Improvements in Posts or Supports for Lawn Tennis Nets and the like, and parts connected therewith.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 31st May, 1898-Accepted, 6th Aug., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Posts or Supports for Lawn Tennis Nets and
the like, and parts connected therewith.
We, FREDERICK HENRY AYRES, of 111, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM GEORGE THORNE, of 146, Morley Avenue, Noel Park,
Green Lanes, in the County of Middlesex, Foreman Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention is designed to improve the construction of posts or
supports for lawn tennis nets, and the like, and of the parts of the straining
and retaining mechanism connected therewith.
In carrying out our invention we form the posts of wood suitably hollowed out
to receive the interior parts, or of bamboo metal lined, or of wood and metal
combined, or of paper, half stuff, or pulp material and formed hollowed and
protected from influence of weather, or of hollow metal-preferably steel tubing.
The lower ends of the posts may be socketted and anchored to the ground in any
known or convenient manner. The upper end of the post has a cap which carries
supports for the axis of a grooved pulley over which the straining cord or line,
passes to and under a snatch pulley or equivalent device mounted on the upper
end of a rod, or stem, which reciprocates within the hollow of the post.
The cap has a groove for the line to lie in as it passes to or from the net from
the snatch block or pulley. The upper end of the rod carrying this snatch block is
provided with a notched plate and a corresponding fin or feather, interiorily of the
post, or notched fins or feathers-as the case may be-in order to preserve the
vertical position of the stem, to prevent its rotation whilst admitting of its being
At the lower end of this
raised and lowered to adjust the tension on the cord.
stem around its screw thread is a correspondingly internally threaded part carrying
a retaining disc and a bevel wheel. This bevil wheel engages the teeth, of another
bevil wheel mounted with its axis at right angles to the axis of the former and
This latter axis also carries a crank
supported in bearings attached to the post.
handle by which it is rotated in either direction so as to rotate its mated wheel
and thereby the screw threaded stem, thereby raising or lowering the snatch block
relatively to the groove on top of the stem and the pulley, so as to put tension on
the cord fixed to the post and to the net, thereby drawing the net cord to within
the post or slackening it out, as required.
The opening for the cord in top of the post is preferably covered to exclude wet
and foreign matter by means of a cover which is hinged to the cap or thimble at
the head of the post and adapted to normally lie closely covering the opening
therein, but easily raised by the rise of the snatch block stem.
This arrangement of mechanism is compact, safe and certain in action permitting
the net cord to be retained at any desired tension, whilst the details of the parts
may be varied.
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page_text: At
interiorily of the post A, and is secured there by being screwed to the side thereof
(or there may be notched fins, or feathers-as the case may be) in order to preserve
the vertical position of the stem 62, whilst it is slided to and fro in the disc d', to
prevent its rotation whilst admitting of its being raised and lowered to adjust
the tension on the cord at which passes to and around another pulley a³ on the
bracket a¹ of the cap a of the opposite post A¹ after passing through the top of
the net c. This before mentioned plate 64 also supports a fixed retaining disc d'
which forms a guide for the stem 62 and an abutment for the bevil wheel 68.
the lower end of this stem around its screw thread is a correspondingly
internally threaded part 66 and the bevil wheel 68. This bevil wheel 68 engages
the teeth of another bevil wheel 60 mounted with its axis 610 at right angles to
the axis of the former wheel 68 and supported in bearings attached to the
post A. This latter axis 610 also carries a crank handle 6" by which it is rotated
in either direction, so as to rotate its mated wheel 68 and thereby raise and lower
the screw threaded stem 62 thereby raising or lowering the pulley or block b
relatively to the groove a on top of the stem so as to put tension on the
cord a fixed to the post A at a and to the net c thereby drawing. the net
cord at to within the post or slackening it out, as required.
The opening for the cord a' in the top of the post A is preferably covered to
exclude wet and foreign matter by means of a cover a which is hinged to the cap
or thimble a at the head of the post and adapted to normally lie closely covering
the opening therein, but easily raised by the rise of the pulley or block stem.
This arrangement of mechanism is compact, safe and certain in action permitting
the net cord to be retained at any desired tension, whilst the details of the parts
may be varied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
The construction and arrangement or combination of parts of posts or supports and
parts connected therewith forming apparatus for supporting and adjusting the tension
upon the cords of lawn tennis nets and the like, substantially as shown and
dopuribed.
Dated the 28th day of May 1898.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55/56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.