Improvements in Lawn Tennis and other similar Bats.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lawn Tennis and other similar Bats.
I, WILLOUGHBY HAMILTON POWER, of No. 77, Palace Road, Upper Norwood, in
the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to Improvements in Lawn Tennis and other similar Bats, and
its object is to provide a better method of tightening up the stringing.
In carrying my invention into effect 1 provide a series of pulleys in the frame of
the bat; around which the stringing, which is one continuous cord, is led, and fastened
by both ends to the block.
The handle of the racket is hollow, and the block is fitted so that it will slide up
or down. A suitable screw device is provided within the hollow handle, by means of
which the position of the block can be adjusted, and the degree of tension on the
stringing regulated accordingly.
Suitable hooks, or equivalent devices, are provided upon the block, around which
the stringing is led.
Dated this 28th day of March 1889.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lawn Tennis and other similar Bats.
I, WILLOUGHBY HAMILTON POWER, late of No. 77, Palace Road, Upper Norwood, but
now of No. 20, Versailles Road, Anerley, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,
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 state-
ment:-
My invention relates to Improvements in Lawn Tennis and other similar Bats, and
its object is to provide a better method of tightening up the stringing.
In carrying it into effect, I provide a series of pulleys in the frame of the bat,
around which the stringing is led; its ends being fastened to and controlled, in respect
of the degree of tension, by a special tightening device.
The tightening device may be either a screw adapted to rotate in, or within, the
handle of the bat, and, by engaging with the block, to move it backwards or forwards;
or pulleys with ratchets and pawls may be fixed upon, or in, the block.
The stringing may consist of one single cord or of a net and cords. In either case,
the tightening will be effected by increasing the tension through the actuation of the
tightening device.
In order that my invention, and the means by which the same is to carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now proceed to describe it in
detail, referring in so doing to the accompanying drawing which is to be taken as part
of this specification, and read therewith.
Fig. I is a front view of a lawn tennis bat made according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a back view of the same.
These two figures shew a bat made according to one modification of my invention,
and are not to be understood as indicating in any way or to any degree that my
invention is limited to either the method of stringing or to the tightening device

page_text: A is the frame of the bat ; and a, the block. B is a net fixed to the frame by two
lines of books and loops; one, balong the top; and a second one, b', along one side.
The respectively opposite edges of the net are provided with pulleys c, c.
D, D aro antifriction pulleys in the side of the frame opposite to the hooks and
loops, and D', D¹ are antifriction pulleys in the block opposite to the hooks and
loops b.
:
E is a tightening cord and is adapted to pull against the hooks and loops 6¹, by
being passed as shewn about the pulleys c', D, and having its ends fast to the frame
close to the top of the side of the net along which the pulleys are fixed; i.e., the cord
pulls against the opposite hooks as it is itself pulled, speaking of it as a whole, in a
direction at right angles with the direction of the strain upon the net.
E is a second tightening cord adapted to pull against the hooks and loops b. In
position and action it bears the same relation to the looks b and the net, as the cord E
does to the net and the hooks and loops b'.
FF are the respective tightening pulleys adapted to be rotated in the block.
ff, are their ratchets respectively fast upon the axes of the pulleys. ff are the
pawls; and d, a double spring acting upon both the pawls.
The pulleys are provided with a suitable device for rotating them. The figures shew
them as having central hollow squares formed in them adapted to receive a corre-
sponding square upon a portable key.
Instead of using a net, books along the top and one side of the frame pulleys and a
pair of tightening cords as illustrated, I may continue the line of pulleys D D along
the top and down the opposite side of the frame and use one cord. This will be led
about the respectively opposite pulleys backwards and forwards across and up and
down the frame, and under and over. The ends of the cord will be fastened to the
respective tightening pulleys. According to this last described modification, the pull
would be against the middle point of the cord, wherever that might be.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
The combination of frame, stringing, antifriction pulleys, and tightening pulleys,
as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 30th day of December 1889.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.