Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 4th Feb., 1887.
I GEORGE CHARLES NOTT, of Brecon, in the county of Brecon, Ironmonger do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of lawn tennis poles and
stands or supports for fixing the same in the ground.
In carrying out my invention I make the body of the pole of angle iron, that is to
say of V shape in cross section whereby I obtain a pole which is very light and
strong. The head or top of the pole is formed of two pieces of iron placed parallel to
each other and rivetted together with a space between them. To the said head I fix
on one of the sides a bracket forming a cover for a ratchet and pawl placed therein
and arranged to be operated by a handle or lever on the other side of the pole; the
spindle of the ratchet passes through the pole to the said handle or lever and receives
the end of the top cord of the lawn tennis net, which cord passes up over a pulley at
the top of the pole; the head of the pole, carrying the ratchet and pawl and pulley is
adapted to be turned down on a bolt or rivet forming a hinge, or to be removed from
the lower part of the pole by withdrawing two or more bolts so as to allow of the pole
being driven into the base without risk of injury to the pulley and ratchet as herein-
after described.
The base or stand of the pole is made of metal of a similar section to that of the
pole the two sides being cut away to a point at the lower end whereby it can be easily
driven into the ground; the upper edge of the base or stand is recessed to receive a
loose stay having spikes for entering the ground and placed so as to form the third
side of a triangle of which the angle iron forms the other two sides. The space formed
by the sides of this triangle serves to receive and hold the lower end of the pole,
which is pointed to enable the same to easily enter the ground and provided with
projecting pins resting on the upper edge of the base or support thereby limiting the
depth to which the pole is driven; a number of hooks are provided at the angle of the
pole for keeping the end of the net up against the pole.

page_text: By this construction the bases or supports of two poles constructed as described
having been driven into the ground with their angles outwards the upper parts of the
poles are turned down or removed and the poles, also with the angles outwards, can
then be driven into the bases or supports the said upper parts are then turned up or
replaced in position and the cord of the net being passed over the pullies and attached
to the spindle or ratchet (which is only required to one of the poles the other pole
being provided with a fixed means of attachment) the net can be stretched or strained
to any required degree by simply operating the ratchet, and the poles will be securely
held in position by the bases or supports and prevented from being pulled or strained
forward by the herein before described loose stays no projecting struts or stays being
employed. The bases or supports being driven flush with the surface of the ground
a lawn can be mowed when the poles are removed without removing the bases or
supports.
I can also make the pole with the head and base as above described and form the
body of the pole of T-shape in cross section instead of V-shape as herein before described;
the T-iron pole being inserted in the base with its top or long side bearing against
the hereinbefore described loose stay and its web against the angle of the V-shaped
base. I make the heads and bases of wrought, malleable, or cast iron, or of steel.
When the head of the pole is hinged to the body on one bolt or rivet it can be thrown
backwards but not forwards being kept upright by a suitable arrangement such as a
pin or stop bearing against the body. I can also rivet or weld the head to the lower
part of the pole so that they shall form one solid pole when required. To prevent
injury to the top pulley of a pole thus made, when the pole is being driven in I
provide an arrangement in the head of the pole by means of which the pulley can he
moved so that its periphery, instead of projecting above the top of the pole as it does
when in use, shall be somewhat below the same when the pole is being driven in.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lawn Tennis Poles and Means for Fixing
the same.
I, GEORGE CHARLES NOTT, of Brecon, in the county of Brecon, Ironmonger, 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 relates to improvements in the construction of lawn tennis poles
and stands or supports for fixing the same in the ground.
In carrying out my invention I make the body of the pole of angle iron, that is to
say, of V-shape in cross section whereby I obtain a pole which is very light and
strong. The head or top of the pole is formed of two pieces of iron placed parallel to
each other and rivetted together with a space between them. To the said head I fix
on one of the sides a bracket forming a cover for a ratchet and pawl placed therein
and arranged to be operated by a handle or lever, or handle and lever on the other
side of the pole; the spindle of the ratchet passes through the pole to the said handle
or lever and receives the end of the top cord of the lawn tennis net, which cord
passes up over a pulley at the top of the pole: the head of the pole carrying the
ratchet and pawl and pulley is adapted to be turned down on a bolt or rivet forming
a hinge, so as to allow of the pole being driven into the base without risk of injury to
the pulley and ratchet as hereinafter described.
