AU2012216568A1 - Split colour manufacture of lawn bowling balls - Google Patents
Split colour manufacture of lawn bowling balls Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- AU2012216568A1 AU2012216568A1 AU2012216568A AU2012216568A AU2012216568A1 AU 2012216568 A1 AU2012216568 A1 AU 2012216568A1 AU 2012216568 A AU2012216568 A AU 2012216568A AU 2012216568 A AU2012216568 A AU 2012216568A AU 2012216568 A1 AU2012216568 A1 AU 2012216568A1
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- raw materials
- tablet
- single cavity
- compression mould
- mould
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B37/00—Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles
- A63B37/14—Special surfaces
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B37/00—Solid balls; Rigid hollow balls; Marbles
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B45/00—Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B29B11/00—Making preforms
- B29B11/06—Making preforms by moulding the material
- B29B11/12—Compression moulding
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
- B29C43/02—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
- B29C43/14—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles in several steps
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
- B29C43/02—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
- B29C43/20—Making multilayered or multicoloured articles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
- B29D99/00—Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- B29D99/001—Producing wall or panel-like structures, e.g. for hulls, fuselages, or buildings
- B29D99/0014—Producing wall or panel-like structures, e.g. for hulls, fuselages, or buildings provided with ridges or ribs, e.g. joined ribs
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
- B29L2031/54—Balls
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Casting Or Compression Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
Abstract
Manufacturing a lawn bowling ball (200") comprising multiple distinct colours or finishes (130", 140") involves first forming a suitable blank (200') adding raw materials (130, 140) to a single cavity compression mould (100), stamping the raw materials (130, 140) within the single cavity compression mould (100) to form a tablet (200), preheating the tablet (200) so formed, and compression moulding the preheated tablet (200) to form a blank (200') suitable for machining to a finished lawn bowling ball (200"). The raw materials (130, 140) added to the single cavity compression mould (100) are divided between separate compartments temporary defined within the single cavity compression mould (100) by one or more separator assemblies (150), which are removed from the single cavity compression mould (100) prior to stamping the raw materials (130, 140) within to form the tablet (200). Fig. 1 Mixing raw materials 1 Adding raw materials to compression mould Stamping raw material inatoj" tablet form Preheating stamped tablet to doughy consistency Press preheated tablets to blanks Machine blanks to precision bowls
Description
1 SPLIT COLOUR MANUFACURE OF LAWN BOWLING BALLS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is related to co-pending patent applications having 5 common inventor Walter Benjamin Jacobs and entitled "Precision Manufacture of Lawn Bowling Balls", and "Improved Lawn Bowling Balls", the contents of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the manufacture of lawn bowling balls, 10 also referred to as lawn bowls, or bowls. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Lawn bowls are currently manufactured by heating powdered or granular melamine material, which is preheated to a putty-like or doughy texture. The preheated material is subjected to a compression load using a press (for 15 example, a 150 ton press), which compresses the material, and excludes any excess gas and liquid from the mould. A blank results, which is machined to form the finished bowl. Traditionally, lawn bowls have been black in colour. Recent years have seen a trend towards coloured bowls, and more recently, speckled finishes have 20 also been used. Furthermore, the use of various relief features - in addition to traditional grip rings - are also increasingly popular, and give bowls a distinctive and pleasing appearance. Typically, for example, a bowler's name, and perhaps team or other significant indicia are formed in relief in the surface of a bowl, and can be specified when ordering a set of bowls. 25 Consequently, there is a range of distinctive and personalised features that may be adopted when ordering a new set of bowls. A range of options are available in contrast to plain black bowls, which were the only option until quite recently. Details of existing manufacturing techniques can be viewed in an episode 30 of the How It's Made series, which is a product by the Science Channel, which is produced by Discovery Communications, LLC. How It's Made: Lawn Bowling Ball was published online 9 April 2010 by Discovery Communications, LLC.
