US698512A - Golf-ball. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Apr. 29, I902. E. KEMPSHALL.

G 0 L F B A L L (Application filed Mar. 19, 1902.)

,2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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157;; p v Kane/uh an; c1317 %c's fll'tavn y No. 698,512. r Patented Apr. 29; I902.

E. KEMPSH ALL.

GULF B ALL. (Application filed Mar. 19, 1902.) (N0 Mum) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

In vex 2'10?! a I UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

ELEAZER'KEMPSHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR TO THE KEMPSHALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GOLF-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,512, dated April 29, 1902.

Application filed March 19,1992, serial mgeaeva. (lie model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known. that I, ELEAZER KEMPsHALL, a citizen of theUnited States, ,residing'in Boston, in the countyof Sufi olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, of which the following is a specification. I a This invention relates to playing-balls, and especially to the kind used in the game of golf and its chief object is to improve and strengthen the outer portion of the ball, particularly with a view to providing against the bursting of the shell or cover when sub,- jected to severe usage in a game.

In my pending application, Serial No. 76,814, filed September 27, 1901, is illustrated a golfball provided with a celluloid shell, this material being highly wear-resisting, not liable to be chipped nor affected by warm or cold Weather, waterproof, and adapted tohold its color,.which qualities-render it valuable for use as a cover. The present invention is in the nature of an improvement on the structure illustrated in said application.

I use for the shell, preferably, a thin layer compounded of celluloid and fabric and a thick inner layer of gutta-percha, each layer being formed of segments, preferably hemispherical, and I depend largely upon the cohesion of the gutta-percha segments to hold the entire shell together and prevent rupture of the celluloid at the joint. Thincelluloid possesses as great advantagesasthick cellu-l loid for the cover of a golf-ball and is also somewhat more flexible, besides being more easily and, thoroughly cured and toughened.

Inthe accompanying drawings, Fignrel illustrates the last stage in the process of making a ball. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section." Fig. 3 shows a completed ball partly in section. Fig. 4 illustrates a step in the process, of making a ball. Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section, of the ball shown at Fig. 4;. Fig. 6 isa perspective, and Fig. 7 a cross-section, of a celluloid and fabricphalf-shell. Fig. 8 shows two half-shells applied to the Fig. 5 article before the ball is subjected to the process at Fig. 1. r

In the several views like parts are desig- 5o nated by like characters.

I preferablyemploy a small core A, of guttapercha, which is preferably introduced while in a fluent condition and then hardened within a rubber envelop B ofmedium thickness, thegutta-percha being forced into said envelop to such an extent as to materially expand said envelop, as set forth in an application filed by Francis H. Richards December 3, 1901, Serial No. 84,529, whereby the envelop, especially the exterior portion thereof, is put into a state of high longitudinal tension, as indicated by thebroken curved lines 0. The interior portion of the envelop is compressed by the exterior portion," as indicated by the radiallines D, and the core is held constantly under compression by said envelop. The combination of compressed core and distended envelop enhances the efficiency of the ball when struck a heavy blow.

Upon the compound rubber and guttapercha filling I place a substantial shell E, of gutta-percha, preferably in the form of l1ol 10w hemispheres, the joint between them be ing indicated at F. The parts thus assembled I place between dies G and H, Fig. 4, which are heated and brought together with great force. The heat softens the guttapercha shell and enables it to weld at the joint F. a I thus form a shell E upon the rubher and gutta-percha filling which possesses great strength and durability. The pressure of the dies compacts and solidifies the shell, the confined mass of rubber and gutta-percha being su'fliciently resisting to support the comparatively weak material of the shell under any desired degree of pressure of the forming-dies.

I The gntta-percha possesses to a superlative degree the quality of storing up force from a blow, which is necessary in a golf-ball. It will be understood that it is important in view of the small size of the ball used in this case and the necessity of carrying or flying a great distance to use in its construction such I a combination of materials as willutilize to advantage every portion of the mass of the to provide therefor a shell which not only protects said filling, but also itself contributes in a large degree to the flying power or efficiency of the ball, while preventing alight.

blow from affecting the highly-elastic interior. It is not essential in all cases, however, that the core A be gutta-percha nor that the rubber envelop be in a state of distention.

