Improvements in Supporting Lawn Tennis Nets, which Improve- ments are also Applicable. Wholly or in Part to other like Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1887
Complete Left, 14th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 25th May, 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Supporting Lawn Tennis Nets, which Improve-
ments are also Applicable. Wholly or in Part to other like
Purposes.
We GEORGE HOOKHAм of Nos. 7 and 8 New Bartholomew Street Birmingham in
the County of Warwick Manufacturer and WILLIAM HENRY TONKS of the firm of
William Tonks and Sons of Moseley Street Birmingham aforesaid Manufacturers do
hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
:―
The object of the said invention is principally to effect the maintenance of lawn
tennis nets at a constant or nearly constant level under varying conditions of strain
heat and moisture.
This we effect in the following ways-We make an open or elongated helix of steel
or other hard and elastic wire and we either attach the said helix to the top edge
of the net by sewing or otherwise or we make the top of the net of the said helix.
We prefer to join to one or both ends of the helix and between its ends and the
posts to which the net is fixed short lengths of chain. A cord or line of fibrous
material may be wound on the said helix the said cord or line of fibrous material
forming a helix the convolutions of which are situated between the convolutions of the
wire helix.
When we employ a compound helix of the kind last described the chains at one or
both ends may be dispensed with a portion of the cord or line at the ends of the
compound helix extending beyond the ends of the wire part of the said helix.
The wire helix when made of steel may be coated with varnish or other material
which will prevent its corrosion and the cord or line of fibrous material may be
impregnated with a solution of india rubber or other waterproofing material to
prevent its contraction by moisture. Or the compound helix of steel or other wire
may be compounded with the helix of cord hemp or fibrous material and the whole
impregnated or coated with a solution of india rubber or other waterproofing
material.
Instead of a helix of steel or other wire a corrugated or undulated strip of thin
sheet metal protected from corrosion may be employed. We prefer to employ a length

page_text: of helix equal to the length of the top edge of the net less the length of the chain
at one or both ends but a shorter length may be employed the length of the chain
being proportionately increased. Or portions of helical wire alternating with portions
of straight wire or other inelastic material
may be employed.
Instead of a continuous helix an elastic chain made of long links the sides of
which are helical or undulated may be employed.
Instead of making the helical or elastic part of the line attached to or forming the
top of the net the middle part of the said line and making the, chain or inelastic parts
the ends of the said line this arrangement may be reversed that is the chain or
inelastic part of the said line may be the middle part and the helix or helices forming
the elastic part or parts may form the ends of the said line.
Or the line attached to or forming the top edge of the net may be inelastic and the
required elasticity to preserve the said line in the required state of tension may be
obtained in the posts or one of them by which the net is supported. In this case we
make one or both of the said posts or the upper part of them elastic preferably by
the employment of a series of plate springs arranged in a manner resembling the
arrangement of the plates in one half of a carriage spring. But the required elasticity
may be given to one or both posts in other ways.
The said invention may be applied to the suspension of curtains and fabrics which
it is desired to maintain at or near a constant level.
Dated this Eighteenth day of July 1887.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Supporting Lawn Tennis Nets, which Improve-
ments are also Applicable Wholly or in Part to other like
Purposes.
We GEORGE HOOKHAм of Nos. 7 and 8 New Bartholomew Street, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, and WILLIAM HENRY TONKS of the firm
of William Tonks and Sons of Moseley Street, Birmingham, aforesaid Manufacturers
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention 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 the said invention is principally to effect the maintenance of lawn tennis
nets at a constant or nearly constant level under varying conditions of strain, heat and
moisture.
This we effect in the following ways. We make an open or elongated helix of steel
or other hard and elastic wire and we either attach the said helix to the top edge of
the net by sewing or otherwise. We prefer to join to one or both ends of the helix
and between its ends and the posts to which the net is fixed short lengths of chain. A
cord or line of fibrous material may be wound on the said helix the said cord or line
of fibrous material forming a helix the convolutions of which are situated between the
convolutions of the wire helix. When we employ a compound helix of the kind last
described the chains at one or both ends may be dispensed with, a portion of the cord
or line at the ends of the compound helix extending beyond the ends of the wire part
of the said helix.
