. "driving power" and avoid "stinging" or jar in the
bands, without materially diminishing their strength, by embodying india-rubber
sheet (preferably fabric coated) with the cane or wood, in the manner and for the
purpose set forth and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated the 5th day of March 1895.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.