Improvements in the Handles of Cricket and Lawn-tennis Bats.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 7th Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Handles of Cricket and Lawn-tennis Bats.
We HATSELL KING and JOSEPH WAINWRIGHT both of Carlton near the City
of Melbourne in the Colony of Victoria, Cricket Bat Makers, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to construct the handles of cricket and lawn tennis
bats by a certain application of elastic materials in the said handles, whereby the
bats will give in use greater spring or elasticity and thereby better driving power
and also give a more comfortable grip by preventing the handle jarring or stinging
the hands.
And in order that this invention may be readily understood and carried into
effect we attach a sheet of drawings showing bats containing the invention which
we will proceed to describe.
In the drawings
Figure 1 represents a front elevation and
Figure 2 a side elevation of part of a bat with the handle in each case -in
longitudinal middle section.
Figure 3 represents a transverse section through the handle of a bat containing
the invention.
Like parts are marked with similar letters of reference in all the figures.
The handle is formed of a combination of a number of thin strips of india rubber,
pure or vulcanized with cane in such manner that the rubber forms an internal
spring within the handle and also in such a manner that the strength and durability
of the handle is not lessened.
A central stock of cane (having any suitable diameter) A on drawings is first
built up of cane strips glued together in the usual manner.
This stock is preferably made square (as in Figure 3) in transverse section but
other forms as circular or polygonal may be used.
Thin strips of india rubber or like elastic material are then taken and cemented
or otherwise joined longitudinally to this stock A using one or any number of strips
so as to completely encase the central stock with the rubber shown by B in
drawings. The rubber case B may extend down the whole length of the handle or
less as desired. In practice about three quarters of the length is sufficient for very
good results. The width and thickness of the rubber may be varied but usually
the strips cover each one face of the stock and are not less than one-sixteenth of an
inch in thickness.
When the rubber is not inserted the full depth of the handle the diameter of the
central stock is reduced to the depth required so as to allow for the thickness of the
rubber.
Around the rubber casing B is then attached by cement a covering of cane
strips glued together and finished off to the proper shape and thickness, shown by C
on drawings the handle being strung D on drawings and finished in the usual
manner. In a similar way an internal spring or rubber may be applied to a lawn
tennis racket.
A novel and important feature of this invention is that bats fitted with an internal
spring of the particular form described yield a better side spring and all round
spring generally than any other bats known to the inventors.
We would have it understood that variations in details may be made without
departing from the principle of this invention.

page_text: 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 :-
In the handle of a cricket or lawn tennis bat an internal spring composed of a
casing of rubber surrounding a central cane stock and suitably covered substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of Oatahan 1000
HATSELL KING.
JOSEPH WAINWRIGHT.
Abel & Imray,
Agents for the Applicants.
HATSELL KING.
JOSEPH WAINWRIGHT.
Abel & Imray,
Agents for the Applicants.