Improvements in and relating to Machines for Banding and Pressing the Brims and Blocking the Crowns of Hats.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1892-Accepted, 26th Mar., 182
COMPLETE STELLATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Banding and Pressing
the Brims and Blocking the Crowns of Hats.
1, FREDERICK DANN FRY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing
at No. 23 Delay Street, in the Town of Danbury, County of Fairfield, and State
of Connecticut, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to machines for banding and pressing the brims and shaping
the crowns of hats, and the objects and nature of my invention will be best under-
stood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved machine with the parts in their
operative positions ;
Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, are detail sections at the lines x-x, y-y, a―a, and b—b,
respectively on Figure 1, and
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively detail bottom and top perspectives of one of
the clamping fingers..
Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the
drawing.
1, is an annular steam bed, 2, its steam inlet pipe, and 3, its steam outlet pipe.
4, is a steam drum central of the bed, 2, and having perforations 5, at the bottom.
6, is a steam pot inclosing the bottom of the drum, 4, and having perforations, 7,
which register with the perforations, 5, when said pot is in its normal or depressed
position. 8, is an exhaust pipe depending from the bottom of the pot. 9, is a
treadle pivoted at 10 to the frame, 11, of the machine and loosely connected to a
collar, 12, around the pipe, 8, whereby when said treadle is operated the pot will
be elevated and the perforations, 5, 7, thrown out of alignment. 13 is a steam
inlet pipe leading within the pot and surmounted by an ordinary baffle plate, 14.
15, is a steam. pipe supported in the frame of the machine and communicating
with the pipe 16, into which latter the pipe 2 leads. 17 is an ordinary valve
which controls admission of steam to pipes, 2, and 16.
At the inner end of the pipe 15, is an ordinary valve, 18, whose stem, 19, is
normally elevated by a spring (not shown) to close the valve. 20 is an arm pivoted
to an ear, 21, extending from the frame 11, and resting on the stem, 19, and 22 is
a link whose ends are pivoted respectively to the arm, 20 and the treadle, whereby
the operation of the latter will cause the stem to be depressed and thereby open
the valve, 18, to admit steam within the pot.
The above described mechanism and construction pertain to the proper steaming
and cooling of the hat, and I will now describe the means which 1 employ to band
the hat, and to press the brim thereof.
23, is an annular ring screwed on the bed, 1, and having therein radial ways, 24.
25, are. clamping fingers of any suitable shape and having rigid therewith
blocks, 26, which fit within the ways, 24, keepers, 27 being secured to the lower
ends of said blocks beneath the rings, 23, whereby vertical displacement of the
fingers is prevented.
These fingers rest on the upper surface of the ring, 23, and to them are secured
face plates, 28, whose lateral adjacent edges are conversely beveled so as to overlap
each other, as shown in Figures 2, 6 and 7. This beveling of the plates and the

page_text: consequent overlapping of the beveled edges cause the plates to present a smooth
unbroken surface which will not mark the hat. brim when pressed.
29 are pins which project downward from the blocks, 26. 30 is an annular cam
plate having cam-slots, 31, through which the pins. 29 project, said plate resting
upon a bottom plate, 32, which latter is secured to the ring, 23, by bolts, 33, said
bolts extending around the edge of the plate, 30, in a circle, and thereby affording
means for confining said plate, as shown at Figure 4. Within this bottom plate, 32,
are auxiliary guide-ways, 34, within which the pins, 29, extend.
A lever 35, pivoted at 36, to the bed, 1, and loosely connected at 37 to the cam
plate, 30, is the means whereby the clamping fingers are operated. By swinging
the lever the fingers are caused to contract or spread as may be desired, since the
slots, 31, extend athwart the ways, 24, and it will be readily understood that a
rotary movement of the cam plate will cause the cam slots to operate on the pins 29
to advance or retract the clamping fingers. 38 are uprights rising from the bed, I,
and 39, is the brim presser guided on said uprights and having a yoke, 40, rising
therefrom and supported and secured by bolts, 41.
42, is a flexible inlet pipe leading from the pipe, 16, within the presser, 39, which
latter is hollow and of annular shape, and 43, is a flexible outlet pipe leading from
the presser into the exhaust, 3.
44, is a counterpoise which is secured to a rope, 45, the free end of the latter
being run over pulleys, 46, 47, and secured to the yoke, 40. 48, is a bell-crank,
pivoted at 43 to a cross-bar, 50, supported on the uprights, 38. 51, is a toggle
link whose ends are pivoted to the yoke and to the tail of the bell-crank,
respectively. By throwing the bell-crank upward the brim presser will be elevated,
while by pulling said bell-crank downward the brim presser may be depressed with
great force.
The block-presser comprises a hollow steam box 52, having ears, 53, which
embrace the bolts, 41, whereby said box is guided in its vertical movements.
54 is a flexible pipe leading from the presser 39, within this box, 52, and 55, is
a flexible pipe leading from said box to the exhaust, 3.
56 is a lever pivoted at 49, in common with the bell-crank, 48, and 57 is a link
whose ends are respectively pivoted to said lever and to the box, 52, so that it will
be readily understood that the elevation and depression of said box may be effected
by raising or lowering the lever, 56.
58 is a perforation in the lever, 48, and 59, is a bolt carried by a dog, 60, pivoted
to the lever 56, whereby, when the lever, 56, is clevated, said bolt may be thrown
into said perforation to lock said levers 48, and 56, together, thereby holding the
box, 52, in elevated position.
Secured to the bottom of the box, 52, is a substantial and properly shaped
presser-plate, 62.
The clamping fingers overhang within the steam drum, 4, beyond the inner edge
of the brim presser, and the plate, 62, when depressed, co-operates with said fingers
to form a sharp band to the hat.
The operation of my improvement is as follows:
The brim and block pressers being in their normal or elevated position, a
bat, 63, on a block, 64, is placed with its crown within the drum, 4, and its brim
resting upon the upper surfaces of the clamping fingers. The lever, 35 is now
operated to clamp the hat to the block. The lever, 48, is now operated to depress
the presser, 39, upon the brim, steam being admitted within the presser and bed
either before or after this operation. The treadle is now depressed, thereby throwing
live steam into the pot and drum against the hat crown to soften the same.
bolt, 59 is withdrawn from the lever, 48, and the lever 56 is operated to depress
the block presser against the block, thereby forcing the latter within the softened
hat crown. Simultaneously with the dropping of the pot to admit cold air in the
drun to chill the hat, the supply of steam to said drum is cut off by reason of
the automatic action of the valve, 18. The plates, 28, overlapping as they do
The