2 There is, in light of the foregoing, a need for a yet still greater range of alternatives for distinctive appearing bowls, beyond the options presently available to bowlers. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 5 The inventive concept resides in a recognition that a distinctive split-colour bowl can advantageously be manufactured using raw materials of different colours that, in the finished bowl, comprise opposing sides or halves of the bowl, by forming a tablet by compression moulding, in which raw materials of different colours are added to respective compartments temporarily defined within a single 10 cavity compression mould, using one or more separator assemblies within the single cavity compression mould. A blank for a lawn bowling ball is formed by subsequently preheating and compression moulding the tablet, which can then be suitably machined to form a finished lawn bowling ball. 15 Raw materials added to the cavity mould are arranged such that they are divided between separate compartments temporary defined within the cavity mould by one or more separator assemblies, which are removed from the cavity mould prior to stamping the raw materials within to form the tablet. Removal of the temporary separator assembly preferably disrupts the raw materials but 20 minimally, so that the contrast between the different colours or finishes is relatively clear. For a simple spilt-colour pattern along the running surface of the bowl, the separator assembly is preferably a simple separator or divider of planar construction, shaped and adapted to the cavity mould. In this case, the separator 25 or divider element that evenly divides the raw materials of different respective colours into opposed sides of the resulting tablet. A simple split-colour pattern is adopted as this pattern is appealing and distinctive in appearance. A number of alternative patterns could of course be adopted using the same principles, using more and/or differently oriented 30 compartments separating the single cavity compression mould. Separator assemblies of suitable configuration are thus designed to achieve an intended aesthetic result that is intended for the finished lawn bowling ball, and is thus limited only by imagination.
3 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a flowchart of steps involved in forming a blank for forming a lawn bowling ball having a split-colour pattern. Figs. 2A and 2B are schematic representations (in cross-sectional and 5 plan views) of a compression moulding arrangement used to form a tablet of different colours. Fig. 3 is a representation of a tablet having two distinctive colours, formed following stamping in a single cavity compression mould, schematically represented in Figs. 2A and 2B. 10 Fig. 4 is a representation of a blank for a lawn bowling ball formed following compression moulding the tablet of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a finished lawn bowling ball formed following machining operations on the blank of Fig. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 15 As referred to herein, raw materials in the form of melamine-based coloured granular materials are used, as supplied and widely available. Melamine is a thermosetting plastic compound, supplied in a raw granular state with a distribution of particle sizes. Chemical additives are used to achieve different colours. 20 Lawn bowling can be manufactured, as referred to herein, with speckled finishes, typically in which a primary or dominant colour is flecked through with a secondary, and perhaps even a tertiary colour. Owing to the range of colours available, a large number of speckled finishes are available as determined by the ratios in which different coloured melamine raw materials are combined. The 25 speckled finish is a consequence of the granular nature of the raw material. For the sake of expediency, speckled colour combinations are referred to herein as simply "colours" in the context of a split-colour pattern of a lawn bowling ball blank produced in accordance with the techniques described herein. A process for producing a split-colour blank which is used for forming a 30 lawn bowling ball following suitable machining operations is outlined in overview with reference to Fig. 1. Desirably, the resulting blank is of close to a uniform density and is substantially free of internal cracks or fissures within the bulk of the blank.
