GB2097262A - Cricket balls, hockey balls and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A ball comprises a core 10, a cover 11 and a seam 9 extending around a diametral plane of the cover, the cover comprising two generally hemi-spherical cups 12 and 13 each provided over a part of its external surface with one or more grooves, indentations, dimples or holes 15 which extend inwardly from said external surface. Each cup may have a plurality of spaced indentations etc. extending in a band over part of its area and the respective bands of the two cups may be arranged to lie in mutually perpendicular planes which are each perpendicular to the plane of the seam. The indentations may be formed by scored lines and particularly by a series of short, spaced parallel scored lines on each side of a longer scored line. The core may be of cork and rubber strips wound around a rubber centre or of moulded cork/rubber composition. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cricket balls, hockey balls and the like This invention relates to the manufacture of cricket balls, hockey balls and the like (hereinafter referred to for convenience as cricket balls) of the kind incorporating a core, a cover and a seam which extends around a diametral plane of the cover. Commonly, said cover comprises two generally hemi-spherical cups and each cup may be formed from a single piece of material (such as leather, rubber or a synthetic resin material) in which case the ball may be referred to as a halved ball. Alternatively, each hemi-spherical cup may comprise two pieces of material which are stitched or otherwise connected together in which case the ball is referred to as a quartered ball.

The seam is formed around the ball adjacent to the edges of the two hemi-spherical cups and in the best quality balls the two hemi-spherical cups are connected together by a plurality of rows of stitching which are formed so that parts of the stitches project outwardly around the periphery of the ball and thus also form the aforesaid seam. The presence of this seam is a factor which, when the ball is projected in an appropriate fashion, enables the ball to be "swung" in flight. In other words the ball can be made to deviate so that its trajectory does not lie in a vertical plane.

However, in this country, atmospheric conditions are frequently such that will cause a halved ball to swing excessively because of the relatively smooth exterior surfaces of the two hemi-spherical cups and consequently it is usual here (but not always overseas) to employ a quartered ball because the means of connection (such as stitching) or the discontinuity between the two parts of each hemispherical cup effectively disturb the airflow around the ball in such a way as to reduce the degree of swing that can be imparted. It is however, generally speaking, more expensive to manufacture a quartered ball than a halved ball and accordingly it is one object of the present invention to provide a cricket ball which is of "halved" construction but which at the same time will not "swing" to the same degree as "halved" balls known hitherto.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a cricket ball comprising a core, a cover and a seam which extends around a diametral plane of the cover, said cover comprising two generally hemi-spherical cups, wherein each bf said cups is provided over a part, but not the whole, of its area with one or more indentations, dimples or holes extending inwardly from the exterior surface thereof.

Conveniently, each of said hemi-spherical cups is provided with a plurality of spaced indentations, dimples or holes which extend in a band over part of the area of the cup. The two bands thus formed in the two cups may be arranged so that they respectively lie in two planes which are mutually perpendicular and which are each perpendicular to the plane of the seam.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a view of one example of a cricket ball in accordance with the invention, and Figures 2 and 3 are views showing respectively alternative examples of cricket balls in accordance with the invention.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, the ball shown therein comprises a core shown in dotted outline and indicated by reference numeral 10 together with a cover which is generally indicated by reference numeral 11. The core is formed in any convenient manner and may be made for example with a strip of cork containing material and a strip of rubber containing material wound in a laminated fashion around a rubber centre. Alternatively the core may be made of a cork and rubber composition moulded to a generally spherical shape.

The cover 11 comprises two hemi-spherical cups 1 2 and 1 3 which are each formed from a single piece of material. Thus each cup may be for example be formed from a piece of rubber or a piece of a suitable synthetic resin material but preferably it is formed from a piece of leather which is "blocked" to form the desired generally hemi-spherical shape.

The two hemi-spherical cups-are then assembled to the core and are connected to each other and/or to the core in any conventional manner. For example, an adhesive may be used to secure the cups to the core and the cups may also be connected together by rows of stitching 9 which extend around the edge portion of each cup. Such stitching may comprise three parallel rows of stitching which is formed around the edge of each cup, one or more rows of stitching on one cup being interconnected in the interior of the cover with a corresponding row of the other cup.In this case the rows of stitches also project outwardly from the exterior of the cover to form a seam but in the case where the two hemispherical cups are not connected by the stitching but, for example, solely be adhesive, then rows of "false" stitching are applied to each cup around the edge portion thereof so as again to provide outwardly projecting stitches which will form a seam for the ball.

