The Manufacture of Playing Balls, and Means therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
The Manufacture of Playing Balls, and Means therefor.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT of 67 Burley Lodge Terrace Leeds in the
County of York, Depôt Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to playing balls, more particularly to an improved
construction of such balls so that they will retain their spherical form, and with-
stand violent concussion without bursting asunder; and which may be made of a
predetermined weight and circumference.
I will describe my invention by taking the given weight of a ball as five and a
half ounces, and its circumference as nine and a quarter inches; but I do not wish
to restrict my invention to balls of this weight and size, because it is evident that
the proportions may be varied to produce balls of the same inherent characteristics,
but of smaller or greater weight and circumference.
In carrying out my invention 1 take, dry finely powdered glue or gelatine three
ounces. I add to the said powdered glue, half an ounce of glycerine, and intimately
mix the same.
I now take two half spherical moulds, and lay over the opening of each mould,
a piece of moistened canvas, or other suitable textile fabric. I divide the mixture
of glue and glycerine into two equal parts; place each part upon said canvas, and
press into said moulds.
I trim off the overlapping edges of the canvas on each mould, slightly moisten
the exposed surfaces of the mixture, and bring the two surfaces together by
inverting one mould on the top of the other; after which the spherical core may
be withdrawn, and will be found in a short time, to have set into a homogeneous
canvas covered core.
I now cover said core with another layer of canvas; making with the herein-
before mentioned first canvas cover a weight of half an ounce. To complete the
hall at the predetermined weight of five and a half ounces, I apply to the core, one
and a half ounces of wool carding inclusive of binding threads, by winding around
said core, a narrow sliver of carded wool and a woollen binding thread, applying
both simultaneously, and taking care to secure an equal thickness of same over
the entire surface of said core.
6b
I thereupon saturate the wool covered core with warm soapy water, and
manipulate the same in the hands by gentle pressure over its surface, until the
outer skin of wool carding is partially felted or "hardened."
Another part of this invention pertains to the construction and parts forming
a machine adapted to "mill" or shrink, the seamless wool covering of the ball
hereinbefore described; and which is also applicable to milling and shrinking
spherical balls generally with a wool outer covering.
This part of my invention consists of a rotating disc, over which projects one
or more fixed cup rim holders; coincident with the centre of said holders; I mount
in suitable bearings hollow spindles, which have attached to their lower ends
dished cups, and to their upper ends lifting cams in frictional contact with fixed
studs said spindles have a compound rotary and vertically vibrating motion
communicated to them by driving bands and the aforesaid cams. The operation
of milling is performed as follows.
The ball is first saturated with hot water inade slightly sour by the addition
of sulphuric acid, said ball is now placed in the fixed cup holders, the dished
cup is brought down over the ball, steam is supplied by a pipe led through the

page_text: hollow spindle, and when the machine is in motion the ball is submitted to friction
and pressure successively over its entire surface by the co-operation of said disc,
cup holder, and spindle.
Dated this the Twenty-eighth day of December 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
The Manufacture of Playing Balls, and Means therefor.
I THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT of 67 Burley Lodge Terrace, Leeds
County of York, 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 said invention relates to playing balls and more particularly to an improved
construction of balls adapted to retain their spherical shape when in use as well
as to a process of manufacturing such balls and to a machine for milling playing
balls whether of the particular kind herein described or manufactured otherwise.
For the purpose of description I will assume it is desired to make a ball according
to my said invention having a weight when finished of five and a half ounces and
a circumference of nine and a quarter inches. Balls of other weights and sizes
may be made in a similar manner by varying the quantities of the materials as
will be well understood.
Reference is hereinafter made to the accompanying drawings of which.-
Fig. I. is a section of the moulds.
Fig. 1. is a section of the ball.
Fig. III. is a plan of the milling machine.
Fig. IV. is a detached sectional view of the ball holder and cover.
Fig. V. is a front elevation.
Fig. VI. is an end elevation.
In all the figures the same letters indicate the same parts.
