The Construction of a Knee Pad to Protect and Support the Knees of Players in the Games of Hockey and Cricket.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1899-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1899
The Construction of a Knee Pad to Protect and Support the Knees of
Players in the Games of Hockey and Cricket.
I, FREDERICK STUDDY HOOPER, of Holly Hurst, Wylde Green, Birmingham,
Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Players of the game of hockey suffer considerably at the knees by reason
of blows received from the sticks and ball, also from falls on the ground.
Cricketers, especially when batting or keeping wicket suffer from exposure
of the knees to the ball, and I propose to so make my pad as to meet their require-
ments as well as those of players of hockey.
At the present time there is not an article made to prevent or mitigate the
effects of accidents above named which often happen during progress of the
games. To remedy this ammission I propose to make a knee pad or protector,
specially adapted to the requirements of hockey and cricket players.
I first take a piece of elastic cloth, chamois leather, canvas, or any other soft
material, but preferably the first named, and make it to the shape of the knee
either in one or in several pieces combined extending in length about nine or
ten inches as may seem most desirable, so as to cover when worn both above and
below the actual knee cap.
The elastic nature of the cloth will make it fit better to the leg and obviate
the use of any straps or fittings, but if preferred I claim to use any of these
means to securely attach it. This forms the basis or ground work of my pad,
I now fix on to it a number of strips of tubular or solid indiarubber usually
eight varying in their respective lengths, extending round the front part of
the cloth pad to the sides. These strips are attached by means of rubber solution
or the rubber is fixed on to a thin cloth or calico and the latter is stitched on
to the cloth pad. The strips are placed sufficiently near, so that they will break
the force of a ball or stick coming against them.
I also claim to fit on my cloth pad, if preferred, strips of felt instead of rubber.
The wearing of these pads made as before described will effectually protect the
knees of players in both the games of hockey and cricket, from the dangers I
have prerviously named as incidents of the games, and a further advantage is
that they will act as an excellent support to the knees as well as being protective
which will materially assist players engaged in either of the games.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1898
The Construction of a Knee Pad to Protect and Support the Knees of
Players in the Games of Hockey and Cricket.
FREDERICK STUDDY HOOPER, Hollyhurst, Wylde Green, Birmingham, Brewer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
Price 811

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
The construction of a knee pad to protect and support the knees of players
in the games of hockey and cricket.
Composed of elastic cloth, or leather, (A) and padded at front & sides, to
cover bone of knee, with strips of rubber or felt (B) cemented on with rubber
solution, or sewn on, or fastened on in both manners and placed thereon so close
as to prevent the bone being injured by a ball or stick.
I claim that my idea of fastening the strips of rubber or felt on to the elastic
knee cap is original, and thoroughly adapted for the purpose of supporting the
knee, and also for protecting the bones against bruises or other serious injury.
November 2nd 1899.
FREDERICK STUDDY HOOPER.