Oval and Round Playing Balls.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Oval and Round Playing Balls.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT Depot Manager, of 67 Burley Lodge Terrace
Leeds in the County of York do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to a novel manufacture of oval and round playing balls,
which possess the characteristics of seamlessness, lightness, and reciliency, and
which are suitable for cricket, football and numerous other games.
In carrying out my invention, I take sufficient cotton "fly," shoddy, or other
suitable vegetable or animal fibre, I form same into a round or oval core of the size
required. I then bind said core into permanent shape, by closely winding a
binding thread around same, from left to right, and then from right to left, until the
binding thread crosses in every direction.
Upon the herein before described core, I wrap or wind in the manner previously
described for the binding thread; a wool "carding" (preferably taken direct from
the carding engine) until I obtain a sufficient thickness equally over the entire
surface of the core.
I bind said wool carding to the core in the manner herein before described in
reference to the "fly"; using preferably a woollen thread for the purpose.
I now saturate the wool covered core with warm soapy water, and manipulate
the same in the hands by gentle pressure, until the outer skin of wool is
"hardened."
I then completely felt the wool covering, by using pressure and friction, during
rotation in the hands, until the wool covering is shrunk into close contact with
the core or employ any well known mechanical means to complete the felting
process.
For some uses the balls are placed upon the market in the white felted condition;
for other uses, where a waterproof ball is a necessity, I saturate the seamless felt
envelope with linseed, or other drying oils, and oxidise same in any well known
way; or I dye them in colours, and "proof" them with a solution, in which either,
shellac, gelatine, or size has been dissolved.
Dated this the Thirteenth day of May 1893.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Oval and Round 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 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 a novel manufacture of oval and round playing, balls,
which possess the characteristics of seamlessness, lightness, reciliency, and which
are suitable for cricket, football, and other games.
I will now proceed to describe my invention by the aid of the sheet of
drawings hereto annexed, in which corresponding letters denote corresponding
parts in all the drawings.

page_text: In carrying out my invention, I take sufficient. cotton "fly" shoddy, or other
suitable vegetable or animal fibre, denoted as A; I form same into a round or
oval core of the size required, as shown in Fig. I. I then bind said core into
permanent shape, by closely winding binding threads B around same, from right to
left, and then from left to right, until the said threads B, cross each other in every
direction, as shown in Fig. II.
Upon the hereinbefore described core, I wrap or wind in the manner herein
described for the binding threads B; a wool carding C, (preferably taken in a
narrow strip direct from the carding engine) until I obtain a sufficient thickness,
equal over the entire surface of said core, as illustrated in Fig. III.
I bind said carding C, to the core in the manner herein before described in
reference to Fig. 11, using preferably woollen threads D shown in Fig. IV.
I now saturate the wool covered core (Fig. IV) with warm soapy water, and
manipulate the same in the hands by gentle pressure, until the outer skin of wool is
"hardened," I thereupon completely felt the wool carding C and threads D, by
using pressure and friction during rotation in the hands; until carding. C and
threads D, are shrunk into close contact with fibres A forming aforesaid core,
or I may employ any well known mechanical means to complete the felting
process.
The completely felted or finished article is represented by Fig. V, which is a
section through centre of round ball Fig. IV, and also a section on dotted line xx
of oval ball in Fig. IV.
For uses, where a soft and yielding ball is a necessity, said balls are placed upon
the market in the condition shown in Fig. V, for other uses, where a waterproof
ball is a desideratum; I saturate said ball with linseed or other drying oil, and
oxidise same in any well known manner; or for a hard ball, I "proof" said ball
with a solution in which either shellac, gelatine, or size has been dissolved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. As a new article of manufacture, round and oval balls, without seam or
joining, having cores of animal or vegetable fibres, bound together by binding
threads B, covered with wool carding C, and threads D, "hardened" and felted
substantially as described and set forth.
2. The process of manufacturing round and oval balls, by forming cores of
vegetable or animal fibres, binding said cores with threads B, covering with wool
carding C, binding with threads D, "hardening" and felting in the manner
substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this the Twelfth day of February 1894.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT.