Improvements in Hat Blocking and Shaping Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 20th May, 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by RUDOLF EICKEMEYER, of Yonkers, in the State
of New York, United States of America.]
Improvements in Hat Blocking and Shaping Machines.
I GILES ATHERTON of the Virginia Mills Stockport 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 and accompanying drawings :-
The said Invention relates to the machines used in the blocking and shaping of hats
and known to some extent under the designation of automatic blockers. Previously
to the year 1882 such machines have been automatic to a limited extent but in that
year my correspondent invented a machine which was wholly automatic in it's
operation and obtained in respect of such invention United States Letters Patent
No. 269032 the machine constructed in accordance with such invention being to the
best knowledge of myself and my correspondent the first machine for the purpose
which was wholly automatic. The machine which constitutes the subject matter of
this present application is considerably improved in its operation. In operating with
the prior machine in the event of a hat brim having been imperfectly clamped and the
imperfection not having been observed until after the operation of the machine had
been commenced there was no provision made whereby the fault in the brim clamping
could be corrected, and hence hats were sometimes spoiled, it being obvious that a
brim could not be properly stretched, or the band of a hat be properly developed if the
brim were so improperly clamped as that the shaping of its periphery could not be
controlled with uniformity.
In the present invention the machine can be stopped at any stage in its operation
and be at once backwardly operated, and made to retrace steps already taken
until the initial point has been reached, and then the machine can be stopped thus
enabling any error in the adjustment of a hat to be corrected, without liability of
injury to the hat or any undue loss of time on the part of the machine and its
operator.
The improved machine is also so arranged as to permit of the continuous recipro-
cation of the banding ring to any desired extent, at any desired stage of the operation
instead of the previous restriction to a prescribed number of reciprocations progres-
sively distributed downward along the crown of a hat between the first point of
contact of the banding ring with the side crown and the band of the hat.

page_text: understood the said machine will be described with reference to the accompanying
seven sheets of drawings.
Referring to the said drawings Figures 1 and 2 are two front perspective views
showing the two sides of a machine embodying the invention.
Figure 3-Sheet 3-is a partial side elevation of the same.
Figure 4 is one-half of a rear elevation.
Figure 5 is a partial top or plan view.
Figure 6 is a partial front view of the machine illustrating one form of its reversing
gear, and means for wholly stopping the machine.
Figure 7 is a side view of the upper portion of the hat block spindle.
Figure 8-Sheet 4-is a partial side elevation of the lower portion of the machine,
it's cam shaft being shown in section.
Figures 9 and 10 are partial front elevations and sections of portions of the machine
and are specially illustrative of the stop mechanism.
Figure 11 is a horizontal section on line . Fig. 3.
Figure 12 is a front view of a portion of the hat block spindle and its lever and
link connections.
Figures 13 and 14-Sheet 5-are respectively partial vertical, and partial horizontal
sections of the machine, specially illustrating the mechanism by which the annular set
of brim-clamping jaws or tougs are moved radially for stretching a hat brim.
Figure 15. Sheet-6 is a partial side elevation and partial vortical section of the
machine and illustrates the mechanism by which the clamping jaws are made to close
upon and to release the brim of a hat.
Figure 16 is a partial plan view, portions of the machine being broken away to
better illustrate the parts shown in Fig. 15.
Figure 17-Sheet 7-is a partial side elevation of the machine and is illustrative of
the mechanism by which the banding ring is vertically reciprocated and lifted and
permitted to rest during the insertion and removal of hats.
Figure 18 is a partial plan specially illustrating the mechanism shown in Figure 17.
Figure 19 is an enlarged detached plan of parts which appear in Figure 18.
The framing of the machine consists principally of two side frames A and A¹
suitably connected together by means of cross rails a and by the central pan-shaped
plate a¹, there being above the latter a horizontal plate a², mounted on standards and
having an oval opening therein, as clearly indicated in Figures 13-14 and 15.
