A MACHINE FOR IRONING THE CURLS OF HAT BRIMS
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Nov., 1888
THOMAS ROWBOTHAM of Hazelgrove in the County of Chester Hat Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for A MACHINE FOR IRONING THE
CURLS OF HAT BRIMS, to be as follows:-
: The object of my Invention is to construct a machine for ironing the curls of hat
brims whereby the operation is accelerated and a better finish is obtained than. when
hand irons are employed.
In constructing a machine according to my Invention I employ a plate or iron of
suitable form heated preferably by atmospheric gas burners placed beneath it. The
iron is fitted above an adjustable table in such a way that it is free to be oscillated to
and fro in a direction corresponding to the curve of the hat brim. Motion is given
to the iron by a reciprocating rack the teeth on which gear into teeth on the iron or
by any other suitable means. The adjustable table is kept normally raised by means
of an adjustable weight and a treadle is employed to move the table away from the
iron prior to placing the hat brim between them and an adjustable guide is preferably
employed to insure the hat being placed in the exact position required.
In operation the machinery may be run continuously the table is lowered by means
of the treadle until the hat has been placed in position with the curl on one side of the
brim under the oscillating iron the treadle is then released and the table rises and puts
any desired pressure (determined by the adjustable weight) upon the hat brim which
is thus ironed in a superior manner and a better finish is obtained than is the case
when hand irons are used as now customary.
The heat of the iron can be regulated and maintained at any desired temperature.
Thatod thin and day of December 1887

page_text: I THOMAS ROWBOTHAM of Hazelgrove in the County of Chester Hat 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:-
The object of my Invention is to construct a machine for ironing the curls of hat
brins whereby the operation is accelerated and a better finish is obtained than when
hand irons are employed.
In constructing a machine according to my Invention I employ a plate or iron of
suitable form heated preferably by atmospheric gas burners placed beneath it. The
iron is fitted above an adjustable table in such a way that it is free to be oscillated to and
fro in a direction corresponding to the curve of the hat brim. Motion is given to
the iron by a reciprocating rack the teeth on which gear into teeth on the iron or by
any other suitable means. The adjustable table is kept normally raised by means of
an adjustable weight and a treadle is employed. to move the table away from the iron
prior to placing the hat brim between, them and an adjustable guide is preferably
employed to insure the hat being placed in the exact position required.
And in order that my Invention may, be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying, Sheet of Drawings reference being had to the
figures and letters marked thereon...
Figure 1 is a plan and Fig. 2 a front elevation..of a machine for ironing the.curls
of hat brims constructed according to my Invention..
In these views. andesignates the stand or. fixed table upon which the machine is
supported; b is the curved plate or iron which is fitted between a curved slide or
frame e and a curved top plate d; bolts e passing, through the frame c and top
plate d and through curved slots in the ironing, plato b.serve to hold these parts
together and also to guide the iron b. in a curved path to suit the curve of a hat
brim: The iron bis operated by means of a. swivel connecting, rod f from a crank
pin g on the end of a revolving shaft g which is driven by means of a pair of fast and
looso pulleys h h and a belt i from any convenient shaft not shown, or a reciprocating
rack with teeth gearing into teeth on the iron b or any other suitable arrangement
of mechanism may be employed to actuate.the.iron.b...
The iron bis heated by a series of atmospheric gas burners placed beneath it in a
recess in the frame c the burners j being supplied with gas by means of a pipe .
Below the iron b is fitted a rising and falling table which is kept normally-raised by
means ofran adjustable weight not shown but which can be lowered by means of a
treadle to permit a hat brim to be placed between the said table k and the iron b.
In operation the machinery may be run continuously the table k is lowered by
means of the treadle until the hat has been placed-in-position with the curl on one
side of the brim under the oscillating iron the treadle is then released and the

page_text: table rises and puts any desired pressure (determined by the adjustable weight)
upon the bat brim which is thus ironed in a superior unmanner and a better finish is
obtained than is the case when. hand irons are used as now customary.
The heat of the iron can be regulated and maintained at any desired
temperature.
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. A machine for ironing the curls of hat brims said machine consisting essentially
of an oscillating ironing plate of the required shape heated by atmospheric gas
burners or other suitable means and combined with a rising and falling table
substantially as herein described.
2. The construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting a machine
for ironing the curls of hat brims substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and as illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
1
1000
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.