US278333A - harper - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A I N. HARPER.

A I HAT SIZING APPARATUS. A No. 278,333. Patented May 29,1883.

LZZZ' N. Paths, mmwummy. wmmon. own

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N. HARPER.

. HAT SIZING APPARATUS. No. 278,333.' Patented May 29,1883.

I L 'fz g; l0

(in f 4% may %.6 w /Zaiazz Harper, V

6- ;LTCQW l m.pazgu,

N. PETERS, hnlb'ljlhdlnphun Walhin gggg C.

(No Model.)

Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. N. HARPER.

HAT SIZING APPARATUS.. No. 278.333. v Patented May 29,1883.

n, PETERS. W WW, ov a a 5 UNITED STATES PATENT Urricn.

NATHAN HARPER, OF NEWARK, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOE TO MARCUS \V.

ADAMS, OF SAME, PLACE.

HAT-SIZING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 278,333, dated Application filed August 28, 1882. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LNATHAN HARPER,,a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of 'New Jersey,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvement in Hat-Sizing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as i will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to; make and use thesame, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and

to letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this'specification. p

The object of this invention is to improve 1 and facilitate the sizing or felting of hat bodies and other fabrics by means of improved felting-surfaces or combinations of surfaces, and of other devices and arrangements operating in connection therewith, as will be hereinafter setforth and embodied in theclaims.

o recessed 1 longitudinal profiles have already been used in a number of hat-sizing machines; but the employment of such rollers has been confined to what are known to the trade as three-roller? or four-roller machines, in

which a single roll of hats is caused to rotate.

on its own axis within the recess formed between said rollers and parallel with their axes, but having no progressivemovement at right angles to said concave profiles. As thus used,

Y 40 the said machines, whether containing three or more rollers, are arranged to form a simple cavity or pocket adapted to hold but one hat-i rollat a time, the said cavity being somewhat less in breadth and depth. than the diameter 5 of the saidhat-rolls. In this class of machines there is therefore no felting-chamber or felting-surface extending at right angles to the axes of the felting-rollers or permittingthe hat-i rolls, while felting, to traverse or'pass over said rollers in a line at right angles thereto. In my invention the said concave or centrally-recessed surfaces are not confined to concave rollers, but embrace a number of other concave feltingelements, which elements,including the rollers, are arranged so as to allow a number of'hat-rolls to be under the operation of the felting-surface at the same time, and to impart to said hat-rolls not only a rotating motion on their own axes parallel with said concave profiles, .bnt also a progressive or traveling motion in a line at right angles to the axes of said hat-rolls. The special advantages heretofore obtained from the concave felting-rollersin retarding or preventing the elongation of one hat-roll, and thereby hastening the felt ing process, is by my improvement extended to a number of additional elements and made to operate on a number of hat-rolls at the same time, thereby largely increasing the capacity of the machine using this form of surface, while the additional variety of motions imparted to the felting fabric by this and other arrangements and combinations hereinafter set forth produces a superior quality of goods.

The invention therefore consists, further, in other arrangements and combinations of parts, all of which will be herein fully described, and finally embodied in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a plan of one form of a machine in which my improvements may be used, the up per pressingrolls beingremoved to show an interior drum co-operating with the pressingrolls to felt the hats. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, illustrating more especially the operative arrangement of the several gear-wheels and pulleys. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through line 00, Fig. 1, illustrating more es-' pecially the arrangement of the felting-surfaces and the operationof a feeding a'nddis charging device, but showing a straight instead of a concave drum. Figs. 4, 5, 9, 17, 18, and 19 illustrate modified and improved forms of the before-mentioned felting-drum. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 15 illustrate various forms of pressin grolls. Figs.:10 and 11 illustrate two forms of rior sides of the tank.

bination, with a centrally-concaved drum, of

surrounding pressing-rolls having variouslyformed peripherfes. r

In said drawings, A represents a tank for holding water or other felting-liquid, which liquid may be heated by any of the ordinary means, said tank also'serving as the bed or foundation of the machine.

