Patent GB-380981-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in hat making
IPC: A42C1/02
Filed: 1931-11-02
Abstract: 380,981. Hats. CASSE, M., 3, Rue Victor Hugo, Essones, Seine-et-Oise, France. Nov. 2, 1931, No. 30355. Convention date, Nov. 6, 1930. [Class 63.] Softening ; stretching in manufacture.-A felt bat is stretched on a block while hot air and steam moving in a closed circuit are caused to pass through the bat. A perforated block 2 supports the bat and is supported by a deflector 12 mounted on a tube 14 resting on a roll 19 on a lever 20. Preferably, the tube 14 serves as a steam inlet, nozzles 6 being provided at its upper end. The lever 20 is pivoted at 21 and swung by a roll 23 engaging a cam 24 on a driven shaft 25. The roll 23 is kept in contact with the cam by a counterweight or spring. The lever 20, at its other end, actuates a yielding link 28 supporting a cover 10 formed with gas passages 41, 42. The edge of the bat is engaged by jaws 8 supported by an adjustable ring 88 and swung by a rising and falling annulus 93 engaging inwardly-projecting lugs on arms 90 carrying the lower jaws, the arms swinging about fixed pivots 91. The annulus 93 is supported by a rod pivoted to a lever 97 linked to a treadle 101 automatically actuated by a roll 105 on a fork 106 carrying a roll 107 co-operating with a cam 108 on the shaft 25. The fork is connected by a link 104 with a latch 110 co-operating with a pawl 109 pivoted to the lever 97. This lever is set in accordance with size of hat by a worm 112 turned by a hand-wheel 113. The cam shaft 25 is driven by a pinion on a shaft 49 carrying a clutch freed when either of two steps 66, 66a on a cam 65 on the shaft 25 reach a step on a clutch lever 62. When either of these steps are in operative position, a hollow 79 in a further cam 78 allows a lug 80 to rise under the influence of a spring 76 and mesh a worm 74 with a spur wheel 77 loose on the shaft 25. The worm 74 is constantly driven, and the wheel 77 carries a stop 84 adapted to engage a release finger 85 on the lever 62 at a certain point in its rotation. The wheel 77 is normally urged by a spring in the opposite direction to that in which it is driven by its worm, an adjustable stop predetermining its angle of idle rotation. In the starting position of the machine, the step 66a is engaging the lever 62 and the roll 23 is engaging the cam 24 at the point d, the block 2 being, consequently, in its lowermost position and the cover 10 raised. A felt shape is placed over the block with its edge between the gripper jaws, and the clutch lever is raised to start the machine. As the cam shaft 25 commences to turn, the cover 10 is lowered and the block 2 simultaneously raised. When apertures 35a, 36a in a divided tubular support 32 for the cover reach apertures 38a, 39a, the passages 41, 42 are connected with a circulating system comprising a fan and heater. Hot air and steam are thus drawn through the felt. As the cam 24 rotates, notches 26 cause the block to rise and fall, the cam 108 simultaneously swinging the grippers outwardly. The action continues till the step 66 frees the clutch and brings the cam shaft 25 to rest. The worm 74 is then driven until the clutch lever is released by the stop 84, a dwell of predetermined extent being thus obtained. The shaft 25 is then rotated until the step 66a reaches the stop on the lever 62, the machine being thus stopped with all parts in starting position to allow change of work piece.