IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO GLOVES OR GAUNTLETS USED IN FOOTBALL PLAYING
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM SYKES, of the Yorkshire Athletic Manufactory, Horbury, near
Wakefield, in the County of York, Manufacturer of Footballs, Cricket Bats and
Balls, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OR RELATING TO GLOVES OR GAUNTLETS USED IN FOOTBALL PLAYING," to be RS
follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a glove or gauntlet that will effectually
protect from accident the hands and wrists of the goal keepers when playing
football.
It consists in forming the body or glove proper of leather, or any other suitable
material and attaching or fixing on the outside of a portion of the palm and fingers,
layers or strips of india rubber, or other elastic or flexible material in such a
manner that when the hand is folded or closed in the glove the fingers are
protected from the first joint down to and beyond the knuckles. Also the palm
of the hand and the thumb that is exposed beyond where the fingers fold onto the
palm are in like manner protected by a layer or layers of india rubber, or the like
material. The gauntlet or wrist portion of the glove is protected by strips of cane
in the usual manner. The glove is also provided with suitable ventilators, and
made to button tightly at the back on the wrist.
It will be readily seen by the use of the herein described glove that a thorough
protection is afforded to the goal keeper's hands against any liability to accident
from the ball or players; and renders the duty of this player much easier than by
using the naked hand; also the person wearing them will be more capable of
defending his goal against the attacks of the opposing players by virtue of the
elasticity or springing power of the india rubber which materially assists in driving
back the ball.
DL: Cath
T1008
W FAIRBURN HART,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Football Playing.
I, WILLIAM SYKES of Horbury near Wakefield in the County of York Manu-
facturer of Athletic goods, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for the
above named improvements and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
I make a Glove from Chamois, Dogskin, Cashmere or other suitable material, the
inside of which is shown by fig. 1, and as it appears on the palm of the hand;
fig. 3 is the back of the glove. The parts marked "A" represent the Chamois or
other materials of which the glove is made, and the parts marked "B" the covering
of sheet or corrugated India Rubber, which extends to the top joint of the fingers,
or placed in what other ways may seem desirable in order to act as an efficient
protection to the players hands. It is secured tightly on the hand by buttoning
at the back of the glove as shown in fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a section showing side view of
the glove back and front when completed. Figure 5 shows a glove made from
cashmere, the finger ends being cut away to the first or bottom joint and also the
thumb, thus enabling the player to have a ready grasp of the ball when it is
required to be picked up. The parts "C" represent the cashmere and "B" the
India rubber; this style is without any button or fastener, but if made in leather
will button like fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side view of fig. 5.
The glove described as figs. 1 and 2 is for goal-keepers in the Association game,
and by virtue of the India rubber covering will afford a thorough protection to the
goal keeper's hands, which are exposed when uncovered to great danger. The
springing qualities of the rubber also render the work of this player much easier
by enabling him to effectively drive back the ball.
The glove described as fig. 5 is for the use of players in the Rugby game, the
fingers being cut away so as to adapt it to one of the principal requirements,
namely, successfully picking up the ball. It allows great freedom to the player,
is neat on the hand and will not interfere with any of his other duties in the
game.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
+
1. The construction of gloves or gauntlets as described by figs. 1. 3. and 5, solely
for the use of players in the Rugby and Association games of Football.
2. The sole use of India rubber as a protective covering for gloves or gauntlets
used in Football playing.