US1855717A

US1855717A - Apparatus for the manufacture of golf balls

Info

Publication number: US1855717A
Application number: US354502A
Authority: US
Inventors: Otto J Kuhlke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-05-31
Filing date: 1929-04-12
Publication date: 1932-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 1949-04-26

Description

April 26, 1932. o. J. KUHLKE 1,855,717

; APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GOLF BALLS Original Filed May 31, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES OTTO 4 J. KUHLKE,

OF AKRON, OHIO APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GOLF BALLS Original application filed may 31,1928, Serial No. 281,845. Divided and this application filed April 12,-

- The present invention relates to the manufacture of golf balls and particularly to the manufacture of the resilient rubbercore.

In the manufacture of thestandard golf ball, the center or core of the ball is wound with a thread rubber ofhigh grade rubber, the thread being wound under tensionto impart the required life and resilient properties to the ball. Theresilient mass of rubber thus obtained is of comparatively short life and due to the method of winding, soon loses its elastic qualities,.aresult which may be observed in cutting a golf ball, the thread rubber being limp and lifeless.

It is the object of the present invention to devise a new and improved apparatus for winding or overlayingthe rubber upon the core so as to secure a better and more lively construction of the ball. This is accomplished by the device illustrated and described, although the details of the apparatus are not essential and may be varied within the scope of the invention.

The product of the machine and process is a new form of golf ball which'forms the subject matter of copending application Serial No. 281,845, now Patent No. 1,715,661, dated June 4, 1929, of which this application is a division.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises the wrapping or winding of a tube of rubber about the core of the ball, the tube being stretched tosecure the proper resiliency: of the rubber and the winding taking place about the core in such a way that a spherical center is obtained.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a general plan view of an apparatusappropriate for carrying out the invention, the view being a longitudinal section through the winding Ine'chanismand being taken at the commencement of the winding operation; 1 V

Figure 2-is a view of the'mold or rolling tube showing the means by whichthe rubber cover is given the preliminary stretch;

' Figure 3 is a detail of the head at the commencement of the winding operation;

Figure 4 is a view-showing the mitlation of the rolling operation;

Serial No. 354,502.

Figure 5 is a further view showing details of the mechanism;

Figure 6 is a cross-section on the line 66 of Figure 3; and

Figure 7 is a section on the lin'e.7,7 of Figure 1. 5 The apparatus comprises a forming mold or tube 1, which is in the form of a long, tapered or conical chamber, the smaller end being of substantially'the sameinner diameter as the core 2 of the golf ball and the larger end of substantially the same diameter as the completely wound or wrapped center. The core is wound' witha sheath or' tube of thin, high grade rubber 3 which is in normal or unstretched condition as shown, substantially one-fourth of the diameter. and length of the tube or sheath before stretching preparatory to the wrapping operation although the percentage of stretch may be varied within wide limits, and which is tapered to substantially the same extent as the mold. The smaller end of the tube is stretched over the core and fastened to the core by being cemented about its edges.

The tube with the ball therein is then placed in the mold and the larger end of the tube isstretched over a cap 5 which is later mounted on a guide for movement to clamp the mouth of the tube against the mold.

Air under pressure is admitted through an inlet pipe 7 to the interior-of the cap and to the interior of the tube, the pressure being sufficiently high to stretch. the tube' outwardly against the wallof, the mold and to drivethe core to the far end of the'mold, thereby giving the required longitudinal stretch. This causes the tube 3 to be stretched equallyin all directions. At this stage of the operation the smaller end'of the mold is open to permit escape. of air .in front of the core. The

mounted the pusher head 15, this head being rotatable upon a center pin 16 and held against the wear plate by a spring 18, a ball race 20 being interposed between the parts M and 15. Theaperture 21 about the pin 16 is cut away as shown to permit freedom of movement to the head.-

To the pusher 15 are pivoted a plurality of swinging fingers 22, the outer ends of which are provided with rollers 23. Six of these rollers are shown, their function being toengage the core 2 and roll it in the mold. If the core were to be pushed without changing its axis of rotation, the tube would roll up onthe ball in a definite zone. It is desirable to change the axis of rotation of the ball constantly during the rolling operation in order to distribute the folds in t'he jacket evenly about the entire surface of the core. Forthis reason the plunger is rotated as it is moved through the inold, whi-le.the head is non-rotative. a

To rotate the plunger, the shaft 11 is rotata'bl'y mounted in-a cross head 25, which is supported on guide rod 26. The cross head is moved by a piston rod 28nrovable in a fluid pressure cylinder 30 paralleling the mold and actuated by pressure admitted at the ends of the cylinder through a control valve 32 from a main air tank 34; which also supplies the air for'the inlet 7; v Supported in thefhead 25 is a rotatable threaded shaft 36 which isengaged by a pin 37 on the mold. The shaft 36 geared to the shaft Ell'through gearing 38. It will thus be seen that as the carrier 25 advances, rotation will be imparted to the shaft 11 from the threaded shaft 36 and intermesh-ing gearing. This will tend to -rotate'the head. Due to the angular setting-ofthe head the rotation of the plunger 10 will rock the plate and thus advancethe rollers 23 into contact with the core in succession around the interior of thec hainher. This will apply "a continuous force to the core in a spiral path and the direction of rotation of thecore will be constantly-changed as a result thereof.

