An Improved Structure or Erection for use in connection with such Games as Cricket or Lawn-tennis for Stopping or Returning the Balls.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 15th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Structure or Erection for use in connection with such
Games as Cricket or Lawn-tennis for Stopping or Returning the
Balls.
I, DAVID REID, of Hilton Street, Oldham Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer and Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
The invention is designed primarily to enable practice in batting and bowling in
the game of cricket to be carried on in a limited or confined space, by providing a
structure which while not in anyway hampering the movement or operations of the
players, will arrest the balls irrespective of the direction in which they are driven.
It may also be used in connection with other games wherein balls are driven about
with bats or racquets, such as lawn tennis, where it is desired to prevent the balls
being driven beyond a limited area.
It consists essentially of a structure or erection of fibrous netting in the form of a
tent or covered court.
In carrying out the invention for use in cricket practice the structure is preferably
made rectangular of sufficient width to give free scope to the action of both players,
with a wall or barrier of netting enclosing either three or four sides, and with a
roof or covering of netting stretching over the top so that in whatever direction a
ball may be hit or driven, its progress will be arrested by the net. The sides and
top need not necessarily be straight but may he made curved or rectangular if found
desirable. It may also be wide enough to take in one, two or more creases for an
equal number of players.
For lawn tennis the structure may be made sufficiently large to enclose a court
on all sides and above. The netting forming the sides is supported by suitable
uprights and the top which is preferably supported by uprights outside the structure,
may be supported by cords or ropes stretched across from one side to the other and
may be made of either flat or angular shape.
To provide for expansion and contraction of the material owing to atmospheric
changes, the netting is connected to the supports by cords or ropes passing over
pulley blocks or the like and counter-balanced by weights or springs and the
connecting fixings or appliances are so placed that the whole structure is readily
removed, taken down or re-erected. The upright supports may be either made of
iron of tubular or other cross-section or of wood.
The use of this invention will render the practising of cricket and other games
practicable in places, areas, and spaces hitherto considered much too limited or
confined, without fear of damage either to property or individuals, or without the
necessity of following the ball or risk of losing it.
Dated this 28th day of April 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Structure or Erection for use in connection with such
Games as Cricket or Lawn-tennis for Stopping or Returning the
Balls.
I, DAVID REID, of Hilton Street, Oldham Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer and Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The invention is designed primarily to enable practice in batting and bowling in
[Price 8d.1

page_text: Fig. 4 front perspective view of modified form of same.
I will describe the invention as applied to cricket practice it being understood that
the structure may be made of any desired size or shape to suit the requirements of
other games.
For cricket practice the structure is preferably made rectangular and of sufficient
width and length to give free scope to the action of two players one batting and the
other bowling as in Figs. 1-3 or it may be made of double width to provide for two
piiches ог creases as in Fig. 4.
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The structure is constructed of a barrier of netting A enclosing either three or
four sides and roofing over the top supported by upright, supports or pillars B braced
or tied together longitudinally by rigid tie rods C. (as in Figs. 1-) or by flexible
braces D of wire or other rope (as in Fig. 4) and transversely by the rigid arched
ties F (Fig. 1) or flexible braces F¹ (Fig. 4).
Referring to Figs. 1-3 this structure is intended to be light and elegant in
appearance and easily erected and removed. The uprights B are formed of tubular
pillars with screws at the base to screw into the ground so that they may be readily
removed and replaced when required and are tied together longitudinally by the
tubular tie rods Ċ which are fitted into sockets c affixed to them near their upper ends.
The uprights are tied together transversely by the flying arches Falso tubular by
which the netting A forming the roof of the structure is supported.
The netting A is preferably formed in five pieces one piece for each side and end
and one piece for the top. The side and end walls are hung from the longitudinal
rods by means of small hooks of wire H with two arms or limbs to the lower
one of which the side netting is attached. The top or roof netting lies on a number
of ropes a affixed at intervals to the rods C, and suspended by a block and tackle I
hung on the centre of the transverse arches F; at its lower edges the roof netting is
hooked to the second arm h¹ of the hooks H.
To the lower edge of the side nets is attached or connected a weight J preferably
in the form of a metal bar or rod running longitudinally through the meshes which is
free to rise and fall as the net contracts or expands without putting any undue stress
or strain either upon the structure or the cords of the net. The contraction and
expansion of the roof is provided for by the block and tackle I by which it is
suspended, the rope i being either attached to a cleat on one of the uprights or has a
weight suspended to the end which hangs down beside the upright.
In order to prevent any opening or space occuring between the bottom of the
net A where the weight J is connected and the ground consequent on the contraction
of net through which a ball might pass an inclined bank of sod or a triangular
fixture K of wood or other material is placed between the uprights. As the net
contracts the weight J slides up the incline K and the bottom is thereby always kept
closed.
Instead of the screw at the base of the tubular upright B to screw into the

page_text: ground it may be formed with a loose socket placed into the ground into which the
end projects and from which it can be readily removed.
Referring to Fig. 4. This structure is intended to be of a more permanent
character and plainer in appearance. The uprights B consist of wood poles let
firmly into the ground as fixtures and supported by strained wire guy ropes b¹ on the
outside. The several wood poles on all sides are connected together by wire ropes D
and the opposite poles are braced together by wire ropes F. The sides of the net A
are hung to the wire ropes D and are provided with a weight J attached to the
bottom. The roof is supported from the wire ropes F'.
Instead of the tubular uprights or the wooden poles the frame work of the structure
may be made from solid wrought iron of Tangles or other section set in stone at
the base or otherwise strongly supported with the roof supports made of the same
section as the uprights.
In either form of structure the net A is preferably so hung as to prevent the ball
striking any part of the outside or structural work and the net may if desired be
provided with additional pieces of net standing out at an angle say three or four
inches from the main net so that the further progress of the ball will be at once
arrested in striking the net in whatever direction it may have been driven.
The structure may be of one, two or more courts or pitches in width and of any
length and the ground may be of cinders or tan bark or boards, asphalte or concrete
on which cocoa matting is stretched so far as the pitch is concerned or may be of a
perfect grass pitch. The nets are made from the very best fibres, cotton, flax, or
hemps specially thrown, twisted, and laid, and thoroughly saturated by waterproof
materials to prevent rot.
The use of this invention will render the practising of cricket and other games
practicable in places, areas, and spaces, hitherto considered much too limited or
confined without fear of damage either to property or individuals or without the
necessity of following the ball or risk of losing it
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I desire to state that I am
well aware that nets of different shapes have been erected in all manner of positions
to arrest the progress of balls and I do not claim broadly the use of a net for the
purpose but I declare that what I claim is
1. A structure or erection in which cricket or other games may be practised
formed of, and entirely enclosed by, a roof and three or four sides of fibrous netting
supported on uprights and cross bars or ties, substantially as described.
2. A structure or erection in which cricket or other games may be practised
formed of the netting A enclosing the top and sides, the upright supports B, connected
together, either with rigid ties or ropes, the blocks I, connected thereto, for supporting
the top net, and the weight J, attached to the side nets, and the inclined bank K,
substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 15th day of September 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.