Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 16th Mar., 1889
I JOHN HENRY MATTHEWS of Knaresborough, in the County of York, Clerk in
Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
:-
This invention relates to a new game which is an imitation of the outdoor game
of lawn-tennis, but is intended to be played upon a board with cues and an ivory or
other comparatively heavy ball substituted for the racquets and light "service balls"
used in the ordinary game of lawn tennis, the present game differing from lawn
tennis only or chiefly in the playing of one ball around the central not instead of
playing several over it. The board is intended to be placed upon a table or other
support within the house so that the game will form an indoor game of lawn tennis,
but it may of course be placed in the open air if found convenient.
The board is constructed of any convenient size and shape and is divided into two
parts by a space called a "ditch preferably depressed extending partially across its
centre. At each end of this ditch, a vertical post or support is affixed, and on to
these posts a net is affixed by a cord, wire or otherwise, and stretched across and
dipping into the ditch so as to prevent the ball passing out of the ditch if it once goes
in.
On each side of the ditch the board is divided into any suitable number of
"courts
"and along the right and left sides of these clusters of "courts" and along
past the ends of the ditch which terminates with the courts on each side are blank
"out of court" spaces each of which extends from the extremity of the furthest
court on one side of the ditch, to the extremity of the furthest court on the other
side. The right and left sides of the board forming the boundaries of the "out of
court" spaces are preferably cushioned for the purpose of giving a rebound to the
ball when it strikes the side. The extreme ends top and bottom of the board are
also "out of court" spaces, and are preferably depressed or otherwise made lower in
level than the playing part of the board to prevent the ball returning into a court
after it has once passed out of court.
The game is played by placing the ball on one of the "service lines" of a court,
and striking it with a cue causing it to rebound or cannon off the cushion "
::
on the

page_text: sides of the board as in billiards or bagatelle, and come to rest in one of the courts
on the opposite side of the ditch and net. From here it is played back into one of
Two, four, eight, or any
the courts on the side from which it started and so on.
number of players may take part in the game according to the number of courts
marked on the board and each player may take one or more "courts," or several may
"court" as desired.
take one

page_text: I JOHN HENRY MATTHEWS of Knaresborough in the County of York Clerk in
Holy Orders, 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 a new game which is an imitation of the outdoor game
of lawn tennis but is intended to be played upon a board with cues and an ivory
or other comparatively heavy ball or balls substituted for the racquets and light
service balls used in the ordinary game of lawn tennis the present game differing
from lawn tennis only or chiefly in the playing of the ball around instead of over
the central net. The board is intended to be placed upon a table or other support
within the house so that the game will form an indoor game of lawn tennis but it
may of course be placed in the open air if found convenient.
out
The board is constructed of any convenient size and shape and is divided into two
parts by a space called a "ditcb," preferably depressed extending partially across its
centre. At each end of this ditch a vertical post or support is affixed, and on to
these posts a net is affixed by a cord wire or otherwise, and stretched across and
dipping into the ditch so as to prevent the ball passing out of the ditch if it once
goes in. On each side of the ditch the board is divided into any suitable number of
courts" and along the right and left sides of these clusters of courts and along past
the ends of the ditch which terminates with the courts on each side are blank"
of court" spaces each of which extends from the extremity of the furthest court on
The
one side of the ditch to the extremity of the furthest court on the other side.
right and left sides of the board forming the boundaries of the "out of court" spaces
are preferably cushioned for the purpose of giving a rebound to the ball when it
strikes the side. The extreme ends top and bottom of the board are also "out of
court spaces and are preferably depressed or otherwise made lower in lovel than the
playing part of the board to prevent the ball returning into a court after it has once
passed out of court.
وو
"
The game is played by placing the ball on one of the "base or base side lines" of
a court and striking it with a cue causing it to rebound or cannon off the cushion "
on the sides of the board as in billiards or bagatello and come to rest in one of the
courts on the opposite side of the ditch and net. From here it is played back into
one of the courts on the side from which it started and so on. Two four eight or
any number of players may take part in the game according to the number of courts
marked on the board and each player may take one or more courts, or several may
take one court as desired.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan of the board constructed according to my
invention and Figures 2 and 3 are sections on the lines A B and CD of figure 1

page_text: "
respectively. Similar letters of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts
in the three Figures. EE are the end "out of court" spaces which are depressed
below the level of the board as also is the ditch F (see Figure 3). The object of the
ditch is to intercept any balls that strike the net. G G are the side "out of court
spaces which are level with the courts and H H. are the cushions on the sides of the
board and forming the boundaries of the side "out of court spaces G. In Figure 1
When the ball
cups or pockets J are shewn placed along the base and side lines.
after striking the cushion falls into one of the cups or pockets J on the opposite side
of the net K it may be taken as a stroke which cannot be returned and additional
marks scored to the striker. These cups will be found to add interest to the game
but their number and position may be varied as desired or they may be entirely
dispensed with.
The board is covered with baize or similar material the lines marking the courts
being permanently marked white or other colour in any well known manner.
The cushions H are made of india rubber, gutta percha or other elastic material
covered with the same material as the board. The net K is supported on standards L
screwing into sockets M, in the ditch F or affixed therein in any other convenient
manner.
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 :-
--
(1) The construction of a board with ditch F and end spaces E depressed or other-
wise as desired side spaces G level with the courts marked on the board in com-
bination with the net K supported above the ditch F by vertical standards Land
with or without cups or pockets J all substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(2) The construction of a board divided into courts and supporting a vertical
net substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
(3) The construction of a board divided into courts and supporting a vertical net
above a ditch or depression substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set
forth.
Daind this 15th day of February 1889.
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office,
54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.