Improvements in or relating to Hat Blocks, as used in Felt Hat Blocking Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Hat Blocks, as used in Felt Hat
Blocking Machines.
We, HENRY Herbert Turner, ALBERT TURNER, and ARNOLD Turner, all
of Turner Street Denton, in the County of Lancaster, Hatters Machinists, do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Our invention refers chiefly to the blocks used in felt hat blocking machines,
which at present, and hitherto, are, and have been, made of wood or similar
shrinking and expanding material. Owing to the excessive moisture to which such
hat blocks are subjected to when in use, the wood of which they are made expands
or contracts with alternate heating and cooling, seldom being quite the same for
two consecutive lots of hats and consequently causes a great deal of mischief by the
production of unequally sized and unequally shaped felt hat bodies.
Now our invention consists essentially in the manufacture of a metal hat block,
by preference of aluminium, or alloys of aluminium, and the making of such hat
blocks hollow as hereinafter described.
In accordance with our invention we employ, by preference aluminium on account
of its lightness, ductility, surface smoothness and non-rusting property, and we
produce the desired hat block therefrom by casting or stamping with suitable cores
or dies, the thickness of metal being, by preference about a quarter of an inch,
and the hat block when made presenting a shell like appearance.
On the accompanying drawing we illustrate in Fig. 1 a sectional elevation, and
in Fig. 2 an inverted plan view of our improved block. For the purpose of fixing
it to the machine in which it is to be used we provide our improved hat block with
cross bars (A), (A) or their equivalent, cast or stamped therewith, or made separate
and soldered, rivetted or otherwise fastened thereto, such cross pieces having a
square hole (B) at their point of intersection to fit on to the usual elevating spindle
of a hat blocking machine.
To permit of the ready removal of the hat body from the block we provide a small
air vent at, or near, the tip or apex of the block, either opening direct into the
interior of the block, or by preference into a tube (C) fitted to one of the cross
bars aforesaid. When adhering to, or fitting the hat block, too tightly the operator
may effect the removal of the hat body by blowing through the tube (C).
In lieu of the cross bars aforesaid for attaching the hat block to the blocking
machine other means may be employed, and varying according to the forms of
attachment required.
This improved hat block does not alter its shape and size under the effects of the
hot water used in hat blocking, hence all hats blocked by it are an exact fac-simile
of each other.
The exterior surface of the hat block after moulding or stamping is smoothed or
turned up, the aluminium affording a particularly fine surface, which, especially
when wet, enables the felt hat bodies to be slipped on and off quite easily and
without the great effort that is required in the case of wooden blocks, and without
damaging the felt.
Whilst we prefor aluminium or its alloys in the construction of our improved
hollow hat block it will be obvious that other metals may be employed, and plated,
tinned, galvanised, enamelled, oxidised by what is known as the "Bower-Barf

page_text: rustless process," or otherwise treated to prevent the rusting of the metal which is
detrimental to the hat bodies.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. In the manufacture of hat blocks making the same hollow or of shell like
formation, and preferably of aluminium or its alloys as and for the purposes set
forth.
2nd. A hat block made hollow and made of aluminium, or alloys of aluminium
with facilities of attaching to a hat blocking or other similar machine, and with air
vent and tube, substantially as set forth.
3rd. A metallic hat block made hollow, and oxidised, plated, tinned, enamelled
or galvanised to avoid rusting, with facilities of attaching to a hat blocking or
other similar machine, and with air vent and tube, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th dox of Fohm 1905
JOHN G. WILSON & Co.,
Agents.
JOHN G. WILSON & Co.,
Agents.