The base or stand of the pole is made of metal of a similar section to that of the
pole, the two sides being cut away to a point at the lower end whereby it can be
easily driven into the ground; the upper edge of the base or stand is recessed to
receive a loose stay having spikes for entering the ground and placed so as to form
the third side of a triangle of which the angle iron forms the other two sides, or the
said third side of the triangle may be formed in one piece with the other two sides
and be cut away to a point as hereinbefore described. The space formed by the sides
of this triangle serves to receive and hold the lower end of the pole which is
pointed to enable the same to easily enter the ground, and provided with projecting
pins resting on the upper edge of the base or support thereby limiting the depth to
which the pole is driven; a number of hooks are provided at the angle of the pole
for keeping the end of the net up against the pole.
The before mentioned bases or supports being driven flush with the surface of the
ground a lawn can be mowed when the poles are removed without removing the
bases or supports. I can also make the pole with its head and base as above
described and form the body of the pole of T-shape in cross section instead of
V-shape as hereinbefore described. I make the heads and bases of wrought,
malleable or cast iron, or of steel. The head of the pole being hinged to the body on
one bolt or rivet, it can be thrown backwards, but not forwards, being kept upright
(when a V-shaped pole is used) by a suitable arrangement such as a pin or stop
bearing against the body; when however a T-shaped pole is used, the head itself
bears (when upright) against the top or long side of the T.

page_text: In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawings in which figures 1 and 2 are
elevations of the two sides of a portion of a lawn tennis pole constructed according
to my invention of V-shape in cross-section the moveable head or top being shewn in
its vertical position; figure 3 is an edge view of the same; figure 4 is a similar view
to figure 2 with a portion of the bracket broken away to show the ratchet and pawl
clearly, the moveable head being shewn in an inclined position; figure 5 is a plan of
my base or stand for lawn tennis poles; figures 6 and 7 are elevations of the left and
right hand sides respectively of figure 8 which is an edge view of the base or stand;
figure 9 is a plan of the base or stand shewing my improved lawn tennis pole (shewn
in horizontal section) in position therein; figure 10 is an elevation shewing a
portion of a lawn tennis net stretched or strained by the use of my improved lawn
tennis poles figure 11 is a similar view to figure 9 but illustrating a pole of
T-shape in cross section and base or stand suitable therefor. Similar letters of
reference represent similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.
n,
a, is the body of the pole which I make of angle iron as clearly shewn in figure 9;
b, b, are the two pieces of iron of which I form the head or top of the pole-and which
are secured together parallel to each other with a space between them by means of
the shouldered rivets c, c, as shewn in figure 3; d, is the bracket which, by means of
the rivets c, c, I fix on the side b, of the head; e, is the ratchet wheel and f, is the
pawl both of which are arranged within the bracket d; g, is the spindle of the
ratchet wheel e, which is secured on one end thereof; h, is the handle which is fixed
upon the opposite end of the spindle g, which passes right through the pole as shewn
in figure 3 i, is a hole in the spindle 9, for receiving one end of the top cord j,
(figure 10) of the lawn tennis net k; 1, is the pulley over which the cord j, passes at
the top of the head b, b; m, is a short pin or stud upon which the pulley j, is carried
and which pin or stud is rivetted in the sides b, 6', of the head. is the bolt which
connects the head b, b', with the body a, of the pole and forms a hinge to enable the
head to be moved into an inclined position in the manner shown at figure 4; o, is
a nut which retains the bolt n, in position in the head b, 6', and upper end of the pole
body which, at this part is made flat as shewn clearly at figures 3 and 4. p, is the
stop rivetted into the sides of the head and q, (figure 4) is a recess into which the
said stop p, fits and by bearing against the same, supports the head b, b, in a vertical
position against the strain on the cord j. Figures 5 to 9 illustrate my improved
base or stand which I preferably form in one casting or piece of plate iron or steel
or its equivalent as shewn. In these figures r, represents the body of the base or
stand which is cut away to a point and sharpened at its angular edges to facilitate its
being driven into the ground; the upper corners s, s, of the plate r, are bent in the
manner shewn so as to prevent the base from being accidentally shifted edgewise;
the parts of the base or stand which correspond with the angle iron of which the
body of the pole is made, are formed by two projections t, t, which are stamped out
of the plate 7, or otherwise constructed so as to project at an angle out from the face
of the said plater, in the manner shewn clearly at figures 5, 8 and 9, the said plate
then formning the third side of a triangle of which the two parts t, t, form the other
two sides the plate r, at the same time serving the purpose of a stay to prevent the
poles from being pulled or strained out of their vertical position and thereby avoiding
the use of struts or stays for this purpose. Instead of the projections t, t, being
formed with their outer edges disconnected in the manner shewn in the drawings
they can be stamped out of the plate r, with their outer edges joined and forming an
angle.
