Balls

June 19, 1962 h. w. teeguarden etal 3,039,773

BALLS

Filed April 2, 1959

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Form inner portion 8 cover.

Appy adhesive 8 pigment.

Fit cover to inner portion.

Apply pressure.

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Harry W. Teeguarden, Lillian Teeguarden, INVENTORS. BY.

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ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Office

3,039,773

Patented June 19, 1962

3,039,773 BALLS

Harry W. Teeguarden and Lillian Teeguarden, both of 3016 Motor Ave., Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Apr. 2,1959, Ser. No. 803,634

Claims. (Cl. 273—61)

This invention relates generally to balls and particularly to a means for identifying balls of various types.

More specifically this invention relates to a means for readily identifying balls which may be utilized in competitive play.

In the prior art one of the prime difficulties encountered by individuals engaged in playing sports of various kinds in which a ball is utilized has been that of readily identifying the particular ball being used by a , person or group. This problem is frequnetly encountered in sports where a number of balls may be utilized by one individual while playing a single game or a f series of games. For example, a sport of that type . is tennis.

In the prior art, relating to the sport of tennis, an attempt at solving this problem was to place a series of marks upon the cover of a ball. The series of marks served quite well to identify the ball in the beginning stages of the game, however, as the game progressed and the ball became worn through being used in play, the marks quickly wore from the surface of the ball. When the marks wore from the surface of the tennis ball in play, identification was impossible. The ball however, was still usable for further play. Therefore, when several games of tennis were being played simultaneously on adjacent courts it became impossible to segregate the tennis balls being utilized by one set of players from those being utilized by the players upon adjacent courts. The lack of ball identification has resulted in much confusion in the game of tennis as well as in other games.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means of readily identifying a ball which is being utilized in play.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a means of permanent identification of a ball which is being used in play.

It is another object of the present invention to provide , a means of permanent identification for a ball which is . utilized in play which is capable of being applied thereto during the process of manufacture.

A ball which is utilized during play in accordance with the present invention includes an inner rubber portion and an outer covering. The outer covering includes a seam. Disposed within the seam and beneath the level of the covering is an indelibly colored portion.

Other and more specific objects of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the first step in forming the inner core of a ball utilized for play;

FIG. 2 illustrates one half the inner core of a ball after removal from the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the completed inner core of a ball in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates the cover for a ball in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a completed ball in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the ball illustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIGURE 7. is a flow chart indicating the various steps utilized in the method of making a ball in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIGS. 1-3 thereof there is illustrated the various 5 steps taken in forming the inner core portion of a tennis ball. While the following description will be given particularly with reference to tennis balls it is to be understood that this is for the purposes of example only. The present invention is fully applicable to balk 10 of various types which may be utilized in play.

There is illustrated in FIG. 1 a mold or die 11 which is preferably constructed of metal and which has a series of depressions as shown at 12 in one face thereof. The depressions 12 are cylindro-hemispherical in 15 shape. The die 11 is utilized in forming a portion of the inner core of a tennis ball. In actual operation pellets or globules of rubber of a predetermined amount are placed individually within each of the cylindro-hemispherical depressions 12. A cylindro-hemispherical stamp ²⁰ (not shown) which fits within the depressions 12 but which leaves space between the outer periphery thereof and the surface of the depressions 12 is brought into contact with the rubber pellets. Heat in an amount to cause the rubber to form in a manner so as to provide ²⁵ a hemispherical portion between the die 11 and the stamp is then applied. The stamp is then removed from the die 11 and the shaped rubber 17 contained witbin the depressions 12 is allowed to cool.

Thereafter each of the hemispherical elements is re³⁰ moved from the mold 11 and the annular ring 13 formed by the outer edge thereof is trimmed, usually by hand, in order to provide a hemispherical element as illustrated at 13 in bIG. 2. The edge 14 is trimmed to provide a flat surface defining a plane.

The next step in the process of forming the inner core of a tennis ball is to bring two of the hemispherical portions 13 and 13« formed as above described into contact with each other so that the surfaces as illustrated at 14 mate. These hemispherical portions in mated relationship may have a rubber compound applied to the surface 14, although this is not in all cases necessary. The abutted hemispherical portions 13 and 13α are then placed in a mold press and subjected to sufficient heat, such as by vul45 ^can3zad^on, to cause them to join and form one integral inner core which is spherical in shape as illustrated at 15. In order to be acceptable to the various societies which control the specifications of a tennis bail the inner core must be completely round. As illustrated in FIG. 3 at 16 ₅θ the inner core of a tennis ball is hollow. It has been found in some circumstances that certain chemicals which decompose and form gasses upon the application of heat thereto may be placed within the hollow interior portion 16 of the tennis ball during the time the two halves 13 ₅₅ and 13α thereof are joined. The gas which is formed applies a pressure from the internal portion of a tennis ball so that it is pressed into contact with the exterior portions of the mold in which it is placed to form the vulcanization. After the formation of the inner core as 60 P'^ustratsd ^at J® in FIG. 3 the gas is removed from the interior of the ball by puncturing or the like. If the inner core 15 is punctured, the hole formed by so doing is sealed. This may be accomplished by placing a thread or other member coated, with natural rubber through the hole and then trimming it to be flush with the surface of the inner core 15.

