Improvements in the Outside Cases of Footballs and like Inflated Articles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., .1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Outside Cases of Footballs and like Inflated
Articles.
I, JOSEPH THURLEY of 3 Station Terrace, Station Road, Westgate on Sea, in
the County of Kent, Bootmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My present invention relates to the outside leather case or covering used in
footballs and the like for enclosing and protecting the more delicate and expansible
air bladder or receptacle of india rubber or other suitable material and is intended
especially to provide an improved means of securing said case by lacing or
otherwise after the inner ball or bladder has been inserted and inflated to the
desired extent.
My invention may be applied to existing football cases provided with the usual
opening and lacing holes and consists in punching a separate hole adjacent to said
lacing holes for the inflating tube or nozzle of the bladder to pass through.
I then stitch or otherwise secure upon the outside case two small flaps of leather
one on each side of the usual opening, and one of them, which may be larger than
the other, covering (when pressed down and laced up) the hole intended for the
tube or nozzle of the bladder, and each provided near its edge with holes for lacing
up or other suitable means for securing the edges.
It will be seen that the empty bladder may be inserted into the case through the
usual laced opening, the tube or nozzle caused to project through the small hole,
and the case then laced up. The bladder is now inflated and the tube then stopped
up or tied, the projecting portion being bent down and covered over by the larger
of the two flaps which are then laced up and the ball is ready for use.
I may
if preferred make the hole and secure the two flaps at any other suitable
point in the case, for instance on the opposite side to the usual laced opening.
If desired, I may place the flaps inside the outer case instead of outside, and in
this case the hole for inflating tube would be in one of such flaps which said flaps
would be laced up after the insertion of the bladder or air receptacle before its
inflation and the slit in the outer case or protector would be laced up after the
inflation of the bladder and be so arranged as to cover the projecting portion of
the tube.
1000
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
32, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Outside Cases of Footballs and like Inflated
Articles.
+
I JOSEPH THURLEY of 3 Station Terrace Station Road Westgate on Sea in
the County of Kent Boot Maker 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 relates to the outside leather case or covering used for footballs
and the like, in order to enclose and protect the more delicate and expansible air
bladder or receptacle which is usually constructed of india rubber or other elastic

page_text: material capable of inflation by means of an air pump inserted in the mouth of a
tube forming part of or attached to the said air receptacle, and is intended to
provide an improved means for securing or closing such outside cases after the
iuner air bladder, ball or receptacle has been inserted and inflated to the desired
extent.
In one form my invention may be applied to existing outer covers or cases
provided with the usual slit or opening and with lacing holes to close the same and
consists in punching or forming a separate small hole of sufficient size for the tube
of the air bladder to pass through, said hole being adjacent to the lacing holes
-i.e. near one side of the slit or opening, and then stitching or otherwise securing
upon the outside case and on each side of the usual slit or opening two small flaps
of leather one side or edge of each being stitched or secured parallel to the slit or
opening and the other or inner edge being perforated with lacing holes. One of
these flaps is wider than the other and consequently the outer edge is stitched or
secured to the case at a greater distance from the slit than the other and this
ie placed over the small second hole through which the tube of the bladder is
passed.
The air bladder is pushed through the slit and the tube or nozzle passed through
the small hole and the slit or opening laced up the bladder is then inflated and the
tube firmly tied or secured the outer flaps are then brought together pressed down
and laced over the projecting end of the tube.
In another form of my invention applicable to footballs newly made I secure
inside the outer case and as shewn by Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing a
piece of leather B with a slit C down the centre having lace holes D. D. along
each edge (in place of two loose or separate flaps) and a hole E for the tube of
the football. In the outer casing Figure 2. is the usual slit F. In this form the
inner air bladder is passed through the openings F and C into the ball and the
tube then brought back through the side hole E the slit C is then laced up and
the ball inflated when the outer slit F is laced up and the ball is ready for use.
In a modification of my invention shewn in Figure 3 I stitch or secure a piece
of leather B at its sides or edges B' B' to the interior of the football and over the
usual slit F the top and bottom as shewn by dotted lines in Figure 2 and firm lines
in Figure 3 (Figure 2 being an outside and Figure 3 an inside view) being loose
and in a convenient position I make the hole E for the tube of the inner ball to
pass through. In this form the inner ball is pushed through outer slit F and over
the top B or under the bottom B² of piece of leather B (or I may cut this across
as shewn by dotted lines B³) the tube of the ball is passed through hole E aud
brought to opening F where the air pump is inserted and the ball inflated, the end
of the tube is then tucked between the outer case A and inner piece B and
the slit F firmly secured by lacing or by needle H and string J as shewn in
Figure 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. Securing flaps over the slits or openings in the outer casings or coverings of
footballs and the like capable of being laced up over said openings and forming a
small hole in outer casing near said openings through which the inflating tube of
the air bladder may project so that after inflation of air bladder projecting tube
may be covered by outside flaps substantially as described.
2. Securing to the inside of the outer cover of a football and so as to cover the
slit or opening therein a piece of leather such as B having a slit C Figure 1 or in
place thereof 2 flaps) capable of being laced tightly up, and a second hole E for
tube of air bladder to pass through substantially as herein before described with
reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
3. Securing to the inside of the outer cover of a football or the like a piece of
leather such as B at its sides or edges B' B' in such position as to cover the slit or

page_text: opening F in the said outer cover and having in a convenient position a small
hole E for the tube of the air bladder to pass substantially as hereinbefore described
and with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of accompanying drawing.
4. The means for and method of securing the outer covers of footballs and the
like after inflation substantially as hereinbefore described or any mere equivalent
therefor.
Dated this 10th day of September 1894.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
32, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.