Setting Out Lawn-tennis Courts.
Year: 1885

page_text: Setting Out Lawn-tennis Courts.
I, ROBERT KERRY MESSENT of 5 Sandford Road, Moseley, Birmingham, in the
County of Worcester, Brass founder do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPE MEASURES SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR
SETTING OUT LAWN-TENNIS COURTS to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to improvements in ordinary box tape measures capable of
being wound up within the said box or case so as to make them specially fitted for
laying out lawn-tennis courts with facility and accuracy.
The tape is marked on one side with the customary feet and inches and is made
either 78 feet or 89 feet 1 inch in length but preferably the latter. On the
opposite side there is a distinctive mark at 78 feet from the ring at the end, and
this gives the whole length of one side of the combined courts. Midway, that is at
39 feet from the ring there is another mark. There are also distinctive marks on
the back of the tape whereby the centre line, single court, service court and all
other necessary lines may be set off.
The object aimed at is facility and accuracy in setting out the lines, and the
ensuring of the lines being at right angles to each other. To effect this the mode
of proceedure with the 89 feet tape is as follows. A peg is thrust in the ground,
and at 78 feet from the ring end another peg is placed. At the intervening mark
at 39 feet from the end there is also placed a peg. The part of the tape marked
89 feet 1 inch is then placed upon the central peg at 39 feet. The tape is thus
converted into a loop, and on placing a peg at 36 feet from the ring end and
drawing both ends of the tape tight and thrusting the peg into the ground, one
side of the combined courts will be set out with a base line strictly at right angles
to it. The operation with the 78 feet tape is very similar. One side of the
combined courts is set out 78 feet long with pegs at each end, and pegs are also
introduced at 21 feet 7 inches and 56 feet 4 inches from the ring end. The part
marked 78 feet is then placed on the peg marking 21 feet 7 inches. On drawing

page_text: both ends of the tape tight at the point marking 36 feet and thrusting a peg into
the ground, one side of the combined courts and a base line will be set out
accurately as before. The other side of the combined courts and base line are set
out by a repetition of the same operation on the opposite side. The tape being also
provided with distinctive marks, the intervening lines for dividing the enclosed
space may be accurately marked out with great facility.
The pegs used may each have a slit in it, and the tape at each appropriate mark
may be cased with thin metal and furnished with a stud to retain it temporarily in
the slit of the peg.

page_text: Setting Out Lawn-tennis Courts.
I, ROBERT KERRY MESSENT of 5 Sandford Road, Moseley, Birmingham, in the
County of Worcester, Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPE MEASURES SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR SETTING OUT'
LAWN-TENNIS COURTS " and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in ordinary box tape measures capable of
being wound up within the said box or case, so as to make them specially fitted for
laying out lawn tennis courts with facility and accuracy.
In order that the invention may be more easily understood drawings are attached
hereto, showing in plan the way in which the measure is used, and a modification
thereof, together with a plan and elevation of the tape, metal clip and stud, and an
elevation of the peg.
The tape is marked on one side with the customary feet and inches, and is made
either 78 feet or 89 feet 1 inch in length, but preferably the latter. On the
opposite side there is a distinctive mark at 78 feet from the ring or stud at the end,
and this gives the whole length of one side of the combined courts. Midway, that
is at 39 feet from the ring there is another mark.-There are also distinctive marks
on the back of the tape whereby the centre line, single court, service court, and all
other necessary lines may be set off.
The object aimed at is facility and accuracy in setting out the lines, and the
ensuring of the lines being at right angles to each other. To effect this the mode
of proceedure shown in Fig. 1 with the 89 feet tape is as follows. A peg Fig. 2,
is thrust in the ground at A and at 78 feet from the ring end another peg of the
same description is placed at B. At the intervening marks at 1, C, and 2 there
are also placed pegs. The part of the tape marked 89 feet 1 inch is then placed
upon the central peg at C. The tape is thus converted into part of a loop and on
placing a peg at 36 feet from the ring end A and drawing both parts of the tape
tight and thrusting the peg into the ground at D, one side of the combined courts
will be set out with a base line strictly at right angles to it, pegs being also placed
at 3, 4 and 5. The other side of the combined courts and base line are set out by a
partial repetition of the same operation on the opposite side; that is to say, the
ring end of the tape is put on B, the other end remaining on the peg at C and by
then thrusting a peg into the ground at 36 feet from B the point E is determined.
Pegs are also placed at 6, 7 and 8. The only thing further to be done is to take off
the tape from B and C and stretch it from D to E, marking the positions by
placing pegs at 9, F and 10, when the outline of the courts will be complete.
The operation shown in Fig. 3 with the 78 feet tape is very similar. One side
of the combined courts is set out 78 feet long with pegs at each end F and G and
pegs are also introduced at H 21 feet 7 inches, at I 56 feet 4 inches and at K
39 feet from the ring end F. The part marked 78 feet is then placed on the peg

page_text: at H marking 21 feet 7 inches. On drawing both parts of the tape tight and
thrusting a peg into the ground at J one side of the combined courts and a base
line will be set out accurately as before. The other sides of the courts are produced
by a partial repetition of the operation just described and similar to that when
using the 89 feet tape.
The pegs used may each have a slit in it as shown in Fig. 2, and the tape at
each appropriate mark may be cased with thin metal clips furnished with a stud as
shown in Figs. 4 and 5, or the ends rolled so as to form projections as in Figs. 6
and 7, to retain it temporarily in the slit of the peg. The clips may also be made
of leather, parchment, or other suitable substance.
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
The construction of tape measures marked and furnished with metal clips and
studs, or projections, adapted for use with pegs, the whole being as hereinbefore
described and shown on the drawings.