IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Nelson Hutchinson, General in Her Majesty's.
Army, of Wellesbourne Bideford County of Devon, Colonel of the Duke of
Wellington's Regiment for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Nelson Hutchinson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th August 1883.
WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON General in Her Majestys Army, of Welles-
bourne Bideford County of Devon, Colonel of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS MARKERS
"
The object of the invention is to furnish a machine (or apparatus) for drawing
more expeditiously and accurately than is usual the lines on Lawn Tennis grounds
of any width whether the marking fluid be thin or thick, for it is kept in such
constant agitation in the vessel containing it that no deposit can be formed.
The vessel that holds the fluid is much similar in shape to a barrel of which a
third or a fourth part is cut off in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis. In this
axis the vessel is supported horizontally by an axle passing through both ends fixed
to a pair of wheels of greater diameter than the vessel, revolving outside it. The
revolution of the wheels does not cause the vessel to rotate as the axle revolves
freely in the circular holes at the end of the vessel. Thus the opening occasioned
by the portion of the vessel (or rather of the barrel) supposed to be cut off is
always uppermost. The axle turns, what may be called, paddles attached to it
within the vessel, by which the fluid is kept in a state of constant agitation. At
the bottom of the vessel, in its mid-transverse plane, a tap is fixed with its spout
projecting to the front in the aforesaid plane. A stout wire soldered to the cock
(the spigot) runs upwards, as its handle, for a few inches, and then bends
horizonally towards the Driver, who, by pushing the knob on its extremity to
the right side or left, so opens or closes the tap that the fluid is discharged in a
stream of the size best suited to the nature of the turf and thickness of the fluid.
It falls on the slightly concaved periphery (the tire) of a small wheel which
revolving immediately under the spout of the tap gives by its sharp rims well
defined edges to the marked line. The width desired for the line determines the

page_text: width to be given to the wheel. The chambering of the periphery might be
rectangular instead of concave.
The machine travels on the three wheels. The Driver propels it by means of a
removeable handle (a stick) hooked to the back of the vessel, working freely
vertically in its central transverse plane. A wire in a somewhat circular form on
cach side of the handle (soldered to the vessel in planes transverse to its axis)
prevents any lateral movement of the handle. A removeable guiding straight
wire about a foot long, inserted in a tube above the tap, enables the Driver to
direct the machine with expedition and accuracy in a straight line towards a
distant point. He is aided by a sight fixed on the bend of the long handle of the
cock.
A scraper in rear of the small wheel, conforming to the shape of, and nearly in
contact with the rectangular (or concaved) periphery, arrests particles of grass, &c.
that might otherwise prove obstructive. The front of the tap, at the usual bend,
has a cap screwed on which when removed shows a straight passage to allow of
any accidental obstruction being easily withdrawn.
The barrel form prevents splashing or spilling. It, as well as one formed of two
sections of similar cones, more readily admits of the fluid being drawn off to the
last drega along the transverse channel, and all being washed clean by a little water
run through the tap, than would a cylindrical form. To have good capacity and
save the careful workmanship that would be required to make the holes in which
the axle revolves watertight, such width is given to the vessel that only at the
bottom do the paddles nearly touch it.
.
Were the deposit of sediment disregarded the paddles would not be required,
therefore a smaller vessel would retain the same amount of fluid, as there need be
no axle-holes through which it might escape, the axle becoming a fixture to the
vessel..
With a large tap sand might be used instead of a marking fluid.
By making the handle by which the Driver of the machine propels it, a fixture
instead of being moveable, short legs could be substituted for the pr of wheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Nelson Hutchinson in the Patent Office on the
2nd February 1884.
WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON General in Her Majesty's Army of Welles-
bourne Bideford County of Devon, Colonel of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment
IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS MARKERS
The object of the invention is to furnish a machine for drawing more expe-
ditiously and accurately than is usual, the lines on Lawn Tennis grounds-the lines
to be of any desired width whether the marking fluid be thick or thin, for it is
kept in such constant agitation in the vessel containing it that no deposit can be
formed.
In most figures of the annexed sheet of drawings similar letters designate similar
parts.
Fig 1. The vessel A, A that holds the fluid is much similar in shape to a barrel
of which a third or a fourth part is cut. off in a plane parallel to the longitudinal
axis. It is usually about eight inches in its greatest length and breadth. In the
said axis the vessel is supported horizontally by an axle B passing through both
ends (of the vessel) fixed to a pair of wheels. of greater diameter than the vessel.