B B are the side disks," secured to the inte- I prefer to construct the side disks as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, in which B represents the disk secured to the sides or the tank, and B detachable hearing plates or guides arranged upon and secured to the inner side of the said disks. Said detachable plates are slotted to receive the journals or bearing ends of the rolls 1) and slats b, said slots being either open, as a,'or closed, as a, both methods, however, being usually employed in the same machine to facilitate the adjustment of the pressing rollers or slats. It will be understood that a portion of the disks B lies beneath the surface of the felting-liquid,

which being kept hot softens the wood very materially. As heretofore made the disks themselves were slotted to form the bearings for the rollers or slats, and the motion of said rollers or slats wore away the bearings below expense entailed by the previous practice of throwing aside the whole disk when a portion of the bearings became defective. These slotted hearings or guides may be made of wood, metal, or any other suitable material,

A and the form thereof varied and adapted to ties of the detachable plates.

the style of the machine and the elements employed. Figs. 3, 12, and 13 show three varie- It will be understood that the whole of these detachable bearings or'guides may be made in a single piece; but the sectional form is the most desirable. Within the aforesaid slotted bear ings are arranged around the central felting- .the desired purpose.

drum D the co-operating felting-rollers b or felting-slats I), an annular ohamberbeing thereby formed between the drum and the series of rollers or slats, through which chamber the hat-rolls pass in the processoffelting, as shown in Figs 3 and 20. Said rollers or slats may be fixed at a definite distance from the opposite felting-surface or be left free to move toward or from said surface. The difference betweenv the said rollers I) and the slats b is that the former revolve when acted upon by the hatrolls and the latter do not. The said slats therefore offer greater resistance to the passage of the hat-rolls than the rollers, and on this account the slats may in some cases be ad vantageously used in alternation with or instead of the rollers. The working-surface of both may be constructed alikeplain orribbed, straight or centrally receding. I however prefer to construct the felting-surface with con caveorcentrally-recedinglongitudinalprofiles, shown in the several Figs. 4,8, 9, 14., 15, (Nos. 7 and 8,) and 16, whereby the felting-chamber thus formed will possess greater depth or space at or near its center, as shown at 1, Fig. 4, than at or near its sides or edges, as at 1' 1', Fig. 14; A felting-chamber having the same special characteristics will likewise be produced if only one of its sides is formed with a concaved or centrally-recessed surface and the other or co-operating surface is formed straight or even slightly convex, as shown at q, Fig. 14. It will be obvious that the extension of such a chamber in a direction transverse to the said concaved profile or profiles of its felting-surfacemay be continued to any degree by simply increasing the area or number of felting-surfaces in the said transverse direction, thereby enabling three, four, or more hat-rolls to undergo the felting process in said chamber-at one time. In constructing said chamber it is not necessary that the centrally-recessed profiles of the felting-surfaces should be confined to the concave or to any other spe- ICU TIO

cific form. Almost any form of recessed protile axes of the hat-rolls, recedes at or near the center and advances to greater fullness toward the ends or edges, will, in a degree, accomplish Figs. 4, '10, and 11 show three varieties of such centrally-recessed profiles, aud others may be used, if desired.

Felting-slats having concave or centrallyrecessed profiles have heretofore only been used as ribs or projections secured to the surfaces of revolving felting drums, rollers, or belts,and as thus used I do not claim them; but as here used by me the said concave slats form a co-operating felting bedor surface detachedv and separate from said revolving felting drums, rollers, or slats.

I do not wish to be understood as confining myself, in the use of the centrally-recessed felting-surface, to the annular form of chamber shown in Fig. 3, as said chamber may be likewise constructed in straight lines, as at s,

which, when viewed in the direction of the require.

' or transversely to their length.

It will of course be understood that the hats to be felted are inclosed, three or four at a time, in the usual wrappers and made-up into cylindrical or elongated rolls, the rolls being fed to the machine with their axes parallel to the axes of the revolving felting surface or surfaces of the mechanism.

