Improvements in Croquet Hoops.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec, 1898-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Croquet Hoops.
We, WALTER DAVIDSON, Gentleman, of Devon House, Maidstone, and JOHN
EDWARD AUSTIN, Gentleman, of West Court, Detling, Maidstone, both in the County
of Kent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :--
Our invention relates to croquet hoops, and has for its objects to provide a hoop
which shall be less liable than ordinary hoops to work loose in the ground under
the various blows and strains to which it is subjected in use, and which, when or if
it does work loose, can be very easily made tight again; also to provide means for
fixing such hoops without liability to bending of the legs and so destroying the
accuracy of the gauge of the opening of the hoop.
According to our invention, to accomplish the first object we afford a large and
efficient bearing surface against the ground by forming at the base of each leg a
solid inverted cone (like a "marlin-spike ") extending the full length of the part
entering the ground. The bases of the cones (which come at the ground level) aro
of greater diameter or area than that portion of the leg which
above
appears
ground; to accomplish the second object we form at each end of the horizontal head
or bridge part of the hoop laterally projecting lugs as hereinafter explained. In
fully describing our invention we will refer to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a hoop having both our improvements applied. Figs. 2
and 3, 4 and 5 are alternative cross-sections on line 1-2 of Fig. 1 looking down-
wards.
At the proper distance from the head of the hoop (which is usually 12 inches)
we form on each leg b b a solid inverted cone c extending the full length of the part
entering the ground (which is usually 8 inches). In cross-section we prefer that
such cones shall be circular as shown in Fig. 2, they may however be square in
section as in Fig. or polygonal as in Fig. 4 or triangular as in Fig. 5, or of any
other suitable form, so long as the vortical section taken on the central plane or line
of axis in any direction forms a triangle. The diameter of each cone at its base (if
circular) or the length of one of its sides thereat (if angular) should not be less than
to 1 inch irrespective of the diameter of the leg appearing above ground level. We
prefer the circular section since it gives as good a bearing against the earth as any
other and is simple to make. These cones cause the hoop to remain rigid and should
it work loose a very small blow or even the pressure of the hand serves to effectually
tighten it again.
In setting up a hoop the ordinary hammering thereof into the ground, especially
when hard, tends to bend the horizontal head and to bulge the legs outwardly if struck
centrally, and if struck on either side over the leg the mallet frequently slips off the
usual curved shoulder d (shown dotted in Fig. 1) and tends to overset and sometimes
deform the hoop more or less. To remedy this, according to our improvements we
form at the outer part of the junction of the vertical and horizontal parts a and b

page_text: respectively, a laterally projecting lug or part e of any convenient form, such, for
example, as is shown. By this means blows can be directed vertically above the
legs bb without fear of the liability of the mallet slipping off the lugs e and the
blows are transmitted vertically to the legs b, which is the best way to fix the hoop
and to avoid liability to deflect the legs and destroy the true gauge of the hoop.
Our improved hoops may be forged from wrought iron or steel but we find it
cheaper and more efficient to make them of cast metal properly annealed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A croquet hoop having inverted cones on each leg extending the full depth of
the part entering the ground, said cones being of greater diameter or area at their
upper ends (or bases of the cones) than that of the legs, as and for the purpose
herein described and illustrated.
2. A croquet hoop having laterally projecting lugs at each end of the horizontal
head or bridge-part as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated.
Dated thin and Liund
Danombor 1800