4 First, raw materials are mixed, if need be, in step 10. This is desirable where a specked finish of the type described below forms one of the colours of the split-colour bowl. Following any required mixing operations, raw materials are added to a 5 single cavity compression mould in step 20. Raw materials of different colours are divided between separate compartments temporarily defined within the single cavity compression mould, as described in further detail below. The raw materials are then stamped within the single cavity compression mould into a tablet form, in step 30. The tablet so formed is preheated in step 40, prior to compression 10 moulding proper. Compression moulding is performed in step 50, using the preheated tablets, to thus form lawn bowling ball blanks. Finally, the blanks can be suitably machined to form a finished lawn bowling ball in step 60. The initial step 10 of mixing the raw materials is performed if one of the colours of the split colour bowl is to have a speckled finish. Melamine granules 15 are used as raw materials, and a desired ratio by weight of differently coloured melamine granules can be used to achieve different speckled appearances. Mixing helps ensure a relatively uniform and random distribution of the differently coloured granules, which is aesthetically desirable. Mixing is of course unnecessary where a solid colour is used instead of a speckled finish. 20 Following any mixing operations that may be required, raw materials are added to a single cavity compression mould in step 20. Raw materials added to the single cavity compression mould are divided between separate compartments temporary defined within the single cavity compression mould by one or more separator assemblies, which are removed from the single cavity compression 25 mould prior to stamping the raw materials within to form the tablet. For a simple split-colour pattern, a simple planar separator element can be used. Figs. 2A and 2B depicts a suitable arrangement in schematic form. A cavity mould 100 has an internal space which defines the shape of the resulting tablet form. Compression moulding is performed by actuating a high pressure via 30 a plunger 120, which is shaped to clear the profile of the cavity mould 100. Fig. 2A is a cross-section view, and Fig. 2B is a plan view, in which the plunger is removed from view.
5 This separator 150 may comprise a sheet of preferably rigid material, appropriately shaped and dimensioned to the cavity mould 100. when located in place, the raw materials can be added to the separate compartments defined within the mould by the separator 150. The separator 150, as the name implies, 5 acts to separate the raw materials of different colours (indicated as 130, 140 either side of the separator 150), when added in granular form to the cavity mould 100. Once the raw materials 130, 140 are added to these temporary separate compartments, the separator 150 is removed from the cavity mould 100. 10 Preferably, the separator 150 is lifted vertically to disrupt the granular raw materials in the single cavity compression mould only minimally, and ideally not at all, though this is not essential. Indeed, it may be desirable to retain an indistinct and ill-defined separation between adjacent colours to achieve different effects, achieved by disruption to the raw materials 130, 140 as the separator 150 is 15 removed. Once the separator 150 is removed, the raw materials can be subjected to a compression load of, for example, 50T, by the plunger 120 to thus form a tablet 200. The tablet 200 takes the form of the cavity mould 100. The separator 150 is removed to assist thermosetting via crosslinking 20 between the raw materials of different colours, which occurs subsequently to the tablet 200 being formed by application of heat and pressure, as described below in further detail. Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a tablet 200 formed of two contrasting colours evenly split between its two colours along a line of vertical 25 orientation about its middle. The contrasting colours 130', 140' are the raw materials 130, 140. The tablet 200 has an elongate tablet or lozenge shape, characterised as having a generally elongate rectangular prismatic form, with soft rounded ends, as depicted in Fig. 4. Various alternative forms may be adopted with success. 30 The tablet 200, having being formed by compression load, is a solid mass. The table 200 does not crumble upon light manual handling, but cannot tolerate rough handling.
