Improvements in Footballs.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1894
I, WILLIAM STEWART of 124 Harmony Row, Govan, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention which relates to footballs, has for its object to produce a football
which will be watertight and its shape remain intact, by the use of rubber or other
like material on the surface of the ball.
I construct a rubber bladder with the tube as at present. I also construct, to
cover said rubber bladder, a covering of canvas, leather, flax linen, or any other
suitable material, on to or over which material a coating of rubber, rubbric,
caoutchouc, vulcanite, or other like material is placed of any convenient thickness.
This covering may be constructed of any desired number of pieces, so as to form
the desired shape, that is, either the shape required in the Association game or the
shape required in the Rugby game.
By my invention the ball will be more durable than the ball at present in use
and can be played with great case and without detriment on account of it being
watertight.
Dated, at Glasgow, this 17th March 1893.
D. DRYSDALE AUSTIN,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Footballs.
'
I, WILLIAM STEWART, formerly of 121 Harmony Row, Govan, Glasgow, now
of 35 Graham Street, Govan, Glasgow, do hereby declare th nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object to provide a football which will be watertight
and will also preserve its shape. To effect this object the surface of the ball is
covered or coated with rubber, gutta-perch, or other like waterproof material.
In carrying out my invention I use an ordinary rubber blabler with its tube as
at present, but the cover for this bladder, instead of being made of leather alone as
usual, is made of canvas, leather, linen, cotton or other like suitable material
covered or coated with rubber, or gutta-percha or an equivalent waterproof material.
The waterproof coating may be of any suitable thickness.
If desired the waterproof cover may be made from a sheet of canvas, or other
fabric, or leather coated with rubber or equivalent waterproofing material. In this
case picces, of the proper shape, are cut from the sheet and are then sewn,
solutioned, or otherwise attached to each other so as to form the cover.
Under another method the cover may be moulded all in one piece. In this case
a sectional core would be used and be covered with the canvas or like material
upon which a coating of rubber would be moulded. A hole or mouth of a sufficient
size must be left in the cover to enable the pieces of the core to be easily removed
and to enable the bladder to be inserted.

page_text: If desired the internal bladder may be dispensed with and the compound cover
be alone used to form the football. In this case an inflating tube would be made or
tted in the cover.
The ball may be made of either the "Association" or "Rugby" shape.
Footballs made in the manner hereinbefore described aro more durable and
easier to play with, especially in wet weather, than those at present in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
A waterproof football made substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated LIIS 18th day of December 1893.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.