The felting drums or rollers may be plain, as in Figs. 3, 4, and 8, or he ribbed, corrugated, or grooved in lines parallel, or nearly so, with their axis, as in Figs. 5 and 6, Sheet 1, also Sheet 2, Fig. 15, Nos. 1 and 3; or they may be ribbed, corrugated, or grooved cr0sswise of their axis, either spirally, as No. 4, Fig. 15, or at right angles, as in Figs. 7, 15, Nos. 2 and 18. The felting-slats or other elements may likewise be ribbed, fluted, or corrugated in a similar manner, either lengthwise The shapes and sizes of the ribs and of the grooves on said felting-surfaces may be variedin any manner, though for general purposes I prefer the curved or rounded'forms. The ribs on said surfaces may be formed in continuous lines or be divided into sections,-as illustrated in Fig. 15, No. 4.

Instead of being ribbed or corrugated, the felting-surfaces may be embossed or be provided with protuberances of any shape desired, as Fig. 15, No. 5. The ribs or other i projecting elements constitute the main work- {35 ing parts of said felting-surfaces, and are applicable alike to straight forms and to those centrally recessed, as Fig. 15, Nos. 7 and 8. in the latter case the ribs or projections may form the said recessed profile, as Fig. 15, No. 7 or the recess may be formed independently of said ribs or projections, and the ribs or projections made to conform thereto, as Fig. 15, No. 8. Each variety of these felting-surfaces has a specific and characteristic effect on the felting fabric, and by the combination of two or more of said varieties in one machine results can be obtained which are unattainable from either form when employed alone.

In combining these different felting-surfaces, if one of said surfaces is plain, as D, Figs. 3

and 4, I prefer to construct the co-operating felting-surface with elements part of which are ribbed or corrugated lengthwise or the others crosswise, alternating witheach other, as l and 2, 3 and 6, Fig. 16, or by placing several of one variety in succession, followed by several of another variety, as Fig. 20. If one of the surfaces is ribbed or corrugated length- I wise, as'Fig. 5, I then prefer to employ for the cooperating surface elements that are ribbed or corrugated crosswise, as Fig. 7, also Nos.

ally intersect each other on the bodies of the hat-rolls, which are thcreby subjectedto a constantly-changing series of alternating motions in each direction and over every part of their surfaces. In this manner, even without the use of the concave or centrally-receding surfaces, 1 am able to effect a saving of time and to produce a very superior quality of felt, and by the addition of said centrallyreceding forms the saving of time is stillfurther increased.

- The various felting-surfaces hereinbefore described may be constructed of metal,hard rubber,wood, or any other substance of asuitablyrigid nature, said rigid surfaces being, as herein arranged, well adapted to the felting of the larger portion of the hats manufactured; but in order to adapt the invention more completely to the finest grades of goods,I have also provided a somewhat softer felting-surface, consisting of a jacket or belt composed preferably of india-rubber, although any other suitable yielding material may be used as a substitute. Said jacket or belt may, like the other feltingsurfaces, be provided with ribs or corrugations running either lengthwise or crosswise thereof, thereby enablingit to enter into similar combinations with the co-operat-in g surface as those already described, and to produce the same movements on the hat-rolls. When secured ona single drum itis herein designated a jacket. When applied so as to travel over a series of two or more drumsitis herein called a belt.

structed with a straight profile and be applied to a drum or series of drums Withconcave or centrally-receding profiles, as in- Fig. 17.

It will be observed that in Figs. 5, 9, and 19 the jackets fit closely on the surfaces of the several drums, and have no inward oroutward movement thereon, the purpose of each of said jackets on these drums being not the production of a surface which shall yield so as to change its outline under the pressure of the hat-rolls, but simply to relieve said hat-rolls in the early stages of the felting process from the harshness due to contact with an essen tially hard surface, while at the same time they practically furnish for the later stages of the process all the rigidity of surface and outline th at would he obtained if said jacketswere not employed but in Figs. 16 and 17 the concave or central] y recessed surface of the drums produces a cavity underneath the straight surface of thejacket or belt, and as there are no springs or other elements employed in said cavity or recess, there is, therefore, nothing to prevent the said jacket or belt from yielding inwardly under each degree of pressure, there by constantly conforming its surface to the ever-varying shape of the hat-rolls, and so felting every part of the same. The capacity of this varietyof felting-surface to th us yield and conform itself to the particular shape of the hat-rolls gives it a special advantage not possessed by either of the varieties hereinbefore described, or by anysurface having a permanent unchanging outline.

