Improvements in the Process of Manufacture of Footballs and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process of Manufacture of Footballs and the
like.
We, JOHN HENDERSON, of 49, Fordneuk Street, Saddler, ANDREW STEWART
BRYCE, Junior, and JOHN CHURCHMAN ROBERTSON, both of Bellvale Works, Glen-
park Road, Golf Ball and Club Manufacturers, all of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Scotland, 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 which relates to improvements in the process and manufacture
of footballs and the like has for its object to produce a ball, the cover of which
will be completely waterproof in a cheaper or more expeditious manner and of
a better and more useful kind than the cover at present in use.
In carrying out our said invention we employ a textile fabric or cotton canvas
covered with a strong solution of india-rubber or other suitable waterproof
material. This cloth, consistently with the manufacture of either a Rugby or
Association football is cut in two round or elliptic pieces, which pieces are
stretched into a determinate convex form approximating to the shape of a ball
by means of a block and screw frame designed for the purpose. The said two
pieces of solutionized canvas, after being taken out of the screw-frame, are
further stretched over metal domes, moulds or convex hemispherical surfaces,
and placed in a vulcanizer and partially vulcanized when they are cut to the
half-size of the ball they are to form. A strip or band of cloth or other suitable
textile material is then solutionized round the inside of either of the two cups.
An iron or brass hoop or ring is then placed inside of the cup so furnished when
its corresponding cup or the counter half of the ball is next solutionized on to
the band of the aforesaid cup, care being exercised to join both cups closely
together. A band of cloth solutionized on the one side, is drawn uniformly
round the joint of the two cups. A hoop or band of steel or other suitable
metal or material provided with projecting lugs or flanges in order to bolt or
rigidly clamp it together by means of bolts and nuts is made to firmly embrace
the cloth band, when a powerful external pressure is exerted to completely bind
the cups and band together. In pursuance of our process the ball is now placed
in the vulcanizer and the vulcanization completed. An outlet or slit is cut in
any part of the cups where they are united together to facilitate the with-
drawal of the internal clamping ring or hoop. A cloth cover or bag made
of several segmental pieces is solutionized on the outside, and into this bag the
bladder of the ball is then placed.
up
We now introduce both bag and bladder through the slit or aperture of the
outer cover. An air tube is placed in the mouth or tube of bladder, the whole
is placed in a metal-mould or matrix and a strong air or fluid pressure is exerted
on the inside uniting both cups and bag homogeneously together. At the end
of the period required for this purpose the ball is taken out of the mould or
matrix and hung up in order to allow the solution to thoroughly dry.
In order that our invention may be properly understood and readily carried

page_text: into effect we have hereunto appended one explanatory sheet of drawings in the
several figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters
of reference.
Figure 1, represents one of the two blanks formed of solutionized textile fabric
employed in the manufacture of footballs according to our invention.
Figure 2, is a side elevation and part vertical section of a screw press employed
in stretching the blanks in the early stage of manufacture of our improved
footballs.
Figure 3, is a metal block or mould having upon it a solutionized blank and
iron ring required in the operation of further stretching.
Figure 4, is a screw-press or frame used for completing the stretching opera-
tion and preparing this cup for the process of partial vulcanization.
Figure 5, is a plan of the internal hoop or ring; and external steel hoop or band,
with lugs and clamping device, illustrating in horizontal section an Association
football in course of manufacture.
Figure 6, is a side view of same.
*:1
j
Figure 7, is a vertical section corresponding. to Figure 5, drawn to a slightly
enlarged scale..
Figure 8, illustrates an Association football made in accordance with our
invention.
Figure 9, is a similar view to Fig. 5, illustrating a Rugby football in course
of construction and Fig. 10, is a side view of same.
The blanks of which two are required to form the football, are cut approxi-
mately to the shape marked A, in Figure 1, and are formed as already stated
of solutionized textile fabric. The said blanks A, are placed in the screw
press B, and their edges are retained circumferentially between metal ring a
and platform b; which are clamped rigidly together by the adjustable screw
clamp C, of which two or more may be employed.
Figure 2, shows the initial stretching operation completed and the block D),
ready to be raised which is effected by turning the transverse handle fitted in
the upper end of the screw stem as is common to presses of this type. The
blank having been invested with a bowl or cup shape is now taken out of the
press B, and placed over the metal dome or mould E, and the unaffected edges
or rini of the blank which for brevity we shall now call the cup A, is held down
by a ring or band c. This ring c, is forced down upon the edges or rim of the cup
aforesaid, by means of the circular frame F, and the screw press G, to such an
extent that the maximum degree of stretching is reached.
The mould and cup with the retaining ring are now placed in the vulcanizer
(not shewn in the drawings) and only partially vulcanized.
When taken out
the rim or edge of the cup A, is removed and a perfect hollow hemisphere is
formed. We now take a strip or band I, of cloth or cotton canvas, and solution
it round the inside of the said cup A, to the extent of half the depth of the band
only, introducing within the cup the metal hoop or band H.
The corresponding lower cup A¹ is now brought so that its larger diameter is
made to abut that of the said upper cup A and the band I, aforesaid completely
overlaps internally the entire joint; a further band I¹ of the same or other suit-
able material is placed on the outside of the joint.
The external steel split ring or hoop J, is now placed round the joint as shewn
more particularly in Figure 7, and by means of lugs K, is made to embrace
closely the said band I, in which position it is rigidly clamped by means of
the nuts and bolts k, Figs. 5, and 6. In order to ensure a uniform spherical
shape being given to the football cover it is sometimes advantageous to introduce
a transverse, jointed, and adjustable screw bar L, seen in said Figure 7. And
this provision is essential in the final process of vulcanization which is the next
stage.
The internal hoop or band H, is formed of two or more pieces which have
check or split joints i, and a retaining screw 1, (Fig. 5), to unite the parts.
The internal hoop or band as illustrated in Fig. 9, and as already referred to

page_text: is specially designed for the manufacture of footballs of the Rugby type and is
preferably composed of six pieces, two opposite pairs being hinged together.
Passing through the minor axis of the elliptical hoop or band is a transverse
screw stud N, by virtue of which the entire band is retained in situ, and by the
unscrewing of which the said hoop or band is easily collapsible.
The external steel zone or band in this arrangement is preferably provided
with two pairs of clamping lugs K.
After the final process of vulcanization the internal clamping rings are with-
drawn a segmentally formed bag solutionized on its outer side or on both its
inner and outer side is then introduced into the interior of the outer cover and
a bladder is placed within it. Air or fluid pressure is then forced into the
bladder and sufficiently distended as to cause the bag to be homogeneously
united to the outer cover as already described. This last operation comprises no
new features of novelty.
Having now fully 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-
1. The method, process, and means of manufacturing football covers of the
kind specified substantially as described and shewn on the accompanying sheet
of drawings.
2. A seamless waterproof football case, or cover formed of two hemispherical
cups, securely joined together with two concentric strips constituting inner and
outer belts, and adapted to receive a bladder substantially as described and
shewn on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 13th day of September 1898.