Improvements in Apparatus for Inflating or Re-inflating Lawn- tennis Balls, Footballs, and other Articles or Goods requiring Inflation or Re-inflation.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Inflating or Re-inflating Lawn-
tennis Balls, Footballs, and other Articles or Goods requiring
Inflation or Re-inflation.
We HENRY TURNER of 28 Artisan View, Heeley, Sheffield, Brass Turner, and
JAMES FERNEE of Chantrey Road Norton Woodseats in the County of Derby
Gas Furnace Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to and consists in the construction and application of a
valve, or valves, to be used for the purpose of inflating or re-inflating lawn-tennis
balls, foot-balls, and any other articles or goods that are usually inflated, or that.
need re-inflating from time to time.
Hitherto lawn-tennis balls (for example) have been inflated only when new, and
when from constant use their inflation gives out the balls become useless and are
thrown away, but by re-inflating such useless balls according to our invention great
waste is avoided and the re-inflated balls can be re-used, thus saving the expense of
obtaining new balls.
The apparatus we make and use consists mainly of a "spigot" valve which is so
constructed and shaped as to enter the internal orifice in the rubber "chunk" or
boss of the ball itself, the upper portion of the spigot valve being made of a
mushroom-like form so that the spigot will readily enter the perforation in the ball,
and owing to its being tapered the spigot fits itself in the perforation while the
mushroom like portion or bearing fits within the surface of the chunk or boss.
The spigot is held in position by means of rubber, or any sufficiently flexible
material, or other suitable appliance that will act as a closing washer or stopper,.
when the inflation is completed by pressing the spigot into the perforation in the
chunk or boss, while the mushroom-like portion of the spigot fits closely against
the-surface of the internal end of the chunk or boss. The upper projection of the
spigot valve is passed through a strap or piece of rubber, or any suitably flexible
material, or other suitable appliance, which will be distended during the process of
inflation, after which it will resume its original position by pressing the spigot itself.
into the interior of the chunk or boss, and the mushroom formed part of the valve
against the exterior of the internal end of the chunk or boss. The said strap is
secured or held to the circumference of the chunk or boss by any suitable means.
Or a grooved or a spiral surface can be made on the rubber chunk itself, and the
whole can be encircled by a. rubber or other suitable expansion ring or valve, the
effect of which around the chunk or boss will be to give out during inflation and to
contract after the inflating apparatus is withdrawn to assist in closing the perfora-
tion-in order to render the valve close fitting and the ball reliably inflated or
re-inflated.
Our inflating apparatus can also be advantageously used for inflating or
re-inflating foot-balls, or- such other articles or goods as may need inflation or
re-inflation.
Deted this 2nd day of December 1890
BRISTOW HUNT, R.P.A.,
Aldine Chambers, Sheffield, Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Inflating or Re-inflating Lawn-
tennis Balls, Footballs, and other Articles or Goods requiring
Inflation or Re-inflation.
We HENRY TURNER of 28 Artisan View Heeley Sheffield Brass Turner and
JAMES FERNEE of Chantrey Road Norton Woodseats in the County of Derby
Gas Furnace Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying
sheet of drawings :-
Our invention relates to and consists in the construction and application of a
valve, or valves, to be used for the purpose of inflating or re-inflating lawn-tennis
balls, footballs, and any other articles or goods usually inflated or that need
re-inflating from time to time.
Hitherto lawu-tennis balls (for example) have been inflated only when new, and
when from constant use, or other cause, their inflation gives out the balls become
useless and are thrown away, but by re-inflating such useless balls according to our
invention great waste is avoided and the re-inflated balls can be used again thus
saving the expense of obtaining new balls.
Besides being used for inflating and re-inflating lawn-tennis balls our inflating
apparatus is also adapted for, and intended to be used for, inflating and re-inflating
footballs and all other articles and goods that require to be inflated or re-inflated,
such for example as tubular rubber cycle or other wheel tires, or analogous
inflatable goods.
In order that our said invention may be fully understood it is illustrated on
the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings the same being-marked with
figures and letters of reference. corresponding with those in the following
description.
Figure 1, shows in section a lawn-tennis ball with our inflating apparatus applied
thereto.
Figure 2, is a plan, and Figure 3 an enlarged sectional view of our improved
inflating valve.
Figure 4, represents an inflated football and shows the position of the inflating
valve.
of
The
Figure 5, is a sectional view of the football and the inflating-valve fixed therein.
Our inflating apparatus as made for and arranged in a lawn-tennis ball (for
example) consists mainly of a conical or "spigot" valve b, which is so shaped as
to enter an internal orifice or perforation made in the rubber "chunk" or boss
the ball itself; the upper portion of the spigot valve b, is made of a mushroom-like
form so that the spigot will readily enter the orifice or perforation made therefor
in the ball, and owing to the spigot being tapered, as more clearly shown in
Figure 3, it fits itself within the orifice or perforation while the mushroom-like
portion, or bearing as it were, fits within the surface of the chunk or boss a.
spigot valve, is held-in-position-by-means of an india rubber band or strap c, or
by means of a band made of any sufficiently flexible material, or-by-any-suitable
appliance that will act as a closing washer or stopper surrounding the spigot; and
round the band an expansion ring or cord d, made of silk or metal spring, or of
any suitable material that will resist the chemical action of the rubber, is passed so
as to hold the band or strap c, in place, and e, is a washer or nut which is screwed
onto the bottom end of the spigot to keep the component parts of the valve securely
in position. Or if necessary we may affix and use a spiral spring on the spigot
underneath the band and washer nut, to assist in pressing the spigot into the
chunk.
a², is the air inlet or air passage which is made through our inflating valve.

page_text: The inflation or re-inflation of the lawn-tennis ball (or of a football) is accom-
plished by pressing the spigot valve b, into the perforation in the chunk or boss a,
of the ball, while the mushroom-like or conical portion of the spigot fits closely
against the surface of the internal end of the chunk or boss.
.
The upper projection or point of the spigot valve is passed through the strap or
band of india rubber c, or through any conveniently sized and suitable flexible
material or appliance, which will be distended during the process of inflation after
which it will resume its original position by pressing the spigot itself into the
interior of the chunk or boss and the mushroom-like or conically formed part of
the valve against the exterior of the internal end of the chunk or boss. The said
strap or band r, is secured or held to the circumference of the chunk or boss by
any suitable means, such as by the expansion ring d, or by a valve. Or a grooved
or a spiral surface can be made on the rubber chunk itself and the whole be
encircled by a rubber or other suitable expansion ring (or valve) such as that
shown at d, in Figure 3, the effect of which around the chunk or boss a, will be
that it will give out or expand during inflation and contract or close up after the
inflating apparatus is withdrawn to assist in closing the perforation in order to
render the valve close fitting and the ball reliably inflated or re-inflated without
any air escaping.
In Figures 4, and 5, our invention is illustrated as applied to a football. a', in
Figure 4, indicates the position of the inflating valve, and a², the air passage of the
same. (bg in Figure 5, is the india rubber chunk or boss; b, the conical or spigot
valve, and c, the india rubber strap or band; the other parts are the same as before
described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. The general construction, combination, and arrangement of the component
parts forming an improved valvular apparatus, and its use, for inflating or
re-inflating lawn-tennis balls, footballs, rubber wheel tires, or other inflatable
articles or goods, substantially as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated on the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
2. The improved method and means of inflating or re-inflating lawn-tennis balls
and footballs, substantially as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 19th day of September 1891.
BRISTOW HUNT, R.P.A.,
Aldine Chambers, Sheffield, Agent for the Applicants