Referring in this place to Figure 3, and to such other figures as show the hat block B
it is to be understood that although it is of the simple or wooden variety, other kinds
may be employed without departure from the invention and that expansible blocks,
regardless of their specific construction and mode of operation can be used, they
requiring only the addition of the requisite mechanism for controlling their expansive
and contractile movements. Such expansible blocks have been described in the specifi-
cations of inventions for which United States Letters Patent Nos. 244041 and 269,032
have been granted to my correspondent.
As clearly shown in Figs. 3.-4 and 7 the hat block B is mounted upon a block
plate which is provided with a carrier pin or dowel and a central stud, and is seated
on the top of a sliding spindle or rod which can be lifted or lowered by means of
the hand lever c, which is hinged at c¹ to the end of an arm 2 which is keyed upon a
rocking shaft 3. The last named shaft is connected to the block spindle by means of
an arm b, links 65 and a cross head 6º on the said spindle. Between the said cross
head and a fixed sleeve, an expansive spiral spring & shown in Figure 12, surrounds
the spindle, and is heavily compressed when the block is fully elevated, thus providing
against any back-lash at the several jointed connections and obviating all liability of
objectionable vertical vibratory movement of the spindle during the banding operation.
The hand lever c is pivoted at its lower end by a knuckle joint to a link which is
provided at its lower end with an elongated slot which is occupied by a fixed stud c
so that on swinging the lever in a vertical plane the hat block can be lowered to its
fullest extent, and also be raised if need be, but not fully. The slot c³, in the link c

page_text: permits further upward movement of the hat block spindle the hand lever being used
only for dropping the said spindle preparatory to the removal and insertion of a hat
and its block, the lifting movement being performed automatically. The automatic
lifting motion is derived from a cam d on the cam shaft c which oscillates a rocking
shaft e, carrying arms or levers e¹ and e², the latter being coupled by means of a rod e
to one arm of a bell-crank lever c which is loosely mounted on the rocking shaft b³:
The other arm of the lever c is provided with a bearing face c² which projects laterally
beneath the arm b³, and abuts against the lower end of a thumb screw e in the arm b²,
thus by a portion of the vibration of the bell-crank lever, causing the arm b³ to be
lifted, and thereby lifting the hat block spindle. The rod c is coupled to the lever e²
by means of a slot, a screw stud, and a nut, thus providing for a general adjustment
as to the vibrations of the bell-crank lever c, while the thumb screw e provides for
special adjustment of the relations between the said bell-crank lever c and the arm b²,
thus permitting of adjustments to meet contingencies.
Power is communicated to the cam shaft c from the main shaft D as shown in
Fig. 11. The shaft D is provided with cone pullies, which drive larger cone pullies,
loosely mounted on a short shaft, but connected therewith by means of a friction
clutch J. The said shaft fis coupled by its inner end to the came by means of the
differential gearing a substantially as in the machine which my correspondent has
constructed prior to the present invention, and described in the Specifications of the
United States Patents Nos. 256,305 and 269,032. This differential gearing consists
of a plate which is formed with internal spur teeth and is fixed upon the frame of
the machine, concentric with the axis of the cam shaft and of the short shaft f. The
said shaft has a crank 2 on which is mounted a double spur wheel f³ which gears
with the internal spur wheel f' and also with an internal spur wheel which is fixed
upon and imparts motion to the cam shaft. Other forms of gearing may be employed
without departure from the present invention, although I prefer this form because it is
well suited for the purpose and is much more compact and economical than such an
ordinary chain of gearing as would be suitable for the obtainment of a corresponding
reduction in speed, it being obviously desirable that the short shaft f be rapidly rotated,
in view of the necessity for using thereon a short driving belt, and of the considerable
amount of actual work performed by the cam shaft. The friction clutch g is controlled
by hand through the horizontal hand lever g', pivoted on a bent bracket arm at g², and
coupled by an adjustable and cushioned or spring connection g³, to the vertical forked
lever which at its foot is pivoted to a pendant bracket g5 all as clearly illustrated in
Figures 8 to 11 inclusive. Near the handle of the lever g₁ there is a slotted guide and
also a horizontal spring latch go which when the clutch is moved into engagement
confines the lever in position the said lever when released being thrown outward by
means of the spring g on the bracket arm g². The said clutch inay also be caused to
engage by the application of the foot of the operator, to the treadle lever gs, which is
coupled to the handle of the lever g by a rod or link g. It is obvious that other
forms of clutch may be used without departure from this invention.