6 The tablet 200 is then subjected to a preheating step 40, prior to compression moulding proper. As melamine is a thermosetting material, preheating is an appropriate step prior to compression moulding. The tablet 200 is preheated using any suitable technique, though radio frequency heating is 5 preferred. A radio frequency heater of any suitable construction can be used. Preheating helps to remove residual moisture that may be present in the tablet 200 following formation, and desirably provides a substantially uniform temperature throughout the tablet 200. Temperatures of approximately 100 0 C to 110 0 C are found to be suitable for preheating, though temperatures outside this 10 range can also yield satisfactory results. Preheated tablets 200 are transferred while heated to a compression mould, and moulded under pressure (for example, 150T) to form a blank 200', as depicted in Fig. 4, and having multiple colours 130', 140" corresponding with raw materials 130, 140. Bowls are supplied in sets of four, and for expediency and 15 efficiency, a set of four preheated tablets 200 are transferred in rapid succession to respective cavities of a four-way compression mould, which are then compressed. Following compression moulding, the blanks 200' are removed, and any excess flash removed. The fresh blanks 200' are placed preferably in an insulating environment that encourages the blanks 200' to maintain their stored 20 heat for an extended period. This facilitates curing of the blank 200', namely thermosetting via crosslinking. The blanks 200', as depicted have a spigot which assists in machining operations, which are not further described herein. Machining operations result in a finished bowl 200", as depicted in Fig. 5, having multiple colours 130", 140". 25 The contrast between the split colours is desirably crisp and clear. The granular nature of the raw materials, however, means that the split may not be necessarily be sharply defined. The split colours mix to some extent, owing to a number of factors. First, following removal of the separator, there is some minimal amount of 30 disruption to the raw materials occurs within the cavity mould. Second, the compression load compresses the raw materials, and inevitably moves the raw materials to some extent beyond the boundaries or divisions created by the separator. Third, the thermosetting curing process brought about by the 7 application of heat and pressure bleeds the colours into each other to some extent. The above factors notwithstanding, the contrast between the split colours is relatively defined at its edges, but may comprise some jagged edge definition 5 and/or tonal graduation. A split between colours is however achieved. While a split colour pattern as described and depicted is preferred, a range of other patterns may be adopted. For example, a two tone bowl may be configured such that the contrasting colours are split in a different orientation. Similarly, a tripartite or striped pattern may be adopted, in which the 10 running surface is a first colour, and the lateral sides of the bowl are a second colour, or second or third colours. Patterns of this type can be used to depict national or team colours. Such patterns require, of course, three separate temporary compartments defined by the separator assembly or assemblies. Furthermore, a variety of other multiple colour configurations can be 15 adopted as required. A range of separator assemblies may be experimented with to achieve a broad variety of different effects. Beyond relatively simple, geometric patterns, more arbitrary patterns with less sharply defined demarcations between colours may also be developed. 20
Claims (8)
1. A method for forming a tablet suitable for preparing a blank for a lawn bowling ball having multiple distinct colours or finishes, the method comprising: adding raw materials to a single cavity compression mould, divided between separate compartments temporary defined within the single cavity compression mould by one or more separator assemblies; and stamping the raw materials within the single cavity compression mould to form a tablet suitable for forming a blank for a lawn bowling ball, following removal of the one or more separator assemblies prior to stamping.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more separator assemblies can be removed from the single cavity compression mould, once raw materials are added to the mould, with minimal disruption to the raw materials thereby maintaining a relatively sharp distinction between the multiple colours or finishes.
3. A method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the one or more separator assemblies is a sheet of planar, rigid construction shaped to substantially conform to the profile of the single cavity compression mould across the mould.
4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the single cavity compression mould is of elongate form and having rounded ends.
5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising preheating the tablet formed by use of the single cavity compression mould; compression moulding the preheated tablet to form a blank for a lawn bowling ball; and machining the blank to form the lawn bowling ball. 9
6. A tablet suitable for preparing a blank for a lawn bowling ball having multiple distinct colours or finishes, formed according to the method of any one of the claims 1 to 5.
7. A blank for a lawn bowling ball having multiple distinct colours or finishes according to the method of any one of the claims 1 to 5.
