Improvements in and relating to football bladders, and plant for the manufacture thereof

Abstract

Abstract 713,262. Balls for games. TUCK & CO., Ltd. July. 8, 1952 [July 9, 1951], No, 16216/51. Class 132(2) [Also in Group V] A football bladder is formed by cutting suitably shaped panels 7 ... 10 from superposed sheets of raw rubber or the like so that the panels adhere together along adjacent edges, applying a slight air pressure between the panels to cause each joint to close book-wise so that the ends of the panels abut and then curing this embryonic bladder 1 in a cavity mould maintained hot before the insertion of the bladder and during the curing. The bladder may be made of two panels only. An aperture 11 is formed in the embryonic bladder 1 preferably at the junction point of the panels and a spear-shaped air nozzle 12 carrying a tube 2 of raw rubber or the like which ultimately forms an internal valve-seating member, is inserted in the aperture prior to the initial inflation effected through the nozzle. The embryonic bladder is cured in a two-part mould 13, 14 having steamheated jackets 18 joined by a flexible pipe 20. The nozzle 12 has a part 21 which fits detachably in a socket formed in the lower mould part 13 so that the bore of the nozzle is aligned with an air-pressure pipe 23. The upper mould part 14 is hinged to the lower part at 15 and is fitted with a counterweight 17 and the mould parts are held closed by three toggle linkages 26. When the mould is closed a valve 25 in pipe 23 is opened to admit pressure air through nozzle 12 to force the bladder against the mould walls. Upstream of the valve 25 are three valves 27 each associated with one of the linkages 26 in such a way that pressure air cannot be supplied to the bladder until the mould is properly closed. Specifications 690,934 and 713,319 are referred to.

Inventors

• 👤 Edward William Rolfe Matthews

Bibliographic Details