Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Manufacturing Hats.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Manufacturing Hats.
I WILLIAM HENRY BLACKWELL 24 Manor Street Hooley Hill near Manchester
in the County of Lancaster Traveller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The principle of my invention relates to hat presses or in apparatus to be used
therewith. 1st. In the case of curling bags or those used only for pressing the brim
or curl of hats I form a hollow or countersinking at the top to receive the brow which
will ensure a bag working more effective with a brow than heretofore and fill up the
angle which ocurs at the band of the hat when the brow is in position in the same.
2nd. I may make a cap with a thickened edge for the brow, or put a ring of rubber
or other suitable material around the edge or side of brow to fill up the aforesaid
angle and protects the bag here.
3rd. I make a cap or bag protector (manufactured independent of the bag and not
for the purpose of being secured in the joint with bag) but is intended to overlap the
brim plate, frame, or shape, on which the hats are pressed. I make these protectors
with a thickned part where most liable to wear or obviously to fill up the angle at the curl
of frame, or hat, such thickening I compress between two layers which by prefferance
will extend the whole surface of the protectors, and is to prevent fracture. 4th. break
any seam at the thickned part, I may also make these protectors metallic where most
liable to wear by embeding chain or other suitable means, these protectors may be
formed with a hollow or to work with Brow as in the aforesaid bag if required, of
press bags that are used for pressing the hat to its whole extent I make the pro-
tectors metallic or strenghten with canvas or other fibrous material where they are
liable to pinching (viz.) between the dish, or ring, and the frame in which the bag
& protector are secured.
5th. I make protectors which will extend from the edge of bags to about an inch
beon the angle of the crown and brim of the same. (These protectors have not
extended beon the brim part of the bag heretofore) I countersink or embos the bag
so that the inner edge of the protector is flush with the bag so as not to interfero

page_text: with the working of the brim plate used with these presses, extending the profector
onto crown in this manner protects a part of the crown which is very liable to wear.
When I do not extend the protector onto the crown of the bag I may countersink
or embos the top part of the crown to recive an adjustable belt which may renewed
from time to time as the case may require. 6th. "In the case of those known as
turners curling presses, or other like constructed presses I may apply prefferably a
copper lineing or casement to the chambers or that part of the press which forms a
chamber with the bag. (This lineing or casement is to prevent the aforesaid part of
the press from corrodeing with rust which is objectioable to the bags) In applying
these casements I form a hole for the centrel pin. The casement may be secured to
the top of press with centrel pin nut, or I may secure the same between the centrel
and another nut or other suitable means. I also perforate the casement for the inlet
of presure. I form a joint here to prvent the water geting between the lineing, in
forming this joint I apply a rubber ring or other suitable packing between the lincing
& the top of press or part encased. This packing will encerkle the inlet hole in
which I drive or screw a rimed plug the rim is to bear against the casement and
make the joint. I may use other suitable means to prvent the water geting behind
the casement & if required I apply a perforated or other guard to this inlet to obviate
the the presure going derrect on one portion of the bag as heretofore. 7th. Relateing
to brim plates used in pressing the hats to there whole extent I thicken the inner
edge wholey or partly with metal which I secure on the plates by soldering or other
suitable means.
(I do know these brim plates have been thickend with rubber which
has been cemented on the plates by adeshion which was constantly giving way
the thickenig comeing off).. I may if required secure rubbr or other suitable
material to a metal frame or foundation which I afterwards solder or braze to the
plate.
and
8th. I thicken the outside edges of brim plates used in curling presses with metal
or other suitable material to protect the bags from the sharp edge. 9th. In those
presses used to press the hats to there whole extent and with arched dishes. (I do
not refer to those presses used for pressing, setting, & curling, at one operation) Larch
those parts of the press which secure the bag & form the joints. This will obviate the
angle which ocurs at the sides of the dish and prevent the bag having to stretch to
fill such angle as heretofore.
10th. I may if required apply a metal or other spring to ali hat presses to prevent
the jar in locking the same.
