US1931429A - Football - Google Patents

Description

OC- 17, 1933. .1. l.. BUCKNER Er AL 1,931,429

FOOTBALL Filed Jan. 5, 1932 Ware? A Home y Patented Oct. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES FOOTBALL John L. Buckner and James Clay Ward,

Paris, Ky.

ApplicationY January 5,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved football wherein the feature of` distinction and refinement is found in the provision of a cover Whose eaternal surface is constructed to minimize accidental slippage from the grasp of a ball carrier.

It is a matter of common knowledge that present day footballs are disagreeable and unreliable to handle in wet Weather, especially when it is raining and the field is muddy. It is evident therefore that in attempting to manuvre deceptive plays, a wet ball is elusive and frequently evades ones grasp. This'results in undue fumbling detracting from the skill of plays which might be easily completed when the ball is dry.

SO far as is known, the regulation football embodies a leather casing and due to the porosity of the texture of the leather, it becomes susceptible of absorbing moisture to the extent that the surface of the ball becomes sleek and frequently. so slippery in character as to interfere with skillful handling. Obviously then, the inabiiity to properly handle the ball for passes detracts from plays which would otherwise be accomplished with greater precision andprecisiveness. Y

We have discovered the need for the provi-- sion of a football whose surface is provided with waterproof anti-slipping means calculated to expedite and facilitate accurate handling and transmission of the ball irrespective of weather conditions.

in the drawing: Y igure 1 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is'an enlarged cross section on vthe line 2--2 of Figure 1. Y ln the drawing, the rubber inflation bag is denoted by the numeral 3 and the leather casing by thenumeral 4, while the lacing is designated at 5. These parts are of course of conventional construction.

Although the surface of the cover or casing may be constructed lotherwise to provide the requisite antislipping properties, we have found it expedient and practical to resort to the construction illustrated in the drawing wherein the cover is formed with a plurality of.circum ferentially spaced spirally' designed grooves 6. The grooves are preferably arranged longitudinally of the dimension of the ball and terminate short of the pointed end 7 which ends are allowed to remain of ordinary construction so as 1932. serial No. 584,952

(cima-e5) not to injure the hand ofa potential receivery and so as not to interfere with kicking.

Each groove is substantially filled with an abrasive substance or material 8 glued or otherwise secured in place. Any appropriate adhesive may be provided for the purpose. Any suitable abrasive material may be employed and it is preferably such in quantity as to besubstantially vflush with the surface of the cover. It has been found that-sand can be used as the abrasive material, the sand being held in the grooves by waterproof glue. The gist of the inventive conception is vobviously in the provision of external anti-slipping means on -the ball cover designed to promote dependable gripping and handling of the It is thought from the foregoing description that the vadvantagesV and novel features of thev invention will bereadily apparent.

' It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination` and arrangement of the several parts provvided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. As a new product of manufacture, a football including a conventional shaped leather casing provided around its entire circumference .with longitudinally disposed grooves filled with abrasive material.

2. As a new product of manufacture, a football of the 'class described comprising a conventional leather casing supplemented by the addition of external circumferentially spaced spirally arranged grooves terminating short of the opposite ends of the casing, 'and abrasive material in said grooves disposed substantially ush with the gripping surface.

, JOHN L. BUCKNER..

JAMES `CLAY WARD.

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