Year: 1886

page_text: I PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Frederick W. Taylor
of the City of Philadelphia in the United States of America) to be as follows :-
:-
The object of the invention is to produce a tennis racket by means of which the
player will be more readily enabled to strike and raise a ball bouncing or shooting
close to the ground or to take a high ball in such a manner as to drive it over the
net low down into the opposite court, to do which with the ordinary straight
racket requires a considerable amount of skill. My invention consists in forming
or setting the head or strung portion of the racket inwardly at a suitable angle to
the handle. This shape will allow of the player taking the ball a little later than
with the ordinary form of racket; while it is also very convenient when striking
back handed with the same side or face as in the ordinary play. This angle or
inclination may be given to the head by bending the wood of that portion of the
handle immediately below it or by jointing or hinging it, so that it would be
adjustable to suit different players. Or the head may be hung in pivoted arms in
a similar manner to a looking glass.

page_text: I PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Frederick W. Taylor of
the City of Philadelphia in the United States of America) 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 invention is to produce a tennis racket by means of which the
player will be more readily enabled to strike and raise a ball bouncing or shooting
close to the ground or to take a high ball in such a manner as to drive it over the
net low down into the opposite court, to do which with the ordinary straight
racket requires a considerable amount of skill. My invention consists in forming
or setting the head or strung portion of the racket inwardly at a suitable angle to
the handle. This shape will allow of the player taking the ball a little later than
with the ordinary form of racket; while it is also very convenient when striking
back handed with the same side or face as in the ordinary play. This angle or
inclination may be given to the head by bending the wood of that portion of the
handle immediately below it or by jointing or hinging it, so that it would be
adjustable to suit different players. Or the head may be hung in pivoted arms in
a similar manner to a looking glass.
To clearly explain the nature of my invention reference is made to the accom-
panying drawing in which the handle of the racket is marked A, the neck B, the
head C and the hinge where employed D.
In Figures 1 and 2 which are a front and side elevation of a tennis racket as at
present constructed the axis or center line of the handle A lies in the plane of the
net work of the head C. Certain players have difficulty in using a racket of this
form when the ball bounces close to the ground or passes above the level of their
beads, as the manner in which they hold the racket is such that in striking the
ball in these cases the ball is not driven to the opposite court as is desired and
intended, but passes from the racket in such a way as either to strike the net or
fall outside of the opposite court. In my racket which is intended to obviate this
difficulty, the axis or centre line of the handle A makes a greater or less angle
with the head C. The amount of this angle is not material to my invention, for
with different players it will probably be necessary to vary it.
Figs. 3 to 11 represent front and side elevations of various forms of my improved
racket.
In Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 I have furnished the racket, at the point where the
handle joins the neck B, with a joint, hinge, or pivot D, by means of which the
angle formed by the axis of the handle and the plane of the head may be varied.
It will be understood, however, that it is not essential to the working of my racket
that there should be any such hinge or any means for varying this angle, for it is
probable that most of my improved rackets will have the greater part of the frame
of the head, the neck, and the handle all made out of a single piece of wood bent
into the proper form, as shown in Fig. 11 which illustrates a good form of racket.
In Figs. 7 and 8 the head C of the racket is shown pivoted to the neck.

page_text: In Figs. 9 and 10 the handle A is curved so that its axis is at an angle with the
centre plane of the head C.
There may be many more ways of securing the head of the racket to the
handle without departing from the spirit of my invention and it will be understood
that I do not desire to limit myself to any particular method of attachment
or adjustment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by ny foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is-
-
A tennis-racket in which the centre line or axis of the handle is set at an angle
with the centre plane of the network of the head, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of October 1886
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London.