US1993715A

US1993715A - Device for use in making tennis strings

Info

Publication number: US1993715A
Application number: US735765A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter J Hamburger
Original assignee: Schindler & Co Inc H
Current assignee: H Schindler & Co Inc; Schindler & Co Inc H
Priority date: 1934-07-18
Filing date: 1934-07-18
Publication date: 1935-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1952-03-05

Description

March 5, 1935.,

W. J. HAMBURGER DEVICE FOR USE IN MAKING TENNIS STRINGS I Filed July 18, 1934 Invenror Wolrer J. Hamburger Patented Mar. 5, 1935 v UNITED, STATES V "1,99s,715 r H DEVICE FOR USE IN MAKING TENNIS 1 srnmos r y Walter J. Hamburger, Brookline, assignor V to H. Schindler & 00., Inc., Canton, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 18,1934, Serial No. 135565 2 claims.

This invention relates to the making of strings for'tennis rackets and the like and particularly to the making of strings which are formedof a has characteristics 'sufliciently different from those of the other strands of the cord so as to be easily identified from such strands. The method described in said application" consists in forming a web of parallel strands laid in a colloidal binder, folding' said'web'longitudinally into the general shape of alcord,'laying along one side of said folded web an'identifying strand which has the desired characteristics, said identifying strand being laid under lessertension than the strands of the web, and then twisting the folded web and the identifying strand together thereby to form the completed tennis string.

'Whenthe cord is twisted to form the completed'string the identifying strand, because of its lesser tension, will remain on the surface of the string throughout the length thereof and will appear on the surface as a marker or identifying strand which spirals about the completed 'string- The present invention has relation-to a'novel device for folding the web" and laying themarker strand alongside of'the folded web with the lesser tension above referred to. In order to give an understanding of the invention Ihave illustrated in the drawing a selected embodiment thereof which will now bedescribed after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates the web of strands from which the string is made, said web showing the strands in parallel relation and united by suitable glue or colloidal bindery Fig. 2 illustrates one form of the web-folding and strand-laying device; i

Fig. 3 illustrates a diiierent form of said device which is'designed to lay two identifying strands along the side of the folded web;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 2; I Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the folded web as it comes from the web-folding and strand-laying device shown in Fig. 2, said web having the identifying strand laid thereal'ong; c Fig. '7 is a fragmentary'view of a tennis string made in accordance with this invention; Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 88, 5

v Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the folded web with 'itsidentifying strands as produced by the'structure shown in Fig. 3.

The tennis string or the'like which is produced 10 with this invention is indicated generally at 1 in Figs. 7 and 8 and it comprises a plurality of strands or threads 2 of silk or any other suitable material which are twisted together to form the completed string andare bound together by glue or some other colloidal binder 3, and also comprises one or more identifying strands or marker strands indicated at 4, each of which marker strands isflaid un -the surface of' the'completed' string 1 and spirals thereabout as shown in Fig. 7. L

.The marker strand has characteristics sufiiciently different from those of the strands 2 so that it canbe easily identified. This marker strand 4 may differ from the other strands 2 in the matter of color or in the matter of material or in" the matter of'si zeorin any other Way by which it can be readily identified. Preferably, however, I employ a marker strand which has a characteristic color different from the color of the strands 2.

'e number of the strands 2 making up the body of the string will vary according to the strengthfwhich fit isdesired that the finished string shallhave and also 'inaccordance with the'characterof the material of which the strands '2'. are made. Where the string is designed for a tennis "string and is made of strands of silk it iscommon to use thirty, forty or fifty strands 40 in astring. c In making up a tennis string the requisite number of strands 2' are first arranged in parallel relation in the form of a web or ribbon 5 as shown in Fig. .1, and a suitable binder is applied to the web 5 to bind the strands together inthis Web form. Such binder can beapplied bypassing the web 5,1 througha bath of binder material or by spraying the binding material on the web or in any other suitable way. The binding mate- 5 rial which is used may be glue or any other suitable colloidal binder.

Where the binding material is applied by passing the web 5 of strands 2 through a bath it will be preferable to feed. the web between squeeze rolls after it issues from the bath to squeeze out the surplus binding material.

After the web 5 has been formed and before the binding material is entirely dried said web is folded longitudinally to form a general cord-like structure, such as shown at 6 in Fig. 6 and at the same time an identifying strand 4 (or a plurality of identifying strands, if desired) is laid along the folded web on the exterior thereof as indicated in Fig. 6. The web is folded into the cord-like shape and the identifying strand 4 is laid alongside of said folded web while thebinding material is still in a tacky condition, and because of this fact the identifying cord will adhere to the folded web and thefolded webwill retain its cord-like shape.

