Improvements in the Outer Cases of Footballs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, Srd May, 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Outer Cases of Footballs.
We GEORGE SAMPLE of 254 Manchester Road, Denton, in the County of
Lancashire, Clogger, and THOMAS HENRY SAMPLE of 13 Chatsworth Street,
Welbeck Street, C. on M. Manchester in the County of Lancashire, Clerk, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as follows
Leather cases as at present manufactured for footballs, after being some time in
use are liable to become unsewn, and whenever they are played with on a damp and
wet ground, they absorb a certain amount of water, which makes the ball very
heavy and inconvenient to the players.
According to our invention instead of the leather case as now used we purpose
making a moulded case of india-rubber or gutta-percha, with a lining inside of
fabric such as cotton, linen, or any other suitable material, and if necessary to
have another coat of india-rubber over the material to further strengthen it, and
to be made rough or smooth on the outer surface and any shape. The opening
may be made thicker than the other part of the case, so that it may act as a self-
closing case. By these means we are able to produce a case durable, perfectly
non-absorbent, and stronger than any leather cases now used.
Deted this First day of November 1892
GEORGE SAMPLE.
THOMAS HENRY SAMPLE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Outer Cases of Footballs.
We, GEORGE SAMPLE, of 254, Manchester Road, Denton, Clogger, and
THOMAS HENRY SAMPLE, of 13, Chatsworth Street, Welbeck Street, C.-on-M.,
Manchester, Clerk, both in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Leather cases as at present manufactured after being some time in use are liable
to become unsewn and whenever they are played with on a damp and wet ground,
they absorb a certain amount of water, which makes the ball very heavy and
inconvenient to the players.
in order to overcome these defects according to our invention instead of the
leather cases as now used we purpose making a moulded case of india-rubber or
gutta-percha with a lining inside of fabric, such as cotton, linen, or any other
suitable material, and if necessary to have another coat of rubber over the material
to further strengthen it, and to be made rough or smooth on the outer surface and
any shape.
The opening may be made thicker than the other part of the case so that it may
act as a selfclosing case or the case may be formed so as to be laced up.
By these means we are able to produce a case durable and perfectly non-
absorbent and stronger than any leather cases now used.
This invention may be carried out in various ways.
According to one method of carrying out our invention, we form the said lining
by lapping around an inflated football bladder, a strip or strips of fabric, onto
which sections of rubber or gutta percha, adapted to form the case, are then
cemented after which the football is finished.
According to another method of carrying out our invention, we afterwards

page_text: vulcanize the india rubber or gutta-percha case thus formed, in a mould whereby
the joints of the sections of the case are caused to disappear and give the case a
moulded appearance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is-
1st. The manufacture of football cases of india-rubber or gutta-percha having a
lining of fabric, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. The manufacture of football cases of india rubber or gutta-percha having a
lining of fabric coated with rubber, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1893.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicants.