Improvements in Machinery for Trimming or Paring the Curls of Felt, Silk, and other Hat Brims.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1894-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
COME LEIE DIEULTIVATION
Improvements in Machinery for Trimming or Paring the Curls of
Felt, Silk, and other Hat Brims.
We, HENRY HERBERT TURNER, ALBERT TURNER and ARNOLD TURNER,
all of Denton, near Manchester, Hatter's 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 has for its object to pare or trim the curls of hat brims to a
regular outline or edge before or after setting by simple and efficient apparatus,
and consists essentially of a machine comprising a mechanically driven paring
knife or cutter working on a slide and guided to its work by a frame or plate of
annular formation (hereinafter called the guide plate) which corresponds to the
oval or other outline to be given to the edge of the brim curl and a "rotating
head for automatically feeding the brim curl and guide plate.
"
In paring the curls of a hat brim the guide plate is fitted to the brim of the hat,
being held thereto by spring clips or projections or their equivalent and such
plate carrying the hat is then introduced between the rotating head and a pair of
presser pins on the slide aforesaid when the motion of the rotating head
automatically travels and feeds the guide plate and brim curl beneath the paring
knife which cuts off the superfluous edge of the curl to an outline corresponding to
the inner circumference of the guide plate.
In this way the shape of the guide plate determines the outline of the brim curl.
To provide for different shapes and sizes of hats a number of such guide plates is
employed with each machine.
Instead of supporting and feeding the hat beneath the paring knife by means of
the guide plate we may dispense with such plate and support and feed the hat by
means of a swivelling "brow" in combination with a pattern or cam plate whose
contour corresponds to the outline to be given to the hat curl. In this modification
the rotating head and pins are dispensed with.
And in order that our said invention shall be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect we have hereunto annexed two sheets of drawings and
will now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the various figures
and letters of reference marked thereon.
On Sheet One, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan view and Figs. 3
and 4 part end views respectively of our improved paring machine. Figs. 5
and 6 are detail views.
On Sheet Two, Fig. 7 is a plan view, Fig. 8 a side view and Fig. 9 a transverse
section on line a-b of the guide plate aforesaid which plate is of the oval or other
shape of hat brim in plan and of the arched or other configuration in side elevation
according to the shape of curl to be trimmed.
On Sheet Three Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a hat with the guide plate
fixed thereon and under treatment, and Fig. 11 illustrates a modification of our
invention.
Referring now to Sheet One and Figs. 1 to 6 (A) is the rotating head, (B) the
slide and (C), (C) the presser pins or pegs aforesaid. The rotating head (A) is
mounted on the shaft (A') driven by bevil wheels (D) (D') from the driving
wheel (G). The slide (B) works to and fro in a groove in the top of the main
casting (H) being held in such groove by the plate (I). This slide always tends
to move in the direction of the arrow (a) under the influence of the lever (J) and
india-rubber or other spring (J'). This slide carries the bearings (K) and

page_text: shaft (L) also a set of vertical guides (M), (M) (see Figs. 3 and 4) supported by
stand (N). Mounted between the vertical guides (M), (M) is a slide (O) (see
Fig. 3) on the front face of which is a knife or cutter (P) secured by set screws.
On the back of the slide (O) a boss or ring (Q) is fixed fitted with a fixed steel
slotted bush (R) and into the slot formed in this bush an eccentric peg (R¹) on the
end of the shaft (L) takes. By rapidly rotating the shaft (L) the slide (O) and
knife (P) will ascend and descend at a rapid rate and to an extent equal to the
eccentric throw of the peg (R¹) on the shaft end.
The driving wheel (G) whilst serving to rotate the bevil wheel (D) and (D¹),
also drives the shaft (L) by its periphery, which is for this purpose covered with
a rubber band or tyre (E).
Referring now to Sheet Two and Figs. 7 to 9, (S) is our improved annular guide
plate composed of thin sheet metal and of the section shewn in Fig. 9. The inner
and outer edges (T) and (T¹) of this plate coincide in outline with the configuration
to be given to the curl of the hat brim, hence to pare the curl to an oval
configuration the inner and outer edges of the plate are made oval. To pare the
hat curl this plate is first fixed to the hat brim in the manner shewn more clearly
in Figs. 9 and 10 being secured thereto by sets of spring projections (U) (U¹)
which clip the brim of the hat, the space between each set of projections
diametrically opposite each other being rather less than the width of the hat at
that point to effect this object. To more effectually secure the plate to the hat the
projections (U¹) are made with grooves (U2) into which the front and rear portions
of the hat brim may take, and a hooked binding rod (see Fig. 12) is fixed to the
plate, the hooked extremities taking over the edges of the said projections (U¹) as
shewn more clearly by dotted lines in Fig. 8. It is obvious that other means of
fixing the guide plate to the hat brim may be adopted.
The operation of paring the curl of a hat brim by our improved apparatus may
be described as follows:-
The guide plate is placed between the rotating head (A) and the presser
pins (C), (C), these latter being notched out and the former being made with a
groove (A) to receive the edge of the guide plate, the bottom of said groove being
milled or otherwise roughened to afford a frictional grip on the edge of the guide
plate (see Figs. 5 and 10). Simultaneously with the placing of the guide plate
between the presser pins and rotating head the edge of the brim curl which is to
be cut off is passed over the horizontal portion of the plate (V) (see Figs. 1 and 5,
Sheet One) fixed to the front end of the slide.
The guide plate being now held between the pins (C), (C¹) and the bead (A),
the wheel (G) is set in motion communicating revolving motion through the bevil
gearing to the head (A) which owing to the frictional contact before described
immediately commences to travel the guide plate (S) in the direction of the
arrow (Y) (see Fig. 10) and beneath the knife or cutter (P). Simultaneously the
wheel (G), through the shaft (L), causes the vertical knife (P) to reciprocate up and
down at a rapid rate, such knife in descending cutting through the brim curl along
a line corresponding to and defined by the guide plate as illustrated in Figs. (9)
and (10). As the wheel (G) continues to rotate the guide plate is carried round
continuously the brim curl being fed automatically to the knife until the paring
operation is complete when the hat is removed.
The cutting edge of the knife (P) being of the shape shewn in Fig. 6 and the
surface movement of the hat brim being slower than the reciprocating_movement
of the knife a continuous severance or paring of the felt results. During the
cutting operation the felt is sustained against the knife by the plate (V) which is
formed with a small opening to receive the knife point.
It will be obvious that the shape and size of the guide plate will vary with every
change and shape of hat and that a number of such plates will be required with
each machine.
Instead of the guide plate being arched it may be straight or otherwise according
to the shape of hat to be pared.

