Patent GB-498196-A (GB)
Abstract: 498,196. Balls for games. REACH, M. B. Oct. 8, 1937, No. 27427. [Class 132 (ii)] An inflatable game ball comprises a textile seamless member of relatively non - stretchable character built up upon a form by means of laminations of textile material and cord winding bonded together by vulcanization into a unitary mass, and united homogeneously with a cover formed of pieces of leather or the like. Layers b of balloon cloth, stockinette or both, treated with rubber cement are applied to a wax form a, Fig. 2, together with one or more layers of cord winding c. Holes are cut through the layers and through the wax preferably at opposite poles, and apertured rubber members 1, la holding a rubber valve 2 and rubber cork 3 are cemented over the holes. The assembly is placed in a mould, air is forced in through a hypodermic needle and heat applied for vulcanization. The liquid wax is run out after temporary removal of the cork 3, and a lining compound in liquid form may be introduced to render the walls impervious to air. The lining compound may consist of a mixture of water, glue and glycerine. The cork 3 (or a second valve) is reinserted, the assembly is inflated and panels of leather with the edges abutting are vulcanized to the outer surface. In a modified construction, Fig. 6, tubular sleeves of stockinette are drawn on to a wax form successively in different directions, the surplus material at the ends of the sleeves is cut off, and the resulting gaps are filled by cemented patches 7 of balloon cloth. Each tube is secured by vulcanizable cement. A winding c of fine cord is applied over the sleeves and is also cemented in place. An aperture for subsequent insertion of a bladder is now made by cutting the successive layers, for example as shown in Fig. 7, so as to leave a succession of closure flaps of diminishing sizes. Metal plates previously inserted between the layers facilitate the cutting operation and are removed at the same time. The wax form is broken up and removed, or melted out. A bladder d is now inserted and inflated and the closure flaps are cemented down in overlapping relationship. Instead of cutting out closure flaps, complete pieces may be removed. A further winding of cord is applied followed by a layer of stockinette and an outer cover of leather. In a modification, Figs. 10-12 (not shown), successive layers of balloon cloth united by rubber cement are assembled on a wax form with the warp threads crossing. Closure flaps opening in different directions are cut in the layers to provide an opening through .which the wax is extracted and a rubber bladder is inserted. After inflation of the bladder, the flaps are cemented down. A layer of rubber and a winding of cord are applied and the ball completed by a cover of leather sections cemented on with their edges abutting. The rubber bladder may be dispensed with, in which case the opening through which the wax is extracted is closed by separate cemented patches, the path of largest diameter being outermost. The assembly is then inflated through a valve and cover sections of leather are applied. In making an oval-shaped ball, a wax form with flat ends is used. A sleeve 12, Fig. 17, of stockinette is stretched lengthwise over the form and the ends are tied with string 12b. Cord 14 is wound spirally over the stockinette a little short of the ends and rubber cement is applied by dipping. A second sleeve of stockinette is then applied. After drying, the surplus stockinette is cut off at the ends, thus leaving openings through one of which the wax is removed. A bladder is inserted and inflated. Conical rings 17, 18, Fig. 27, of rubber are cemented on the open ends and consolidated in a heated mould. Leather panels 5 are afterwards cemented to the exterior and the ball is submitted to a final moulding. If no bladder is used, a lining material is poured into the ball and distributed over the interior by a tumbling operation, inflation being effected through a valve at one or both ends.