In forming a hemispherical half-blank for the ball-cover, Figs. 6 and 7, I use a layer of fabric 2 and a layer of celluloid 3, which are compacted under heat and pressure, the fabric 2 being,preferably,first treated with green celluloid, so that when the more thoroughly cured celluloid 3 is applied thereto and the whole subjected to heat and pressure the solvent in the green celluloid acts upon sheet 3 and renders it somewhat plastic, so that it penetrates the meshes of the facric and becomes welded and concreted with the cellu loid originally contained therein, thus forming practically a continuous sheet of celluloid having fabric meshes interspersed therein and-making a moldable andextremely tough and durable material for ball-covers. While I prefer to form 21. facing 3 on only one side of the fabric, still it may be used on both sides thereof, the whole, however, forming, preferably, a very thin material. These half-shells'I cement upon the Fig. 5 ball in the manner illustrated at Fig. 8, with the edges of the shells overlapping, as at J,

' and the seam preferably running crosswise of the weld F of the gutta-percha shell. ball thus formed I place between dies K and L, Fig. 1, which are heatedso as to render .the celluloid plastic and then forced together j upon the ball, further compacting the same and also causing the overlapping, telescoping, or lap-jointed shell edges to weld together, as at J, and make a complete shell. Said dies K and L are provided with pits M, which emboss brambles N on the ball.

The ball is kept in the dies under pressure, as at Fig. 1, until the celluloid and gnttapercha have cooled and hardened sufficiently to retain their shape and permanently hold the core under compression, the celluloid cover or casing being firmly looked upon the derivatives of celluloid, pyroxylin, and the like.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A playing-ball comprising a casing consisting of a pair of overlapping sections, each section consisting of fabric and celluloid.

The

2. A playing-ball comprising a casing consisting wholly of a single layer of celluloid and lined with fabric, and a yielding sphere upon which said casing is cemented.

3. A playing-ball comprising a yielding filling and hemispherical cover-segments consisting wholly of plastic material and lined with fabric cemented upon said filling.

41 A playing ball comprising welded hemispheres of gutta-percha upon which are cemented and compressed telescoping hemispheres of fabric and celluloid.

5. A playing-ball comprising a core, and hemispheres of gutta-percha welded thereon, and telescoping hemispheres compounded of fabric and celluloid cemented and compressed upon said gutta-percha.

6. A playing-ball comprising a sphere of soft rubber; hemispheres of gutta percha welded or joined upon said sphere; and telescoping hemispheres of fabric and celluloid cemented and compressed upon said gnttapercha.

7. A playing-ball comprising a sphere of gutta-percha; a spherical soft-rubber envelop thereon; an outer sphere of gutta-percha upon said envelop; and a telescoping covering compounded of celluloid and fabric andcemented and compressed upon said outer sphere.-

8. A playing-ball comprising a sphere of gutta-percha; a spherical soft-rubber envelop thereon; hemispheres of gntta-percha welded or joined upon said envelop; and a cover consisting of telescoping hemispheres of compounded fabric and celluloid cemented and compressed upon said gutta-percha.

9. A playing-ball comprising a sphere of gutta-percha a spherical soft-rubber envelop thereon; hemispheres of gntta-percha welded or joined upon said sphere; and a covering consisting of telescoping hemispheres compounded of fabric and celluloid secured upon said gutta-percha; said gntta-perchaand celluloid holding said core under compression.

10. A playing-ball coniprisinga thin celluloid and fabric cover made in telescoping'segments.

11. A playing-ball comprising a thin celluloid and fabric cover made in telescoping hemispherical segments which are compressed upon the ball.

12. A playing-ball comprising a sphere of of gutta-percha covered by a sphere of soft rubber, and a shell of gutta-percha thereon, said shell being covered with a material compounded of at least one layer of fabric and at least one layer'of celluloid, said material being concreted and the celluloid permeating the fabric; and said cover being made in tele IIO scoping segments and compressed upon the shell having lap-jointed sections offabric and ball. i I i Celluloid, and a filling of yieldihg material 10 14. A playing-ball comprising a yielding held under compressionby said'shell. fillin and a shell the latter includin" lap-o I 5 jointzd sect-ionolf fabric' and plastio rhate- E R HA rial, and saidfilling being held undercom- Witnesses: pression by said shell. i 'B. O. STIoKNEY,

15. An elastic playing-ball oomprishig a JOHN O. SEIFERT.

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