IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO POLES FOR LAWN TENNIS NETS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Cleland Davidson of Belfast in the County of
Antrim Ireland Merchant for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS
TO POLES FOR LAWN TENNIS NETS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Cleland Davidson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th August 1883.
SAMUEL CLELAND DAVIDSON of Belfast in the County of Antrin Ireland
Merchant "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO POLES FOR LAWN TENNIS
NETS
"
The invention relates to the poles employed for supporting the ends of the not
used in the game known as lawn tennis, and its objects are chiefly to provide
convenient means for maintaining the poles upright against the inward pull of
the net without employing guy ropes or such like stays and for drawing up and
straining the net rope to its correct height between the poles and making it fast
at the required tension.
For the purpose of maintaining the poles upright when the net is tightened
between them, I have what I call an "Elbow Spike" which I drive into the ground
and to which the base of the pole fastens. This elbow spiko consists of a flat bar
preferably of malleable iron about 2 inches broad by about inch thick bent to
forin a right angle or elbow. One arm is about 12 inches long and the other about
7 inches.
The longer arm forms the spike and to facilitate its being driven into the ground
the end should be somewhat pointed. It is to be driven vertically and until the
shorter arm bears firmly and horizontally along the surface of the ground.
On the horizontal arm about 2 inches from the angle and equidistant from the
sides, I screw in, or otherwise insert a flat headed bolt until the head is within
about half an inch of the face of the arm and fix it securely in this position by
rivetting on the under side or otherwise.
The neck of this bolt fits into a slot in the projecting ledge of an iron shoe or
pedestal which forms the base of the pole, and the head of the bolt catches over

page_text: the slot and holds the pedestal firmly to the elbow spike and the pedestal at the
sides fits down over the horizontal arm slightly to prevent lateral movement when
locked in position by the bolt head.
The pole is preferably of wood rectangular in cross section, about 2 inches
square and the base is firmly fitted into the above mentioned iron pedestal or shoe.
The "Elbow Spikes" are to be driven into the ground at the points between which
the net is to be stretched and in such a manner that the horizontal arms are in
direct line from the one spike to the other. The poles are then set upon the
horizontal arıns of the elbow spikes so that the bolt heads in same catch in the
slot of the pedestals, and the elbow spikes act as resisting levers and maintain
the poles firmly upright against the inward pull of the net.
The net rope rests in and is strained over a semi circular groove in the top of
the pole at exactly 3 feet from the ground which according to the present rules
of the game is the correct height at which the ends of the net have to be
supported.
For the purpose of tightening and drawing up the net rope to the correct height
between the 2 poles and making it fast after it passes over the groove in top of
the poles, I employ the hereinafter described "winding clutch" This consists of
a drum carried by a bracket on the polo and fitted with a handle by which it can.
be rotated. Across one end of the face of the drum I form a slot by which the
rope is placed into the drum by merely passing it in sideways and the drum being
then rotated the rope nips on itself in the first turn and takes a firm grip on the
drum so that any required strain can be given to the rope without its slipping.
On the same axle as the drum, is a ratchet wheel into which a paul takes so as to
prevent the drum turning-in-the-reverse.direction. Both poles may be fitted with
this "winding Clutch" but usually it suffices to apply it to only one of the poles-
in which case the rope after passing over the groove on top of the other pole is
inado fast either by the novel "lever clutch" hereinafter described or by a
belaying pin, a hook, or any otlier form of fastener, the tightening up of the rope
being done on the other pole by the herein before described "winding clutch."
The lever clutch above referred to consists of a small eccentric disc operated by
a lever bandle which causes it to press against a stationary back plate to which it
is attached by an axle through a projecting snug. The rope to be secured is passed
in from the side between the eccentric disc and the back plate and tho lever handle
is then pressed down which so tightens the disc upon the rope that it is gripped
firmly at that point until the handle is raised up again.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Cleland Davidson in the Patent Office on the 2nd February
1884.
:
SAMUEL CLELAND DAVIDSON of Belfast in the County of Antrim, Ireland
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO POLES FOR LAWN TENNIS
Merchant
NETS
"
The invention relates to the poles employed for supporting the ends of the net
used in the game known as lawn tennis and its objects are chiefly to provido
convenient means for maintaining the poles upright against the inward pull of the
net without employing guy ropes or such like stays, and for drawing up and
straining the net rope to its correct height between the poles and making it fast
at the required tension.
For the purpose of maintaining the poles upright when the not is tightened
between them I have what I call an "elbow spike" which I drive into the ground
and to which the base of the polo fastens. This elbow spike consists of a flat bar
preferably of malleable iron about 2 inches broad by about an inch thick, bent
to form a right angle or elbow. One arm is about 18 inches long and the other
about 7 inches.
The longer arm forms the spike and to facilitate its being driven into the ground
the end should be somewhat pointed. It is to be driven vertically and until the
shorter arm bears firmly and horizontally along the surface of the ground.
On the horizontal arm about 2 inches from the angle and equi-distant from the
sides I scrow in or otherwise insert a flat headed bolt until the head is within
about an inch of the face of the arm and fix it securely in this position by
rivetting on the under-side or otherwise.
The neck of this bolt fits into a slot in the projecting ledge of an iron shoe or
pedestal which forms the base of the pole and the head of the bolt catches over
the slot and holds the pedestal firmly to the elbow spike and the pedestal, at the
sides, fits down over the horizontal arm slightly to prevent lateral movement when
locked in position by the bolt head.
The pole is preferably of wood rectangular in cross section about 2 inches
square and the base is firmly fitted into the above mentioned iron pedestal or shoe.
The elbow spikes are to be driven into the ground at the points between which
the net is to be stretched and in such a manner that the horizontal arms are in
direct line from the one spike to the other. The poles are then set upon the
horizontal arms of the elbow spike so that the bolt heads in same catch in the slot
of the pedestals, and the elbow spikes act as resisting levers and maintain the poles
firmly upright against the inward pull of the net.
The top of the pole is preferably fitted with a metal cap over which there is a
semi-circular groove, made smooth and suitable for the net rope to pass over
without much friction. The base of this metal cap fits down with a slight rim
over the top end of the pole thus protecting the end grain of the wood from the
weather and from splitting from the effects of the sun.
The semi-circular groove is raised on the cap and on each side of it a recess is
formed for the feet of a small table to fit into. This small table the use of which
is optional is for the scorer's book to rest upon.
The net rope rests in and is strained over the semi-circular groove in the cap on
the top of the pole at exactly 31 feet from the ground which according to the
present rules of the game is the correct height at which the ends of the net have
to be supported.
For the purpose of tightening and drawing up the net rope to the correct height

page_text: 2nd The slotted winding drum for securing and tightening the net rope_all.
substantially as here-in-before described and represented in the accompanying
drawings.
3rd The combination of parts forming improved poles for lawn tennis nets all
substantially as herein before described and represented in the accompanying
drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Samuel Cleland Davidson have hereunto set my
and and seal this twenty ninth day of January One thousand eight hundred and
ighty four