The identifying strand 4 is laid along the web under a lesser tension than that to which the strands 2 are subjected. The cord-like structure with its attached identifying strand 4 is then twisted to form the completed string. The twisting of the cord-like structure twists the strands 2 together and. because of the fact that the identifying strand 4 has a less tension than the strands 2 said strands 4 will take a position on the exterior of the finished string and will appear on the surface of the string from one end to the other, said identifying strandv spiralling about the completed string in a uniform spiral as shown in Fig. 7. During the cord-twisting operation the strands 2 will be drawn tightly together andmore or less of the binding material will be forced to the surface of the completed cord. During this twisting operation the identifying strand or marker strand 4 becomes partially embedded in the surface of the cord but yet remains exposed at the surface and thus performs its function as a marker or identifying strand.

lhe presentinvention relates to a novel device for folding the web 5 and at the same time laying the marker strand along the side of the folded web. One form of the device herein. provided for this purpose is illustrated in Fig.v 2 and it comprises a trumpet-likefolding device indicated generally at 7 through which the web passes and by which it is folded. This folding device 7 is preferably formed with a conical receiving portion 8 which is open at its larger 'end and a tubular portion 9 extending from the smaller end 'of the conical portion 8. The device shown in Fig. 2 is also provided with a tubular marker-guiding element 11 situated exterior to the tubular folding portion 9' and the conical entering portion 8, and one end of whichcommunicates with the interior of theconical portion 8 near the open end thereof while the other end communicates with the bore of the tubular portion 9. This marker guiding element 11 is for the purpose of guiding the identifying strand or marker strand 4 into position and laying it alongside of the folded web.

In using the device shown in Fig.2 the web 5 of parallel strands 2 is fed into theopen end of the trumpet member 7 and passes through the tubular portion 9. As the web passes from the small end of the conical portion 8 into the tubular portion 9 it is folded to form a general cord-like structure and as it emerges from the end of the tubular member 9 it retains its cord-like structure. The web is fed through this folding trumpet while the binding material is still tacky and as a result the edges of the web which are brought into contact by the folding operation will adhere together sufficiently so that the folded web will retain its cord-like structure. I

As'the web 5 is being fed through the trumpet the identifying strand 4 is fed through the guiding member 11 and is delivered to the tubular portion 9 adjacent the delivery end thereof.

This identifying strand 4 is delivered to the folding device under lesser tension than that to which the strands 2 are subjected and as it passes into and through the guiding member 11 it will be delivered along the side of the folded web as shown in Fig. 6 and will adhere to said web because at this time the binding material is still in a tacky condition.

The article will be delivered from the trumpet member 7 in substantially the shape shown in Fig. 6 with the identifying strand 4 lying along and adhering tothe folded web but under somewhat, less tension than the strands 2.

The cord-like structure is'then twisted to the desired extent to twist the strands 2 together and because the identifying strand 4 is undera lesser tension-said strand will assume a position, on the outside of the twisted string where it will be visible throughout the length of the string.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a construction similar to that shown in Fig.2 except that it is provided with two strand-guiding elements 11, one on each side. With this construction two identifying strands instead of one may be laid alongside of the folded web as shown in Fig. 9. r

I claim: 1 1

1. A device for use in making tennis strings and the like from a web of parallel strands laid in a colloidal binder, said device comprising a trumpet element having a hollow conical receiving portion into which the web is fed and a tubular web-folding portion extending from the small end of the conical portion and through which the web is fed and by which it is folded into a cordlike structure, said trumpet element also having a tubular strand-guiding member leading into and communicating with the tubular web-folding portion intermediate the ends thereof for deliveringan identifying strand into said web-folding portion alongside of and in contact with said cord-like structure while the latteris traveling through the web-folding portion.

, 2. A device for use in making tennis strings and the like from a web of parallel strands laid in a colloidal binder, said device comprising a trumpet element having a hollow conical receiving portion into which the web is fed and a tubular web-folding portion extending from the small end of the conical portion and through which the web is fed and by which it is folded into a cord-like structure, said trumpet element also having means to guide an identifying strand into said webfolding portion alongside of and in contact with said cord-like structure while the latter is traveling through the web-folding portion.

WALTER J. HAMBURGER.