Improvements in the Manufacture of Golf Balls.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 12th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 19th May, 1894.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Golf Balls.
We, WILLOUGHBY STATHAM SMITH, of 13 Courtfield Road, South
Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Telegraphic Engineer, and HENRY
JOSEPH GARNETT, of 18 Wharf Road, City Road, London, Clerk, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention has for its object Improvements in the Manufacture of Golf Balls.
Golf balls are now commonly made of gutta percha with which often a certain
proportion of pigment is mixed and in order that the balls may be readily dis-
tinguishable they have usually been painted on the surface.
In practice however it has been found that the paint is very soon chipped
or worn off the surface of the ball and the ball is thus rendered unsuitable
for use.
Sometimes the material of which the ball is made has been mixed with a white
or light colored pigment but to this also there are objections for if the pigment be
employed in the quantity necessary for the attainment of the object the quality of
the ball is injured, its elasticity is impaired and its density is increased to such a
degree that the ball will no longer float in water.
According to our invention we make a veneered ball, white for some distance
in from the surface, and the interior of the natural color of the gutta percha or of
the compound employed.
We proceed as follows:- -We prepare in the usual manner the gutta percha or the
gutta percha compound to be used for the body of the ball. We also to make the
veneer prepare a white gutta percha compound with a pigment such as zinc white
and we roll it out into a thin sheet. When the body material is in a suitable
plastic state we weigh out a portion suitable to form a ball. We roll it in the
hauds to an approximately spherical form and we then clothe it with portions of the
veneer sheet which also are rendered plastic by heat. By hand manipulation
the veneer is made to adhere and then the ball is taken to a press and is squeezed
between dies. The heavy pressure employed brings the ball to a truly spherical
form, it produces a chequered pattern or roughening on the surface and at the
same time it ensures the perfect adhesion of the veneer.
Dated this 17th day of July 1893.
WILLOUGHBY S. SMITH.
HENRY J. GARNETT.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Golf Balls.
We, WILLOUGHBY STATHAM SMITH, of 13 Courtfield Road, South
Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Telegraphic Engineer, and HENRY
JOSEPH GARNETT, of 18 Wharf Road, City Road, London, Clerk, 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 has for its object Improvements in the Manufacture of Golf Balls.
Golf balls are now commonly made of gutta percha and in order that the balls
may be readily distinguishable they have usually been painted on the surface.

page_text: In practice however it has been found that the paint is very soon chipped
or worn off the surface of the ball and the ball is thus rendered unsuitable
for use.
Sometimes the material of which the ball is made has been mixed with a white
or light colored pigment, but to this also there are objections for if the pigment be
employed in the quantity necessary to sufficiently colour the material the quality
of the ball is injured, its elasticity is impaired and its density is increased to such
a degree that the ball will no longer float in water.
According to our invention we make a veneered ball, white or other suitable
colour for some distance in from the surface, and the interior of the natural colour
of the gutta percha or of the compound employed.
We prefer to proceed as follows:-
The material intended to form the body of the ball is forced through a circular
die to form it into a length of round rod, this may be done by any suitable method,
for instance by means of a round band or tube making machine.
The length of rod so obtained may be then covered with the pigmented or other-
wise prepared compound forming the veneer of the ball by means of suitable dies
and the machine before mentioned.
The rod is then cut into required lengths each of which is rendered plastic by
immersion in hot water.
By hand manipulation the white veneer is drawn over the uncovered ends of the
piece, which is then made to roughly assume the shape of a ball. It is then placed
in a press mould in the usual manner.
The same result may be obtained in other ways but we believe that described
above to be the best.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
A veneered golf ball white or of other suitable colour for some distance in from
the surface and the interior of the natural colour of the gutta percha or compound
employed.
Dated this 11th day of April 1894.
WILLOUGHBY S. SMITH.
H. J. GARNETT.