Machine for making golf balls

April 4, 1939. b. bogoslowsky 2,153,409

MACHINE FOR MAKING GOLF BALLS '

Filed April 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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April 4, 1939.

2,153,409

B. BOGOSLOWSKY

MACHINE FOR MAKING GOLF BALLS

Filed April 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Apr. 4,1939

2,153,409

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,153,409 MACHINE FOR MAKING GOLF BALLS Boris Bogoslowsky, New York, N. Y. Application April 28, 1937, Serial No. 139,359 12 Claims. (Cl. 242—3)

This invention relates to machines for making golf balls, and particularly to machines for winding a ball body without the use of the usual core, as described in my copending application for Let₅ ters Patent Serial No. 122,957, filed January 29, 1937.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine of simple construction for carrying out the method set forth in said copending applica10 tion.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the 15 accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, shown partly in section to better illustrate the construction and operation thereof.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2—2 of Fig20 urel.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of machine.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4—4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5—5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a mandrel.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus com30 prises a shaft I mounted for rotation in suitable bearings in the casing 2. The said shaft I carries a pulley 3 by means of which the shaft may be rotated by any suitable source of power. One end of the shaft f projects through the wall of 35 the casing, and is recessed axially and internally threaded at 4 to receive the end of a mandrel 5 such as a rod or wire on which the ball 6 is wound. The other end of the mandrel 5 is supported in a suitable bearing in the standard 7, 40 which said bearing is aligned axially with the shaft f.

The strand of elastic material such as the rubber thread or tape 10 from which the ball is wound is fed to the ball from the spool I i over a 45 pair of friction rollers 12 and thence over guide roller 13, hereinafter referred to occasionally as a “feed point”. As shown in Figure 2, two rubber threads or tapes 10 and 10' may be fed simultaneously from two separate spools I ζ and 11', in 50 which case, of course, additional friction rollers 12' and an additional guide roller 13' are provided. The friction rollers 12 and 12' may be of any suitable design to apply the required tension to the rubber thread as the ball is wound.

H Means are provided for oscillating the rollers or feed points 13 and 13' substantially longitudinally of the axis of the mandrel 5, in order to vary the angle of incidence between the strand and the mandrel. For this purpose the said rollers are mounted on levers 14 and 14', fulcrumed on 5 the pins 15 and 15' respectively. The lower ends of levers 14 and 14' are pivoted to rods 16 and 16' respectively, which said rods are slidably mounted in fixed standards 17 and 18 and tT and 18' respectively. Rods 16 and 16' carry rollers 19 and 10 19’ which ride in cam track 20 in drum 21, so that as the drum is rotated, the rods 16 and 16' are oscillated in opposite directions and levers ί 4 and 14' and rollers 13 and 13' are oscillated in opposite directions. 15

The drinn 2.1 is fixed to shaft 23 mounted in suitable bearings, and the shaft 23 is rotated by means of sprocket 24 connected by chain 25 to sprocket 26 mounted on shaft I. For reasons explained in my said copending application, the 20 sprocket 24 is slightly larger than sprocket 26 so that shaft 23 rotates slightly more slowly than shaft I. As a result the period of each complete oscillation of the levers 14 and 14' will be slightly longer than the time required for the shaft I to 25 rotate through 360°, and the period of each half oscillation will be slightly longer than the time required for the shaft I to rotate through 180°.

The cam track 20 is so formed as to provide a dwell by the levers 14 and 14' at each terminus 30 of their oscillation, said dwell continuing during a portion of the rotation of the shaft 23.

Thus, during one complete rotation of the shaft I from the position shown in Figure 1, rod 16 moves to the right, carrying with it the lower 35 end of lever 14, the lever pivoting around pin IS to move roller 13, the feed point, to the left. Then follows a dwell, the lever 14 and roller 13 remaining stationary while shaft I and the ball continue to rotate. Then rod 16 moves to the 40 left carrying with it the lower end of lever 14, and roller 13 moves to the right. Then follows another dwell while the ball continues to rotate, and finally rod 16 and lever 14 move back toward initial position, but do not quite reach initial po- 45 sition due to the fact that shaft 23 rotates more slowly than shaft I. As a result, crossings of successive convolutions of the thread or tape are spaced from one another.