According to my said invention add to three ounces of dry finely powdered
glue or gelatine half an ounce of glycerine and intimately mix these together.
I then lay over each of the separated hemispherical balves a a' of the mould
(shown in juxtaposition in Fig. 1) a piece of moistened canvas or other suitable
textile fabric which eventually becomes the envelope of the core c shown in black
in Fig. II.
The mass of mixed glue and gelatine is now divided into two equal portions
which are laid on the canvas lying on the hemispherical moulds and pressed down
into the moulds with the canvas or other fabric intervening between the gelatinous
mass and the internal face of the mould. The projecting or overlapping edges of
the fabric are trimmed off level with the face of the mould, and after moistening
the exposed upper surfaces of the two gelatinous hemispheres lying in the moulds the
mould a is superposed on the mould thus bringing the gelatinous contents of
each half of the mould into contact when they cobere and form a homogeneous mass
after which the moulds may he opened and resulting spherical gelatinous mass with
its adherent canvas covering may be removed when it is provided with a second
layer of canvas which with the first canvas and the contained gelatinous core brings
the weight up to four ounces.
It is a decided advantage to render the fabric covering the core waterproof.
This may be effected in various ways as will be well understood.
The canvas covered core is next covered with wool by winding round it a narrow
"sliver" of carded wool simultaneously with a woollen binding thread care being
taken that the wool is distributed evenly so as to ensure a uniform thickness of
wool over the entire core.

page_text: The wool covering is thereupon saturated with warm soapy water and manipulated
in the hands by gentle pressure and kneading over its whole surface until the wool
is felted or hardened to such a consistency as to withstand the subsequent process
of milling (which may be performed in the machine hereinafter described or in
other ways) by which the wool covering is further felted until it forms a compact
felt covering in close contact with the canvas covered core.
The weight of the wool covering inclusive of the binding threads is one and a
half ounces so that the total weight now amounts to five and a half ounces.
In the machine which forms part of my said invention is a rotating disc or
table e (preferably of wood) which is casued to rotate by the frictional contact of
its under surface with the driving wheel m. Over the table e is mounted in a
suitable bracket a fixed ring or holder f. Over the holder and in line therewith
is a hollow spindle g running in bearings in which it can rotate and also receive
a vertical reciprocating motion. Attached to the lower end of the hollow spindle g
is an inverted cup or cover h. Near the upper end the spindle 9 is provided with
a lifting cam taking against an antifriction bowl or roll mounted on a fixed
stud. The spindle is driven by the bands and during its rotation it receives
a rapid vibration or reciprocating motion in the direction of its length by the action
of the cam i
Communicating with the interior of the hollow spindle g is a steam pipe / for
conveying steam to the interior of the inverted cup h.
The operation of milling is performed as follows.
The ball after having been saturated with hot water acidulated with sulphuric
acid is placed in the holder under the inverted cup or cover which bears on
the ball when down.
When the machine is started the ball is subjected to friction and pressure all
over by the conjoint action of the rotating disc e the holder and the cover h
and this with the presence of steam results in the milling or thorough felting of
the woollen cover.
The bracket carrying the holder and the stud j is adjustable so that the balls
of different sizes may be operated on.
Any convenient number of spindles with their holders and covers may be mounted
over the rotating disc or table e so that a number of balls may be operated on
simultaneously.
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.
1. As a new article of manufacture a ball having an inner gelatinous canvas
covered core and an outer covering of carded wool felted and milled substantially
as described herein.
II. The process of manufacturing playing balls by combining powdered glue
with glycerine moulding same into spherical canvas covered cores applying carded
wool thereto felting and milling as herein set forth.
III. A machine for milling spherical bodies substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
IV. In a ball milling machine the combination of a rotating table e a fixed
holder a hollow spindle g provided with a cover h and having simultaneous
rotary and reciprocating motions derived from the cami and the driving bands k
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of September 1894.
E. T. WHITELOW, A.M. Inst. C.E.,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.