for Lawn Tennis, Cricket, and other Purposes.
Year: 1885

page_text: for Lawn Tennis, Cricket, and other Purposes.
I, JOHN HENRY WEBB, 3 Foxhill St High Park St Liverpool Ironmonger's
Salesman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND ADJUSTING NETS USED FOR LAWN TENNIS,
CRICKET & OTHER PURPOSES, to be as follows:-
An apparatus consisting of :-
1. Two posts made of wood or other material which are secured to shoes made
of iron or other material, the heels of which are hollow.
2. Two wedges, to the heads of which are attached projecting pieces forming
right angles, which are driven into the ground until the heads are level with the
surface. The heels of the shoes hook on to the projecting pieces for the purpose of
securing the posts to the ground in a vertical position.
3. Two pulleys, the sheaves of which are accessible on one side, which are fixed
on one post the width of the Net apart, which for Lawn Tennis is usually 3 ft 6 in,
and a similar pulley which is fixed near the shoe of the other post.
4. A cord which is laced alternately through the border meshes of the Net
forming a frame around it.
5. A (hook or) stud which is fixed on the same side of the same post as the one
pulley for the purpose of securing one end of the frame cord, and through which
the cord passes.
6. A pulley which is fixed on the side of the post opposite to the stud or hook
for the purpose of carrying the frame cord after passing through the post.
7. A cleat hook or other fastening which is fixed on the side of the post for the
purpose of securing the other end of the frame cord.
The posts are fixed to the ground the length of the Net apart.
The frame cord being once laced around the Net alternately through the border
meshes is secured at one end to the stud or hook then hooked on to the sheaves

page_text: of the pulleys at three corners of the Net then passed through one post, over a
pulley and fastened to the cleat hook or other fastening.
The advantages claimed for this apparatus are:-
1. That by one action only the four sides of the Net are strained simultaneously
to the required tension thereby obviating the use of any support for the centre of
the Net or any hooks or other fastenings on sides of posts.
2. The Net can be expeditiously fixed and unfixed without unlacing the frame
cord.
3. The posts are securely and easily fixed to the ground and are quite portable.
4. The frame cord not being permanently secured to any part of the Net but
being at perfect liberty to reave through the meshes makes the Net self adjusting.
5. The wedges being driven into the ground until the heads are level with the
surface, do not obstruct the passing of a lawn mower over them, they therefore
need not be removed from the ground from the commencement of a season until
the end.

page_text: for Lawn Tennis, Cricket, and other Purposes.
I, JOHN HENRY WEBB Ironmonger's Salesman 3 Foxhill Street Liverpool, S.
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for SUPPORTING AND ADJUSTING
NETS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement reference being made
to the Drawings Filed with the provisional specification :-
The apparatus consists of:-
1. Two posts made of wood or other material which are secured to shoes made
of iron or other material, the heels of which are hollow as per Drawing.
2. Two wedges, to the heads of which are attached projecting pieces, forming
right angles as per Drawing, which are driven into the ground until the heads are
level with the surface The heels of the shoes hook on to the projecting pieces
for the purpose of securing the posts to the ground in a vertical position.
3. Two pulleys the sheaves of which are accessible on one side which are fixed
on one post the width of the Net apart (which for Lawn Tennis is usually 3 ft 6 in)
and a similar pulley which is fixed near the shoe of the other post and marked
respectively B. B. & B on Drawing. The accessible sides of the pulleys form
V hooks at E.
4. A cord, which is laced alternately through the border meshes of the Net
forming a frame around it.
5. A stud which is fixed at A on the same side of the same post as the one
pulley for the purpose of securing one end of the frame cord and through which
the cord passes.
6. A pulley which is fixed on the side of the post opposite to the stud for the
purpose of carrying the frame cord after passing through the post.
7. A cleat hook or other fastening which is fixed on the side of the same post
for the purpose of straining and securing the frame cord.
To fix the apparatus secure the posts to the ground with the wedges the length
of the Net apart. Lace the cord alternately through the border meshes of the Net
and secure one end to the stud, hook it on to the sheaves of the pulleys at 3 corners
of the Net pass the other end through the stud & post at A & over the pulley then
strain the cord and secure to the cleat or other fastening and hook the three
corners of the Net on to the V of pulleys at E.
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. That by one action only the four sides of the Net are strained simultaneously
to the required tension, thereby obviating the use of any support for the centre
of the Net or any hooks or other fastenings on the sides of the posts.

page_text: 2. The Net can be expeditiously fixed and unfixed without unlacing the frame
cord.
3. The posts are securely & easily fixed to the ground without guy ropes and
are quite portable.
4. The frame cord not being permanently secured to the Net but at perfect
liberty to reave through the meshes makes the Net self adjusting.
5. The wedges, being driven in to the ground until the heads are level with the
surface, do not obstruct the passing of a lawn mower over them, they therefore
need not be removed from the ground from the commencement of a season until
the end.
11
1000