Means are also provided for varying the am- 50 plitude of oscillation of the rollers 13 and 13', which as before stated are the feed points of the thread or tape. This is accomplished by moving the position of the fulcrum pins 15 and 15'. The said pins are mounted on the arms 30 and 30' of a 55

2,168,409 bracket 31, slidably mounted in the sleeve 32. A pin 33 passes through the shank 34 of the bracket, which said pin is engaged by the bifurcated end 35 of lever 36, which is fulcrumed on the pin 5 37 mounted on the casing. It will be obvious that if the lever 36 is moved about pivot 37, the position of the fulcrum pins 15 and 15' will be moved and the amplitude of oscillation of the feed points will be varied.

In order to move the lever 36, the said lever is connected to a nut 38 which rides on the threaded shaft 39 mounted for rotation in bearings 40 and 41. Thus when shaft 39 rotates in one direction, the nut 38 moves upwardly and 16 when the shaft 39 rotates in the opposite direction the nut moves downwardly, in each case moving the lever 36.

Means are also provided for automatically reversing the direction of rotation of shaft 39, 20 but in connection with the description thereof, it is necessary to describe an additional feature of my invention. It will be understood that in winding a ball about its own geometrical center, starting with one or two turns on the mandrel 5, 26 the size of the wound ball increases from substantially zero diameter to the required size. During the early stages of winding, it is desirable that the maximum amplitude of oscillation of the feed points be relatively short. It is also desirable that 80 the period of variation of amplitude from one maximum or minimum amplitude to the next succeeding maximum or minimum amplitude should also be short. On the other hand, it is desirable that as the ball grows larger, the 36 maximum amplitude of oscillation of the feed points should increase, and it is also desirable that the period of variation of amplitude should also increase. Means are provided, therefore, for varying the extent of successive maximum am40 plitudes and also for varying the period between successive maximum amplitudes of oscillation of the feed points as the ball Increases in size.

Referring again to Figure 1, shaft 39 carries a bevel gear 43 which meshes constantly with bevel 45 gears 44 and 45 rotating loosely on shaft i. Clutches 46 and 47 are splined to shaft I, and their bearings 48 and 49 are mounted in bracket 51, the said clutches being spaced so as to engage gears 44 and 45 selectively. That is, as shown 50 in Figure 1, clutch 47 is in engagement with gear 45, and clutch 46 is disengaged from gear 44. If bracket 51 moves to the right, clutch 46 engages gear 44 and clutch 47 disengages gear 45. As will be understood, such movement of the bracket 65 5· will cause a reversal in the direction of rotation of shaft 39.

Pivotally mounted on the casing 2 is a member 52 having a plurality of arms, the arms 53 and 54 being positioned to engage a lug 55 extending 60 downwardly from the bracket 51, the arm 56 being positioned to engage a lug 57 extending outwardly from nut 38, and the arm 58 being positioned to engage the teeth 59 of rack 60. As shown in Figure 5, the rack 60 is mounted near 65 one edge of a plate 60α. Near the opposite edge of said plate are mounted spaced flanges 60b and 60c forming a channel therebetween for the reception of spring pressed balls 66. These mem-; bers have a sliding fit in the holder formed by two^;70 vertically extending angle irons 65, 65α secured to the side wall of the casing in any suitable manner. Connected to the member 52 at point 61 is one end of a spring 62 having its other, end connected to the casing at point 63, the point 61 75 being so located that movement of the member as hereinafter described causes the spring to move across the pivot point 64 so as to urge the member 52 in either of two directions.

