IMPROVEMENTS IN CRICKET BATS to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: We, GEORGE PALMER MILNES, Bat Maker, GEORGE JAMES HILDRED, Musical.
Instrument Dealer, and HENRY EDWARD HILDRED, Musical Instrument Dealer,
all of 6 Market Place, Boston, county of Lincoln, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CRICKET BATS to be as follows :-
"
The present invention relates to improvements in the construction of the blade
and handle of cricket bats, the principal objects being to decrease the weight of
such bats while materially increasing their driving power; and also to prevent the
jarring of the bat when struck being communicated to the hands of the batsman.
The blade is made of one piece of suitable wood of the usual form and size. A
number of holes are then bored from the back to a certain depth in the wood, but
not passing right through to the front of the blade. These holes are preferably
arranged in two series, one series near each edge of the blade and extending from
near the top to near the bottom of same at suitable distances apart. A number of
plugs or cylindrical pieces of cork of the same diameter and length as the holes
bored in the blade, are cut or otherwise formed, and are driven into and glued in
the holes. The weight of the blade is thus considerably reduced and by reason of
the increased elasticity the driving power of the bat will be materially augmented.
As the constant shocks caused by striking the ball with the blade will tend to force
the plugs of cork from the holes, it is preferable that the latter should be bored from
the back towards the front of the blade in a slanting or oblique direction, the angle
being either from near the edge of the back towards the middle of the front of the
blade, so that the blade being thickest at this point will allow longer plugs of cork
to be inserted; or if desired the holes may start from the back near the centre of
the blade and be directed in an oblique direction towards the edges at the front.
The holes may however if desired be bored perfectly straight; and may further,
whether straight or oblique, be inclined either in an upward or downward direction
towards the front of the blade.
Another series of holes are also bored in the back of the blade between the two
former series, each hole preferably occupying an intermediate position between the
boles of each of the former series, which may be at the same distances from the top
or bottom of the blade on each edge.
Into the third series of holes a set of plugs or pins of hard wood are driven and
glued therein, such plugs being slightly less in length than the depth of the holes,
so that a clearance is left between the bottom of each plug or pin and the bottom

page_text: of the hole it enters. The object of this is to enable some elastic material, such as
india-rubber, to be interposed between the bottom of the hard wooden plugs or pins
and the bottom of the hole, a washer of the elastic material being inserted in each
hole before the pins are driven in.
The holes to receive the hard wooden plugs or pins are preferably arranged in
the centre of the width of the blade, and begin near the bottom and extend upwards
at suitable distances apart, for a certain distance only, at the back of that part of
the blade which usually hits the ball when striking. The insertion of hard wooden
plugs at this point, into the comparatively soft wood of the blade, further increases
the driving power of the bat, and the interposition of the elastic washers absorbs
the shocks due to striking the ball, so as to prevent the plugs or pins being
driven out.
It will be readily understood that if desired the third series of holes may also be
made oblique and also inclined in an upward or downward direction as described
with regard to the holes which receive the plugs of cork, and instead of two series
of the latter, only one may be provided and arranged down the centre of the back,
the holes to receive the hard wooden pins being arranged in intermediate positions
between them, or at each side, or both.
The holes to receive the cork plugs and also those to receive the hard wooden
pins may if desired be arranged in two or more rows, in which case they will
be made smaller in diameter, and their distances apart may be varied according to
circumstances.
The improvement in the handle of the bat consists in inserting between the parts
which together form the same, a strip or strips of felt, whereby the elasticity of
the handle will be increased, and the jarring when the bat is struck will not
be communicated to the hands of the batsman.
This part of the invention is especially applicable to spliced handled bats, and the
felt will be continued from the top of the handle down to the bottom of the splice
in the blade of the bat. When, however, the handle is made in one piece with the
blade of the bat, the felt may still be used with advantage by making a longitudinal
slit in the handle from the top downwards, and inserting the felt therein.
The handle in either case will be covered or bound round with strong twine in
the usual manner.

