IMPROVEMENTS IN TENNIS-NETS
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 26th July, 1887.
I, JOHN PHILIP HELFENSTEIN, Jr., of Webster Groves, Saint Louis County, State
of Missouri, United States of America, Salesman, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TENNIS-NETS," and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
As hitherto made and used tennis-nets are liable to sag to an objectionable extent,
and the difficulty is increased by reason of the tension to which the net is subjected
in attaching it to the poles. For, the tighter the cords, with which the net at
its corners is provided for the purpose of fastening the net to the poles, are
drawn the more the net is contracted vertically at its central portion. To obviate,
or at least to diminish the difficulties under consideration, as well as to obtain
advantages hereinafter mentioned, is the aim of this improvement which consists
mainly in providing an overhead-support, such as a cord, for the net capable of
being tightly stretched upon the tennis-poles without exerting tension, in a hori-
zontal direction, upon the net which, at its ends, and by means of cords or other
devices, substantially as is hereinafter described, is suitably held in the direction
of its length. The particular means employed for connecting the net with its
support above is also a feature of the improvement. In the annexed drawings,
making part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improved
net in position, and Figure 2 is a detail, upon an enlarged scale, being a view
in perspective showing the construction at one of the upper corners of the net.
The same letters of reference denote the same parts. The poles A A¹ and the
net B, saving as modified or supplemented by the present improvement, are of
the customary form, and, in use, are arranged in the customary manner. C represen s
a cord or wire capable of being tightly strung between and upon the poles, its
ends c being carried over bearings, such as the pulleys a upon the poles respectively,
and secured below in any suitable manner so that the cord or wire shall be held taut
between the poles. D represents a strip of canvas, drilling, or other similar material,
in length equal or thereabout to the net, and siung loosely upon the cord C, and, at
its lower edge, provided with a lacing E, or other device, by which the net is,
detachably, hung from the strip D, substantially as is represented in the drawing.
The cord thus serves to uphold the net throughout its length, and to suitably stretchi

page_text: the net in an endwise direction the following method is preferably adopted: the
usual cords bb, at the bottom-corners of the net, are carried, as is customary around
suitable bearings, such as the pulleys a', upon the tennis-poles, and fastened in any
suitable manner so that the net, at the lower part thereof, shall be suitably stretched
between the poles, and at its upper corners the net is held by means of the fasteners F.
That is, after the cord C has been stretched, the net is stretched and secured to the
cord by means of the fasteners which are attached to the ends, respectively, of the
net, and adapted to be slipped upon, and secured at the desired point to, the cord as
follows the hooked shank of the fastener is permanently attached to the strip D by
means of the stitches f¹, and in the outer end of the fastener is a double perforation f2f2
through which the cord is passed as shown. The fasteners are slipped upon the cord
until the net is sufficiently extended, and then, by reason of the bend in the cord, the
fasteners and net are held in place. By reason of this mode of supporting the net its
upper edge is upheld more evenly than hitherto has been attainable, and the net,
generally, is not contracted vertically to the extent previously noticeable. For, as
any desirable tension can be given to the cord C independently of the net, it is not,
in the first place, necessary to impart as much tension to the net as heretofore has been
required, and, secondly, the cord resists the tendency of the net to contract vertically.
Incidentally it is quite an advantage to employ the strip D, and to make the net
detachable therefrom. The strip assists the player in gauging the height of the net
and it is capable of being finished_and_ornamented in various ways. It provides a
convenient support for the lacing E. The net serves to stretch the strip vertically.
The net and strip can be detached from each other for the purpose of renewing the
net or for washing the strip.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. A tennis-net having an overhead support, substantially as described.
2. A. tennis-net having an overhead support in addition to the connections which
connect the net at its ends with its end-supports, substantially as described.
3. A tennis-net hung from a cord or wire which, in turn, is strung upon the poles,
substantially as described.
4. A tennis-net having an adjustable connection with an overhead support, said
support capable of being stretched upon the poles independently of said net,
substantially as described.
5. A tennis-net suspended from a strip which, in turn, is strung upon a cord or
wire that is stretched upon the tennis-poles, as described.
6. A tennis-net detachably suspended from an overhead support, as described.
7. The combination of the poles, the cord C, the net, the strip, and the fasteners,
substantially as described.
8. A tennis-net upheld by an overhead cord or wire or other tie stretched upon the
tennis-poles, the tension of said cord, wire or tie not being imparted to said net,
substantially as described.
M
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