A ball is thus produced which is formed of two hemi-spherical cups enclosing a core, the cups being provided with stitching which will form the seam. In order to prevent such a ball from being capable of swinging excessively in favourable atmospheric conditions, each of said hemi-spherical cups is provided over a part, but not the whole, of its area with one or more indentations dimples or holes.Each cup may for example be formed with a single impressed groove which extends across its surface from one side of the seam to the other but preferably each cup is formed with a series of spaced indentations, holes or; as shown in Fig. 1, dimples indicated by reference number 1 5. Said dimples are preferably of generally part-spherical configuration so that they are less likely to trap and retain soil or dirt than would be the case if they were for example of generally cylindrical configuration.

As shown such indentations dimples or holes are conveniently arranged in a band and in the completed ball the band in one half of the ball extends in a plane which is at right-angles to the plane in which the band of the other half or the ball lies. Where indentations or dimples are provided these can readily be pressed into the surface of the two halves of the ball in a suitable mould and likewise if it is desired to form holes then these can be formed by suitable punches.In any case the arrangement is such that the provision of one or more indentations dimples or holes in each half of the ball over a part of the area thereof will have the effect of disturbing the air flow around the ball as it passes through the air, thus creating a somewhat turbulent condition which will make the ball less susceptible to swing than it would be if such indentations dimples or holes were not present.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate two further examples of a cricket ball constructed in accordance with the present invention, both these figures being drawn so as to show one hemispherical cup, indicated by reference numeral 1 6, of the ball. Three rows of stitching forming part of the seam and indicated by reference numeral 1 7 are also shown. In Fig. 2 a part of the exterior surface of said hemispherical cup 1 6 is provided with discontinuities in the form of a band of dimples 1 8 which may be of similar shape to the dimples 1 5 shown in Fig. 1.As seen in Fig. 2 these dimples 1 8 are arranged in four lines, namely two lines on each side of a dividing mark 1 9 which may either comprise a printed line or may in fact comprise an indentation in the form of a scored line. Said line lies in a plane which is at right-angles to the plane of the seam of which part is formed by said stitching 1 7. The other hemi-spherical cup (not shown) would have a similar pattern of dimples but in this case the band formed by said dimples would extend in a direction at right-angles to the direction of the band formed by the dimples on said cup 16.

In Fig. 3 the band of discontinuities formed on a part of the external surface of the hemispherical cup 1 6 comprises a relatively long scored line 20 together with two series of shorter spaced parallel scored lines 21 and 22, said two series of short scored lines being arranged respectively on opposite sides of the longer scored line 20. It is preferable that such scoring does not penetrate through the thickness of the associated hemi-spherical cup or, where a lining is provided for such cup, the thickness of the outer layer of the cup and again, as in the case of the construction shown in Fig. 2, a similar pattern of discontinuities will be provided on the other hemispherical cup of the ball to form a band over the external surface thereof, said band extending in a direction at right-angles to the direction in which the band formed by the lines 20, 21 and 22 extends.

Claims (7)

1. A cricket ball comprising a core, a cover and a seam which extends around a diametral plane of the cover, said cover comprising two generally hemi-spherical cups, wherein each of said cups is provided over a part, but not the whole, of its area with one of more indentations, dimples or holes extending inwardly from the exterior surface thereof.

2. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each of said hemi-spherical cups is provided with a plurality of spaced indentations, dimples or holes which extend in a band over part of the area of the cup.

3. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the two bands formed in the two cups are arranged so that they respectively lie in two planes which are mutually perpendicular and which each perpendicular to the plane of the seam.

4. A cricket ball as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hemi-sphericla cups are each provided with a plurality of dimples which are each of generally part spherical configuration.

5. A cricket ball as claimed in any one of Claims 1-3 wherein the hemi-spherical cups are each provided with a plurality of indentations which are each formed by a scored line of generally straight configuration.

6. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 7 wherein each hemi-spherical cup is provided with a long scored line and a series of shorter, spaced parallel scored lines on each side of said long scored line.

7. A cricket ball substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.