GB1596183A - Tennis rackets - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO TENNIS RACKETS (71) I, PEDRO KELMANSKI, a citizen of Argentina, of Moron, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention refers to tennis rackets.

According to this invention there is provided a tennis racket comprising a handle formed of two side members which at one end are connected to a grip, and which, at the other end define an open hoop, a substantially oval frame, on which is mounted intercrossed, tensioned string-like elements that constitutes the stringing of the racket, said frame being detachably mounted in the hoop, a retention member, located between said two side members and which retains said frame within the hoop, said retention member defining a guide which extends axially of the handle of the racket, there being a counterweight assembly mounted on the guide and which can be moved axially of the handle, and including means for selectively locking the counterweight assembly in a selectable position, and arrangement being such that the centre of gravity of the racket may be adjusted by selectively adjusting the position of the counterweight assembly.

Preferably, said counterweight assembly comprises a clamp, and said guide comprises a slot formed in said retention member, said clamp including a screw threaded member which passes through said slot and a wing nut which co-operates with the threaded member.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be put into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which: FIGURE 1 represents a detail of a tennis racket the handle being shown in dash lines and in the centre of the Figure a guide slot is shown formed in a rigid piece mounted on the handle on which a small clamp is alidably mounted which may be adjustably locked in position by means of a wing nut; FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the racket according to plan li-Il of Figure I that illustrates how the clamp comprising the counterweight works; and FIGURE 3 is a cross section of the racket taken on line Ill-Ill of Figure l and shows how the counterweight is clamped in the slot.

In the different figures, the same reference numbers and letters indicate similar or corresponding parts, the groups of several elements are marked in letters.

Said references correspond to the following details; a - Frame of the racket b - Handle 1 -- Handle side members 1' - Extension of the side members forming a hoop.

2 -- Stringing of the racket on an oval frame 3 - Rigid retention piece to make the handle rigid and to hold the oval frame in place 4 - longitudinal slot formed in reinforcing piece 3 5 - Upper part of clamp 6 - Lower part of clamp 7 - Wing nut for adjustment between clamp parts 56 8 - Threaded portion of the wing nut 7 In general, a) is the frame of the racket which is mounted on the handle b).

Said handle b), comprises two side members 1, that extend to the grip of the handle (not shown), into which the ends of said side members are removably inserted, and which diverge to define a hoop 1'. A separate oval frame which supports the stringing 2 of the racket is detachably mounted in the hoop 1'. As shown in Figure 1 the upper edge of a rigid piece 3 also mounted in between the side members 1, engages said separate oval frame. The stringing comprises inter-crossed tensioned string elements.

Said rigid piece 3 is provided with a longitudinal slot 4, that is directed to coincide with the longitudinal geometric axis of the racket, and extends from a point adjacent the hoop 1' towards the grip portion of the handle b) (Figure 1).

A counterweight assembly, comprising elements 5, 6, 7 and 8 is slidingly mounted in the slot 4. The counterweight assembly including a set of metal clamps 5 and 6, that may have the sections shown in Figures 2 and 3, and that are connected by screw threaded member 8 on one end of which is mounted wing nut 7. The position of the counterweight assembly along the slot 4 can be adjusted by releasing the wing nut 7, sliding the counterweight assembly to the desired position, and by re-tightening the wing nut 7.

The centre of gravity of the racket varies in accordance with the relative position adopted by the counterweight along the slot 4.

It is doubtless that in putting the present invention into practice, some modifications may be introduced as regards certain details in the construction and shape of the new racket, without involving a departure from the basic invention which is clearly specified in the following claims.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A tennis racket comprising a handle formed to two side members which at one end are connected to a grip, and which, at the other end define an open hoop, a substantially oval frame, on which is mounted intercrossed, tensioned string-like elements that constitutes the stringing of the racket, said frame being detachably mounted in the hoop, a retention member, located between said two side members and which retains said frame within the hoop, said retention member defining a guide which extends axially of the handle of the racket, there being a counterweight assembly mounted on the guide and which can be moved axially of the handle, and including means for selectively locking the counterweight assembly in a selectable position, the arrangement being much that the centre of gravity of the racket may be adjusted by selectivly adjusting the position of the counterweight assembly.

2. A racket according to claim 1 wherein the counterweight assembly comprises a clamp, and said guide comprises a slot formed in said retention member, said clamp including a screw threaded member which passes through said slot, and a wing nut which co-operates with the threaded member.

3. A tennis racket substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. mounted in between the side members 1, engages said separate oval frame. The stringing comprises inter-crossed tensioned string elements. Said rigid piece 3 is provided with a longitudinal slot 4, that is directed to coincide with the longitudinal geometric axis of the racket, and extends from a point adjacent the hoop 1' towards the grip portion of the handle b) (Figure 1). A counterweight assembly, comprising elements 5, 6, 7 and 8 is slidingly mounted in the slot 4. The counterweight assembly including a set of metal clamps 5 and 6, that may have the sections shown in Figures 2 and 3, and that are connected by screw threaded member 8 on one end of which is mounted wing nut 7. The position of the counterweight assembly along the slot 4 can be adjusted by releasing the wing nut 7, sliding the counterweight assembly to the desired position, and by re-tightening the wing nut 7. The centre of gravity of the racket varies in accordance with the relative position adopted by the counterweight along the slot 4. It is doubtless that in putting the present invention into practice, some modifications may be introduced as regards certain details in the construction and shape of the new racket, without involving a departure from the basic invention which is clearly specified in the following claims. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A tennis racket comprising a handle formed to two side members which at one end are connected to a grip, and which, at the other end define an open hoop, a substantially oval frame, on which is mounted intercrossed, tensioned string-like elements that constitutes the stringing of the racket, said frame being detachably mounted in the hoop, a retention member, located between said two side members and which retains said frame within the hoop, said retention member defining a guide which extends axially of the handle of the racket, there being a counterweight assembly mounted on the guide and which can be moved axially of the handle, and including means for selectively locking the counterweight assembly in a selectable position, the arrangement being much that the centre of gravity of the racket may be adjusted by selectivly adjusting the position of the counterweight assembly.

2. A racket according to claim 1 wherein the counterweight assembly comprises a clamp, and said guide comprises a slot formed in said retention member, said clamp including a screw threaded member which passes through said slot, and a wing nut which co-operates with the threaded member.

3. A tennis racket substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.