' Iam aware that hat-sizing machines containing a single revolving felting-drum covered with a jacket have been used before; but in such cases the saidjacket did not fit closely on the surface of the drum, but was distended or pushed outwardly therefrom by water or spring pressure, so as to form a surface that would yield readily both inwardly and outwardly. As thus constructed I do not use or claim .them, the drum and jacket employed by me being entirely different both. in construction and operation, as hereinbcfore set forth.

Felting-rollers have already been used having ribs or corrugations running lengthwise of their axes, and also rollers with ribs or corrugations running crosswise thereof; but the two varieties have not heretofore, to my knowledge, been combined in one machine.

The drum D is actuated, preferably, by the gear wheel 0, which engages with the pinion d, the latter receiving motion from the drivingpulley e.

In connection with the felting-surfaces there is arranged a feeding-belt,f, for carrying the hat-rolls to the felting'surfaccs, and a discharging-beltf, for the purpose of removing and carryih g the hat-rolls from the felting-surface, the construction and operation of which belts are described in a preceding specification, forming part of my application No. 56,634, and therefore not repeated. In connection with said feeding and discharging belts is here arranged mechanism for automatically imparting to the free or inner end of said discharging belt f an upward and downward movement toward orfrom the drum D, as indicated in outline in Fig.3. This movement is produced by the revolutions ot' the cam t' engaging with the side strips, h, or block it, Figs. 1 and 3, arranged thereon. The cam is actuated by thepulley a, connected with thepulleyo upon the drum-shaft. When the hats are in a tender stage one revolution of the hat-rolls around the drum before removal is sufficient, and the cam, during this stage, is therefore left inoperative and the belt fremains on the surface of the drum; but when the felt has gained a degree of hardness two such. revolutions before removal are desirable. Atthis stage power is applied to the cam, and the beltfis thereby raised from the drum and retained in its raised position long enough to allow the hat-rolls to make the said two revolutions before said belt descends to remove them. This periodic raising and falling of the belts is thus continued until the hats are felted.

By these means the hatrolls are enabled to.

make the number of revolutions through the felting-chamber that may be required without traveling over the discharging and feeding belts until'they are ready for removal, thereby keeping them much hotter than would be possible if they had to. traverse said belts at each revolution through the chamber.

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

1. Ina hatsizing machine, a felting-chamber having more depth or space at or near its center, as at g, than at or near its sides or edges, as atr, said chamber being constructed and adapted to cause the hat-rolls, while felting, to have both a rotary motion on their axes and a progressive motion at right angles thereto, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hat sizing machine, a felting bed having a concave or centrally-receding profile in the line of the axes of the hat-rolls, said bed being constructed and adapted to causesaid hat-rolls, while felting, to have both a rotary motion on their axes and a progressive motion at right angles thereto, substantially as set forth.

3. In a hat sizing machine, one or more drums, pulleys, or rollers having a concave or forming the two sides or parts of the two sides of a felting-chamber, said chamber being con,- structed and adapted to cause the hat-rolls, while felting, to have both a rotary motionlon their axes and a progressive motion at right angles thereto, substantially as set forth- 5. In a hat-sizing machine, a felting-surface consisting of a series of rollers having a concave or centrally-receding longitudinal profile and free to move inward or outward toward or from the feltingchamber, said rollers and chamber being constructed and adapted to cause the hat-rolls, While felting, to have both a rotary motion on their axes and a progressive motion at right angles thereto, substantially as set forth. I '6. In a hat-sizing machine, one or more drums, pulleys, or rollersh-aving concave or centrally-receding longitudinal profiles and fluted, ribbed, or corrugated, lengthwise of their axes, in combination with a co-operating felting-surface arranged at asuitable distance therefrom to form a felting-chamber, said- IIO IIS

chamber being adapted to cause the hats, while felting, to have both a rotary motion on their axes and a progressive motion at right angles thereto, substantially as set. forth.

