US2313823A - Bowling ball support - Google Patents

Description

w. HARBIGAN BOWLING BALL SUPPORT Filed Aug. 17; 1940 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOWLING BALL SUPPORT Wesley Harrigan, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application August 17, 1940, Serial No. 353,040

2 Claims. K01. 248-350) This invention relates to supports for bowling balls and the like.

No provision has heretofore been made for the adequate care of a selected or privately owned bowling ball while the bowler is awaiting his opportunity to start a game. As a consequence he is confronted with the burdensome task of holding his heavy ball in his arms or of keeping it in place on the floor or bench beside him. Unless held, it is liable to damage and likely to roll away.

One object of the present invention is the provision of an individual bowling ball support capable of retaining the ball in any selected location or place of deposit.

Another object is to provide an individual bowling ball support capable of releasabl adherence to the ball so as to be carried by the ball when the latter is moved from one place of deposit to another.

Another object is to provide a bowling ball support of a size and shape for convenient handling and for deposit in the pocket when not in use.

Other more specific objects and advantages will appear from the following description of a bowlin ball support embodying the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional View on the line l--l of Fig; 2 of a bowling ball support constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the support, shown applied to a bowling ball.

The bowling ball support shown comprises a flexible web Ill of rubber or like resilient material fashioned to provide an upper concave face ll having a radius of curvature less'than that of the ball a to be supported. The face H preferably terminates in a continuous flexible peripheral lip 12 adapted to closely conform to the surface of the ball and to thereby seal the space between the face H and the ball. Bycompressing the Web ID toward or against the ball, air is excluded from the space therebetween, thereby establishing 'a partial vacuum therein, causing the Web ID and lip l2 to adhere by suction to the face of the ball.

An appropriate mounting base is alsoprovided so related to the web as not to interfere with the suction inducing-function thereof. Such a base is shown at l3 disposed to support the web along its outer margin and preferably comprising a relatively thick ring formed integral with the web. The external diameter or spread of the base 13 is such as to provide a stable support for the ball resting thereon.

The center 14, of the web It) is preferably disposed to normally project below the bottom of the base I3 so that the web is automatically flexed upwardly into suction producing position, by the supporting surface'onwhich it rests, whenever the ball is deposited on the support. This action is ordinarily suflicient to cause the support to cling to the ball when the latter is lifted, but thegrip thereof upon the ball may be increased, if desired, by additional flexing pressure manually applied to the under side of the web. In any event the grip is never such as to prevent ready removal from the ball whenever desired.

As may be noted from a comparison with the ball in Fig. 3, the support is not large but of a size for convenient handling and readily insertable into the pocket when not in use.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bowling ball support comprising a concave cup having a circular marginal portion for sealin contact with said ball, a downwardly projecting ring underlying said marginal portion, said ring terminating substantially in the plane of the central bottom surface of said cup, when said ball is disposed upon said cup, and forming a support for said cup.

2. A bowling ball support comprising a relatively shallow resilient cup of less diameter than the ball and having a ball receiving cavity defined by an are having a radius less than the radius of the ball, said cup having a circular marginl portion for sealing contact with the ball, and means extending downwardly from and underlying said marginal portion to support said cup and ball, said cup also having an intermediate bottom portion distortable toward the ball and thereby tensionable to induce a. suction grip between said cup and ball.

WESLEY HARRIGAN.

Images