Lawn Tennis Court Measurer.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 27th Apr., 1889
Lawn Tennis Court Measurer.
JOHN HOWARD Fox Bank Inspector Court, Wellington Somerset, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A new way of measuring out a Lawn Tennis Court.
The arrangement consists of a piece of cord, twine, wire, tape, or anything of that
nature, with certain marks on it at fixed intervals, by means of which all the various
points necessary for marking out a Lawn Tennis Court can be determined.
The cord is 92, 04" long & has 3 rings attached to it, one at each end & one
36' from one of the ends. The cord has also 15 marks on it at fixed intervals, of
8 different colours.
A plan of a Lawn Tennis court will be supplied with each cord to explain the
method of using it.
The number of rings, the number of marks & the colours are optional.
The length of the cord & the intervals between the marks are not mathematically
accurate, but are approximately correct.
The right of altering the colours of the marks on the cord, or the number of the
marks, or the number of the rings, or the plan of the court shewn on the card or the
instructions on the back thereof, or (in the event of any change in the rules of Lawn
Tennis at any future date altering the size or shape of the court) the length of the
cord & the distances between the various marks, is hereby reserved, provided never-
theless that the general idea of this arrangement be adhered to.

page_text: 1. Pin down the two round rings at the points A & B: the ring fastened to the
end of the cord to be at A: so that the cord with the white marks lies along the line,
where you intend the net to be.
The 3 white marks will then give the points on the net line, where the two side lines
of the single court & the middle line cross the net.
2. Take up the ring at B & in its place pin down the square ring fastened to the
other end of the cord.
3. To find the point C take hold of the Green mark & stretch the cord tight.
4. To find the point D do the same taking hold of the Crimson mark.
5. To find the point E take hold of both the Red marks together & stretch the cord
tight & so on for all the other points.
6. When one half of the court has been done do the other half in precisely the same
way, without moving the pins at A & B.
The above are the instructions to be printed on the back of the card.
Dated this 25th day of Anril 1888.

page_text: I JOHN HOWARD Fox Court. Wellington Somerset Banker 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 :-
It is a new way of measuring out a court for playing the game called Lawn
Tennis.
My arrangement consists of a piece of cord, chain, wire, or something of that
nature, with certain marks on it at fixed intervals, by means of which all the points
necessary for marking out a Lawn Tennis Court can be determined.
The cord is 92 ft. 0 in. long & has
rings attached to it, one at each end & one
36 ft. from one end. It has also 15 distinctive marks on it which correspond with
those on the plan of the court.
The cord is shewn Fig. I & the plan of the court Fig. II.
The distances between the marks are not mathematically correct, but are sufficiently
so for practical purposes.
The length of the cord, the number of rings & marks on it & the plan of the court
are all liable to alteration should the rules of the game be so altered as to
necessitate it.
So also the number of the marks is not essential to the patent & the instructions for
using might be altered.
These alterations would not in any way be contrary to the general idea of my
arrangement.
The instructions for using are as follows:-
1. Pin down the two round rings at the points A & B (the ring at the end of the
chain to be at A) so that the chain with the white marks lies along the line, where
you intend the net to be.
2. Take up the ring at B & in its place pin down the square one.
3. To find C take hold of the crimson mark & stretch the cord tight.
4. To find D do the same. taking hold of the Green mark.
5. To find F, take hold of both the blue marks together & stretch the cord tight &
so on for any of the other points.
6. When one half of the court has been done, do the other half in the same way
without moving the pins at A & B.

page_text: A. A. 21. WILLO
ور
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said 10
Invention, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
(1) That all the necessary points are found by a system of triangles which have the
line of the net as a common base & their sides formed by a chain, cord or something
of like nature as above.
The apex of the triangle in each case gives the required point.
The requisite differences in size & shape of the triangles are got by either taking a
certain point in the whole chain as the apex, or by omitting a certain portion of the
chain & by placing the ends of the portion so omitted together to form the apex.
(2) That my measurer will not only measure out what is termed a
or double & single "courts combined but also will without any alteration measure
out a "single" court without first finding the corners of the "double" court.
Dated this 4th day of April 1889.
15
"double" court 20
JOHN HOWARD FOX,
Applicant.