8. A lawn bowling ball having multiple distinct colours or finishes according to the method of any one of the claims 1 to 5.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2012216568A AU2012216568A1 (en) | 2012-07-05 | 2012-09-03 | Split colour manufacture of lawn bowling balls |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2012902865A AU2012902865A0 (en) | 2012-07-05 | Method for manufacturing lawn bowling balls | |
AU2012902865 | 2012-07-05 | ||
AU2012216568A AU2012216568A1 (en) | 2012-07-05 | 2012-09-03 | Split colour manufacture of lawn bowling balls |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
AU2012216568A1 true AU2012216568A1 (en) | 2014-01-23 |
Family
ID=47075179
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
AU2012216568A Abandoned AU2012216568A1 (en) | 2012-07-05 | 2012-09-03 | Split colour manufacture of lawn bowling balls |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
AU (1) | AU2012216568A1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2503752A (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA201206587B (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN103961863A (en) * | 2014-05-23 | 2014-08-06 | 上海采科实业有限公司 | Manufacturing method for double-color go pieces and gobang pieces |
CN104175440A (en) * | 2014-07-26 | 2014-12-03 | 上海采科实业有限公司 | Method for producing two-sided bicolor go pieces and gobang pieces through compression molding |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS6289792A (en) * | 1985-10-15 | 1987-04-24 | Kawasaki Steel Corp | Production of compressively formed coal |
CA1323979C (en) * | 1988-02-23 | 1993-11-09 | Masao Inoue | Method for manufacturing a pad for a disk brake |
JPH0740368A (en) * | 1993-07-30 | 1995-02-10 | Inoac Corp | Production of composite-color elastic paving material made of rubber |
JP3868142B2 (en) * | 1999-04-01 | 2007-01-17 | ヤマハリビングテック株式会社 | Molding method of multicolor molded body |
-
2012
- 2012-09-03 ZA ZA2012/06587A patent/ZA201206587B/en unknown
- 2012-09-03 GB GB201215690A patent/GB2503752A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2012-09-03 AU AU2012216568A patent/AU2012216568A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN103961863A (en) * | 2014-05-23 | 2014-08-06 | 上海采科实业有限公司 | Manufacturing method for double-color go pieces and gobang pieces |
CN104175440A (en) * | 2014-07-26 | 2014-12-03 | 上海采科实业有限公司 | Method for producing two-sided bicolor go pieces and gobang pieces through compression molding |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB201215690D0 (en) | 2012-10-17 |
GB2503752A (en) | 2014-01-08 |
ZA201206587B (en) | 2013-05-29 |
NZ602210A (en) | 2013-12-20 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
WO2013032258A2 (en) | Method for manufacturing molded products using coffee grounds | |
KR20160057934A (en) | Manufacturing method of molding apparatus by reusing coffee grounds | |
CN108129690A (en) | A kind of moulding process of modified puffed rice footwear material | |
AU2012216568A1 (en) | Split colour manufacture of lawn bowling balls | |
EP1370160B1 (en) | Multi-ingredient stock cube for preparation of liquid foods or food components | |
CN105599209A (en) | Manufacturing method for high-resilience sole | |
NZ602210B (en) | Split Colour Manufacture of Lawn Bowling Balls | |
CN104210201A (en) | Composite tabletop board and preparation method thereof | |
KR20170048255A (en) | Method For Manufacturing Candle | |
US20140302953A1 (en) | Table tennis racquet and method of production | |
KR101621728B1 (en) | Manufacturing method of Natural ingredients containing vinyl hygiene | |
WO1996011793A1 (en) | Ecological process for making buttons for clothing | |
US2571193A (en) | Molding plastic articles | |
CN107310011B (en) | Isotropic wood particle board | |
CN101851367B (en) | Process for manufacturing plastics | |
TW201414435A (en) | Integrally molded manufacturing method of dual hardness foamed soles | |
CN205124877U (en) | Cake mould | |
CN201391061Y (en) | Ceramic decoration brick | |
CN102653632B (en) | Mixture for preparing raised decorative plate | |
KR101067512B1 (en) | EVA form composition, method for manufacturing thereof and moulding used it | |
CN1171940C (en) | Mehthod of making foamed material with artificial wood grains | |
CN204653964U (en) | A kind of novel footwear sets off | |
KR102076903B1 (en) | Button and manufacturing method for the same | |
JP2011184384A (en) | Multicolor cosmetic and method for producing multicolor cosmetic | |
CN113459532A (en) | Manufacturing process of environment-friendly granite |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
MK4 | Application lapsed section 142(2)(d) - no continuation fee paid for the application |