page_text: We, GEORGE PALMER MILNES, Bat Maker, GEORGE JAMES HILDRED, Musical
Instrument Dealer, and HENRY EDWARD HILDRED, Musical Instrument Dealer,
all of 6 Market Place, Boston, in the County of Lincoln, do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CRICKET BATS" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
The present invention relates to improvements in the construction of the blade
and handle of cricket bats, the principal objects being to decrease the weight of
such bats while materially increasing their driving power; and also to prevent the
jarring of the bat when struck being communicated to the hands of the batsman.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of our improved bat;
Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a cross section of same.
The blade A is made of one piece of suitable wood of the usual form and size.
A number of holes are then bored from the back to a certain depth in the wood,
but not passing right through to the front of the blade. These holes are preferably
arranged in two series, one series near each edge of the blade and extending from
near the top to near the bottom of same at suitable distances apart. A number of
plugs or cylindrical pieces of cork B of the same diameter and length as the holes
bored in the blade, are cut or otherwise formed, and are driven into and glued in
the holes. The weight of the blade is thus considerably reduced and by reason of
the increased elasticity the driving power of the bat will be materially augmented.
As the constant shocks caused by striking the ball with the blade will tend to force
the plugs of cork from the holes, it is preferable that the latter should be bored from
the back towards the front of the blade in a slanting or oblique direction, the angle
being either from near the edge of the back towards the middle of the front of the
blade, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the blade being thickest at this point will allow
longer plugs of cork to be inserted; or if desired the holes may start from the back
near the centre of the blade and be directed in an oblique direction towards the
edges at the front. The holes may, however, if desired be bored perfectly straight;
and may further, whether straight or oblique, be inclined either in an upward or
downward direction towards the front of the blade.
Another series of holes are also bored in the back of the blade between the two
former series, each hole preferably occupying an intermediate position between the
holes of each of the former series, which may be at the same distances from the top
or bottom of the blade on each edge.
Into the third series of holes a set of plugs or pins of hard wood C are driven
and glued therein, each plug being slightly less in length than the depth of the hole
it enters. The object of this is to enable some elastic material, such as india-rubber,
to be interposed between the bottom of the hard wooden plugs or pins and the
bottom of the hole, a washer D of the elastic material being inserted in each hole
before the pins are driven in.
The holes to receive the hard wooden plugs or pins are preferably arranged in
the centre of the width of the blade, and begin near the bottom and extend upwards
at suitable distances apart, for a certain distance only, at the back of that part of

page_text: the blade which usually hits the ball when striking, as shown in the drawings.
The insertion of hard wooden plugs at this point, into the comparatively soft wood
of the blade, further increases the driving power of the bat, and the interposition of
the elastic washers absorbs the shocks due to striking the ball, so as to prevent the
plugs or pins C being driven out.
It will be readily understood that if desired the third series of holes may also be
made oblique, and also inclined in an upward or downward direction as described
with regard to the holes which receive the plugs of cork, and instead of two series
of the latter, only one may be provided and arranged down the centre of the back,
the holes to receive the hard wooden pins being arranged in intermediate positions
between them, or at each side, or both.
The holes to receive the cork plugs B and also those to receive the hard wooden
pins C may if desired be arranged in two or more rows, in which case they will be
made smaller in diameter, and their distances apart may be varied according to
circumstances.
The improvement in the handle of the bat is shown in detail in Fig. 4 of the
drawings, and consists in inserting between the parts E, E¹, which together form
the handle, a strip or strips of felt or other similar yielding material F, whereby the
elasticity of the handle will be increased, and the jarring when the bat is struck
will not be communicated to the hands of the batsman.
This part of the invention is especially applicable to spliced handled bats, and
the felt will be continued from the top of the handle down to the bottom of the
splice in the blade of the bat. When, however, the handle is made in one piece
with the blade of the bat, the felt may still be used with advantage by making a
longitudinal slit in the handle from the top downwards, and inserting the felt
therein.
The handle in either case will be covered or bound round with strong twine in
the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. Inserting plugs of cork in the back of cricket bats, such plugs not passing
entirely through to the front of same, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. Inserting plugs of hard wood in the back of cricket bats opposite that part of
the front of the bat which when in use usually hits the ball, such plugs not passing
entirely through to the front of the bat, and a washer of some elastic material being
interposed between the inner end of each plug and the bottom of the hole into
which it is inserted, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. Inserting a strip or strips of felt or other similar yielding material between
the different parts forming the handles of cricket bats, or in the case of handles
formed in one piece with the blades of such bats inserting such strip or strips of felt
in a longitudinal slit cut in the handle from the top downwards, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.