page_text: with close joints, prevent the steam from attacking the brim, while the clamping
devices hold the base of the crown firmly, whereby the hat is banded with great
nicety. The hat is "set" in its shape in a few minutes, whereupon the pressers
are withdrawn, the clamping fingers retracted, and the block and hat removed.
By clamping the hat circumferentially, it is impossible for the brim to be
distorted or for "crawling" to occur during the shaping of the crown, and more-
over, the latter may be clamped in various planes up to about half way of its
height, as well as at the base, thereby effecting a more perfect and rapid conforma-
tion of the crown to the block than has heretofore been effected.
Also by clamping the crown of the hat as shown, no steam can be admitted to the
brim of the hat, and the stretching and shaping will be effected on the crown above
the brim, which is a feature of vital importance, since if the brim were softened by
the steam it would certainly be stretched by the action of the presser, and the hat
could not be properly. "banded."
As hereinbefore set forth, the clamping fingers overhang the steam drum, and
the heated block presser clamps the inner portion of the brim firmly against the
clamping fingers. This is a very important feature of my invention, as will be
apparent from the following reasons. Heretofore the brim has been first clamped
throughout its entire area by the brim presser, and the block has then been forced
within the hat crown, but while this will give a sharp band, the forcing of the
block into the crown will stretch the hat at the banding angle, thereby weakening
the hat at a point where strength and stiffness are desired.
By primarily clamping only the outer area of the brim, nearly all the stretching
caused by the forcing of the block within the crown is sustained by the unclamped
inner area of said brim, and by clamping the brim at or near the banding portion.
after such stretching, a sharper and stiffer band is obtained.
I do not wish to be limited to the devices shown and described for operating the
clamping fingers, nor in fact, do I wish to be limited to the latter as specific
devices.
After the hat has been pressed and shaped, the treadle, 9, is released, thereby
shutting off the supply of steam to the hat and allowing the pot to drop to normal
position with its perforations, 7, registering with the perforations, 5. The
registering of these perforations opens a communication with the outside air, thereby
greatly facilitating the cooling of the hat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a brim pressing and hat blocking machine, the combination with the brim
presser and block presser guided in suitable ways and capable of a free independent
vertical reciprocation, of independent operating levers for said pressers pivoted to.
a stationary part of the machine, and connected to said pressers by toggle-links,
and means for locking said levers together at desired times, substantially as set
forth.
2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the vertically
guided and reciprocatory brim presser and block presser, of independent levers
pivoted to a stationary part of the machine, operative connections between
said pressers and levers, and means for locking said levers together in their normal
position, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of the brim aud block pressers, the bell crank, 48 and
lever, 56, pivoted to a stationary part of the machine, the toggle links, 51, 57, whose
ends are pivoted respectively to the bell-crank and brim presser and to the lever 56
and block presser, and means, as a bolt or latch, for locking the bell-crank and
lever together, substantially as set forth.
4. In combination with the steam drum, the steam pot inclosing the same, the
steam pipe leading within said pot and provided with baffle plate, the valve in said

page_text: pipe, and the pivoted treadle operatively connected to said valve, whereby when
said treadle is depressed the valve will be opened to admit steam within the pot,
substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of the drum and pot contained one within the other and each
having a series of perforations which register when said drum and pot are in
normal position, suitable connections whereby steam is admitted to the pot, and
means for raising said pot whereby the perforations are thrown out of alignment,
substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of the drum and pot having perforations which normally
register, whereby the hat is cooled during the setting.
7. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination with the banding
clamps adapted to clamp the hat crown circumferentially, of the steam-heated
block-presser, whereby the hat is effectually banded, as set forth.
8. The combination of the independently operating brim and block pressers, the
hat block, and the radially operating clamping devices adapted to clamp the crown
of the hat circumferentially and to present a smooth unbroken surface to the brim
of the hat, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of the circumferentially arranged and radially operating
banding clamps, the hat block, the brim presser adapted to press only the outer
area of the brim, and the heated block-presser adapted to press the inner area of the
brim subsequent to the driving of the block within the hat crown, and to the
operation of the brim presser, substantially as set forth.
10. In a hat blocking and brim pressing machine, the combination of
instrumentalities for blocking the crown and pressing the brim of a hat, of the
steam drum wherein steam is admitted to soften the crown of the hat while the
same is being blocked, and means for admitting cold air to the hat to "chill" and
"set
"the same after said hat has been shaped, substantially as set forth.
Dated this Dond
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.