Improvements in the Manufacture of Solid Balls, Blocks, or Slabs of Artificial Ivory or Ivory Substitute in Variegated Colours.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept., 1892-Acceptsd, 9th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Solid Balls, Blocks, or Slabs of
Artificial Ivory or Ivory Substitute in Variegated Colours.
We, ALEXANDRE DE PONT, and SILVIUS DE PONT, both of Lancaster, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturers, HERBERT LUSHINGTON STOREY, and
ISAAC HENRY STOREY, both of Lancaster, aforesaid Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates particularly to the colouring of artificial ivory or ivory
substitutes from which billiard balls and similar articles are made, with the object
of insuring that the colour shall be permanent, and not require renewing.
Hitherto billiard balls or other solid articles made of composition, have been
merely dyed or stained upon the surface to give the required colour or colours by
one of the usual well known processes, or the colour has been painted on the surface
in stripes or other design required.
By this invention we dispense with the processes of either dyeing, staining or
painting the balls or articles after being finished, and it may be applied to balls or
articles made from an artificial ivory synthetically prepared, or to ivory substitutes
such as celluloid or other compositions.
It consists essentially in forming the solid block, ball, slab or other shape-from
which the billiard ball or other article is to be made of two or more sections of
the composition prepared of different colours, and then compressed or solidified
together, or in forming these solid blocks by compressing together, separate
coloured sections, the said sections having been previously moulded or cut into the
required shape.
In carrying out the invention, we take the composition in its primary powdered
or pulpy condition, and dye or colour it to the desired shades before being placed
in the shaping and compressing moulds, and we then combine together portions of
different coloured powder or pulp or moulded or cut shapes, to give the required
variegation of stripes or other design. The method we at present adopt for this
purpose, is to insert into the mould in which the material is compressed, a shape of
thin metal or other material having a number of compartments whose outside
contour corresponds with the designs to be produced. Into the compartments or
divisions formed by this metallic shape, we place the different coloured powder or
pulp, or the moulded or cut shapes may be introduced into the compressing mould
with or without the compartments from which the material is to be formed. The
thin metallic shape is then withdrawn, leaving the composition undisturbed, which
is then compressed and solidified. When preparing variegated articles from
synthetically prepared artificial ivory by grouping together in the forming mould
a number of differently coloured or dyed portions of the material, we prefer to take
the material in the form of powder and press it tightly into the mould around the
shape, and when the shape is removed, it is subjected in the mould to a high pressure
from 1 to 2 tons per square inch at a temperature of from 220° to 270° F. and then
allowed to cool and mature.
We are also able to compress together ready coloured solid sections into solid
blocks.
The balls or other articles thus formed, will be quite homogeneous throughout
only differing in colour, and may then be turned or cut into the required shape and
polished.
Dated this 8th day of December 1891
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Solid Balls, Blocks, or Slabs of
Artificial Ivory or Ivory Substitute in Variegated Colours.
We, ALEXANDRE DE PONT, and SILVIUS DE PONT, both of Lancaster, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturers, HERBERT LUSHINGTON STOREY, and
ISAAC HENRY STOREY, both of Lancaster, aforesaid, Manufacturers, 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 relates particularly to artificial ivory or ivory substitutes from
which billiard balls and similar articles are made which are required to be
variegated or coloured in a variety of manners with the object of assuring that
the colour shall be permanent and not be liable to wear or chip off or require
to be renewed.
It is primarily designed to be applied to balls produced from artificial ivory
synthetically prepared but it may also be applied to other material or compositions
of material such as celluloid or the like intended to be used as ivory substitutes or
for the making of balls or similar articles.
Hitherto on billiard balls or other solid articles made of such compositions the
required colours have been merely produced upon the surface by dyeing or staining
in one of the usual and well known processes or the required colours have been
painted or enamelled upon the surface. These surface colours are always liable to
fade or wear off and require frequent renewing.
By this invention we dispense with all processes of dyeing staining painting or
other surface colouring of the balls or articles after they are finished and construct
the ball or other article so that the colours required to appear on the surface shall
penetrate to the centre or to a considerable distance below the surface.
In consists essentially in forming the solid block slab or other shape-from which
the billiard ball or other article is to be made-of two or more sections of the
composition prepared in different colours and the whole compressed or solidified
together, the several sections corresponding in shape to the colouring required on
the surface or in other words in forming the solid blocks or balls by compressing
or solidifying together separate coloured sections the sections having been pre-
viously moulded or cut into the required shape.