The release of the clutch lever from its latch 9 may be effected by hand on
depressing the outer end of the latch but it is also effected automatically by means
which will hereinafter be described in another connection.
I will next refer to Figures 13 to 16, and describe the set of brim clamping jaws
or tongs E, and the mechanism by which they are controlled for clamping and releasing
the periphery of a hat brim, and are radially expanded as in stretching the brim, and
then contracted for receiving another brim.
As in the said prior machines there is a series of annularly arranged lower jaws h
and acting in conjunction with each of these there is an upper jaw i. Each lower
jaw is in the form of a bell-crank lever, pivoted upon the plate a², and the short
arms of such levers occupy an annular slot in an annular cross head ¹, which is
provided with a sleeve 2, which is coupled by two links 3, to the two sides of a double
horizontal lever, which is adjustably pivoted by means of a cross head or sleeve and
wheel nut to a pendant screw 5. The opposite end of the said lever is provided with

page_text: anti-friction wheels which are acted upon by the cams on the Cat Shate, as runy
shown in Figures 13 and 14.
It will be seen that as the cams are slowly rotated the cross head h¹ will slowly
rise and fall, thus causing the expansive and contractile movements of the tongs. The
adjustable fulcrum at the pendant screw / permits a convenient adjustment of the
tongs for extensive variations, but I have also provided for the adjustment of the
relations of the cams to the lever * so as to vary with exactness the extent of the
expansive or brim stretching movement. This is effected by means of a pendant link k
which is coupled to the free end of the lever ', and is seated upon the rock shaft e, so
that the latter serves as a support for the said link, and also for the lever * when the
latter is to be restricted in the range of its lifting movement. The upper end of the
link is bored and tapped to receive an adjusting thumb screw which is provided
with a set nut k² so that on turning the said screw its lower end abuts upon the rock
shaft and the lever is thereby lifted away from the cams, and this causes the latter
to vary in their lifting action, and effects a corresponding variation in the expansive
movement of the tongs. This combination of the annular set of tongs and their
expanding and contracting mechanism, differs from that disclosed in the aforesaid
United States Letters Patent No. 269,032, only in that provision is made herein for
supporting the expanding lever above its cam, and for this varying the action of the
said cam upon the set of tongs. In the machine disclosed in my correspondents
United States Patent No. 244,041 the expansive movement of the tongs was effected
by foot power. The upper jaws i¹ of these tongs have each a long vertical arın sliding
in a loop at the rear of each lower jaw, so that the upper jaws may freely rise and fall,
regardless of whether the set of lower jaws is in a contracted or an expanded condition.
These upper jaws are actuated by mechanism clearly shown in Figures 15 and 16.
All of the upper jaws at the lower ends of their arms are pivoted on bolts ¹ which
pass through an annular plate and each bolt is provided with a heavy expansive
rubber spring or with a suitable spring thus enabling each jaw to do its proper
clamping duty regardless of any slight variations in the mechanism or in the thickness
of the hat brims. The said plate is coupled by links to arms it on a square rock
shaft which has a rigid pendant arm which is coupled by an adjustable link to
one arm of a bell-crank lever . The last named lever is pivoted at its foot upon a
bottom plate of the frame, and has on its other arm an anti-friction bowl which runs
in a cam groove in the cam E' on the cam shaft so that during each revolution of the
latter and of the cams E¹ and 17, the jaws are closed while in their most contracted
position, and then while tightly clamped they simultaneously move outwardly to their
most expanded position. The upper jaws and their operating mechanism are all
substantially as disclosed in my correspondents United States Letters Patent
No. 269,032-Dec. 12th 1882.