With the parts in the position illustrated in Figure 1 and assuming that winding has just be- 5 gun, the lug 57, engaging arm 56 rotates member 52 on its pivot 64 until the /spring moves across the pivot point, whereupon the member 52 is snapped around by the spring, causing arm 53 to engage lug 55 to move bracket 5t to the right, 10 thus engaging clutch 46 and disengaging clutch 45, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of shaft 39. At the same time, arm 58 is caused to engage the upper tooth of rack 60.

The reversal of rotation of shaft 39 now causes 15 nut 38 to rise until it engages the lower end of the rack 60. As upward motion continues the rack slides upwardly in its holder 65, 65α and eventually the spring 62 snaps member 52 in counter-clockwise direction to again reverse the 20 direction of rotation of shaft 39. It will be noted, however, that rack 60 remains in elevated position, being held there by spring pressed balls 66. Consequently, the next clockwise movement of member. 52 will cause arm 58 to engage the next 25 lower tooth of the rack, and each subsequent clockwise movement will cause a lower tooth to be engaged. This permits the nut 38 and consequently the lever 36 and pins 15 and 15' to move through progressively increasing amplitudes be- 30 fore reversal takes place, and consequently varies both the extent and the period of variation of amplitude of oscillation of the feed points. If the rack reaches its uppermost position before winding is entirely completed, the winding con- 35 tinues with constant variation of amplitude, the arm 58 engaging the upper surface of the lug 67. Upon completing the winding of a ball the rack 60 should be restored to its lowest position before beginning to wind another ball. 40

If desired, a spring finger 70 may be secured to the standard 7 in position to engage the periphery of the ball when the ball has reached its required diameter. The finger acts as a brake to restrain the, rotation of the ball and causes 45 the mandrel 5 to be unscrewed from the shaft I so that the ball may be easily removed.

The mandrel 5 is preferably of the type illustrated in Figure 6, having a weakened portion 71 at the point where the winding is begun. After ₅₀the winding is completed, the mandrel may be easily broken at its weakened portion by twisting the opposite ends in opposite directions, whereupon the two halves of the mandrel may be easily extracted from the ball, the compressive forces 55 created in winding the ball being such as to assist the extraction.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, instead of oscillating the feed points with respect to the ball, the ball 60 is oscillated with respect to a fixed feed point or points. But in this form of the invention, as in that previously described, means are provided for varying the amplitude of the oscillation, and means are also provided for varying the extent 65 and the period of variation of amplitude of oscillation.

Thus, referring to Figures 3 and 4, a fixed standard 75 is provided carrying a roller 76 providing a feed point for the rubber thread or tape, 70 it being understood that the thread or tape is led to the roller 76 over suitable tensioning friction rollers from a spool as before. It will also be understood that a second standard and roller may be provided, although not illustrated, so 75

9,103,408 that a plurality of threads or tapes may be wound simultaneously. Many parts of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 are the same as those illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and in such cases, similar reference num. r .1 are applied.

The shaft I is rotated as before, but is provided with an extension 77 which is splined to the shaft I at the joint 78 so that the extension 77 rotates with the shaft I, but is permitted to oscillate longitudinally of the shaft I while rotating therewith. Mounted on the extension 77 is a ball bearing 79 having its inner race way provided with pins 88 which engage a bracket 8 i. The said bracket forms a lever fulcrumed on the pin 82 mounted in the upper end of rod 83 which is slidably mounted in the sleeve 84 fixed to the casing. The lower end of the bracket or lever 81 is pivotally connected to the rod 16 and is oscillated by rotation of the drum 21 as before. It will be apparent that such oscillation of the lever 89 about the fulcrum pin 82 will cause the shaft extension 77, together with the mandrel 5 and the ball 6 to be oscillated. Secured to the rod 83 is a pin 85 which is engaged by the bifurcated end 35 of the lever 36.

The lever 36 is operated precisely as before to move the rod 83 to change the position of the furcrum pin 82 and thus vary the amplitude of oscillation of the shaft 77. Likewise, the other mechanisms, including the shaft 39, the member 52, the rack 68 and connected parts serve as before to vary the extent and the period of variation of amplitude of oscillation.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.