- During 'the wrapping or rolling process it isjneo'es'sary to keep the envelopeor tube of rubber at a constant degree of expansion :or

e tension. Itmay be desirable to equalizethe l pressure upon opposite sides of the core which can be done through a connecting pipe 40. 'The pressure in the supply tank is maintained u niform through any suitable accumulator.

It will be seen that when "the ball is forced to the largerend of the mold it will have built up thereon amu l'tipleseries of crossing folds or flutes of rubber under a uniform tension Whi-chgives the required elasticity to the golf ball center. 'With thetubularijacket or'sheath there are no exposed edges of, rubber as enzcountered in the usual thread rubber winding, and therubb'er sheath, therefore, cannot fray orbreak down at the edges whichis the cause fof'the thread rubber losing its elasticity and its life and resiliency. After the Wind- 111g operation is completed the cap 5 is removed and the wound ball discharged from the mold. It is then covered and completed in any well known or accepted manner. The invention may be appliedto other playing balls or wherever a highly resilient spherical object isrequired.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, means for holding a tube of rubber in tubular form with its inner surface unobru ndmea s fo l ing a c ax a ly andinternally of the tube whereby the rubber is rolled up about the core.

2. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, means for maintaining a tapering tube of rubber distendedland under tension, and means for rolling a core from the smaller to the larger end of the tube.

3. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, means for holding a tube of rubber in tubular form with its inner surface unobstructed, means for rolling a core axially bf the tube whereby rubber is rolled up about the core and means for simultaneously rolling the core about its center. 7

4. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, means for maintaining a tapering tube of rubber distended, and means for forcing a core from thesmaller to theilaagereI-rd of the tube and simultaneously rolling the core about its center. r 5. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, an elongated mold having a iconical bore, means at the larger end of the tube for closing the :same and for clamping a tube of rubber, means for expanding the tube of rubber against the interior of the bore, and a pusher movable along the bore to roll a core inwardly .sof the tube.

6. In an apparatus for the purposes :set forth, an elongated mold having :a conical bore, means at the lar er end of the tube for closing the :sameand or clamping a tube of rubber, means for expanding the tube of rubbern'gainst the interior of the bore, and a pusher movable along the bone to roll :a core inwardly of the tube, the :pusher being provided with means to change thedirection of rotation of the core. o

7. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, :an elongated mold having-a ibore [thereinymeans forholdi-nga tubeof rubberagainst the interior oft he-bore,-and-a pusher movable through the bore and havingmeans to-engage a'coreto force it into thetube.

8. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, an-elongated meldhaving a bore therein, means for hold-ingia {tube of rubberagaiznst the interior of the bore, and.a .pusherrmovable through the boreand havingmeans .to engage a core to roll it inwardly ofgthe tube and .si- :multaneously toohangethedirection of metation of the core.

9. In an apparatus for the purposes set forth, an elongated mold having a bore therein, means for holding a tube of rubber against the interior of the bore, and a pusher movable through the bore and having means to engage a core to roll it inwardly of the tube and simultaneously to change the direction of rotation of the core, said means comprising a head having a plurality of fingers and means to bring the fingers in contact with the core in succession.

10. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a mold having an elongated bore, a plunger movable along the bore, a pusher head on the plunger, a plurality of fingers on the head, and means for oscillating the head to bring the fingers successively in contact with a core.

11. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a mold having an elongated bore, a plunger movable along the bore, a pusher head on the plunger, said head having a plurality of fingers to engage a core, and means for bringing the several fingers into operation successively during the movement of the plunger.

12. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a mold having an elongated bore, a plunger movable along the bore, a pusher head on the plunger, said head having a plurality of fingers to engage a core, means for bringing the several fingers into operation successively during the movement of the plunger, and means to hold a sheath of rubber in stretched condition within the bore.

13. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a mold having an elongated bore, a plunger movable along the bore, a pusher head on the plunger, said head having a plurality of fingers to engage a core, means for bringing the several fingers into operation successively during the movement of the plunger, and a fluid supply connected to the interior of the mold to hold a sheath of rubber in stretched condition within the bore.

OTTO J. KUHLKE.