66
I will next refer to Figures 17, 18, and 19 and describe the banding ring F, and
the mechanism by which it is operated. It is to be understood that the said ring has
long downward and upward movements first starting from an elevated resting point,
and moving down to a point at which it can commence to engage with a hat on a
block carried by the partially elevated block spindle, and then after the banding
operation, moving promptly upward to admit of the convenient removal of a hat and
its block, and the insertion of another, and I term these movements of the banding
ring, its periodical movements, as distinguished from its rapidly reciprocating or
'pumping" movement next to be described. After the banding ring commences to
engage with a hat crown the said ring continues to move downward, but meantime
it is also rapidly reciprocated vertically, and this reciprocation continues until the said
ring is again lifted to the point at which the said reciprocation commenced. I will
first describe the mechanism which causes the said periodical movements of the banding
ring, and then describe the mechanism which induces the "pumping" movement. I
have previously herein referred to the cam d on the cam shaft which causes the rocking
shaft e to oscillate and also to the arms e¹ and e² on the said rocking shaft, and I will
now state that both of the said arms are coupled by links e³ to the lower ends of two

page_text: bell-crank levers and which are pivoted on a rocking shaft 12. On the upper ends of
the said levers two straight levers m and m¹ are pivoted, but are so held and controlled
as to serve at times as mere longitudinal extensions of the upper arms of the said
levers and . These straight levers at their outer ends are coupled by links m² to
vertically sliding rods m³ on the tops of which the annular cross head F is mounted,
and to the underside of this crosshead a banding ring F can be readily applied and be
removed and changed for a ring of a different size or shape.
Assuming the straight levers m and m¹ to be held rigidly it will be obvious that the
rotation of the side grooved cam d formed substantially as indicated in Figure 3,
will impart to the banding ring the periodical upward and downward movements
described. The rigid holding of the said straight levers m m¹ is however in this
machine dependent upon the operation of parts which also co-operate in causing the
rapid reciprocation of the banding ring, and these are well shown in Figures 17 and 18.
The bell-crank lever differs from lever in that it has thereon midway between its
two main arms a third arm 3 and this is coupled by a link to the end of an arm 15
which is pivoted on the side of the frame of the machine. This arm 15 is also coupled
by a link to a vibrating rocking shaft n by means of a stud or pin on a pendant
arm n and at the opposite end of the said rocking shaft there is another arm n²
seen in Fig. 3. These two arms n¹ and n² are coupled by links n³ n³, respectively to
the rear ends of the two straight levers m and m¹ thus firmly holding the said straight
levers, when they serve as mere extensions of the upper arms of the bell-crank
levers and as for instance whenever the arms n¹ and n² on the rocking shaft n are
not engaged in imparting the rapidly reciprocating movement to the banding ring.
This reciprocating movement is derived from the main shaft D which has thereon a
short crank at o coupled by means of a double rod link o¹ and an adjustable crank
pin o² to a slotted arm o³ on another rocking shaft p. This latter shaft has at its two
ends arms p¹ on which are formed the bearings in which the vibrating and rocking
shaft n is mounted so that as the main shaft is rapidly rotated, the rocking shaft n is
rapidly reciprocated or vibrated in the arc of a circle of which the rocking shaft
is the centre. The arms on the rocking shaft p are of the same length as those on the
rocking shaft n and hence when the axis of the crank pins or studs of the arms n¹
and n² are coincident with the axis of the rocking shaft p the said pins are stationary,
but when the said pins are moved out of the said coincidence as by the movement of
the bell-crank lever and the links and 1 and also the links n³ the straight
levers m and m¹ are caused to rapidly reciprocate on their pivots, and thus cause the
banding ring to be rapidly reciprocated.
p
In the machine disclosed in the Specification of my correspondent's United States
Letters Patent No. 269,032 the reciprocating movement of the banding ring was in
the arc of a circle and its motion was derived from a wave line cam on the cam shaft,
and in the machine disclosed in the Specification of my correspondent's United States.