Dated this 18th day of October 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Manufacturing Hats.
I WILLIAM HENRY BLACKWELL of 24 Manor Street, Hooley Hill near Manchester
in the County of Lancaster, Traveller do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
1st In the case of curling bag or bags used solely for the pressing of the brims or
curls of hats and when a brow is employed 1 form a hollow countersinking or recess
at the top of the bag to receive that part of the brow which projects beyond the band.
This will ensure the bag working more efficiently than heretofore seeing that the
angle or space which occurs around the band of the hat when the brow is in position
is thus filled up.
2nd I make an india-rubber cap with a thickened edge for the brow or put a ring
of india-rubber or other suitable material around the edge or side of the brow to fill up
the aforesaid angle or space and so I protect the bag.
3rd I make an india-rubber cap or bag protector (separate and independent of the
bag and not for the purpose of being secured in the joint with the bag) but which is
intended to overlap the brim plate, frame or shape on which the hats are pressed. I
make this protector as illustrated by sectional view in Fig. 1 of the accompanying
drawing with a thickened part a where it is most liable to wear and which thickening
is designed to fill up the angle or space which occurs at the curl of the frame or hat.
This thickening I compress between two layers b and c of india-rubber which by
preference will extend throughout the whole surface of the protectors and so will
prevent fracture or breakage of any seam at the thickened part. I may also make
these protectors "metallic at the parts marked d, d and where they are most liable
to wear by imbedding in the india-rubber at such parts metallic chain links or other
suitable material.
4th In the case of press bags such as are used for pressing the hat over its whole
extent I make protectors to be used therewith as illustrated by sectional view Fig. 2—
such protectors being made "metallic" as aforesaid or strengthened by imbedding
canvass wire or other rope or other suitable fibrous material in the rubber at the
parts marked e. which are liable to be injured by punching viz.-between the dish or
ring and the frame in which the bag and protector are secured.
5th I make protectors which will extend from the edge of the bags to about an
inch beyond the angle of the crown and brim of the same as illustrated in Fig. 3
(instead of stopping short at the crown of the bag as heretofore). I countersink or
recess the bag at so that the inner edge g of this protector is flush with the crown
of the bag so as not to project or interfere with the working of the brim plate used
with these presses.
By so extending the protector on to the crown in this manner I afford protection
to a part of the crown of the bag which has hitherto been very liable to wear.
When I do not extend the protector on to the crown of the bag I similarly countersink

page_text: or recess this part of the bag but to receive an adjustable india-rubber belt (or
band of other suitable material) to occupy the countersunk part or recess marked f
in Fig. 3 which belt or band may be replaced from time to time as may be
required.
6th In the case of those presses known as Turner's curling presses or other like
constructed presses whether using a copper lining or casement (which I do not claim)
or otherwise I apply a perforated or other guard as illustrated by front view Fig. 4,
sectional view Fig. 5 and inverted plan view Fig. 6 on the accompanying drawing,
to the inlet for the water to prevent the pressure going direct on to one portion of the
bag as heretofore. The water entering the press through the screwed tail pipe i comes
in contact first with the perforated plate ; and then passes out sideways through
the openings and in this manner the pressure of incoming water is spread over a
wide surface.
7th Referring to the brim plates which are used in pressing the hats over their
whole extent I thicken the same wholly or partly with metal to protect the bags at such
parts as are most liable to wear.
In Fig. 7 I illustrate a side sectional view in and Fig. 8 a plan view of my improved
brim plate marked in which the bead or thickning m which constitutes my improve-
ment is by preference moulded separately and is then soldered or brazed to such
brin plate.
Having thus 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 :-
1st The improvements in curling bags substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
2nd The improved caps or bag protectors substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
3rd The improved perforated guard substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying drawing.
4th The improvements in brim plates substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Bated the 19th day of July ISSS
Dated the 19th day of July 1888
JOHN G. WILSON,
Patent Office, 55, Market Street, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.