U.S. patent number 3,901,507 [Application Number 05/379,001] was granted by the patent office on 1975-08-26 for manufacture of metal frames for tennis and other rackets.
Invention is credited to Michel Chervin, Jean Santini-Ormieres, Rene Spenle.
United States Patent |
3,901,507 |
Santini-Ormieres , et
al. |
August 26, 1975 |
Manufacture of metal frames for tennis and other rackets
Abstract
Metal frame for tennis or other racket, characterized in that it
consists of two tubular metal elements shaped in the usual way, at
least one of which has on one surface imprints or depressions,
which, when the said elements are assembled one on top of the
other, form spaces for the passage and fixing of interwoven
strings.
Inventors: |
Santini-Ormieres; Jean (Lyon,
FR), Spenle; Rene (Villeurbanne (Rhone),
FR), Chervin; Michel (Villeurbanne (Rhone),
FR) |
Family
ID: |
9102990 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/379,001 |
Filed: |
July 13, 1973 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 2, 1972 [FR] |
|
|
72.28500 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/540; 29/463;
228/173.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
60/00 (20151001); A63B 49/12 (20130101); A63B
60/50 (20151001); Y10T 29/49893 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
49/02 (20060101); A63B 49/12 (20060101); A63b
049/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;29/463,475
;273/73H,75C,73J,73D |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Moon; Charlie T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dowell & Dowell
Claims
We claim:
1. A metal frame for securing the ends of interwoven strings for a
tennis or other racket, comprising two tubular oval-shaped metal
frame elements assembled and secured one on top of the other and
having mutually adjacent faces contacting each other, the adjacent
face of at least one of said oval frame elements being formed with
a series of depressions disposed such that when the frame elements
are secured together face to face said depressions form spaces
between the elements to receive and pass the strings.
2. A frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adjacent faces of
both frame elements are formed with depressions which are in mutual
registration when the frame elements are secured together.
3. A frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein the interwoven strings
have spaces of fixed length therebetween and wherein each
depression as measured along the frame is long enough to pass
strings spaced apart by twice said fixed length, and plate means on
the outside edge of said frame elements to receive and anchor the
strings extending through said depressions.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that rackets with metal frames have undeniable
advantages with regard to lightness and resistance to warping, and
that it is their relatively high price which has restricted their
commercialisation up to now.
In order to remedy this the present invention concerns a metal
racket frame which can be mass-produced at a very low cost while
showing characteristics in use comparable with those of known metal
frames.
The frame in the invention is characterised in that it consists of
two oval tubular metal elements shaped in the usual way, at least
one of which has on one surface imprints or depressions, which,
when the said elements are assembled one on top of the other, form
spaces for the passage and fixing of interwoven strings.
The method of production necessary for the above arrangement starts
with shaping the two tubular elements in the usual way. They are
then stamped to give them imprints or depressions on the sides
which will be joined, and they are assembled by welding or brazing,
naturally while taking care that the depressions on the two
elements conincide.
The attached diagrams, given as an example, will assist in
understanding the invention.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the two tubular elements of a frame
as in the invention after shaping.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of one of the elements after
stamping.
FIG. 3 is a side view on a larger scale with part cut away showing
the depressions obtained.
FIG. 4 shows in the same way the two elements after assembly.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are transverse sections through V--V (FIG. 3) and
VI--VI (FIG. 4) respectively.
FIGS. 7 and 8 are views similar to those of FIGS. 4 and 6, but
correspond to a variation in manufacture of the invention.
As mentioned at the beginning, to make a metal frame for tennis and
other rackets one starts by cutting a certain length of metal
tubing to obtain two rectilinear elements. These are then shaped
into the usual form shown in FIG. 1 including a part 1 which is
quite considerably curved in order to take the standard stringing,
and two rectilinear lengths 2 parallel to one another to form the
handle.
The mutually adjacent faces, or at least one thereof, of each of
the two elements thus obtained is then submitted to stamping to
make depressions 3 (FIGS. 3 and 5) on the side of the said part 1,
suitably spaced out. This spacing can be regular or irregular,
depending on the type of stringing to be used. The parts 1 are
given a sort of castellated shape in profile which affects one or
other of the sides in the plan of the said part 1.
After stamping the two elements are placed one on top of the other,
so that the depressions 3 meet. One only needs then to join these
elements by a line of brazing or welding 4 (FIGS. 4 and 6). The
depressions 3 form openings 5 for the passage of the criss-cross
stringing.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 the depressions 3' in the two tubular
elements can be of considerable length to form longer openings 5'
to allow the passage of several strings, the said strings then
being held through the perforations 6a by a small plate of
synthetic material 6, fixed to the outside edge of the frame
proper.
It should be appreciated that the depressions 3 in the two tubular
elements which form the frame can be of varying depth; in certain
cases only one of the elements need have any depressions, and the
other can remain smooth.
* * * * *