Improvements in the Manufacture of Playing Balls.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug.. 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept.. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Playing Balls.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT of 67 Burley Lodge Terrace in the City of
Leeds, Depôt Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of playing balls and
seamless coverings for same, and pertains to inflated balls, and also to balls having
solid cores.
In carrying out my invention, I take a suitable indiarubber form, which I inflate
with atmospheric air; I apply around said form a covering of carded wool and
I now
yarn in the manner described in Patent Specification No. 9707 of 1893.
saturate said covering with a warm soapy solution, and place three or more of said
wool covered spherical forms upon a rotating disc; the rotation of said disc causes
said forms to be rotated one against the others, and partially "hardens" the wool
covering, and when the wool covering has been shrunk into close contact with said
rubber form, I slightly deflate said form, and again place upon the disc for another
period of rotation, until the covering has once more shrunk into close contact with
the form; I.repeat this process of successively deflating and then rotating upon the
disc, until the covering is sufficiently felted or "milled."
I complete this kind of ball by inflating said rubber form to its full extent, and
then seal up the valve or pipe of same, either temorarily or permanently in any
well known manner, or I cut off said pipe and seal up permanently, and then apply
a second covering of carded wool, and felt this covering (by a period of rotation as
herein before described) to the first of said coverings, or in some cases where
a softer ball is a desideratum, I deflate and withdraw said form; draw the felt
together by stitching at the hole left for the withdrawal of the form, and apply and
felt a second covering to the spherical felt body in the manner bereinbefore
described.
Another part of this invention relates to a method of applying and felting
coverings to hollow vulcanised balls, and to balls having solid cores.
Hitherto it has been found in possible to obtain felt coverings sufficiently compact
in the felt to withstand hard wear when carded wool to form the felted covering
has been applied direct on to solid cores or non-deflateable balls, because of want
of space between the core and wool fibres, to allow the fibres to interlace and shrink
to their full extent.
I obtain a felt covering sufficiently compact by taking a substance of a
saponaceous nature, which is soluable in hot water, and in a plastic or semi-plastic
state, I form this substance in a suitable mould into two half spheres. I fit said
half spheres to the rubber ball or solid core, as the case may be, and then cover
same with a sufficient thickness of wool carding, and partially felt the covering on
rotating disc.
I now steep the partially felted bodies in hot water for six hours, which
causes the saponaceous substance to form a soapy solution with the steeping
liquor, the partially felted bodies are now withdrawn from the steeping liquor and
submitted to felting treatment on the rotating disc, and are during their rotation

page_text: frequently sprayed with hot water, which removes all soapy solution through the
interstices of the fibrous covering.
Dated this the Fifth day of November 1894.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT 67 Burley Lodge Terrace Leeds Depôt
Manager.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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of playing balls and in
seamless coverings for same, and pertains to inflated balls, and also to balls having
solid cores.
In carrying out my invention, I take an air bladder of spherical form, which
1 inflate with atmospheric air; I apply around said bladder a covering of carded
wool and yarn in the manner described in Patent Specification Number 9707 of 1893.
1 now saturate said covering with a warm soapy solution, and place three or more
of said wool covered spherical forms, upon a rotating disc, the rotation of said disc
causes said forms to be rotated one against the others, and partially "hardens" the
wool covering, and when said covering has been shrunk into close contact with said
air bladder, slightly deflate said bladder and again place upon the disc for
another period of rotation, until the covering has once more shrunk into close
contact with the bladder.
I repeat this process of successively deflating and then rotating upon the disc,
until the covering is sufficiently felted or "milled."
I now deflate and withdraw said bladder and thus produce a spherical “case of felt
without seam, or joining.
I may as an alternative complete this kind of ball by inflating said air bladder to its
full extent within the above mentioned "case," and then seal up the valve or pipe
of same,, either temporarily or permanently in any well known manner, or I cut off
said pipe and seal up permanently, and apply another covering of carded wool, and
felt this, covering (by a period of rotation as herein before described) to the already
felted " case or in some cases where a softer ball is a desideratum, I deflate and
withdraw said bladder, draw the felt together by stitching at the hole left for the
withdrawal of the bladder, and apply and felt a second covering to the spherical
felt." case
in, the manner hereinbefore described.
"
"
Another part of this invention relates to a method of applying and felting
coverings to, hollow vulcanised balls, and to balls having solid cores.
Hitherto it has. been found impossible to obtain, felt coverings sufficiently compact
in the felt to withstand hard wear, when carded wool to form the felted covering
has been applied direct on to.solid cores or non-deflateable balls, because of want of
space between the core and wool fibres, to allow said fibres to interlace and shrink
to their full extent.
I obtain a felt covering sufficiently compact by taking a substance of a
soapenacous nature, which is soluable in hot water, and in a, plastic or semi-plastic
state, I form this substance in a suitable mould into two half spheres, from half an
inch to an inch in thickness, varying somewhat, according to the compactness
desired in the felt covering.
I fit said half spheres, to the rubber ball or solid core, as the case may be, and
then cover same with a sufficient thickness of wool carding, and partially felt the
covering on rotating disc. I now steep the partially felted bodies, in hot water for

page_text: six hours, which causes the soapenacous substance to form a soapy solution with the
steeping liquor, the partially felted bodies are now withdrawn from the steeping
liquor and submitted to felting treatment on rotating disc, and are during their
rotation frequently sprayed with hot water, which removes all soapy solution
through the interstices of the fibrous covering and shrinks the covering into close
contact with the solid or hollow core.
The herein described felt coverings may be subsequently proofed in any well
known manner by filling up the interstices of the resultant felt with gum resin
compounds or with drying oils.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
6:
case
:
1. As a new article of manufacture, a spherical
"of felt without seam or
joining, adapted to hold and cover an inflated air bladder, substantially as
described.
2. As a new article of manufacture, a spherical ball, having an inner air bladder
permanently inflated, a first covering of seamless felt surrounding said bladder, and
a second seamless covering felted to the first of said coverings, substantially as
described.
66
3. As a new article of manufacture, a hollow spherical case "of felt, having
another covering attached thereto by felting substantially as described.
4. The process of enclosing a solid or hollow ball core between two half spheres
of a soapenacous substance, applying carded wool thereon, and "hardening," felting
and steeping, as herein set forth.
Dated this the Third day of August 1895.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT.