Improvement in Inflating and Constructing of Footballs or other similar Chambers Containing Air or Gasses.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Inflating and Constructing of Footballs or other
similar Chambers Containing Air or Gasses.
I EDWARD HENRY SEDDON Brogden Grove Marsland's Road Brooklands, Cheshire,
Commercial traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
To construct a valve to be attached to the Football bladder or chamber made of
rubber or other material, such valve being kept open whilst the action of inflating or
filling is taking place. When such action of inflating or filling ceases the valve
closes by the pressure of air inside the bladder & is further secured by a spring.
This obviates the existing method in the case of footballs of tying an ordinary neck
of rubber (or other material) projecting outwards from the bladder or chamber. This,
my invention in "re" Footballs also consists of the outer case made of leather (or
any suitable material) having a spring cap which raising readily admits of the
insertion of an inflator. The ball inflated & the inflator removed, the cap falls down,
being connected with the valve by a spring, thus dispensing with the present tedious
method of lacing & unlacing, unless the bladder is entirely replaced.
Dated this 11th day of January 1887.
EDWARD HENRY SEDDON.

page_text: Improvement in Inflating and Constructing of Footballs or other
similar Chambers Containing Air or Gasses.
I, EDWARD HENRY SEDDON, Brogden Grove, Marsland Road, Brooklands, Cheshire,
commercial traveller, 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 :-
My invention consists of the application of a valve to the mouth or neck of a foot-
ball bladder or other similar chamber; the peculiar construction of the said valve and
of the mouth or neck of the bladder for the said purpose, and secondly the peculiar
construction of the mouth or orifice of the football or other case and the cover or
plug and fastening therefor, the object being to facilitate the operation of inflating,
and to dispense with the tedious process of lacing the case.
The valve consists of a spring clip, having a clear opening through when open, the
spring being placed at each side or on the back of one of the plates.
The mouth of the bladder is constructed and the valve applied as follows:-A neck
or tube of flexible material is fixed at its bottom end inside an outer tube, the top
end of which is secured to the edge of the orifice in the bladder; the valve or clip is
then placed inside the outer tube, the inner tube being drawn through the jaws of
the clip. The valve is thus sunk in the body of the bladder and does not project
above its surface more than is necessary for its operation.
The second part of my invention, consists in constructing the case with a circular or
other similar opening or orifice, and a cover or plug fitting the said opening, and
having spring projections or wings which close flush with the edge of the cover when
being inserted or withdrawn.
To inflate the bladder the nozzle of the inflater or air pump is pushed into the inner
flexible tube and forces open the jaws of the valve or clip.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood, I have attached
hereunto a sheet of drawings to which I will now refer.
In the said drawings Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. represent the valve: In Figures 1 and 2
the spring consists of a coil (a) at each side, which act also as a hinge; in Figures 3
and 4, the spring (a) is attached to the hinge placed on one side of the valve. Each
valve has a clear way through. The broken lines shew the position of the plates when
the valve is open.
Figures 5 and 6 represent the mouth or orifice of the bladder or flexible chamber,
in section, with the valve (a) attached.
The inner tube (b) is secured to the outer tube (c) at (c')-the outer tube is con-
nected to the body of the bladder at (c²). The outer tube (c) may be made of any
suitable material and stiffened if necessary. Figure 5. shews the valve closed, and
Figure 6. the same open.
Figures 7. 8. 9. each represent the mouth of the case with plug or cover, and

page_text: spring fastening or wings. Figure 10. shews a section of the mouth and cover or
plug in position. In the said Figures (a) represents a ring which encircles the orifice.
(b) is the cover or plug. Figure 7. shows the wings or spring fastening (c) made of
wire having a coil at (c) and free to move at (c). In Figure 8. the wings consist
of two flat plates kept expanded by the springs at (c¹). In Figure 9. the wings
consist also of similar plates, but hinged at (c) and kept expanded by a coil spring
at (c). Figure 11 is a top view of the mouth of the case, the position of the wings
shown expanded, by broken lines at (c¹).
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 :
•
(1). The peculiar construction and combination of the valve and mouth or neck of
the bladder or flexible chamber, substantially as and for the purposes described herein-
before, and indicated in and by the accompanying drawings.
(2). The manner of securing the plug or cover by expanding and contracting wings
or projections substantially as hereinbefore described and indicated, and in and by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of Datahar 1887