An Improved Apparatus for Inflating Footballs and for other uses.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Inflating Footballs and for other uses.
I, THOMAS FREDERICK PETT, trading as T. F. Pett & Co., of 3, Bull Ring, in
the City of Birmingham, and at St. Nicholas Street, in the City of Worcester,
and 2, Southgate Street, in the City of Gloucester, India-rubber Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
This invention consists of the herein described improved apparatus for inflating
footballs and for other uses where air has to be compressed into a body or where
an air blast is required.
The said apparatus consists of a hollow india rubber or other flexible air ball or
bag supported on a suitable base adapted for fixing to a bench, table or otherwise.
Above this air ball or bag is a lever pivotted at one end to a standard on the said
base and connected at the other end to a treadle by which the lever can be
depressed to compress the ball or bag.
An outlet pipe from the said air ball or bag projects from the base and is adapted
at its outer end for connecting to the inlet pipe of the foot ball to be inflated.
A self-closing inlet valve admits air to the air ball or bag and a similar outlet
valve situated in or near the base prevents the air returning thereto which has been
expelled.
By depressing the treadle and lever the air ball or bag is compressed and some
of the air forced therefrom along the pipe and into the foot ball to be inflated,
and when pressure is removed from the treadle the lever rises and the air ball or
bag expands by its elasticity and takes in a fresh supply of air through its inlet
valve ready for forcing into the foot hall by depressing the treadle as above
described.
Dated this 21st day of August 1890.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Inflating Footballs and for other uses.
I, THOMAS FREDERICK PETT, trading as T. F. Pett & Co. of 3, Bull Ring, in
the City of Birmingham, and at St. Nicholas Street, in the City of Worcester,
and 2, Southgate Street, in the City of Gloucester, India-rubber Manufacturer,
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 :-
This invention consists of the herein described improved apparatus for inflating
footballs and for other uses where air has to be compressed into a body or where
an air blast is required.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawing on
which
Fig. 1 represents in side elevation, Fig. 2 in plan and Fig. 3 in sectional front
elevation the said apparatus constructed according to this invention; Fig. 4 is a
front elevation and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of
the same.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
figures of the drawing.

page_text: The said apparatus consists of a hollow india rubber or other flexible air ball or
bag A supported on a bench or table as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 or to the floor as in
Figs. 4 and 5. Above this air ball or bag A is a lever C pivotted at one end C¹
to a standard D on the base B. When, as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the said apparatus
is arranged to be fixed to a bench or table the outer end C2 of the lever C is
connected, as by the cord E, to a treadle or to a stirrup F by which the lever C
can be depressed to compress the ball or bag A. When as shewn by Figs. 4 and 5
the apparatus is arranged to stand upon the floor the stirrup F and its connection
to the lever C are dispensed with and the user's foot applied directly to the top of
the lever C.
An outlet pipe G from the air ball or bag A is carried down below the base B
and then up through the base at the sides of the air ball A and projects from the
base B either horizontally (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) or vertically (Figs. 4 and 5) or in any
other convenient direction and is provided with a nozzle or otherwise formed at
its outer end to connect to the inlet pipe of the football to be inflated. An
ordinary self closing inlet valve H admits air to the air ball or bag A and a similar
outlet valve I in the pipe G prevents the air returning thereto which has been
expelled.
By depressing the treadle stirrup and lever C the air ball or bag A is compressed
and some of the air forced therefrom along the pipe G and into the foot ball to be
inflated, and when pressure is removed from the treadle or stirrup the lever C rises
and the air ball or bag expands by its elasticity and takes in a fresh supply of air
through its inlet valve H ready for forcing into the foot ball by depressing the
treadle C as above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus for inflating
foot-balls and for other uses where air has to be compressed into a body or where
an air blast is required, arranged and operating in the manner substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
+
Dated this 15th day of May 1891.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.