The exterior circular dotted line C, C is one of the wheels. Their revolution does
not cause the vessel to rotate, as the axle (fixed to them) revolves freely in the
circular holes at the ends of the vessel. Thus the opeing caused by the portion
of the vessel (or rather of the barrel) supposed to be cut off is always uppermost.
The axle turns what may be called paddles (F F &c) attached to it within the
vessel, by which means the fluid is kept in a state of constant agitation. The
paddles are stout wires, say 8 in number, each in the form of three sides of a right
angled parallelogram, their ends being soldered to the axle B. At the bottom of
the vessel in its mid-transverse plane-, a tap D is fixed with its spout projecting
to the front in the said plane. A stout wire (E) soldered to the cock (the spigot).
runs upwards, as its handle, for a few inches, and then bends horizontally towards
the driver, who by pushing the knob (G) on its extremity to the right side or left
so opens or closes the tap (D) that the fluid is discharged in a stream of the size
best suited to the nature of the grass and the thickness of the fluid. It falls on
the scored periphery (the tire) of a small wheel, R Fig 2, which revolving imme-
diately under the spout of the tap gives, by its sharp rims, K. K &c Figs 1 & 2,
well defined edges to the line marked on the turf The width desired for the line.
determines the width to be given to the wheel. The removeable axle X Figs 1
and 2 on which the wheel R revolves is supported at its extremities by circular.
holes made in the arms P, P attached to the vessel A & to the tap.
The circular surface of the wheel is slightly scored in lines parallel to the axis.
They temporarily arrest the downward flow of the fluid, and make it spread over
the whole width of the wheel before it (the fluid) comes in contact with the
ground. As an aid in effecting this spreading the mouth of the tap is rectangular
instead of being circular, as is usual.
The machine travels on three wheels. The driver propels it by means of a
removeable stick (Y) hooked to the back of the vessel at M, and working freely in
its central transverse plane. A wire (N) of a somewhat circular form on each side
of the stick (soldered to the vessel in vertical planes transverse to its axis) prevent
any lateral movement of the stick. A removeable straight guiding wire, about
eight inches long, its end inserted in a tube (V) fixed on the tap, enables the driver
to direct the machine with expedition and accuracy in a straight line towards a

page_text: "
distant point. A scraper (S) in rear of the small wheel and nearly in contact with
the scored surface arrests particles of grass, &c that might otherwise prove obstruc-
tive. On the front of the tap there is a cap or screw (Z) which when removed
shows a straight passage to allow of any accidental obstruction being displaced
The barrel form prevents splashing or spilling. It, as well as one formed of two
sections of similar cones, more readily admits of the fluid being drawn off to the
last dregs, and all being cleaned by a little water run through the tap than would
a cylindrical form. To have good capacity, and save the careful workmanship that
would be required to make the holes in which the axle revolves watertight such
width is given to the vessel that only at the bottom do the paddles nearly touch
it. This size could be much diminished by making the axle B Fig 3 a fixture to
the vessel instead of to the wheels. The paddle-frame F, F would be attached to
the tube TT revolving on the axle B, and be made to rotato by a bevelled ring D
being fixed inside one of the large wheels (C), which would act upon a bevelled
small horizontal wheel. E, which would drive a bevelled ring H fixed on the outer
extremities of the spokes of the paddle-frame. The small wheel E would rotate
on a fixed axle I springing from the side of the vessel A.
Fig 4 shows how a tube Q might be substituted for the tap. The driver would
close or open it by means of the stopper attached to the rod R, resting in the
trough W and hole H. The edge of that hole by entering one of the several
notches cut in the rod near H, temporarily arrests the stopper when it is wholly
or partially in the tube, or quite clear of it.
To give space for the rod and trough the paddle frame would be divided in the
middle into two parts with an interval of about an inch-A slide T at the exterior
extremity of the tube Q would be drawn aside when it was necessary to remove
any accidental obstruction. 00 are supports to the trough.
Were the deposit of a sediment disregared the paddles would not be required.
A smaller vessel could then retain the same amount of fluid as there need be no
axle holes through which it might escape. The axle would be a fixture to the
vessel.
With a large tube sand could be used instead of a marking fluid.
By making the handle (the stick Y), by which the driver of the machine propels
it, a fixturo at M, the machine could be made to travel on the one wheel in front,
short legs being substituted for the pair of large wheels, but it would be a wretched
affair.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same can be carried into effect, I wish
it to be understood that what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by the
said Letters Patent is :-
The combination of parts forming a machine constructed and operating substan-
tially as and for the purposes above set forth and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said William Nelson Hutchinson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this 10th day of January 1884