US454700A - Emma barker - Google Patents

Description

(No Modl.)

E. BARKER. GAME ATTACHMENT.

No. 454,700. v Patented June 23, 1891.

flv VEN TOH MQ W ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

EMMA BARKER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

GAM E ATTACH MENT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 454,700, dated June 23, 1891. Application filed January 21, 1891. Serial No. 378,501. (No model.)

To a'ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMMA BARKER, of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Attachments, of which the'following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in game attachments; and the object of my i11- vention is to provide means for playing an in door game which is substantially like lawntennis, and to produce certain attachments whereby the net may be conveniently supported upon an ordinary dining-table, and

also to provide a convenient racket adapted for indoor use.

To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and 'combination of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ordinary table marked oif into courts and provided with a net. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View showing the post and clamping device by means of which the net is supported upon the table. "Fig. 3 is a plan view of the racket used in playing the game, the position of the hand on the racket being indicated by dotted lines; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the racket.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents an ordinary dining-table, although the game may be played upon any suitable table, and the table is laid off into courts B in the same manner that the courts are marked upon the lawn for playing lawn-tennis, although the courts are produced upon the table by the use of tape or chalk. The net 0 is stretched transversely across the ceuterof the table, so as to divide the courts in the usual manner, and the .net is provided at its lower corners with cords O, and at its upper corners with cords 0 which terminate in loops or'stirrups c.

The net 0 is supported at each end upon a post D, whichis split at the top, as shown at d, and which is provided on its inner edge with a series of serrations d, which are slightly hook-shaped to enable them to easily hold the cord-loop, as described below, and the bottom of the post is rigidly attached to or formed integrally with the clamping-piece D, which is preferably of a U shape, and which is open at one end, so that it may be easily placed upon the edge of the table, one arm of the clamping-piece being placed above the table and the other one beneath.

A screw E extends vertically through the lower member of the clamping-piece D, the clampingpiece being suitably threaded to receive it, and the upper end of the screw is provided with a flattened head .6, which is adapted to press against the table-top, thus affording a good bearing, and also 011 account of its great surface affording means of attaching the clamping-piece without injury to the table, and the lower end of the screw is provided with a suitable thumb -piece 0', by means of which it may be tightened. The clamping-pieces with the posts thereon, are fastened to opposite sides of the table.

The cords O of the nets are fastened to the lower ends of the posts D, and the cords O are carried through the slotted upper ends of the posts, the loops or stirrups 0 being first placed over the posts, and the cords O are tightened and the loops 0 hooked into suitable serrations (1, so as to hold the cords and net taut.

I11 Figs. 3 and 4: I have shown a racket F, adapted to be used in playing the game, which racket is rounded at the corners and at its back edges, as shown at f, and the opposite side edges f of which are curved inwardly, as best shown in Fig. 3, to enable it to be conveniently grasped by the fingers. A strap G has one end fixed to a corner of the racket, as shown at g, and the strap extends diagonally over the back of the racket and has its opposite end attached to one side thereof, as shown at g, thus forming a loop through which the hand is thrust when the racket is to be used.

The game is played. substantially like lawntennis, asoft-rubber ball being preferably used, and the ball is knocked over the net so as to strike in the courts, the exception to the tennis rules being that the service must be delivered underhand-that is, the hand must be below the elbow-and the ball must be struck by a fore-hand stroke at a point beyond the end of the table. A second exception is that a ball which before it bounds hits the person or racket of the striker-out, provided he is not leaning over the table or does not touch the ball with the racket in an attempt to take it, counts against the striker. 'ljhe rules may be changed, however, if des red, and the essential features of my invention are the means for attachingthe net to the table and the racket for striking the ball.

HELVIHg thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1 In game attachments of the character described, the post having serrations on one edge, as shown, and the clamping device attached to one end of the post, substantially as described.

2. In game attachments of the character described, the net-support comprising a post havlng a slotted upper end and having serrations on one edge, and a clamping device fixed to the lower end of the post to attach it to a table, substantially as described.

3. The net-support comprising a post having serrations on one edge, and a U-shaped clamping-piece fixed to the lower end of the post, said clamping-piece being open at one end and having a screw extending vertically through its lower arm, substantially as described.

4:- The combination, with the net having its upper corners provided with cords which terminate in loops or stirrups, of a post having serrations in one edge and having means for attachment to a table, substantially as described.

5. In game attachments of the character described, the racket having rounded corners and back edges and having a loop extending diagonally across its back, substantially as described.

6. In game attachments of the character described, the racket having the inwardlycurved side edges and having a loop extending diagonally across its back, substantially as described.

EMMA BARKER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE O. llir'r, Vice and Deputy U. S. Oonsul-Genera], London, Englmzd.

A. E. NEUPARD, U. S. Consulate General, London.

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