IMPROVEMENTS IN TENNIS BALLS AND OTHER COVERED BALLS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred William Phillips of Atherstone in the county of
Warwick for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TENNIS BALLS AND OTHER
COVERED BALLS"
J
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred William Phillips at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st May 1883.
64
ALFRED WILLIAM PHILLIPS of Atherstone in the county of Warwick
'IMPROVEMENTS IN TENNIS BALLS AND OTHER COVERED BALLS
"
My invention has for its object to provide Tennis Balls and other covered Balls
with a seamless cover that is cemented to the ball. For this purpose, I manufacture
a bag of felt into which the ball is inserted, the bag being, in the first instance of
Jarger size than the ball. The ball, before insertion, is coated with a cementitious
substance of such a nature that it can dry thereon and yet be rendered adhesive
again by the use of a solvent.
By preference, I use for this purpose a solution of caoutchouc in naphtha. After
coating the ball with this cement, it is dipped into a weak solution of sulphuric
acid to neutralize its sticky nature, and the ball is then introduced into the felt
bag, after which the bag is gradually reduced in size, according to the usual manner
of felting, until it fits tightly round the ball. Thereupon, the ball with its
covering, after having been dried, is dipped into a bath of naphtha, whereby the
cement coating on the ball will be dissolved, so that on rolling the ball between
two surfaces and then subjecting it to a- moderate heat, the felt covering will
become effectually cemented on to the ball.
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page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred William Phillips in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th October 1883.
ALFRED WILLIAM PHILLIPS of Atherstone in the county of Warwick
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TENNIS BALLS AND OTHER COVERED BALLS."
My invention has for its object to provide Tennis balls and other covered balls
with a seamless cover that is cemented to the ball. For this purpose, I manu-
facture a bag of felt, into which the ball is inserted, the bag being, in the first
instance, of larger size than the ball.
In making this bag, I felt together at the edge two circular pieces of felt with
a disc of canvas between them to prevent them from adhering to one another. I
then cut through one side of the bag a slit large enough to admit the ball, through
which slit I withdraw the canvas disc.
The ball, before insertion, is coated with a cementitious substance of such a
nature that it can dry thereon, and yet be rendered adhesive again by the use of a
solvent.
:
By preference, I use for this purpose a solution of caoutchouc in naphtha.
After coating the ball with this cement, it is dipped into a weak solution of
sulphuric acid to neutralize its sticky nature, and the ball is then introduced into
the felt bag, and the slit through which it was inserted is covered by a strip of felt.
The bag is then gradually reduced in size, according to the usual manner of
felting, until it fits tightly round the ball. Thereupon, the ball with its covering,
after having been dried, is dipped into a bath of naphtha, whereby the cement
coating on the ball will be dissolved, so that, on rolling the ball between two
roughened surfaces, and then subjecting it to a moderate heat, the felt covering
will become effectually' cemented on to the ball.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I make no general claim
to covering balls seamlessly with felt or such like material, as felt covered balls of
several kinds have been proposed and made, though no practical method of so
covering balls has, so far as I know, been published, but I claim :-
The process, substantially as herein described, for applying an adherent
seamless felt covering to tennis or other balls.
In Witness whereof, I the said Alfred William Phillips have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty second day of October in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty three
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