US610627A - Rison - Google Patents

Description

N0. 6|0,627. I I Patented Sept. I3,' "898. J. B. HARRISON.

MANUFACTURE OF FELT HATS.

(Application filed Dec. 29, 1897.

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J., B. HARRISON.

MANUFACTURE OF FELT HATS.

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No. 610,627. Patented Sept l3, I898.

' J. B. HARRISUN.

MANUFACTURE OF FELT HATS.

(Application filed Dec. 29, 1897.)

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m Hil W3 4 I x WlTNESSES' O INVENTOR fi wwza. n: if g y W 'brim, and finally to finish the under side of UlTlED Arne JOSEPH BANOROFT HARRISON, or STOOKPORT, ENGLAND.-

MANUFACTURE .OF FELT HATS.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,627, dated September 13, 1898.

Application filed December 29, 1897. Serial No. 66414.70. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BANoRoFr HARe RISON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Stockport, in the county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Felt Hats, of which the following is a specification.

Hitherto in the manufacture of felt hats it has been customary to first finish the crown or body of the hat, then to finish the upper side of the brim, then to steam and curl the the brim. In the steaming of the brim it has not been thought necessary to in any way protect the brim, but to apply the steam all over both sides of the brim. This application of the steam to the whole surface of the brim is not required for the purpose of curling and is positively detrimental or injurious to the brim by opening the felt and destroy ing the luster and appearance ofthe finished side and rendering the other side more difficult to finish, in addition to which it is much more difficult to finish the brim on account of the arch than when fiat before curling. There has also been the liability of the steam penetrating to the finished crown or body and injuring it. I find that much better results can be obtained and a much better finish can be imparted to the brim, especially to the under side, which is much more exposed to view, by first finishing both sides of the brim when in a perfectly fiat state and protecting the brim both top and bottom from the action of the steam and applying steam and softening merely to the extreme edge to which the curl is to be given.

The invention willbe fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which as examples two forms of machine suitable for the process are illustrated.

Figure l'is a sectional elevation showing the machine I prefer to employ; Fig. 2, a side elevation, enlarged, of block for receiving the hat; Fig. 3, a plan of same; Fig. 4: a sectional elevation; Fig. 4, a modified arrangement of steaming apparatus; Fig. 5, a front elevation of a modified form of machine; Fig. 6, atransverse sectional elevation of same; Fig. 7, a plan of plate for protecting the under side of the brim.

In carrying out the invention I take the hat after the crown or body has been finished in the usual way and I completely finish the brim while in the fiat state. This may be done by hand or preferably in a machine by which both sides of the brim are smoothed and finished at one operation, and I then steam and curl the edge of the brim while the remainder of the brim is protected from the action of the steam which is applied to the edge. A block or shape A is prepared of the desired form to receive the hat, upon the upper curved edge a of which the under side of the brim rests, and a pad B or plate 0 is applied with a considerable amount of pressure to the under side of the brim to hold it tightly compressed to theblock and prevent the penetration of steam to either side, the edge of the brim being drawn tightly into the groove (1 of the block by a string D to give the desired amount of curl, and steam is brought into contact with the edge all around to soften it and cause it to set to the curl. In the machine shown inFigs. 1 to l the block A is set upon plate E, suspended or held supported by weights WV and chains to a short distance above a fixed bench or table F. Around the block A isfitted a cover or shield G, whioh is fixed to the bench F by the brackets g. The shield G may be of sheetiron or other suitable material, and the brackets 9 may be of angle-iron or otherwise constructed. In the interior of the cover or shield G is placed a band or ring H of rubber or other flexible material to form a steam-tight joint around the block A when it is in position and yet permit of the block being freely lifted in and out. Around the interior of the cover or shield G is placed a steam-pipe K with a number of holes orperforations through which the steam-jets issue to impinge upon the edge of the brim. A tap or valve admits steam to the perforated pipe K. A lever L is connected to the suspendedplate E, which acts upon the lever Z of the tap 7t and opens it each time the plate E is depressed, allowing the steam to pass through and issue from the perforations. A pad B of sufiicient weight is suspended over the apparatus,which when the hat is in position on the block A is lowered onto it, giving the desired pressure to protect the hat-brim and at the same time pressing down the hat-block A and suspended plate E until the latter rests upon the rigid bench F. This action brings the edge of the pad 13 down upon the edge of the shield G to prevent the escape of steam around it and forms a steam-chamber around the edge of the brim and at the same time opens the tap 7t for the admission of steam. The lifting of the pad B when the operation of steaming is completed reverses the operations, shutting off the steam and allowing the plate E and block A to be raised by the weights W, so that the block and hat can be removed and replaced. The pad 13 is preferably made of textile or other flexible material filled with sand or other material which will retain a considerable degree of heat for a lengthened period. Behind the steaming apparatus is a plate or box M, heated with steam or otherwise, upon which the pad B is placed when out of use to heat it or maintain the heat of it to the desired degree. The pad B is raised and lowered by a pedal N and cord or chain 02, passing over pulleys. One pad B may serve two machines or' a separate pad may be provided for each.

The invention may be carried out in any suitable form of machine by means of which the pressure can be applied to the brim and the brim be protected while the edge is being steamed and softened. Instead of placing the block A on a suspended plate E it may be placed direct upon the bench F, surrounded by a shield G, forming a steam-chamber with a steam-pipe K, as shown in Fig. 4. The hat-block A may be set upon a rigid support, as in Figs. 5 and 6, and the steam be applied from a pipe without being inclosed. In Figs. 5 and (3 the hat-block rests upon the supporting-platform P, which is capable of being moved to and fro on the frame R. The pad B is formed of a water cushion filled with hot water, and the desired pressure is applied by the screw S, the frame R being raised and lowered by the cams r, operated by a lever r to bring the block A into contact with the pad B, the steam being applied to the edge through the perforated pipe K, connected to a flexible supply-pipe 7c. The tap 7c is turned off and on by hand, as required to admit or check the flow of steam. Instead of a flexible pad B, which adapts itself to the curved surface of the hat-block A, a shaped plate 0, Fig. 7, may be employed to give the desired amount of pressure to and protect the brim when on the block A.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. A machine for curling the brims of felt hats comprising a loose block A for the hat a suspended platform upon which the block rests a shield inclosing the block to prevent the escape of steam, a flexible band to form a joint around the block a perforated steampipe to supply jets of steam to the edge of the brim and a pad to apply pressure to and protect the edge of the brim during the operation of steaming substantially as described.

2. In a machine for curling the brims of hats the combination with the block A and perforated steam-pipe K to apply steam to the extreme edge of the hat brim of the suspended plate E upon which the hat-block rests, the weights W and chains 10 by which the plate is suspended, the shield G surrounding the block to prevent escape'of steam, the flexible ring II to form'a steam-tight joint around the hat-block below the steam-pipe, the tap it on the steam-pipe the lever L at tached to the plate E by which the steam-tap is turned off and on by the rise and fall of the plate E and the heated flexible pad B forming a cover which incloses the upper side of the hat-brim and depresses the hat-block Aand plate E thereby forming a steam-chamher around the hat-block and turning on the steam-tap substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH BANOROFT HARRISON.

Witnesses:

J. OWDEN OBRIEN, R. OWENDALE.

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