The wire helix when made of steel may be coated with varnish or other material
which will prevent its corrosion and the cord or line of fibrous material may be
impregnated with a solution of india rubber or other waterproofing material to prevent
its contraction by moisture. Or the helix of steel or other wire may be compounded
with the helix of cord hemp or fibrous material and the whole impregnated or coated
with a solution of india rubber or other waterproofing material.
Instead of a helix of steel or other wire a corrugated or undulated strip of thin
sheet metal or wire protected from corrosion may be employed. We prefer to employ
a length of helix equal to the length of the top edge of the net less the length of the
chain at one or both ends, but a shorter length may be employed the length of the
chain being proportionately increased. Or portions of helical wire alternating with
portions of straight wire or other inelastic material may be employed. Instead of a
continuous helix an elastic chain made of long links the sides of which are helical or
undulated may be employed.
Instead of making the helical or elastic part of the line attached to or forming the
top of the net the middle part of the said fine and making the chain or inelastic parts
the ends of the said line this arrangement may be reversed; that is, the chain or inelastic
part of the said line may be the middle part and the helix or helices forming the elastic
part or parts may form the ends of the said line.

page_text: The said invention may be applied to the suspension of curtains and fabrics which
it is desired to maintain at or near a constant level.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in elevation a portion of an open
or elongated helix of steel or other hard and elastic wire marked a for supporting a
lawn tennis net according to this invention, the top edge of the net being provided
with a gusset through which the said elongated wire helix a is threaded or passed; or
the wire helix a may be attached to the net in any other convenient way, for example,
portions of the net itself may be prolonged beyond the top edge for the purpose of
attaching the wire helix to it. To the end of the elongated wire helix a the short
lengths of chains d, d are connected the net being secured to the posts by winding the
chains round the ratchets. The net provided with the elongated wire helix a may
however be secured to the posts by any of the equivalent devices at present in use or
in any other convenient manner.
Figure 2 represents a portion of a compound helix for supporting a lawn tennis net
the compound helix consisting of a cord or line of fibrous material e wound on the
wire helix a the convolutions of the said fibrous cord or line being situated between
the convolutions of the wire helix a as represented. The compound helix- a, e is con-
nected to the top of the net by sewing or otherwise. The net provided with the
compound helix is connected to the posts by the short lengths of chain d at the ends
of the compound helix a, e. But in the compound helix a e the short lengths of
chain d may be omitted and the cord or line e may be extended beyond the ends of the
wire helix a and serve for connecting the net to the posts but as before stated any
convenient means may be used for connecting the net to the posts: Figure 3 represents
in elevation a corrugated undulated or crimped wire or strip of thin sheet metal to
be used in place of the wire helix a Figure 1, the said corrugated or undulated wire or
strip being marked f.
The positions of the elastic and inelastic parts for supporting the top of the net
represented in the Drawing may be reversed, that is, a chain or inelastic part may
support the middle portion of the top of the net and the helices or helical wires or
crimped wire or sheet metal may support the ends of the top of the net and be connected
to the posts.
The said invention is applied to the suspension of curtains and fabrics and other like
articles substantially in the manner herein before described with respect to the suspension
of lawn tennis nets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we claim as the
said invention ;
Suspending lawn tennis nets, curtains and fabrics and other like articles so as to
maintain them at a constant or nearly constant level under varying conditions of strain,
heat and moisture by passing through or attaching to the top edge of the net or other
like article an elongated wire helix or a corrugated undulated or crimped wire or strip
of thin sheet metal or a compound helix of wire and a cord or line of fibrous
material substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
Dated this Fourteenth day of April 1888
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.