The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the pro-
duction of variegated balls of artificial ivory synthetically prepared (as described
in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 9267 of 1889) and in the accompanying
drawings an appliance or mould is shown as an example suitable therefor but it is
to be understood that the appliance may be varied to suit the requirements of other
shapes and to the preparation of other compositions either in a powdered plastic
or other condition.
Referring to the drawings.
Fig. 1. Sectional elevation.
Dlan

page_text: In carrying out the invention we take the composition in its primary powdered
or pulpy condition and dye or colour portions varying colours as may be required
for the finished ball or article before being placed in the shaping or compressing
mould in which the article is formed and these are then grouped together in any
section or shape to give the required markings and the whole are then compressed
moulded or finished in the usual way.
When forming balls from artificial ivory synthetically prepared we prefer to
take the composition in a powdered form and fill it into moulds by means of an
appliance such as shown in the drawings by which radial sections of the composition
of different colours are grouped together in the mould or cup A.
The appliance is constructed with an external tubular casing B with a number
of holes or openings 6 at or near the top the number of holes corresponding with
the number of internal chambers into which it is divided. In the drawing six are
shown. Outside the casing B surrounding the holes there are fitted a corre-
sponding number of small hoppers or shoots C through which the different coloured
powders are filled or poured into the interior. The interior is divided into a
number of chambers by six very thin steel plates or leaves D radiating from a
small inner tube E to the internal surface of the casing B. The lower ends of the
plates D extend below the casing B and are shaped to fit into the mould A. At
the upper end the casing B is fitted with a cap F to which the upper ends of the
thin plates D and the inner tube E are soldered or otherwise secured. In each of
the divisions or chambers d formed by the plates D a plunger G is fitted preferably
of the shape shown whereby when the chambers are filled with the composition it
may be pressed down into the mould A. The cap F is provided with a central
hole through which the tube E is filled and holes f₁ through which the rods g
of the plungers G slide. The upper ends of the plunger rods y may be screwed
or otherwise attached to a disc or other similar contrivance for forcing them down
together. The lower ends of the plates D are rounded to fit into grooves in the
hemispherical cup or mould A. A movable steel plug a is fitted into the bottom
of the mould A to assist the removal of the ball therefrom when compressed.
The appliance or shape shown is designed to produce balls with radial sections
of different or alternating colours but other shapes may be employed as required
the internal compartments being constructed to correspond with the designs to be
produced.
The powdered material is introduced into the chambers d (see Fig. 4) of the
appliance and pressed down into the mould A by the plungers G, the external
casings with the division plates D are then withdrawn leaving the composition
undisturbed in the mould A, this is then compressed and solidified in the usual
way; in the case of the artificial ivory already referred to (in the Specification of
our former Patent) by subjecting it to a high pressure say one to two tons per
square inch at a temperature of from 220° to 270° F. and then allowed to cool and
mature.
Although we prefer to use the composition in powdered or pulpy condition and
pass it into the mould by an appliance such as shown in the drawings it will be
evident that the composition after being dyed to the desired colours may be taken
in a solidified, semi-solid or plastic condition and be cut or moulded into sections of
a shape to give the required variegation of colours in stripes or other designs and
then be introduced into the mould and compressed and solidified together..
We are thus able to produce balls or other articles perfectly homogeneous
throughout in which the colour penetrates into the material below the surface and
cannot be worn or faded therefrom and when taken from the moulds they may be
turned and finished in the usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is—
1 The method of manufacturing solid balls or other articles of artificial ivory

page_text: or ivory substitute in variegated colours by moulding together sections of the com-
position prepared of different colours and then compressing or solidifying such
sections into a homogeneous block.
2. The process of manufacturing solid balls or other articles of artificial ivory
or ivory substitute of variegated colours which consists in dyeing the crude
powdered or pulpy material a variety of shades, filling the material into the moulds
in sections differing in colour and then compressing and solidifying the coloured
sections into a homogeneous product with colours penetrating below the surface
substantially as described.
3. A solid variegated ball or article of artificial ivory or ivory substitute com-
prised of different coloured sections of the material compressed or solidified into a
homogeneous mass each section being of one colour throughout but of different
colour to the sections adjoining it substantially as described.
4. The appliance for filling the powdered material in separate coloured sections
into the compressing mould substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of September 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.