Acushnet Company

Other

Stephen K Scolamiero

Walter L Reid, Jr

Jeffrey L Dalton

Lawrence E Stanton

Thomas Edward Moore

Michael F Vieira

Richard Viveiros

Henry Conaty

Daniel Ditzel

Steven Earle

LeRoy H Seymour

John W Kennedy

Murali Rajagopalan

Bradford Hughes Hartwell

Ian Coberly

Felix Egbe

Richard Westgate

Richard Strozyk

Dual core golf ball constructions achieving consistent and repeatable concentricity by incorporating/using an assembly of dual core components comprising a solid spherical inner core component and three outer core components that are collectively compression molded about the solid spherical inner core component to create an outer core layer thereabout. The three outer core components include a first half-shell, a second half-shell; and a ring-shaped securing plate such that the solid spherical inner core component is immovably centered within the outer core layer. Each of the first half-shell, the ring-shaped securing plate, and the second half-shell is comprised of the same rubber composition(s) and possess strong cohesive and adhesive bonds at parting lines between the three molded assembly parts and collectively create an outer core layer having one or more uniform property profile, such as a hardness gradient throughout, without interruption at parting lines between the three outer core components.

Dual core golf ball incorporating a solid spherical inner core component that is immovably centered within three outer core compression moldable parts and method of making same

Method of making an inventive golf ball incorporating a novel compression molded outer layer comprised of inventive first and second half-shells that are molded from preforms of extrudate, each preform created using a novel flying knife such that a cross-sectioned face of the preform has a curved depth which may be up to 20% greater than the depth of a preform created using a conventional straight edge and/or straight-faced flying knife. In one embodiment, the subassembly of the golf ball is a rubber spherical inner core, and the inventive compression molded outer layer is a rubber outer core layer. In a specific such embodiment, the rubber of the inner core and the rubber of the outer core layer differ.

Golf ball incorporating compression molded layer and methods and tooling for making

Methods for cooling golf ball cores are provided. The methods involve passing a matrix of hot golf ball cores through a die plate to separate individual golf ball cores from the matrix. The die plate has a plurality of holes and each hole is sized to allow a single golf ball core to pass there through. A post-cure unit is arranged to receive the hot cores for additional curing and cross-linking. The hot, cured golf ball cores are then passed through a cooling section where high velocity air is passed over the golf ball cores to achieve the desired level of cooling. The cooling section may contain a fan assembly including an air diffuser to provide sufficient air flow coverage. The cooled golf ball cores may be delivered to a pneumatic delivery system for additional processing.

Method for cooling golf ball cores

Systems and methods are provided for integrated curing and cooling of golf ball cores. A plate die is used to separate hot golf ball cores from a post-mold matrix. The hot golf ball cores are held in an insulated unit to maintain the elevated temperature of the golf ball cores to achieve additional curing or cross-linking. The hot, cured golf ball cores are then passed through a cooling section where ambient, turbulent air is passed over the golf ball cores to achieve the desired level of cooling. The cooled golf ball cores are delivered to a pneumatic delivery system for additional processing. A cueing hopper is also provided between the insulated unit and the cooling section to serve as a buffer or accumulator in the system.

Parts cooler

A method of forming a golf ball core includes compression molding a core material in a mold cavity to form a partially-cured core, then the partially-cured core is removed from the mold cavity and placed in a medium to continue curing until it is substantially-cured. The method can also be used to form a golf ball by adding the step of forming a cover layer over the substantially-cured core.

Method for forming golf ball cores

A method of making a golf ball core, including the steps of providing a plurality of centers; providing a top mold plate defining a first plurality of cavities, a bottom mold plate defining a second plurality of cavities corresponding to the first cavities, and a center mold plate disposed between the top and bottom mold plates and comprising a plurality of corresponding protrusions; forming a plurality of shells from a layer material by placing the layer material into the top and bottom mold plate cavities; and molding the layer material around the protrusions of the center plate by applying at least one of heat and pressure to the top and bottom mold plates such that the layer material has a different temperature than the mold plates; opening at least one mold plate from the center plate and placing the centers in the shells; and joining the top and bottom mold plates to join the shells around the centers.

Method for making multi-layered cores for golf balls

The present invention is directed to an automated molding machine and method for forming hemispherical components for a golf ball. The machine includes an L-shaped frame and three separate plates. The plates move between longitudinally spaced positions and vertically spaced positions. The machine also includes a rotating frame for inverting several of the plates during manufacture.

Method and apparatus for making multi-layered cores or golf balls

The present invention relates to controlling the spin of liquid or paste filled golf balls without requiring adjustment of the physical properties of the fluid or paste within the golf ball. Specifically, the inner surface of the liquid center shell is modified with a texture to alter frictional drag between the inner surface of the shell and the fluid to control spin rate and spin decay of the golf ball.

Fluid filled golf ball center with enhanced fluid dynamic properties

The present invention is directed toward the novel use of thermoplastic materials to form center core shells for use in liquid filled golf balls. Golf balls of the present invention employ liquid filled centers formed from thermoplastic shells, preferably made of a polyether-ester, the shells having a tensile modulus of about 3 ksi to about 10 ksi, preferably a hardness of about 20 to about 80 shore D, preferably a flexural modulus of about 5.5 ksi to about 8.5 ksi, preferably a wound layer, and preferably a specific gravity of greater than 1.5. The shell has a thickness of about 0.005 inches to about 0.5 inches.

Golf ball with liquid center

The invention is directed towards several methods for forming liquid filled centers from thermoplastic materials, including methods for sealing the liquid filled centers subsequent to filling with liquid. The methods exploit the beneficial processing characteristics of thermoplastic materials so as to provide efficient methods for producing liquid filled center cores.

Method for making a liquid golf ball center core

The present invention is directed towards the novel use of polyether-amide block copolymer to form center core shells for use in liquid filled golf balls. Wound golf balls of the present invention which employ liquid filled centers formed from polyether-amide block copolymer exhibit the same or superior in-play characteristics such as initial velocity as compared to conventional wound golf balls.

Golf ball

An insulation board for a molding press is disclosed. The insulation board having a depth and having a plurality of grooves suitably cut at right angles to each other. The grooves having depths of at least one-half the board depth serve to reduce pressure variations transmitted by the molding press during the molding operation.

Method of molding objects within a molding machine having a grooved

The insulation board as disclosed has a plurality of grooves suitably cut at right angles to each other. The grooves serve to reduce pressure variations transmitted by the molding press during the molding operation.

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Bristol, RI, United States of America

Stephen K Scolamiero