page_text: To more effectually hold and traverse the guide plate two or more rotating heads
may be employed, arranged side by side, and either positively or frictionally driven,
and as an equivalent for the rotating head a grooved pulley, or a set of anti-friction
wheels may be employed, also as a substitute for the pins or pegs a set or series of
small grooved rollers or runners may be employed.
Referring now to Sheet Three. In lieu of supporting and feeding the hat to the
paring knife by means of a guide plate we may dispense with such plate and
support and feed the bat by means of a swivelling "brow" (W), and duplex cam
plate (W) as illustrated in Fig. 11. which rotates and holds the hat in the proper
position relative to the cutting knife. The "brow" and the cam plate are mounted
on a rod (W) connected by a knuckle or swivel joint to the shaft which is driven
by worm and bevil gearing from the shaft (A¹) of the machine aforesaid. The
underface of the cam plate coincides with the arched or raised portion and the
outside edge with the oval or eliptical shape of the hat brim. The outside edge
of this plate engages with the anti-friction roller (Z) and the underside with the
anti-friction roller (Z') carried by the slide (Z) and to keep said plate in touching
contact therewith the opposite side or end is constantly held up by the lever (Z³)
and rubber or other spring (Z) the lever end being fitted with a small wheel (Z³)
to reduce friction. The anti-friction rollers (Z) and (Z') are fed to the cam plate
by the rubber or other spring (%) passing round a stud (Z) on the slide and a
stud (Z) on a fixed portion of the guides.
The hat to be pared is placed on the "brow" as illustrated the position or angle
of which causes the hat brim to come beneath the knife (P) and at that point at
which the edge is required to be trimmed defined by the shape of the cam plate.
Motion being communicated to the shaft (W³) through the worm gearing and
intermediate shaft from the shaft (A') the "brow" carrying the hat and the cam
plate are caused to rotate when by reason of the friction rollers (Z) and (Z) the
cam plate (W) acting and re-acting on each other (the cam plate first pressing the
rollers away and the rollers in turn following the plate) the edge of the hat brim
or curl is caused to pass beneath the knife (P) which operates the brim curl and
cuts or trims it to a line corresponding to the shape of the cam plate (W').
To provide for the varying shapes and sizes of hats the cam plate is inter-
changeable with plates of other shapes and sizes, or the brow and plate may be
of an expanding type. For varying the size, only the relationship between the
slides (2) and (B) may be varied by moving the screws (7) backwards or forwards
in the slot (Z) formed in the slide (B) thus causing the knife to work in a larger
or lesser oval. To further facilitate the adjustment of the hat to the knife the
anti-friction rollers and slide may be made to raise and lower. In all cases (both
in this latter and the first form of our machine) where india-rubber springs are
used, spiral or volute metallic springs, or weights may be substituted. Likewise
toothed gearing may be substituted for frictional gearing and vice-versa, and the
driving may be effected by hand or power. In lieu of a vertical reciprocating
knife, a rotary knife may be employed.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
1st. The guide plate (S) or any mere modification thereof as and for the purposes
hereinbefore indicated and described.
2nd. The combination of the guide plate (S) located on the hat brim with the
feeding and paring mechanism illustrated in Figs 1 to on the accompanying
drawing and operating as and for the purposes set forth.
3rd. The rotating head (A) or its equivalent in combination with the slide (B)
holding a knife or cutter and the means of holding the hat during the operation of
paring the curl of a hat brim hereinbefore indicated and illustrated on the
accompanying drawings.
4th. The paring mechanism shewn in Fig. 11. in combination with the swivelling

page_text: "brow" (W), cam plate (W¹) and driving mechanism for feeding the paring knife
and hat brim respectively all mounted and operating substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore indicated and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 21st day of April 1894.
JOHN G. WILSON & Co.,
55, Market Street, Manchester,
Registered Patent Agents and Consulting Engineers.