Improvements in Racket Handles, also Applicable for all Analogous Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Racket Handles, also Applicable for all Analogous
Purposes.
T
We WILLIAM ROBERT MCHARDY of 108 Liverpool Road London, Gentleman
JAMES MCHARDY of 108 Liverpool Road London, Scientific. Expert, and ROBERT
RAMSBOTTOM of Market Street Manchester Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention which has for its object the improvement of handles with a view to
ventilating them and removing the jar or concussion which frequently arises, may be
carried into practice somewhat in the following manner.
Having constructed a handle in the ordinary way, we cause it to be bored or hollowed
out in any suitable manner, from the end, up through a portion or the whole of the
handle. Several saw-drafts, or milled grooves are then provided, extending, longi-
tudinally, from any suitable distance from the end, to any suitable point in the handle,
thus converting the handle into any number of available spring-sections, and venti-
lating grooves, so arranged as to extend beyond the ordinary grip for the purpose of
allowing a free influx or efflux of air :-or; if deemed necessary, the hole or passage,
(aforesaid), up through the handle, may extend to a point of junction with suitably
provided apertures at any position in the handle or frame; and, these apertures may
be so contrived as to catch the air at each stroke of the player and cause thereby a
current to cool the hand. Moreover these apertures may be duplicated, so as to act,
on any motion (forward or backward) of the racket if we provide à membrane to direct
the current (like a common air-valve).
We may in any of the cases construct our racket or other handle as above-described,
or we may build it of suitable parts without boring or sawing, our main object being,
to produce a handle which shall be ventilated in such a manner as, that the grip will
assist the current of air instead of impeding it.
It will be readily seen that our invention applies equally to the grips or handles of
fishing-rods, cycles, hammers and all analogous purposes moreover we may convert
old handles by applying our improvements.
Dated this 27th day of September 1889
WILLIAM ROBERT MCHARDY.
JAMES MCHARDY.
ROBERT RAMSBOTTOM.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Racket Handles, also Applicable for all Analogous
Purposes.
We WILLIAM ROBERT MCHARDY of 108 Liverpool Road London, Gentleman,
JAMES MCHARDY of 108 Liverpool Road London Scientific Expert and ROBERT
RAMSBOTTOM of Market Street Manchester Manufacturer 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 :-
This invention, which has for its object the Improvement of Racket Handles also
Applicable for all Analogous Purposes is carried into practice in the following manner.
In constructing a new handle we apply our improvements by building the handle of
separate parts, if expedient. These parts are so formed and placed in relation to one
another, that a hollow is provided, extending to any distance up through the centre of
the material; and openings in the sides of the handle establish air vents in any direction
necessary. These said air-vents are in the form of a slit so that the hand cannot, in

page_text: gripping the handle, stop the current of air. On the contrary, when the hand con-
tinues to hold, the heat from it will establish a draught in such a manner, that the air
will continually rush in at the hollow core, and escape by the slot-like apertures,
carrying with it the moisture of the hand. These said slots or lateral apertures are
made of such extent that no average hand can cover them completely. If necessary
the centre hole may be inade to extend throughout the handle, and so be brought into
communication with apertures at right angles to it, that the motion of the racket (or
other object to which it may be applied) shall cause a draught independently of the
heat of the hand.
It will be observed that an old handle may be readily converted by boring from the
end and milling the grooves in the sides by suitable saws or milling tools; and the
separation of the parts so brought about will render the grip sufficiently pliant to avoid
concussion in the case of a foul stroke.
Practically our improved handle, instead of being one solid unyielding piece, will
consist of several yielding pieces extending from any convenient point to a point of
fixture at or near the extremity of the said handle.
In the event of our using the extended hollow in the handle communicating with
apertures at right angles to it, we adopt one of the following systems: either, we
provide apertures, only at one side, so that by forward motion the air is driven down
through the hollow centre to the hand and passes out in one way or another, according
to construction; or by the backward motion, the air is drawn up through the hollow
centre by the partial vacuum caused by such backward motion: or; we provide
apertures on both sides and direct the current by means of an appropriate membrane,
which by the said current shall close one or other set of apertures on the inside.
In the accompanying drawings
A the hole or hollow
the apertures or saw-drafts herein-
Fig. I = section of handle between C and F Fig. III.
up the centre communicating with BCDEFG
before described.
Fig. IP
longitudinal section of the handle
middle, & E G = the slots aforesaid.
Fig. III: handle (not in section).
=
in which A = the hollow in the
The length of the said slots being greater than the width of an average hand, it is
manifest that a current of air may pass in by the hollow A and escape by the sides
of the hand through the slots which communicate with the said hollow A.
Now if we continue the hollow A up through the handle to any suitable point, and
provide an opening of any kind on the front of the handle, it is manifest that as the
racket or other object is forced through the air in a forward direction a current passing
in by the said opening will pass out by the apertures at the hand, or, if the racket
he drawn back the partial vacuum will in a manner draw the current in the opposite
direction or if the said opening be made on the back of the racket the opposite effect
will be produced.
If an opening or openings be made on both sides of the racket or other object,
(and, as before, communicating with the so extended hollow centre)-the current
may be made equal either in the forward or the backward motion, by simply inserting
a piece of oil-silk or membrane of any suitable kind, so that it will, on the inside,
close the opening at the back when the forward motion causes the current and
vice versa.
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 ;
1. The application of saw-drafts or grooves either in conjunction with or separate
from suitable cavities in handles.
2. That construction of handle which, consisting of several parts, may be so built
as to produce the ventilating grooves instead of milling them in the solid material.
3. The extension of any kind of hole or hollow in a handle for the purpose of venti-
lating the grip by the motion of a racket through the air, in combination with the said

page_text: grooves or saw drafts, particularly herein described, with or without a membraneous
valve for the direction of the current.
4. The hole bored or built up through the centre of any handle in combination with
of ventilation or elasticity.
for
grooves purposes
1000
WILLIAM ROBERT MCHARDY.
JAMES MCHARDY.
ROBERT RAMSBOTTOM.