Patent No. 244,041 the said movement was derived from the driving shaft, but it was
controlled by hand, instead of automatically as in the present invention. The novel
feature of the present invention in this relation is the provision of the bell-crank
lever with its third arm and the coupling of the said arm to the rocking shaft n
by means of the links 14 and 16, and the armi 1, thus enabling the banding ring cross
head to be mounted on vertically sliding rods, and to have its reciprocating movements
automatically controlled.
I have already stated that the friction clutch lever is also operated automatically
and this occurs after each banding operation leaving the main shaft still in rapid
motion. As shown in Figures 8 to 11-one end of the rocking shaft below the
clutch lever g¹ and at one side thereof, has an arm q provided with a pin ql projecting
laterally at its outer end toward the frame of the machine.. Above this arm on the
latch g before described, is a pendant catch which has a notch, or shoulder with
which the said pin q' will engage whenever the lower end of the said catch q² is not
moved rearward in its guide q³ by a lateral finger q* on the clutch lever... When the
said lever is engaged by its latch ge the said finger permits the pendant catch q² to
so hang that its shoulder will be engaged by the pin q on the army but when the
->

page_text: clutch lever has been released by hand or otherwise, the finger q* moving in the arc
of a circle forces the pendant catch out of the path of the pin g.
The functions of the several parts and their separate modes of operation having
thus been fully described in detail the operation of the machine as a whole will require
but little description.
The machine being at rest, and the banding ring elevated as shown in Fig. 3 and
the hat block plate and spindle lowered a hat softened by steam and water and with a
block therein is placed upon the block plate the central spindle on the plate occupying
a central hole in the block and the one dowel pin also occupying its hole in the said
block so that the adjustment of the hat is assured, not only centrally but longitudinally
and also the front of an egg-oval hat crown is caused to occupy its proper position.
The set of tongs having been already properly adjusted peripherally to the size of the
brim the latter is inserted the upper jaws being then always elevated. After smoothing
the brim so that its periphery can be wholly seized by the tongs, the clutch lever g¹ is
swung inwardly to put the clutch g' into position to rotate the cam shaft. When the
hat is inserted the set of tongs stand fully expanded but they promptly contract, the
upper jaws being elevated until they reach their contracted position, whereupon they
close tightly, and slowly begin their expansive movements. In the meantime the
banding ring is automatically lowered until it reaches the side crown of the hat
whereupon its reciprocation begins and continues for sometime after the banding ring
has reached its lowest position the tongs also continuing to slightly expand thus
thoroughly developing the band of the hat. So also in the meantime is the hat block
slowly raised until it reaches its full height. About one hundred and twenty
reciprocations or "pumping" motions can generally be relied upon but if at any time
more be needed the clutch lever g¹ can be freed thus stopping the cam shaft and
delaying the next routine step as long as need be while continuing the banding
operation. As soon as the said operation is completed the banding ring rises to its
full height and stands at rest and the tongs with their upper jaws fully elevated are
fully expanded. The block being then lowered by means of its hand lever. c the hat
and its block are left free to be removed. Although such a machine with the cone
pullies as shown can be operated at two speeds the lowest speed can be relied upon
for properly working hats at the rate of one per minute including the insertion and
removal of the hats other conditions being favourable as for example as to heating
and having the hats in conveniently available positions. I have hereinbefore referred
to the fact that my correspondent has now for the first time arranged machines of
this class so that they can be operated backwardly as well as forwardly-in other
words he has not only for the first time provided the machine with reversing gear,
but has also so formed and arranged the several cams and their relative parts as that
the machine can be freely run backward without liability of injury to any of the
parts and thus enabling the operator after he has started a machine on its round of
operations to return to the starting point and there to stop, giving him ample
opportunity to correct any imperfect clamping of a brim or other adjustment of a hat
on its block before it can possibly be injured as would be the case should the machine
be permitted to arbitrarily continue its routine, as for instance with the machine and
gearing disclosed in the Specification of the United States Letters Patent No. 269,032.
