A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF MAKING AND REPAIRING BALLS FOR GOLF AND OTHER GAMES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Commander Duncan Stewart, R.N., New Club, Edinburgh,
in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of "A NEW OR
IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF MAKING AND REPAIRING BALLS FOR GOLF AND
OTHER GAMES."
Sealed the 21st December 1876, and dated the 31st August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Duncan Stewart at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st August 1876.
Commander DUNCAN STEWART, R.N., New Club, Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain. "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF MAKING
AND REPAIRING BALLS FOR GOLF AND OTHER GAMES.”
This Invention has reference to the manufacture and repairing of balls for golf,
tennis, racquet, cricket, and other games, to be made of gutta percha, and certain
new or improved mixtures thereof with other substances, and the nature and
novelty of the Invention consist in dissolving the pure gutta percha with bisulphate
of carbon or other solvent into a soft or clastic state, and then mixing the same
with fine ground cork and metal filings in the proportions suitable for giving the
size, elasticity, and weight of ball desired for the particular gaine; for example, a
golf ball of compressed feathers or pure guttu percha is from 25 to 30 druhms in
weight, from one inch to one inch and a half in diameter, and to give greater elasticity
to the gutta percha ground cork is added in the proportion desired, the difference of
weight or specific gravity between the gutta percha and cork being given to the
mixture by the addition of a proportionate quantity of iron or steel filings.
The balls may either be made wholly of this homogeneous mixture from the core
to the surface or with a coating of pure gutta percha outside; or otherwise they
may be made with a core of the heavier mixture of gutta percha and filings and
one or more outer coatings of the mixture of gutta percha and cork, either covered
or not with an outer layer of pure gutta percha In either case the balls are
compressed into hollow spherical moulds or made up by hand, and the bisulphates
of carbon or other solvents evaporated from the material in the usual manner or
allowed to evaporate.
The repairing of these balls is effected by removing the outer layers of paint and
recoating them with the said mixtures or with pure gutta percha, and compressing

page_text: the same in the moulds for making new balls, or made up by hand, as herein
described, the outer surface of the new or repaired balls being finished or hamınered
in the usual manner heretofore in use, according to the game for which they are to
be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Duncan Stewart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th February
1877.
Commander DUNCAN STEWART, R.N., New Club, Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain. "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF MAKING
AND REPAIRING BALLS FOR GOLF AND OTHER GAMES."
My said Invention has reference to the manufacture and repairing of balls for
golf, tennis, racquet, cricket, and other games, which balls are made of gutta percha
and certain new or improved mixtures thereof with other substances, and the nature
and novelty of the Invention consist in dissolving the pure gutta percha with
bisulphate of carbon or other solvent into a soft or plastic state, and then mixing
the same with fine ground cork and metal filings in the proportions suitable for
giving the size, elasticity, and weight of ball desired for the particular game to be
played; for example, a golf ball of pure gutta percha or compressed feathers is
from 25 to 30 drachms in weight and from one inch. to one inch and a half in
diameter, and to give greater elasticity to the gutta percha ground cork is added in
the proportion desired. In practice it is found that a proportion of one pound of
gutta percha to one ounce and three quarters of ground cork gives a vory good
mixture for golf balls, which are preferred to be of a size of about one inch and
five-eighths in diameter, and to weigh when finished about twenty-seven drachms,
so that any deficiency in weight or specific gravity of a ball mado of the foregoing
mixture and dimensions is regulated by the addition of the necessary quantity of
iron or steel filings.
The balls may either be made wholly of this homogeneous mixture from the core
to the surface or with a coating of pure gutta percha outside; or otherwise they may
bo made with a core of the heavier mixture of gutta percha and filings and one or
more outer coatings of the mixture of gutta percha and cork, either covered or not
with an outer layer of pure gutta percha. In either case the balls are compressed
into hollow spherical moulds or made up by hand, and the bisulphatos of carbon or
other solvents are evaporated or allowed to evaporate from the material in the usual
manner. For balls other than golf balls it will be obvious that the weight or
specific gravity or elasticity desired can be regulated to a nicety simply by varying
the proportions of the cork or filings to that of the gutta percha, and for some kinds
of games it is found advantageous to add to the mixture of gutta percha and
ground cork a small quantity of jute, hemp, flax, leather, or other fibre, for the
purpose of giving increased cohesion to the mass.
The repairing of these balls is effected by removing the outer coating or layers
and ecoating them with the said mixtures or with pure gutta percha, and then
compressing them in the moulds used for making new balls; or the may be made
up by hand, as herein described, or by redissolving them and again making them
up, as before mentioned, the outer surface of either the new or repaired balls being
finished or hammered in the usual manner heretofore in use, according to the game
for which they are to be used.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what 1 consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as the lavention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the making of balls for golf and other
games of gutta percha, ground cork, and filings, with or without the addition of a

page_text: fibrous substance, in the manner and by the means herein described, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Commander Duncan Stewart, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
DUNCAN STEWART. (L.S.)