IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS NET POSTS
Year: 1885

page_text: I GEORGE GIBSON BUSSEY of Museum Works, Rye Lane, Peckham, in the
County of Surrey Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS NET POSTS, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce strong rigid net Poles that do not
enter the ground and can therefore be quickly and easily set up and removed
without disturbing the Turf or Flooring of the Court.
This is accomplished by fitting the Poles with extended feet, to enable them to
stand upright, but not entering the ground, but being held firmly, thereto by
having a double rod fixed near the top of each Pole, and carried in a slanting
direction to a stake driven into the ground about 18 inches behind the Pole,
and sufficiently large and strong to resist all the strain required by a net line.
In carrying out my invention, I provide iron feet, or shoes, having broad bases
to rest upon the ground. These shoes are either attached to or made to form part
of the poles. If the poles are formed of a different material to that of the shoes
(such as wood or metal tube) the feet are provided with sockets to receive the
same. In some cases the poles are formed of iron plate or bar iron, united by
distance pieces or rivets, or they may be formed of H L or U cast or wrought
iron, in which cases the feet may be formed in one therewith, or otherwise united,
according to the form and nature of the material; the object being to secure the
feet firmly to the poles, of whatever material the latter may consist.
At a suitable distance (usually about 18 inches to 24 inches) from the shoes, in
a horizontal direction, I drive stakes into the ground in a slanting direction. These
stakes may be made of wood or metal, and tapered to a point, to enter the ground
easily. They are usually made from 2 feet to four feet in length. The upper end
has a notch on one side to receive the stay.
The stays consist of two iron rods, having eyes formed at their upper ends to
receive a pin or bolt which passes through the pole, near its upper end.-The
lower end of the stay forms a loop which hooks on to the upper end of the spiked
stakes.
An intermediate support to the net midway between the two poles is sometimes
used.

page_text: One of the stays is fitted with a small barrel or capstan, to which a ratchet and
pawl are attached, and a handle to revolve the saine; by means of which the net
line is wound up to any desired state of tension.
The poles being placed the desired distance apart, in a vertical position, upon
the ground, and the stakes driven in, the stays are then set up. The net line and
net are then attached, and the line is drawn taut by the winch. By this arrange-
ment the poles are held very firmly to the ground, and do not require any ground
bolts or other means of support.

page_text: I GEORGE GIBSON BUSSEY of Museum Works Rye Lane Peckham in the
County of Surrey, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN LAWN TENNIS NET POSTS, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement:-
The object of this invention is to produce strong rigid net poles that do not
enter the ground and can therefore be quickly and easily set up and removed
without disturbing the turf or flooring of the court.
This is accomplished by fitting the poles with extended feet, to enable them to
stand upright, yet not entering the ground but being held firmly thereto by:
having a double rod fixed near the top of each pole, and carried in a slanting
direction to a stake driven into the ground about 18 inches behind the pole and
sufficiently large and strong to resist all the strain required by a net line.
In
In carrying out my invention I provide iron feet or shoes having broad bases to
rest upon the ground. These shoes are either attached to or made to form part of
the poles. If the poles are formed of a different material to that of the shoes (such
as wood or metal tube) the feet are provided with sockets to receive the same.
some cases the poles are formed of iron plate or bar iron, united by distance pieces
or rivets, or they may be formed of H L or U cast or wrought iron, in which cases
the feet may be formed in one therewith, or otherwise united, according to the form
and nature of the material; the object being to secure the feet firmly to the poles,
of whatever material the latter may consist.
At a suitable distance (usually about 18 inches to 24 inches) from the shoes, in a
horizontal direction, I drive stakes into the ground in a slanting direction.
These stakes may be made of wood or metal, and tapered to a point, to enter the
ground easily. They are usually made from 2 feet to 4 feet in length. The upper
end has a notch on one side to receive the stay.
The stays consist of two iron rods, having eyes formed at their upper ends to
receive a pin or bolt which passes through the pole near its upper end. The
lower end of the stay forms a loop which hooks on to the upper end of the spiked
stakes.
An intermediate support to the net midway between the two poles is sometimes
used.
One of the stays is fitted with a small barrel or capstan, to which a ratchet and
pawl are attached, and a handle to revolve the same by means of which the net
line is wound up to any desired state of tension.
The poles being placed the desired distance apart, in a vertical position upon the
ground, and the stakes driven in, the stays are then set up. The net line and net
are then attached, and the line is drawn taut by the winch. By this arrangement
the poles are held very firmly to the ground and do not require any ground bolts
or other means of support.
And in order that my said invention may be more particularly described and
ascertained reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

page_text: Figs 1 and 2 represent a pair of wooden poles fitted into iron sockets, and Fig 3
is a modified form of pole or support.
a a a a represent the surface of the court on which the net poles are to stand.
b. b are the stakes from 2 to 4 feet in length which may be made either of wood
or metal, according to the nature of the earth, and which are driven into the
ground level with the surface and about 18 inches from the feet of the poles.
c c are the iron feet or sockets fitted to the wood poles.
dd are the double iron rods, which pass from the notches in the ground stakes
to near the top of each pole, as shewn.
e is a ratchet wheel with a pawl fitted on to or between either of the double iron
rods by which the net line is wound up to any desired tension, and by which tension
the poles are held very firmly to the ground,-
-so firmly that neither ground bolts
or other fixing is necessary.
ff are the wood poles fitted into the iron feet c c In Fig 3 an iron standard g
is shewn which can be made to answer the same purpose and is less costly than the
wood poles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1 The manufacture and use of Lawn Tennis Net posts, fitted with iron feet or
sockets c and stayed by rods d d linked into notches in ground stakes bb
substantially as described and shewn on the drawings.
2. In Lawn tennis apparatus of the description aforesaid, the use of the winding
appliance e for imparting tension to the net line, substantially as described and
shewn on the drawings.
3. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts together
forming my improvements in Lawn tennis net posts, substantially as described and
shown on the drawings.
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