Improvements in Balls for use in Playing Games..
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Balls for use in Playing Games..
We FREDERICK HENRY AYRES of 111 Aldersgate Street in the City of London
Manufacturer and WILLIAM ABERNETHY BUCHANAN of 27 Palace Street, Buckingham
Palace Road, in the County of Middlesex, Archery Apparatus Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
86
In playing certain games such as are known as Polo," balls are used generally
of turned wood for the purpose of being struck by the sticks of the players.
These wooden balls are liable under the blows to become chipped or broken and
rendered useless.
According to the present invention the ball is composed of cork, built up of
assembled pieces, fastened, dowelled or cemented strongly together, such as by the
strongest forms of glue or other suitable cement and over this cork ball and cemented
to it is applied a coating of india-rubber. The surface is then enamelled, turned and
polished to a true sphere, as nearly as may be.
By these means greater durability uniformity of weight, ready maintenance of
truth of form in use, impermeability to moisture, less danger of injury to man and
horse, ready facility for cleansing and renovation of whiteness or other color, greater
elasticity and response to the blows are promoted.
Dated the 30th day of May 1889
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Balls for use in Playing Games.
We FREDERICK HENRY AYRES, of 111 Aldersgate Street in the City of London,
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM ABERNETHY BUCHANAN of 27 Palace Street, Buckingham
Palace Road, in the County of Middlesex, Archery Apparatus Manufacturer, 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 to the manufacture of improved balls for use in playing
games such as polo, hockey, cricket and other games.
In playing certain games such as are known as "Polo," balls are used generally of
turned wood for the purpose of being struck by the sticks of the players.
These wooden balls are liable under the blows to become chipped, damaged or
broken and rendered useless or " untrue."
According to the present invention the ball is composed of cork, built up of
assembled pieces, fastened, dowelled or cemented strongly together, such as by the
strongest forms of glue or other suitable cement, and over this cork ball and cemented
to it is applied a coating of india-rubber. The surface is then enamelled, turned and
polished to a true sphere, as nearly as may be.
The drawing shews a ball having one quarter removed so as to indicate the
arrangement of the cork in the interior and the encompassing mass of india-rubber
or elastic composition. a, a, a are layers of cork cemented together approximately
to a sphere, and then finished in a lathe or otherwise, and then surrounded with the
india-rubber b, which, again, is rendered spherical and enamelled or polished.
The layers of cork may be of various thicknesses and may be arranged not only
in layers superposed one on the other across the diameter of the ball, here shewn in

page_text: vertical layers, but they may also be crossed horizontally as well as vertically, or
diagonally.
The cement employed to unite the various layers or pieces of cork may be of any
suitable known kind einployed for uniting cork.
By these means greater durability, uniformity of weight, ready maintenance of
truth of form in use; impermeability to moisture, less danger of injury to man and
horse, ready facility for cleansing and renovation of whiteness or other colour,
greater, elasticity and response to the blows are promoted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
In a ball for playing polo, hockey, cricket and other games, a core or centre of
superposed layers or pieces of cork strongly cemented together and enclosed within
a casing of thick india-rubber or elastic material or composition of suitable character,
both core and enclosing casing being turned or made substantially spherical, as and
for the purpose. herein before set forth.
Dated the 91st don of Tonuo1900
n
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.