IMPROVEMENTS IN CRICKET AND LAWN TENNIS BATS
Year: 1885

page_text: 1, JAMES RICE of 50 Marshall St. Oldham Rd and 409 Rochdale Rd Manchester
in the County of Lancaster Cane handle cricket bat manufacturer do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CRICKET AND LAWN
TENNIS BATS" 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 my invention is to produce a cricket or lawn tennis bat which
when in use, will not sting or jar the hand in striking the ball and will be easier to
grip, than heretofore has been the case.
And in order that my invention may be better understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference corre-
sponding letters indicating like part in the various figures.
Fig 1 on the annexed drawing is a side view of a cricket bat and Fig 2
a longitudinal section.
Fig 3 is a section of a cricket bat handle and shows a modification of Fig 2.
Figs 4 and 5 are detached views showing the material for covering the handles,
plain or twisted.
In carrying out my invention I form the handle a see Figs 1 and 2, of a cricket.
or lawn tennis bat, by means of the combination of ebonized cane b, strips of
white wood c and strips of insertion india, rubber d that is to say, strips of india-
rubber having cloth inserted in the middle, pure or vulcanized, or ebonized cane
and strips of insertion india-rubber alone, see Fig 3, running longitudinally.
By using insertion india rubber instead of plain india rubber strips, the handle
will retain its elasticity much longer than when using plain india rubber strips.
The said strips of insertion india-rubber are each cemented instead of glued
longitudinally between two strips of white wood c, and the latter glued to the
ebonized cane or the strips of insertion india-rubber d, may be cemented or glued
direct to the ebonized cane b see Fig 3.
One or more such india rubber strips may be employed just as deemed practic-
able, to run down the whole length of the handle or only partly.
The said handle I cover first as ordinary with twine c on which I wind and
cement a layer of insertion india-rubber in the form of a string f pure or vulcanized
of a round square or any other section, either plain as illustrated in Figs 1, 2 and 4.
or twisted see Fig 5.

page_text: The cricket bat blade g I provide, where the ball is likely to hit most, with one
or more india rubber bands h pure or vulcanized.
These band or bands are cemented glued pegged, nailed or screwed into a recess
see Figs 1 and 2, formed in the blade g to suit the size of the band h or glued
direct onto the blade without recess.
The said band or bands are intended to protect the face of the bat and lessen
the wear and tear of ball and bat, and may be used for the blades of old bats as
well as new bats.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it to
be understood that I claim
CLAIMS.
First. In cricket or lawn tennis bats forming the handle of a combination of
longitudinal strips of insertion india-rubber pure or vulcanized which are each
cemented between strips of white wood and the latter glued to ebonized cane or the
insertion india-rubber strips being glued direct to the cane substantially as described
and illustrated in the annexed drawing.
+
Second. Providing the handle with a covering of insertion india rubber in the
form of a string either plain or twisted, wound and cemented onto the ordinary
twine covering, substantially as described and illustrated in the annexed drawing.
Third. Providing the blade of a cricket bat with one or more bands of india-
rubber for new bats, which are cemented, glued, pegged, nailed, or screwed into a
recess to suit the size of the band, or direct onto the face of the blade without
recess, substantially as described and illustrated in the annexed drawing.
.
1007
1007
OOOD /TTY
C 10
Dated this 10th
day
Pro JAMES RICE,
Bosshardt & Grant.