Patent GB-591478-A (GB)
Title: Automatic hood-forming machine for hat-making
IPC: A42C1/02
Filed: 1945-04-28
Abstract: 591,478. flat machines. CASSE, M. April 28, 1945, No. 10768. Convention date, April 27, 1943. [Class 63] An automatic hoodforming machine for hat making comprises three identical hood - forming units which pass in turn a hood-forming station, a dampening and pre-planking station and a hooddischarge station. The three .units are mounted on a head 3 rotatable on a central column 2 secured to the base 1. Each unit comprises an annular member 4 at the centre of which is mounted a vertical shaft 5 driven by a motor 7 and carrying a fan wheel 11 on which blades 12 are mounted, a rotary distributor 13 and a propeller 14 acting as an axial pump. A second annular member 15 comprises a hollow hub 16 through which extends a tube 17 communicating with hollow arms 18 which open into an annular channel 19. The spaces between the arms leading to conduits 85 are controlled by shutters 21. These shutters are controlled in their turn by a crown wheel 23 actuated by a cam 26 and a cam follower 27. Under the lower face of the annular member 15 is arranged a crown wheel 30 secured to which is the hood-forming perforated cone 33. A set of conical teeth 32 cut in the crown wheel meshes with a bevel pinion driven by a gear and worm and the motor 7. A valve 40 adapted to close the lower end of the tube 17 is rigidly secured to the lower ends of three rods 41, the upper ends of which are secured to a ring 42 adapted to be reciprocated along tube 17 under the action of a link work with a counterweight 50 holding the valve closed. The lower face of the annular member 15 is constituted by a plate 52 on which are secured depending doors 53 and a ring 54. Each of the units successively occupies the hood forming position A, the dampening position B and the hood discharging position C (not shown). In the hood forming position A, as the cone 33 reaches the centre of the vat 55, the doors 53 attached to the plate 52 seal corresponding openings in the sides of the vat; the hair distributor is set in operation and the hair is applied on the rotating cone 33, by drawing a stream of hair-laden air through the cone by means of the fan 11, 12. In position B, the unit carrying the hood is brought above a mechanism consisting of a perforated counter-cone 64, a tank 65 full of hot water and cams 71, 70 for lifting the latter. A cam operates the valve 40 by means of a lever 58, a rod 59 and a push-piece 60 connected to the aforementioned link means. In this position, the rotation of the cone 33 is stopped. The counter cone 64 is lifted to surround the cone 33 and the tank 65 is then lifted into position. The valve 40 is opened. Under the action of the propeller 14 the hot-water is caused to flow from the inside of the cone 33 back into the tank via tube 17, distributor 13, hollow hub 16 and arms 18. The stream of water thus created is periodically interrupted owing to the rotation of the distributor 13. These interruptions cause the hair to intermingle and produce preliminary planking. Tank 65 then is lowered followed by the counter cone 64. The hood is still subject to the action of the fan 11 and 12 and is partially dried. In the position C, the perforated cone 33 over hangs a table, a ring 82 located at the base of the perforated cone is lowered, and this removes the hood. The three units are moved by a belt 83 and motor 84 controlled by three equi-distant projections on the periphery of the ring 54. The hair is fed to the vat 55 on an endless band and is untangled by a picker and fed from a rotary drum by a second picker against a "brush" and then through channel 56. The delivery conduits of the fan 11 and 12 open into a hair-collecting chamber 86.