Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 1st May, 1889
Comp ete Specification Accepted, 8th June, 1889
I, JOHN BLAKE, of 165 High Street, Kirkcaldy, in the County of Fife, North
Britain, Saddler, and Harness Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention
to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the making of footballs in an improved
manner, and more particularly with covers made up of pieces of leather of improved
shapes and united by seams arranged to avoid the concurrence of a large number
at any part.
In carrying out my Invention according to one modification 1 employ five pieces,
four of them being each in the shape of a spherical lune or gore having convex sides and
pointed ends. These gores are united in pairs, but are of such dimensions as when
placed on a sphere of proper size, not to extend completely from pole to pole nor
completely round equatorially, but leaving a band-like space round the sphere and
crossing the poles. The fifth piece is made in the shape of this band-like space which
has curved sides and is narrow at the pole parts and broader at the equatorial parts.
The ends of the fifth piece meet at a broad part, and the lacing is applied where
these ends meet, the ends not being sown together but leaving an opening for the
introduction of the inner ball which has to be inflated. The sides of the fifth piece
are of course sewn to the two pairs of gore pieces; and all the seams are by preference
made with a narrow welt interposed to impart equal strength.
According to another modification two pieces are used each being shaped like
half of the band-like space hereinbefore referred to.
Dated this Second day of August 1888.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: I, JOHN BLAKE, of 165 High Street, Kirkcaldy, in the County of Fife, North
Britain, Saddler and Harness 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the making of footballs in an improved
manner and more particularly with covers made up of pieces of leather of improved
shapes and united by seams arranged to avoid the concurrence of a large number
at any part.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and showing my improvements.
Figure, 1, on the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings is a view of a football
as made according to my Invention and as ready for use and figure, 2, is a similar
view but as at right angles to figure, 1. Figures, 3, and 4, are views showing the
shapes of the pieces which go to make up the improved football cover. In these
drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
In carrying out my Invention according to one modification I employ five pieces,
four of them being each in the shape of a spherical lune or gore, 5, having convex sides
and pointed ends as best seen in figure, 4. These gores, 5, are united in pairs but are
of such dimensions as, when placed on a sphere of proper size, not to extend
completely from pole to pole nor completely round equatorially, but leaving a band-like
space round the sphere and crossing the poles. The fifth piece, 6, is made in the
shape of this band-like space which has curved sides and is narrower at the pole parts, 7,
and broader at the equatoril parts, 8, as best seen in figure, 3. The ends of the fifth
piece, 6, meet at a broad part, 8, and the lacing, 9, is applied where these ends meet, the
ends not being sewn together but leaving an opening for the introduction of the inner
ball (not shown) which has to be inflated. The inner ball is as usual protected from
injury from the lacing, 9, by a small piece of leather (not shown) sewn on the inside to
one end and extending over the opening. The sides of the fifth piece, 6, are of
course sewn to the two pairs of gore pieces, 5, and all the seams are, by preference
made with a narrow welt interposed to impart equal strength.
According to another modification two pieces are used each being shaped like half of
the band-like piece, 6, hereinbefore described one end of each of these two pieces being
sewn together at the equatorial part, 8, opposite to that in which the lacing, 9, is inserted,
as shown by the dotted line, 10, in figure, 3; or the band-like piece may be divided
at the narrow parts, 7.

page_text: 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 :-
Making football covers of four gore-shaped or lune-shaped pieces united in pairs
and joined to the edges of a fifth piece made either in one piece entirely oncircling
the ball or in halves substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the
accompanying drawings.