IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANDLES OF CRICKET: BATS
Year: 1885

page_text: I FREDERICK HENRY. AYRES of 111 Aldersgate Street in the City of London
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE HANDLES OF CRICKET: BATS to be as follows:-
This invention relates to. the construction of cricket bat handles so as to give
increased spring and to avoid jar or sting to the hands of the user.
I construct my improved handle of cane built up of a number of pieces and
glued or otherwise cemented together and in the back of this handle in a direc-'
tion parallel with, or at right angles to, the face of the blade of the bat, or in other
direction, best adapted to the particular degree of spring required, I insert strips
or pieces of india rubber or its compounds tongued, grooved, or otherwise let into
the cane or wood; or in other direction such as. transverse slots, bodies of india
rubber may be let in the handles for a. like purpose; or a series of transverse or
circumferential or other grooves or saw cuts having been produced, these may be.
filled in with india rubber. If it be desirable to protect the india rubber inserted.
in or applied to the handle, from cutting action of the covering stringing I cover.
the handle or those parts needing protection with a sheet or strips of suitable
material between the elastic insertion and the string or binding and I find india.
rubber sheet or leather or cloth or other suitable material" well adapted for the
purpose.

page_text: I FREDERICK HENRY AYRES of 111. Aldersgate Street in the City of London,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE HANDLES OF CRICKET BATS 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 the construction of cricket bat handles so as to give
increased spring or elasticity in use and to avoid jar or sting to the hands of
the user.
I construct my improved handle of cane built up of a number of pieces so far
much as is usual in the manufacture of cane handled bats and glued or otherwise
cemented together and in the back of this handle in' a direction parallel with the
face of the blade of the bat (which direction I find best adapted to the particular
degree of spring required) I insert strips or pieces of india rubber or its compounds
tongued, grooved, imbedded' or otherwise let into the cane or wood; and the form
of holes in the handles I have found to give the best results are transverse slots
and into these I fill in bodies of india rubber of a pyramidical form, the form of
grooving may however be continuous forming transverse or circumferential or
other grooves or saw cuts around the handle having there inlet the rubber, or,
these may be filled in with india rubber in separate pieces.
It is desireable to protect the india rubber inserted in or applied to the handle,
from the cutting action of the covering stringing and for this purpose I cover the
handle or those parts needing protection with a sheet or strips of suitable material
between the elastic insertion and the string or binding and I find india rubber
sheet or leather or cloth or other suitable material well adapted for the purpose.
The angles of the insertion of rubber may be varied as well as the form of the
pieces so long, as the under cut or inlaid form of jar preventing pieces of elastic
material be preserved' substantially as shewn.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. -
Fig. 1 is a sectional view the portion in section being taken centrally of a bat
from back to front thereof..
Fig. 2 is a similar view at right angles thereto the portion in section being taken
centrally of the handle parallel to the face of the blade.
A is the part blade of a cricket bat. B is the handle-a being the shoulders,
b the handle, c the stringing, d the rubber or leather or like protecting sheathing
to protect the inserted pieces of india rubber e; e; e; e from being cut by the string.
Figures 3, 4, 5 & 6 shew separately respectively an edge view, a section, an
upperside view and an underside view of a suitable form of piece of rubber for
insertion as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it

page_text: understood that I am fully aware that it has been proposed to construct cricket
bat handles with longitudinal stripes or splices of india rubber and also to apply
india rubber sheet and strand around the exterior of a cricket bat handle' and I make
no claim to such devices; but what I do claim is,
The construction and use of a cricket bat having a handle constructed of wood
or cane with inserted imbedded pieces of india rubber, or compounds of india
rubber with other matters, covered and protected as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of July 1886.
WM BROOKES & SON,
Agents for the said Frederick Henry Ayres.