Improvements in or connected with the Manufacture of Cricket and Hockey Balls.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 26th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Manufacture of Cricket and
Hockey Balls.
We, WILLIAM HENRY DUKE, TIMOTHY DUKE, ARTHUR DUKE, and HARRY DUKE,
trading as Duke & Son, of Penshurst, in the County of Kent, Manufacturers of
Cricket Balls and Bats, 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 refers to the manufacture of cricket and hockey balls, as hereafter
described, in such a manner that :-
1st. They possess greater power of resisting moisture than heretofore.
2nd. Greater elasticity.
3rd. The colors of the balls are faster than those as usually constructed.
4th. They are more durable than balls as heretofore constructed.
According to our invention we prepare the leather from which the covers of the
balls are to be made in such manner that the hide or skin is subjected to the action
of "chromic-oxide," in the processes of manufacture.
The leather most suitable for the purpose of the invention is that which has been
tanned by treating the pelt either with bi-chromate or potass or chromic acid as
preferred, and then oxydising in a bath, composed of hyposulphite of soda, and
muriatic acid, although any leather which is essentially, although not solely produced
by the action of chromic-oxide on the pelt may be used, and is suitable for the
purposes of the invention.
Sometimes we also use salt and alum, and other ingredients in the tanning of
chrome leather, but these are not essential.
In carrying the invention into effect, we take leather prepared in the manner
before described, and we make it up into covers of cricket and hockey balls.
Or we take leather prepared in the manner before described, and we make it into
covers of cricket and hockey balls, with a lining of cork, felt, fabric, kamptulicon or
asbestos, as distinguished from the ordinary leather lining.
Or we place the cork, felt, fabric, kamptulicon or asbestos herein before mentioned,
between the leather prepared as before described and the usual inner lining of
leather.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In the covers of cricket and hockey balls, the manufacture of same from leather,
prepared in the manner herein before described.
2. In the covers of cricket and hockey balls, the manufacture of same from leather
prepared with bi-chromate of potass or chromic-acid, subsequently oxidised, or
chrome-tanned by any other efficient processes, in combination with a lining of cork,
felt, fabric, kamptulicon or asbestos herein before mentioned, substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described.
3. In the covers of cricket and hockey balls, the manufacture of same from leather

page_text: prepared with bi-chromate of potass or chromic-acid, subsequently oxidised, or chrome
tanned by any other efficient processes, in combination with a lining of cork, felt,
fabric, kamptulicon, or asbestos herein before mentioned between the outer leather,
prepared as before stated, and the usual inner lining of leather, substantially as and
for the purposes herein before described.