Year: 1885

page_text: 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:-
Lawn Tennis rackets and other similar articles used in playing games wherein
wooden frames are employed subject to considerable strain are apt to become warped
or distorted or lose their correct shape and become what players call "twisted."
To prevent or remedy this, clamps or presses are used, but those at present in
use have the drawback of being unwieldy, expensive and being wanting in
portability to any convenient extent.
I construct my press or clamping means of (say) four pieces of wood, metal or
other suitable material, each pair capable of crossing one member on the other and
of locking themselves into a cross and then each cross can be placed one on each side
of a racket or article to be restrained, the outer ends of the arms at (say) eight
places-four a side-rest on the frame of the article; then a screw is passed
centrally through a hole in the junctions of the crossed arms of each piece and so
that on the screw being turned in one direction the screw passing freely through
the one cross until arrested by a shoulder engages with a thread in the lower piece
draws the whole device tightly together and with a racket between the parts it is
kept in correct form.
The holes in the crossed arms may be bushed with metal and the female screw
in the lower arm may be formed in a projecting tube which is passed into one of
the openings in the stringing and the screw on the other part then engaged there-
with, avoiding thereby much danger of fraying the stringing by the screw. The
head of the screw or thumb piece may be hinged or turn down into a recess in, or
onto the part.
In place of a screw engaging a thread in the outer arm, a slotted rod may pass
through all the arm centres and be locked by wedge.
For packing for carriage or stowage when off a racket the arms are disconnected
and placed with the screw stem parallel and if desired be placed in a suitable case
or cover.
D
LOL 1

page_text: or Bats.
I FREDERICK HENRY AYRES of 111 Aldersgate Street in the City of London
Manufacturer do bereby 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 :-
Lawn Tennis Rackets and other similar articles used in playing games with balls
or the like wherein wooden-frames. are employed are subject to considerable strain
and are apt to become warped or distorted or lose their correct shape or truth and
become what players call "twisted.".
To prevent or remedy this, clamps or presses are used, but those at present in
use have the drawback of being unwieldly, expensive and being wanting in
portability to any convenient extent or are more economically applicable where
more than one racket is to be pressed at a time..
I construct my improved press or clamping means of (say) four pieces of wood,
metal or other suitable material, each pair capable of crossing one member on the
other member and of locking themselves temporarily or of being permanently locked
into a cross or crossed side or part press and then each cross or part press can be placed
one side or part press on each side of a racket or article to be restrained in proper shape
the outer ends or edges of the sides or arms (say all round or partially around at
intervals or at (say) eight places four a side) rest on the frame of the article; then
a screw or screws passed centrally through a hole in the junctions of the crossed
arms of each piece so that the screw being turned in one direction the screw
passing freely through the one cross until arrested by a shoulder engages with a
thread in the lower piece draws the whole device tightly together and with a
racket between the parts it is kept in correct form and prevented from "twisting"
or warping.
The holes in the crossed arms may be bushed with metal and the female screw in
the lower arm may be formed in a projecting tube which is passed into one of the
openings in the stringing or it may be a plate and the screw on the other part, then
engaged therewith, the advantage however of the tubular female screw in use is
the avoidance thereby of much danger of abrading or fraying the stringing by
the screw in its passage through the stringing-The head of the screw or thumb
piece may be hinged or turn down into a recess in, or onto the part press.
In place of a screw engaging a thread in the outer arm, a slotted rod may pass
through all the arm centres and be locked by wedge driven into the slot outside of
the press.
ר .
In some cases for packing for export or for carriage or stowage when off a
racket the arms are disconnected and placed with the screw stem and parts parallel
for economy of space and if desired be placed in a suitable case or cover.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: form each one side A or B of a press for a lawn tennis racket such as indicated by
dotted lines and these two part presses A B are held together by a screw D
shewn separately by Figure 6. d being a ring handle for operating the same.
.
Figure 2 is a back view of the under or back half of the press or the side
opposite to that shewn by figure 1.
Figure 3 is an edge view of the whole press in operation with a racket C in
sectional dotted line between the parts being held or pressed.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the front part A of the press &c.
Figure 5 is a like section of the rear part B thereof.
In this inodification of the press with central screw, to tighten the parts on to
the enclosed racket the ends a² of the crossed arms a a, a¹ a engage the frame or
rim of the head of the racket whilst the plate b lies within the frame and upon or
in close proximity to the stringing and gives great support or means of retention
of shape to the racket head by its rigidity and its fitting into that frame.
T. ITS
c. c respectively indicate metal bushings to the central holes in the press parts
and c¹ the threaded parts for the screws D to engage with.
It will readily be understood that these parts of the press frame may be made to
take apart for packing if desired.
The form of telescopic or male and female screws employed for the present
central screw arrangements may be substantially like those described in the
Specification of Frank Bryan's Letters Patent dated the 15th day of April 1885
No 4659; but which screws were therein applied by him outside of the frame of
the racket instead of centrally as in my present invention.
Figure 7 shews by front view Figure 8 by back view of one half press and
Figure 9. by edge view of the whole press a modification similar in operation and
construction to the preceding except that the crossed parts a a, a' a¹ here are let
in nearly flush with a plate b the surrounding projecting edge a a of which
overlies the rim of the racket frame indicated by dotted lines C and
Figure 10 shews by a front view and Figure 11 by an underside of one half press
and Figure 12 by an edge view of the whole press another modification very
similar to the preceding one and in which the two plates or sides A. B as in
Figures 7. 8 and 9 just described are made up of two thicknesses the projecting
portion a engaging the rack frame on the face and the inner plate b the inner
walls of the frame and the stringing.
In this arrangement with wooden frames the grain of the wood is crossed
respectively in the parts a and b.
Figure 13 shews a back view and Figure 14 a side view of the very simple forin
of my invention in which the crossed parts or bars a a, al al one pair to each
side A. B of the press are drawn together by means of a screw nut f engaging the
screw D attached to the one part frame B and these bars press on and retain the
rackets between thein at their ends a² The bars may be recessed if desired inside
of the ends a² overlying the frame C as at * so as to hold out the frame against
lateral deflection as well as pressing the frame to its plane surface.
Fig. 15 shews another modification, adapted to operate in the manner just
described in which the underplate b of Fig. 1. is removed at parts leaving open
spacings h.
.
Fig. 16 shews & modification of Fig. 13 adapted to using a three armed
arrangement of crossed part presses the arms a¹ a¹ al all pressing on the racket
head sides.
Fig. 17 is another modification with four points of attachment and a holding
strap in addition to the ring d.
Fig. 18 by front view Fig. 19 by edge view and Fig. 20 by section shews a
modification of the crossed arms a a, a¹ a¹ and encircling rim plate a² with the
inner rim plate b. adapted to resist change of shape of racket head in any direction
when properly screwed thereon.
In adapting these improvements to serve for two or more rackets to be retained
in one press all that is requisite is to provide an adequate length of screws D but

page_text: it is better also to provide a middle loose piece dividing or partitioning pieces
adapted to lie between each two rackets which piece may be approximately of the
form of the part presses or of the racket head.
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. The construction and use of presses for retaining Lawn Tennis and other
Rackets or Bats in proper shape having a central screw or screws adapted to draw
together the opposite sides or parts of such presses substantially as described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. The constructions or arrangements of parts of presses or clamping means for
rackets or bats having a screw or screws or equivalent retaining and tightening
means centrally situated as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 31st day of May 1886.
Wч BROOKES & SON,
Agents for the said Frederick Henry Ayres.