GB2116853A

GB2116853A - Ball having linings

Info

Publication number: GB2116853A
Application number: GB08301560A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Villiers Reader
Original assignee: READER AND Co Ltd ALF
Current assignee: READER AND Co Ltd ALF
Priority date: 1982-01-27
Filing date: 1983-01-20
Publication date: 1983-10-05
Also published as: GB8301560D0

Abstract

A ball, such as a cricket or hockey ball, comprises a core (18), a cover which comprises two hemispherical cups (10, 11), and a lining (19, 21), for each cup, each lining (19, 21), being formed in a resin or other polymeric material to a hemispherical configuration and being located in the interior of the associated cup between the cup and the core. Each lining (19) may be formed from a disc having radial slots (20), or they may be moulded as hemispheres. The linings may be fixed with respective cups by adhesive and/or by the application of heat or pressure, or they may remain unattached. <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 hemispherical 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 hemispherical 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.

Cricket balls (either of the quartered or the halved variety) sometimes have a tendency to become somewhat mis-shapen after relatively little use and accordingly the object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction in which the desired spherical or generally spherical shape will be maintained for an acceptable period of use.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a cricket ball comprising a core and a cover which comprises two generally hemispherical cups which are each provided with a lining which is formed in a resin or other polymeric material and which is of generally hemi-spherical configuration and located in the interior of the associated cup between the cup and the core.

The lining for each cup may be secured by a suitable adhesive or it may be self-bonded (by the application of heat and pressure) or it may be left unbonded.

The lining for each cup is conveniently formed of a synthetic resin material and it may be formed from an initially flat circular blank which may be provided with a plurality of radially extending slits, the blank then being pressed into the interior of the associated cup to which adhesive (if used) has been applied, heat being also applied to said blank whilst it is pressed into position in contact with the adhesive. Alternatively, the lining for each cup may be formed from a piece of synthetic resin or other polymeric material which is first moulded into the form of a hemi-spherical cup and thereafter pressed into the interior of the associated cup of the cover and secured thereto be adhesive (if used) with or without the application of heat.

It is envisaged that the invention will be particularly applicable to a cricket ball in which the cover is made of leather of quartered construction, in which case each hemispherical cover cup (comprising two outer pieces of leather stitched together) may also be provided with a pair of additional lining pieces which are formed of leather and which are disposed in the interior of the cup between the outer surface of the aforementioned lining and the inner surfaces of the outer pieces of leather so as to overlie same.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is an "exploded" view representing the parts used to form one example of a cricket ball in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the drawing there is shown therein a cricket ball having a cover which is made of leather and which is of quartered construction. Thus the cover comprises a pair of generally hemi-spherical cups 10 and 11, the cup 10 comprising two pieces of leather 1 2 and 1 3 which are stitched together internally to form a join or seam 14.

The hemi-spherical cup 11 similarly comprises two pieces of leather 1 5 and 1 6 which are stitched together to form a join or seam 1 7.

Furthermore, because the thickness of each hemispherical cup 10 and 11 will be increased in a strip extending across the cup adjacent to the aforesaid seam or join formed therein, such increased thickness as compared with the remainder of the cup being caused by the aforesaid stitching, two quarter leather lining pieces are secured by adhesive in the interior of each cup so as to be disposed respectively on opposite sides of the seam and thus provide a cup which is of substantially constant thickness over its whole area. Thus far thw two hemi-spherical cups forming the cover of the ball are of conventional construction and there is also provided a generally spherical core indicated by reference numeral 1 8 which is also of any conventional form.

In association with each of said hemi-spherical cups there is however provided another lining which is formed of a resin (either natural or synthetic) or other polymeric material and which may be secured to the interior of each cup by means of adhesive (if used) after the aforementioned quarter leather lining pieces have been inserted in position. In the drawing one of these lining pieces is indicated by reference numeral 1 9 and, as shown, is formed from a flat circular disc which is provided with a plurality of radially extending slits 20, the disc being formed of a natural or synthetic resin or other polymeric material.

Said disc 1 9 is adapted to be secured to the interior of the cup 10 and whilst it is being pressed into position therein heat is applied so as to ensure that this lining will take up the hemi-spherical shape of the interior of the cup 10 whilst it is brought into contact with adhesive (if used) which has been applied thereto. The lining 1 9 thus now formed to a hemi-spherical configuration and being firmly secured to the interior of the cup 10 will provided a strong reinforcement therefor and will thus help to maintain the desired hemi spherical shape of the cup 10 even after a relatively long period of use.

There would of course be provided a lining formed of a natural or synthetic resin or other polymeric material for the cup 11 as well as in the drawing such lining is formed from an initially flat slit disc similar to disc 19, the lining in the case of the cup 11 being shown after it has been pressed into position and being indicated by reference numeral 21. Alternatively each of the aforesaid synthetic resin linings may be formed from a moulded cup which may for example be formed from nylon so that it is initially of hemispherical shape corresponding to the interior of the associated cup, the moulded nylon lining cup then being secured to the interior of the associated leather cup by means of adhesive (if used) as before, or by applying heat and pressure or said lining cup may be left unbonded.

After the two halves of the cover have been prepared in a manner above described they are assembled together with the core 1 8 and they may then be joined together by stitching extending in a diametral plane of the ball and including external stitches which form the external peripheral seam of the ball.

Claims

1. A cricket ball comprising a core and a cover which comprises two generally hemispherical cups which are each provided with a lining which is formed in a resin or other polymeric material and which is of generally hemi-spherical configuration and located in the interior of the associated cup between the cup and the core.

2. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the lining for each generally hemispherical cup is formed of a synthetic resin material.

3. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 2 wherein each lining is formed from an initially flat circular blank provided with a plurality of radially extending slits.

4. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the lining for each generally hemispherical cup is formed from a piece of synthetic resin material which is first moulded into the form of a hemi-spherical cup.

5. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein heat is applied to the lining of each generally hemi-spherical cup after it has been inserted into the cup.

6. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein the lining of each generally hemi-spherical cup is secured in position by means of an adhesive.

7. A cricket ball as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each generally hemi-spherical cup is formed from two outer pieces of leather which are stitched together.

8. A cricket ball as claimed in Claim 7 wherein each generally hemi-spherical cup is provided with an additional lining comprising a pair of leather lining pieces which are disposed in the interior of the cup, one on either side of the stitching connecting said two outer pieces of leather, between the inner surfaces of the latter and the outer surface of said firstmentioned lining.

9. A cricket ball substantially as hereinbe fore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.