Improvements in or connected with Punching Bags.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1895-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Punching Bags.
We, ELLSWORTH ADAM HAWTHORNE and HORACE SHEBLE both of
No. 604 Chesnut Street in the City of Philadelphia State of Pennsylvania
United States of America Selling Agents 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 :-
Our invention relates to punching bags of the nature set forth in the Specifi-
cation of Letters Patent granted to John Parker Mac Learn No. 8083 dated
23rd April 1895, one object of our present invention being to provide better
means of securing the bag to the vertical. rod, or standard, than is set forth in
said Specification, a further object being to prevent rupture of the elastic inner
casing of the bag which rupture is likely to occur from the delivery of a side, or
glancing, blow.
These objects we attain in the manner hereinafter setforth, reference being lad
to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a punching bag and part of the support
therefore constructed in accordance with our invention.
Figure 2, is a side view of the same partly in section.
Figure 3, is a sectional view of a modified form of bag illustrating the application
of one feature of our invention thereto; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the construction
shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
The punching bag forming the subject of the above recited Patent of Mac Learn
consisted of a bag of rubber, or other elastic material, enclosed within a protecting
outer casing, usually of leather, the whole being mounted upon, and secured
to, the upper end of a rod, or standard, having a universally flexible and elastic
support at the base, so that the bag, when struck is free to yield in any
direction.
It has been found, in practice, that when the bag is securely mounted upon
the upper end of the standard, a glancing blow delivered upon the bag, that is
to say, a blow which does not strike the bag fairly and squarely in the centre, is
likely to cause rupture of the delicate elastic inner bag.
One feature of our invention, consists in mounting the bag upon the upper end of
the standard so that it can turn, or spin around, freely thereon when such a
glancing blow is struck upon it.
In Figures 1 and 2 we have illustrated this feature of our invention as applied
to a punching bag of the character shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings of
the Specification of Mac Learn's said Patent; A representing the inner elastic bag
and B, the outer protective casing therefore, these being mounted upon a shoe D,
which has, in the underside, a socket for the reception of the upper rounded end
of the vertical supporting rod, or standard, F, so that it is free to turn thereon.
The outer casing B, has a series of depending tabs, or straps, G, four of which
are shewn in the present instance, although a greater, or lesser, number may be
used, as desired, the lower end of each of these straps being folded back and
secured upon itself so as to form a loop a for the reception of a lacing thong, or
cord, which passes through openings in a disc H, the latter surrounding the rod,
or standard, F, and having a bearing against a shoulder d formed upon the
aid rod.

page_text: There may be one of these lacing cords, or thongs, d, for each strap G, or a
single lacing cord may engage with the loops of the entire series of straps.
While the bag is thus firmly held in a vertical direction upon the upper end of
the vertical rod, or standard, F, it can turn, or spin, around freely thereon, hence
any likelihood of rupture of the internal elastic bag by side or glancing blows is
effectually prevented.
In applying our invention to the form of punching bag shewn in Figure 5 of the
drawings of the Specification of Mac Learn's said Patent, we prefer to use the
construction shewn in Figure 3. In this case the inner bag A' has a central
tube A2 for the reception of a socket D1 secured to, or forming part of, the outer
casing B, of the bag, this socket receiving the upper end of a supporting rod F¹,
and the bag and socket being vertically secured to the upper end of the said rod by
means of a screw f, which passes through a washer g and through openings in the
top of the casing B' and socket D', the threaded stem of the screw engaging with
the upper end of the rod Ft.
When this construction is employed the bag and its internal socket are free to
turn, or spin, on the supporting rod, or standard, when a side, or glancing blow is
delivered upon the bag, the internal tube D₁ being the equivalent of, and
performing substantially the same office as, the shoe D, in the construction shewn
in Figures 1 and 2.
The thong, or lacing cord, b is a better method of fastening than is the wrapping
whereby the lower ends of the straps G were secured directly to the supporting
rod, or standard, in the construction shewn in the drawings of the Specification of
Mac Learn's said Patent as the said lacing thong, or cord, provides for the ready
application, or removal, of the bag when desired.
The use of the lacing thong, or cord, is not, however, absolutely essential to the
form of bag shewn in Figures-1 and 2, as the depending straps or tabs G may if
desired be secured directly to the disc H, for instance, they may have their ends
extended so as to pass through slots in the said disc the ends being then doubled
back and secured to the main strap by any suitable means, such as a buckle m.
This construction is shewn in Figure 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of a punching bag with a supporting rod, or standard, upon
which the said bag is mounted so that it is retained vertically, but is free to turn,
or spin around, upon the supporting rod when a side or glancing blow is delivered
upon it.
2. The combination of the supporting rod, or standard, the bag, a shoe to
which the said bag is confined, so as to be incapable of rotation thereon, said
shoe being rotatably mounted on the upper end of the supporting rod, and means
for vertically confining the bag and its shoe to said rod substantially as herein-
before described.
3. The combination of a punching bag and a supporting rod therefore, with a
rotatable shoe mounted upon the upper end of the said supporting rod and serving
as a seat for the bag, a rotatable dise or collar on the rod, and means for confining
the bag to the said rotatable disc or collar substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination of a punching bag, the supporting rod, or standard, the
rotatable shoe serving as a support for the bag, a disc, or collar, rotatable on the
said rod, or standard, straps, or tabs, depending from the bag, and means for
securing the said straps, or tabs, to the rotatable disc substantially as hereinbefore
described.
5. The combination of a punching bag, a supporting rod, or standard therefore,
a shoe rotatable on the said rod, or standard, and serving as a support for the bag,
straps depending from the bag and having loops at their lower ends, a disc or

page_text: collar rotatable upon the supporting rod, and a lacing thong, or cord, or lacing
thongs, or cords, whereby the looped ends of the depending straps are connected to-
the said rotatable disc or collar substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 31st day of December 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.