IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FELTING, PLANKING, OR RUFFING HAT BODIES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Cree (the younger), of Denton, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FELTING, PLANKING, OR RUFFING HAT BODIES
Sealed the 16th April 1880, and dated the 24th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Cree at the Office
"IM
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th October 1879.
FRANCIS CREE (the younger), of Denton, in the County of Lancaster.
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FELTING,
PLANKING, OR RUFFING HAT BODIES AND OTHER ARTICLES."
The principle object of this Invention is to felt, plank, or ruff hat bodies made of
wool or fur (or of a mixture of the two), but it is also applicable to the felting,
planking, or ruffing of other felted articles or goods, such as Scotch bonnets,
blankets, rugs, and so forth.
The Invention consists principally of a machine provided with a liquor trough,
over which are mounted two rollers in fixed bearings. Above these work two
other rollers carried in a swing frame and resting upon them, and it is between
these four rollers that the felting, planking, or ruffing is effected.
At a convenient distance behind these rollers (and about level with the lower
pair) is mounted a driving shaft carrying stud pulleys, which by means of endless
chains and other stud pulleys drive all four rollers at the same speed and in the
same direction, the said driving shaft being caused to revolve either by means of a
winch handle or by power.
The swing frame which carries the top pair of rollers is hung on the driving
The swing
shaft so that the tension of the driving chains is always the same.
frame is held down by means of weights, and it is raised by means of a treadle
when it is required to raise the top rollers for the purpose of feeding in or removing
the roll of hat bodies or other articles.
The rollers are not made cylindrical but they may be made of various regular or
irregular forms in section, such as when all revolving in the same direction will
give the necessary rolling, rubbing, and kneading effect which is required for
felting, planking, or ruffing hat bodies, or other wool or fur articles.
The form which I have found to be best for general purposes is to form four
longitudinal concave flutes from end to end of each roller, leaving a narrow
longitudinal rib between each flute, but they may also be made with three, five, or
other number of flutes, or they may be of a square, triangular, or other form (in
section), not being cylindrical, which will produce the desired effect.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Cree in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd April
1880.
" IM-
FRANCIS CREE (the younger), of Denton, in the County of Lancaster.
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FELTING,
PLANKING, OR RUFFING HÁT BODIES AND OTHER ARTICLES."
The principal object of this Invention is to felt, plank, or ruff hat bodies made of
wool or fur (or a mixture of the two), but it is also applicable to the felting,
planking, or ruffing of other felted articles or goods, such as Scotch bonnets,
blankets, rugs, and so forth.
The Invention consists principally of a machine provided with a liquor trough,
over which are mounted two rollers in fixed bearings.
Above these work two other rollers carried in a swing frame and resting upon.
them, and it is between these four rollers that the felting, planking, or ruffing is
effected.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed bereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing is a side elevation, Fig. 2, a vertical section, and
Fig. 3, a plan view of my improved machine. a, α, is the framing; b, b, the plank
or table; and c, c, the liquor trough; d, d, are a pair of longitudinally fluted
rollers mounted in fixed bearings above the liquor trough c, c; and e, e, are a pair of
similar rollers carried by a swing frame f, f. These rollers e, e (when the machine
is in work) press upon the roll of hat bodies g, g, which in turn rests upon the
lower rollers d, d, as seen at Fig. 2, the amount of pressure being increased or
decreased, as required, by altering the position of the weight h, h, upon the rail i, i.
At a convenient distance behind these rollers (and about level with the lower
pair d, d,) is mounted a driving shaft k, k, carrying stud pulleys 7, 1, which by
means of endless chains, m, m, and other stud pulleys n, n, drive all four rollers at
the same speed and in the same direction, the the said driving shaft k, k, being
caused to revolve either by means of a winch bandle or by power.
same.
The swing frame f, f, which carries the top pair of rollers e, c, is hung on the
driving shaft k, k, so that the tension of the driving chains m, m, is always the
The swing frame f, f, is held down by means of the weight h, h, and it is
raised by means of a treadle o, o, when it is required to raise the top rollers e, e,
for the purpose of feeding in or removing the roll of hat bodies or other articles,
as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 2.
The rollers d, d, and e, e, are not made cylindrical but may be made of various.
regular or irregular forms in section, such as, when all revolving in the same
direction, will give the necessary rolling, rubbing, and kneading effect which is
required for felting, planking, or ruffing hat bodies or other wool or fur articles.
The form which I have found to be best for general purposes is to form four
longitudinal concave flutes from end to end of each roller, leaving a narrow
longitudinal rib between each flute, as shown at Figs. and 3, but they may also
be made (as shown at Fig. 4) with three, five, or other number of flutes, or they
may be of a square, triangular, or other form (in section) not being cylindrical,
which will produce the desired effect.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,―
The general construction and arrangement of the improved machine, as herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed, or any mere
modification or imitation thereof constructed and operating in substantially the
same or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Cree the younger, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty second day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
FRANCIS CREE, JUNR. (LS.)