US2076412A - Method for making golf balls - Google Patents

Description

f J. M. OLDHAM ,METH'OD'FOR MAKING GOLF BALLS April 6, 1937.

Filed Nov. 15, 1953 INVENTOR (fa/20 P7 /c///a -131/ 612 z Arffgl l Patented Arpr. 6 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,076,412 METHOD FOR MAKING GOLF BALLS John M. Oldham, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Leonard A. Young, Detroit, Mich. i

Application November 13, 1933, Serial No. 697,7'70' 4 Claims. (01. 18-59) The main objects of this invention are: ing inlet portions I2 in the flange 9 of the sec- First, to provide a method for covering golf tion 7. These sprue passages 10 are disposed in may be molded upon the body as a plastic comcally opposed pairs. The sections 6 and 1 have 5 position, being very intimately bound thereto. central bosses l3. These bosses I3 have sprue Second, to provide a method of making golf passages M therein with lateral inlet openings,

having a desired surface configuration. relation relative to the sprue passages II. These 10 Third, to provide an efiicient apparatus for sprue passages have conical mouths adapted to practicing the method. receive the conical nozzles l5 which are all pref- Objects relating to details and economies of erably connected to a comm n Source f coatin 15 out in the claims, is provided with a plurality of small vent open A structure which is a preferred embodiment ings l1 located at 90 angular relation relative of my invention is illustrated in the accompany-' to each other and centrally relative to the ading drawing, in which: jacent sprue openings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a golf ball produced The body is placed within the spherical mold 20 by my improved method, only a fragment of the loosely; that is, it is free to center itself therein surface configuration being illustrated. under the action of the coating composition Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a golf ball body which is introduced simultaneously through all illustrating one of the steps of my method. the sprue holes, and this and the venting causes section on line 44 of Fig. 5, the source of coatfamiliar.

; ing composition being conventionally illustrated. The coating composition is preferably of a Fig. 5 is a plan view with the coating injecting character that does not require the application nozzles omitted. of heat after it is introduced into the mold, but

In the accompanying drawing, see particularly it W111 be understood that it is introduced into illustrated being that shown in the application is indicated in the drawing.

0f Leonard A. Young, Serial No. 677,471, filed My improved method results in golf balls of June 24,L1933. It should be understood, however, long and accurate flight. The coating composithat my method and apparatus is adapted for tion may be of uniform color; that is, the comcoating or covering golf ball bodies which do not position is of the desired color. Various coating have the feature of the fibrous non-elastic strand compositions may be used.

; winding 3, it being the common commercial prac- I have used certain types of resinous compositice at the present time to apply the pre-molded tions as disclosed in the said application of Young shell directly to the elastic strand winding of the andalso balata compositions of the general type body, of those now used in pre-formed or molded golf The apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5 comball shells which are commonly applied to the prises a mold consisting of the complementary bodies in pro-formed condition by means of moldhemi-spherlcal sections 6 and 1 having coacting ing under heat and pressure. flanges 8 and 9 respectively, detachably secured I have not illustrated the mold as provided together by means of the bolts l0. These flanges with heating means. It will be understood that have coacting grooves in their meeting faces prowith certain compositions heating of the mold is vidlng sprue passages H, the sprue passages havof advantage and that the mold may be heated by various means, such as steam or electricity, for example, but as such heating means forms no part of the invention I have not illustrated the same herein. It should also be understood 5 that certain coating compositions are rendered fluid by heat and at present I prefer such a composition rather than one which is rendered fluid or plastic by solvents as the presence of solvents introduces a problem of evaporating the solvents without injury to the coating. The plasticity or fluidity of the coating composition should be such that under pressure it may be introduced into the mold and forced by the pressure into close binding engagement and adhesion with the surface strands of the body, and when the body is wound with fibrous strands there is a measure of penetrating engagement.

I have not attempted to illlustrate certain modifications in the apparatus which I contemplate as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to efficiently practice my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of making golf balls consisting of placing a spherical body within a spherical opposed pairs mold, the body being free to float within the mold, and simultaneously injecting a coating composition through a plurality of pairs of opposed sprue holes, the mold having a plurality of vent openings uniformly spaced relative to the sprue holes.

2. The method of making golf balls consisting of placing a spherical body within a spherical mold. The body being free to float within the mold, and simultaneously injecting a coating composition through a plurality of pairs of opposed sprue holes.

3. The method of making golf balls consisting of forming a spherical body, placing the body in a sectional spherical mold having a plurality of of sprue holes and a plurality of vent openings, the body being free to center itself within the mold, and simultaneously injecting into the sprue holes a shell or coating composition in plastic condition.

4. The method of making balls which comprises the step of simultaneously injecting a coating composition through sprue holes in a mold containing a body free to center itself within the mold under the centering forces of the injected coating composition.

, JOHN M. OLDHAM.

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