US644877A - Racket. - Google Patents

Description

No. 644,877. Patented l'llar. 6,1900.

F. L. SLAZENGER.

R A GK E T.

(Applicaltion-flled Sept. 30, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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RACKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1%. 644,877, dated March 6, 190e, Application filed September 30, 1899. Serial No. 732,250. (No model.)

To all whom, it ma concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK LEGH SLAZEN- GER, a citizen of Great Britain,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Tennis Rackets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements involved in the construction of lawn-tennis and other rackets; and it consists of a certain novel arrangement of the strands forming the gutted web, the

preferred embodiment of which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

The prime object of my invention is to so reinforce the racket or that portion thereof most generally brought into action in such a manner that it will be materially strengthened,and thereby possess greater permanency and power than is now common.

A further object of my invention is to accomplish the reinforcement of the central or other portion of the web of a lawn-tennis or other racket without impairing the connection between the center piece and the frame, or, on the other hand, greatly strengthen the union between said parts.

In the accompanying drawings I shall illustrate in detail the preferred method or manner of disposing the end of the strand after it has passed through the frame the last time in the ordinary way of finishing the web, whereby a reinforcement of the gutted web will be made, preferably, at its central part.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved racket, showing the central portion of the web reinforced. Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof.

In order to conveniently designate the features of my invention and their cooperating accessories, numerals will be employed, of which 1 indicates the frame of alawn-tennis racket, 2 designating the handle portion thereof, which parts are constructed in the usual or any preferred manner and are provided with the center piece 3, as is common.

In materializing my invention I form the usual gutted web, occupying a position within the frame portion 1, substantially in the usual manner, and after the gutted web has been thus or otherwise constructed I do not finish off or secure the ends of the strands, as is common, but leave them of considerable length on each side of the frame, and after passing them through the aperture 4 I extend them down along the outside of the frame and under the series of loops 5, as indicated by the numeral 6. The end of the strand on each side is then introduced into the last aperture 7 and passed through the center piece 3, com ing out of the same hole occupied by the central longitudinal strands 8 and thence up ward to the top of the frame, (after being in terwoven with the transverse strands,) when the free ends are secured by passing over to an adjacent hole, preferably to the longitudinal strand and through the same hole occupied thereby. It will beunderstood that the extreme ends are then secured in the usual or any preferred manner. I prefer to continue the series of transverse strands 9 to a point near the upper and lower ends of the opening formed by the body 1 and to fill in the remaining portion with a series of strands 10, preferably of different color, it being un= derstood that each end of the longitudinal strands is to be wrapped by the strands 10, as is shown in Fig. 1, thereby adding to the rigidity and permanency of the web. By thus Wrapping the ends of the'longitudinal strands I am enabled to bind the ends of the usual and the reinforcing strands so that said ends will lie parallel with each other, leaving the remaining portion of said. strands as being only slightly separated though equidistant from each other, owing to the interweaving of the transverse strands.

It will be understood that the strands 6 may be left of sufficient length to be carried down and up again as many times as maybe deemed necessary, and thereby reinforce other than the central longitudinal strands.

As a result of my improved method of stringing a racket I not onlyinsure greater permanency and strength for the gutted web, but also greatlystrengthen and reinforce the gluejoints, insuring that the center piece will be more reliably held into cooperative relationship with the frame and handle portions.

It will be understood that while I have de scribed the preferred manner of applying my invention the substantial equivalent thereof is comprehended by me, and I therefore do not wish to be confined strictly to the exact showing I have herein made.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A lawn-tennis racket consisting of a frame and a web, the web having a center reinforced by longitudinal strands which parallel the main strands, said reinforcing-strands extending from end to end of the frame and passing through the same whereby the ends of the reinforcing strands will be securely held in place, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A lawn-tennis racket consisting of a frame and a center piece provided with apertures therein, a web composed of strands, the lastlongitudinal strand havingits ends passed out through an aperture in the frame, thence downwardly along the frame and thence through apertures in the frame and in the center piece and thence to its destination and suitable means to secure the free ends of the strands as specified and for'the purpose set forth.

3. A lawn-tennis racket consisting of a frame and center piece having perforations therein and a Web having the last strand passed through the perforations in the frame and center piece and back and forth forming a reinforced center, all arranged as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK LEGH SLAZENGER.

Witnesses:

L. M. SAX-SMYTH, J ESSIE B. GARRETT.

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