Improvements in Handles of Cricket Bats and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Handles of Cricket Bats and the like.
We, FREDERICK HENRY AYRES, of 111, Aldersgate Street, in the City of
London, Manufacturer, and HORACE SHIRLEY AYRES, of the same place, Cricket
Bat Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
This invention relates to the manufacture of the handles of cricket bats and
the like, and it is designed to reduce the disagreeable effects, or "jar" arising
from blows in striking the ball, and to gain other advantages.
In carrying out our invention we construct the blade of the bat and the place
for the tongue or splice much as usual, but the handle portion including the
part spliced into the blade is made of cane, which we prefer to, and do, build
up of pieces. In the cane of the handle are formed spaces of annular form, pre-
ferably having the centres of the smaller and larger circles coincident and, in
these annular spaces are cemented by suitable solution (such as is commonly
used in the trade for cementing india rubber to other materials) cylindrical pieces
of india rubber of comparatively thin substance.
Or, the handle may be provided with only one insertion of cylindrical india
rubber cemented to the inner and outer body of cane.
Or, instead of (say) two cylinders of india rubber interspaced with bodies of
cane, one of such cylinders of india rubber may be replaced by a half or other
part cylindrical insertions of rubber in a correspondingly formed recess, or it
may be more than one part cylinder in recesses around or within the other
insertion, which may be cylindrical.
The india rubber insertion, or insertions, may extend from the shoulders of
the bats to the tops of the bat handles, or for a lesser distance as may be pre-
ferred.
The outer end of the india rubber insertions may be plugged in, or their pre-
sence may be masked if desired, in any convenient manner.
De 10th day of February 1808
Improvements in Handles of Cricket Bats and the like.
We, FREDERICK HENRY AYRES, of 111, Aldersgate Street, in the City of
London, Manufacturer, and HORACE SHIRLEY AYRES, of the same place, Cricket
Bat Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
DQ17

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of the handles of cricket bats and
the like, and it is designed to reduce the disagreable effects, or "jar" arising
from blows in striking the ball, and to gain other advantages.
In carrying out our invention we construct the blade of the bat and the place
for the tongue or splice much as usual, but the handle portion including the
part spliced into the blade is made of cane, which we prefer to, and do, build
up of pieces. In the cane of the handle are formed spaces of annular form, pre-
ferably having the centres of the smaller and larger circles coincident and in
these annular spaces are cemented by suitable solution (such as is commonly
used in the trade for cementing india rubber, to other materials) cylindrical pieces
of india rubber of comparatively thin substance, or of equivalently elastic
material.
Or the handle may be provided with only one insertion of cylindrical india
rubber or with a half or other part cylindrical insertion cemented to the inner
and outer body of cane, or a plurality of such parts may be used.
-Or instead of (say) two cylinders of india rubber interspaced with bodies of
cane, one of such cylinders of india rubber may be replaced by a half or other
part cylindrical insertions of rubber in a correspondingly formed recess, or it
may be more than one part cylinder in recesses around or within the other
insertion. which may be cylindrical.
The india rubber insertion or insertions may extend from the shoulders of
the bats to the tops of the bat handles or for a lesser distance as may be pre-
ferred.
The outer end of the india rubber insertions may be plugged in, or their pre-
sence may be masked, if desired, in any convenient manner.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows by a front view of a cricket bat one form of construction of
our invention, Fig. 2 shows the same in side elevation, but with parts in each
case broken away to show the internal arrangement of the parts of the handle.
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the handle taken on the dotted
line of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the handle top.
Figs. to 16 are detail views of portions of bat handles shown separately and
assembled in order the better to indicate the method of construction; that is to
say, we take a central stem of cane a (which in this instance is shown as being
composed of two pieces of cane glued together) which form the points 1 to 3 is
made of square section and from point 2 to point 3 is of round section, and upon
this portion 2 to 3 is sprung an india rubber tube b, the-india rubber being
solutioned to the cane stem. Next, the two cane pieces c, c are placed, on each
side of a, b, with the grooved portions 4, 5 against and enclosing the rubber
tube, these meeting surfaces being also secured together by solution, as already
mentioned with reference to the internal surface of the rubber tube. In the
present instance the two half pieces 4 and 5 are each shown (see Figs. 7-10)
as being made up of 4 sections of cane glued together.
The two slabs or pieces of cane 6 and 7 are now placed against the opposite
sides of the parts already assembled and so as to cover the joints of the parts
4 and 5, these parts being glued thereto under pressure. As shown by
Figs. 11-14 we find it convenient to build up these pieces 6 and 7 of three
sections each.
It will be readily understood that from the square block shown by Figs. 15
and 16 the handle of the bat (as shown by Figs. 1.and 2) may be turned up
and finished, and that the arrangement of the parts of the cane and rubber may
be varied in the building up. Again, that tubes of rubber may be used instead

page_text: of one tube only. For instance, a smaller tube having been applied on a cane
rod (as seen in Fig. 5) more cane may be built around that and another tube
applied thereon and then the remainder of the cane, until the handle block (as
seen in Figs. 15 and 16) is attained.
Fig. 17 shows by a front elevation of portions of a bat handle partly in section
and Fig. 18 by a plan view of same, an alternative construction. Figs. 19, 20,
21, 22 and 23 show the separate parts to be built up.
In this modification, the central cane stem a, already described with its rubber
tube is surrounded by more cane S and around this another india rubber
tube b and then the parts and c¹ and 6 and 7 are built on and the handle
finished as stated.
Fig. 24 shows in elevation portions of another alternative construction partly
in section similar to that shown on Sheet 1, but that two stems of cane a and
two india rubber tubes 6 are employed which are embedded in the handie.
Fig. 25 shows a plan view of the assembled parts, and Figs. 26, 27 and 28 the
separate portions thereof.
Figs. 29, 30 and 31 show somewhat similar views of a modification in which
three stems of cane, each encased in an india rubber tube are embedded in the
handle which in these figures is shown as having been turned up into a circular
form from the square, indicated in the previous figs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The construction and use of a handle for a cricket bat, or the like, with
a space of annular form in which is located and therein secured by suitable
cement a cylindrical piece of india rubber or equivalent elastic material, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth and shown by the drawings.
2. The construction and use of a handle for a cricket bat, or the like, with
spaces therein of annular form in each of which is located and therein secured
by suitable cement a cylindrical piece of india rubber or equivalent elastic
material, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and shown by the
drawings.
3. The construction and use of a handle for a cricket bat, or the like, as set
forth in Claim 1, or as in Claim 2, but with the substitution of a half, or other
part cylindrical insertion, or like insertions of india rubber or equivalent elastic
material, for the cylindrical insertion or insertions described and claimed therein,
as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The various constructions of handles for cricket bats, and the like, with
india rubber or equivalent elastic material, cylindrical or part cylindrical inser-
tions, as described.
I the 14th day of November 1898.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.