During the formation of the inner core of the ball as above described the cover which is to be applied to the outer surface of the inner core of a tennis ball has been 7q formed by cutting the portions thereof from a sheet of high grade felt material. The outer cover portions are as illustrated at 21 in FIG. 4. The exterior covers 21 are brought

3,039,773 together upon the inner core 15 of the ball as illustrated in FIG. 3 as hereinafter described.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention each of the felt members 21 as illustrated in FIG. 4 has an adhesive applied to that surface thereof which is to contact the inner core 15 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Adhesives which may be utilized in order to accomplish the desired result are for example a rubber solution, rubber dough, thermo-plastic or thermosetting resin in an organic solvent solution, and a 10% solution of balata in trichlorethylene. The adhesive is permitted to partially dry. Thereafter an adhesive is applied to the portions of the inner core, 15 as illustrated in FIG. 3, which will form the seam areas of the finished product. The seam area of a tennis ball is defined as those portions of the ball surface wherein each of the exterior edges of the felt outer cover members tend to abut.

In order to provide identification means to the tennis ball in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive which is applied along the seam area of the inner core 15 may have a pigment applied thereto. This pigment may take the form of any color which is desired. Typically the most common colors are utilized, that is, red, blue, yellow, gold, and the like.

After applying the adhesive to the inner portions of the felt outer cover and to the seam areas of the inner core 15 the felt outer covers 21 are fitted to the inner core 15. Pressure and, if desired, heat is then applied to the covers in order to cause the adhesive to fully secure the felt outer cover 21 to the rubber inner core 15. This operation at the same time fully dries the adhesive and a finished ball which may be utilized in playing the game of tennis and which is readily identified is provided.

A completed tennis ball 32 in accordance with the present invention is as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 to which reference is hereby made. The tennis ball includes the felt outer covers 31 and 33 and the seam areas 34. The seam area on a tennis ball due to the construction of the felt outer covers is continuous in nature. As illustrated in FIG. 5 the seam area is depressed slightly below the surface of the outer cover members. This depression occurs since the felt covers are constructed in such a manner as to provide a slight gap between the outer edges thereof. The pigmented adhesive which is applied to the seam areas of the inner core 15 will show through as a color within the seam area 34.

In some instances the seam area of a tennis ball is partially filled with a rubber or similar compound after the felt outer covering is applied. When this is done, the indelible pigment may be applied directly to the rubber filler prior to its application to the seam area. It is to be understood that other means of applying the identifying color to the seam areas of a tennis ball will become apparent to those skilled in the art and are within the scope of this invention. For example, a completed ball may have a pigment applied to the seam thereof by hand or the like.

Since the seam area 34 is depressed slightly below the surface of the outer cover 31 and 33 of the tennis ball the colored seam will not be worn from the ball as the outer surface of the felt covering material 31 and 33 is worn during the course of play. As is well recognized in the art of tennis playing, the tennis ball should remain completely white particularly during the flight thereof from one player to the other and must also be perfectly round. It has been found that the ball having the colored seam as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 and in accordance with the present invention, remains perfectly white during flight irrespective of the color which is imparted to the seam. Furthermore, even though the exterior surface of the felt outer cover may become quite worn during the course of play, the pigment will be retained over a long period of time. This occurs even though the seam of the ball strikes the surface of the court or the surface of the racquet due to the great force applied to the ball during the course of play.

It is, therefore, seen that a tennis ball constructed in accordance with the present invention includes as an integral part thereof a positive identification means which remains upon the tennis ‘ball throughout its useful life. It is to be understood that an unlimited combination of color schemes may be worked out for providing positive identification without duplication of a large number of balls. For example, as well as the solid coloring referred to above, the seam may have coloration in the form of short or long dashes applied thereto, or by a variegated type coloration, or by combining a series of different colors within the seam each being separate from the other along the seam. Tire problem of having tennis balls being used by one or more players in the process of a game becoming co-mingled and inseparable from those being utilized by players upon adjacent courts is completely eliminated by the permanent and positive identification provided by the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 7 there is il- _rlustrated a flow chart setting forth the various steps as above described in the process of the present invention. As the first step it is illustrated that the inner core member is formed as well as the outer covering therefor. As » the second step the adhesive is applied to the desired elements of the ball and at the same time the pigmentation is also applied. Thereafter the cover is fitted to the inner core portion of the tennis ball and as a final step pressure is applied in order to secure the outer covering to the inner core.

As an alternative method of constructing the ball which is the subject of the present invention the adhesive may be applied over the entire surface of the inner core member 15 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Adhesive may then be applied to the entire surface of the outer covers 21 as illustrated in FIG. 4, or may be applied along the edge portions thereof. Thereafter the adhesive having the pigment as a part thereof may be applied to the seam areas along the inner core portion 15 or may alternatively be applied to the edge portions of the outer cover 21, in order to form the colored seam members 34 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

There has thus been disclosed a tennis ball and a method of making the same which provides a positive identification for the tennis ball and which remains throughout the entire life thereof.