An Improved Press for Pressing the Brims of Straw Hats.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Press for Pressing the Brims of Straw Hats.
I, ALBERT LAY, of Old Bedford Road, Luton, in the County of Bedfordshire,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved press for pressing the brims of straw hats
which consists of a suitable bed mounted on feet, and an upright with a curved arm
and boss through which a vertical quick thread screw. passes; and loosely hung on to
the base end of the vertical screw is a pressing block. At the top of the vertical
screw is provided with a cross handle bar for manipulating the machine.
Below the bed I fix a circular gas burner with the usual connection and stop cock
for heating the straw hat when the said hat is placed on the top of the bed for the
purpose of pressing the brim whilst the same is hot.
On the top of the bed I place a loose or fixed block to pass inside the crown
of the hat.
When the hat is on the bed ready for pressing the brim, I place on the top of the
brim an oval or circular plate (or hot iron) with an arched top.
The pressing block is forced down by the vertical screw on to the top of the arched
top of the oval or circular plate above the brim of a straw hat .against the top of the
bed in order to squeeze or press the said brim into shape.
The bed and upright with the curved arm may be made of any suitable shape, and
in one or more pieces bolted together.
Any size blocks may be attached to the base end of the vertical screw, or for the
arched oval or round plate, or for the crown for the purpose of pressing the brims of
various size hats either of chip or straw.
TIL TOLL Ja of abnuen 1907
J. P. BAYLY,
18 Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.
I, ALBERT LAY, of Old Bedford Road, Luton, in the County of Bedfordshire,
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 an improved press for pressing the brims of straw hats.
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I now proceed
to describe the accompanying drawings thereof, reference being had to letters and
Gaures marked thereon.

page_text: Fig. 2, is a front elevation with the fat DTOCK SHOW m dotted mes.
Fig. 3, is a plan of the top boss a..
Fig. 4, is a plan of the pressing block.
Fig. 5, is a section on line A. B.
Fig. 6, is a plan of the bed.
Fig. 7, is a plan of the top of the oval hat block.
This invention consists of a suitable bed c mounted on feet e and an upright with a
curved arm fand boss g through which a vertical quick thread screw passes, and
loosely hung on to the base end of the vertical screw h is a pressing block b. At
the top of the vertical screw his provided with a cross handle bar i and boss a for
manipulating the machine.
Below the bed c I fix a circular gas burner with an atmospheric burner, and the
usual connection and a stop cock, for heating the straw hat k when the said hat k is
placed on between the top of the bed c and the hat block d for the purpose of
pressing the brim whilst the same is hot.
At the back of the bed c I provide a platform m in which is drilled four holes n
which correspond with four holes in the base o of the upright and curved arm f.
These two parts are fixed together by bolts and nuts p..
On the top of the bed I place a loose or fixed hat block to pass over the crown of
the hat.
When the hat
top of the brim an
the hat block.
is on the bed ready for pressing the brim, I place on the
oval or circular plate (or hot iron) with a flat top herein termed
The hat block d is oval in shape and is constructed of several pieces of hard wood,
these said pieces of wood are cut into the required shapes and bolted or screwed
together as illustrated in Figs. 1, and 7, of the accompanying drawings.
The pressing block b is forced down by the vertical on to the top of the oval hat
block above the of a straw hat against the top of the bed c in order to squeeze or
press the said brim into shape.
The bed and upright with the curved arm may be made of any suitable shape, and
in one or more pieces bolted together.
If preferable I may adopt the use of a double curved arm to form an arch with the
boss and the vertical screw h in the centre, also the bed c may be either round,
oval or of any other shape, or the aforesaid bed can be constructed so as to form a hot
air chamber.
The circular gas burner ; is secured to the underside of the bed c by means of clips q
surrounding the said burner and screwed to the bed.
Any size hat blocks may be attached to the base end of the vertical screw, for the
purpose of pressing the brims of various size hats either of chip or straw.
In operating with the above apparatus to carry out the process of pressing the
brims of straw hats, I first cover the bed c with a wet strainer of calico, flannel, felt
or any other soft material, and place the hat above the same following with the hat
block d above as in Fig. 1; the pressing block b is then screwed down rigidly on to
the hat block by means of the cross handle bar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a press for pressing the brims of straw hats, the combination of the top boss a
pressing block b bed c hat block d feet e upright or curved arm f boss g vertical
screw h cross handle bar i gas burner j platform m holes n base o bolts and nuts p
clips with the wet strainer 7, substantially as herein described and according to the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a press for pressing the brims of straw hats, the combination of the various

page_text: parts of the apparatus not including the hat block d, substantially as herein described
and according to the accompanying drawings.
3. In a press for pressing the brims of straw hats, the combination of the various
parts or their equivalents for the due working of the apparatus, substantially as
described in this specification for the purpose specified.
4. In a press for pressing the brims of straw hats, the combination of the
various parts with a double or arch like curved arms, substantially as described in the
above specification.
5. The method of pressing the brims of straw or chip hats in the manner fully
described in the above specification.
Dated this 17th day of June 1897.
J. P. BAYLY,
18 Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Applicant.