* Figure 11 illustrates my improved pole having the lower part or body a, made of
T-shape in cross-section the base or stand being then of similar construction to that
shewn at figures 5 to 9 but with the projections t, t, bent so as to grip the top or
long side of the T-iron at each side of the web, thereof as shewn in the said
figure 11.
u, u,, are the hooks with which I provide the poles a, to keep the ends of the
net k, close against the poles. In poles constructed of angle iron these hooks are

page_text: secured in the angles thereof as shown in the drawings; in poles constructed of
T-iron however the said hooks u, u, u, are secured in its top or long side.
The pin or stop (not shewn in the drawings) which I provide on each of the
poles a, rests upon the upper edge of the base or stand when the pole has been driven
into the ground to the required depth.
To fix the tennis net k, in position the bases or stands », are driven into the ground
at the required distance apart with the projections t, t, turned outwards as shewn at
figure 10, until the upper edges of such bases are flush with the surface of the ground.
A pole a, with its head b,, turned into the position shewn in figure 4 is then by
means of a hammer or a mallet or its equivalent driven down into the ground on the
outer side of the plate », with its angle (when angle iron poles are used) or with its
web (when T-iron poles are used) turned outwards as shewn in figures 9 and 11
respectively until the before mentioned pin or stop (not shewn on the drawings) on
the lower part of the pole a, bears upon the upper edge of the base or stand. Upon
the second or opposite pole a, no ratchet and pawl device is necessary but in place
thereof the said pole (which is otherwise constructed in a similar manner to that
hereinbefore described) is provided with a rigid means of attachment such as a
hook or cleat v, figure 10, or its equivalent. This pole is driven into the ground
and into its base or stand in a similar manner to that hereinbefore described and
the vertical edges of the net k, are then connected to the hooks u. One end of the
top cord j, is then made fast to the hook or cleat e, and the other end thereof is
passed through the hole i, in the spindle g, which is then rotated by means of the
handle h, thus straining the cord and coiling it upon the said spindle h; If required
to still further strain the cord j, a lever or short metal rod 2, may be provided passing
loosely through a hole formed for this purpose diametrically through the said handle /,
as shown.
When it is desired to take down the net k, the pawl, is released from the ratchet
wheel e, by raising the weighted arm, of the said pawl when the net, being left
unsupported will by its weight, cause the top cord j, to uncoil from off the
spindle g.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1. Constructing lawn tennis poles of V-shaped or angle iron or T-shaped iron in
cross-section substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. A lawn tennis pole having a moveable head or top which can be turned out of
the way when driving the pole into the ground substantially as set forth.
3. The manufacture and use of the improved base or support (forming a com-
bined socket and stay) for lawn tennis poles hereinbefore described and represented
in figures 5 to 9 or the modification thereof represented in figure 11 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. The improved lawn tennis poles and means for fixing the same hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.