In the machine disclosed in the Specification of the United States Letters Patent
No. 244,041 the banding ring was wholly under the control of the operator because
its general vertical movements were effected by means of a hand lever and counter-
weight and hence in that machine a capacity for backward operations was of no
consequence and as a rule the said capacity can only be of value in a machine which
is fully automatic.
In Fig. 6 the main shaft D instead of having belt pullies for driving it as shown in
Fig. 11 has a loose spur wheel r and a clutch controlled by a foot treadle and a
spring. Above the said main shaft a counter shaft D₁ is mounted in bearings in a
standard and in one of the said plates A as shown and is provided with a spur wheel
which gears with the wheel on the shaft D. On this counter shaft there is a central
loose pulleys and two fast pullies s¹ so that when two belts are applied thereto, one

page_text: crossed and the other open either belt by means of an ordinary guide may be made to
actuate the pulley which can thus be driven in either direction. When the main
shaft D is provided with fast and loose belt pullies as shown in Fig. 11 a single
driving belt descends from an overhead counter shaft having a loose pulley and two
fast pullies as in the case of the counter shaft D¹ and power is transmitted to such
overhead counter shaft from another shaft by means of crossed and open belts
controlled by an ordinary guide as is usual in driving apparatus for operating
lathes.
The machine being adapted to operate both backwardly and forwardly as already
described it will be seen that the mere shifting of the belts, will promptly cause a
reversal of operation and enable the attendant to correct any error he may have made
in the adjustment of a hat and by operating the treadle the machine can be
promptly stopped at any portion of its routine movements or by operating the
treadle 8 in Fig. 11, the cam shaft and the parts deriving movement therefrom
can be stopped while permitting the remainder of the machine to continue in
motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
(1) The combination substantially as hereinbefore described of the brimn-clamping
and stretching tongs the banding ring and its cross-head mounted on vertically
sliding rods, mechanism substantially as described for automatically imparting to the
said ring periodical vertical movements and mechanism substantially as described for
imparting to the said ring rapidly reciprocating movements independently of the said
general vertical movements.
(2) In an automatic machine for blocking and shaping hats the combination as
hereinbefore described, of a hat block spindle, a set of brim clamping and stretching
tongs a reciprocating banding ring mechanism as described for automatically
operating the said spindle, tongs and ring in their regular and proper order and
arranged to operate the same both forwardly and backwardly and gearing for driving
the said mechanism in both directions whereby error in adjusting a hat in the said
machine may be corrected at any stage of the routine operation and any portion of
the said operation be fully or partially repeated.
(3) In a machine for blocking and shaping hats the combination of a hat block, a
banding ring, an annular set of brim clamping and stretching tongs, a lever coupled
to the said tongs for radially expanding and contracting the same, an adjustable
bearing at one end of the said lever, a cam at the opposite end for vibrating the
said lever, and an adjustable link supporting the said lever above the said cam for
varying the extent of contact between the cam and the lever and correspondingly
varying the expansive or stretching movement of the said tongs and adapting the
latter to properly engage with and to stretch hat brims of various peripheral
dimensions substantially as set forth and indicated.
(4) The combination of the slowly vibrated bell-crank lever 1, 1, the levers m, MI
mounted thereon, the banding ring cross-head and its sliding rods coupled to the
said levers m, m, the rapidly operated rocking shaft p, the vibrating shaft n carried
on the said rocking shaft and having arms coupled to the said levers m, m³, and
also coupled to a pivoted arm which is in turn coupled by the link 1 to an arm 13 on
one of the said bell-crank levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
indicated.