7. Ina hat-sizing machine, one or more drums, pulleys, or rollers having concave or centrally-receding longitudinal profiles and fluted, ribbed, or corrugated crosswise of their and a progressive motion at right angles thereto, substantiallyas set forth.

. 8. In a hat-sizing machine, the combination of one or more felting drums, pulleys, or rollers fluted, ribbed, or corrugated length-wise of their axes with one or more felting-drums,

pulleys, or rollers fiuted,ribbed,or corrugated crosswise of their axes. v

9. In a hat-sizing machine, afeltingbed consisting of a series of slats having concave orcentrally-recessed longitudinal profiles, said slats being employed separate and detached from the felting drums, rollers, or belts used in said machine, and adjusted to form a convex felting-chamber, substantially as set forth.

10. In a hat-sizing machine, a felting-surface consisting of a series of slats having concave or centrally-recessed longitudinal profiles, and mounted by their ends only in slots,

or guides adapted to allow them to move toward or from the surface of the hat-rolls, substantially as set forth.

11. In a hat-sizingmachine,the combination of one or more felting-slats having concave or centrallyrecessed longitudinal profiles with one or more felting-rollers having concave or centrally-recessed profiles, the said slats and rollers being mountedby their ends in or between slots or guides adapted to allow them' to move toward or from the surface of the hatrolls, substantially as set forth.

12. In a hat-sizingmachine, the combination of a single revolving felting-drum having a rigid felting-surface, a felting-chamber surrounding or partially surrounding said drum,

and a series of pressing-rollers forming a cooperating felting-bed on the outersideof said feltingchamber, substantially as setforth.

13. Ina hat-sizing machine, a single revolving felting drum or cylinder having a rigid surface, ribbed, corrugated, or fluted either lengthwise or crosswise of its axis, in combination with a co-operating series of feltingrollers, substantially as set forth.

14. In a hat-sizing machine, a single revolving felting drum or cylinder having a rigid surface, in combination with a co-operating series offelting-rollers and felting-slats separated from said drum by the felting-chamber andmounted by their ends inslots or guides adapted to allow them to move inward or outward toward or from the surface of said drum.

15. In a hat-sizing machine, tw'o co-operating surfaces or series of surfaces arranged at an appropriate distance apart to forma felting-chamber between them, either or both of 6 5 rollers having concave profiles, the felting function of said jacket or belt being performed by the outer surface thereof, substantially as set forth.

18. In ahat-sizing machine, a felting belt, apron, orjacket having its surface ribbed, fluted, or corrugated either longitudinally or atright angles to its length, in combination with a series of co-operatin g felting-rollers, substantially as set forth.

19. In ahat-sizing mac'hine,stationary disks, as B, in combination with detachable slotted hearings or guides, as B, said detachable bearings or guides being secured to said disks and adapted to receive and guide the bearing ends of the pressing-rollers or pressing-slats, substantially as set forth.

20. In a hat sizing machine, mechanism adapted to automatically raise and lower the inner end of the discharging-belt toenable thehat-rolls to pass by said belt or to pass onto the same, as may be desired,snbstantially as set forth.

21. In a hat-sizing machine, acam or eccentric arranged to automatically raise andlower the inner end of the discharging mechanism or belt, substantially as herein set forth.

22. In ahat-sizingmachine, the combination,

of asingle revolving felting-drum, an annular felting-chamber, co-operating feltingrollers, a feeding and a discharging belt,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

28. In a hat-sizing machine, the combination of a single revolving felting-drum pro vided with a yielding or elastic jacket closely fitting its surface, afelting-chambersurrounding or partially surrounding said drum, and a series of pressing-rollers forming a co-operating felting-bed on the outer side of said chamber, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of May, 1882.

NATHAN HARPER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H.'PELL, EDMUND L. ROFF, Jr.

Images