IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER FELTED ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL, AND IN MACHINES EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wilson, of the Town and County of New-
castle. Hat Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER FELTED ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL,
AND IN MACHINES EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES."-Partly a communication
from abroad by Rudolf Eickemeyer, residing at Yonkers, in the State of
New York, of the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st December 1867.
1. WILLIAM WILSON, of the Town and County of Newcastle. Hat Mann-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER FELTED ARTICLES OF WEARING
APPAREL, AND IN MACHINES EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to an improvement in machinery for
hardening hat bodies and other articles of wearing apparel after the bodies
have passed from the carding machine and been formed into shapes pre-
paratory to their being felted. It consists in making the cone of the hardening
machine to which the jiggering motion is given in parts or horizontal sections,
and in communicating a uniform motion to each part or section so as to
equalize more nearly than can be done by existing machines the to-and-fro
motion over the whole surface thereof, and thus prevent the occurrence of
[Price 8d.]

page_text: ridges that are often made at the lower part of a large hat by the longer
oscillation necessarily given to the base of the cone in order to obtain sufficient
movement on the tip to harden that part when machinery of the kind hitherto
used is employed. This improvement is applicable to a cone of any required
size, and is therefore adapted for the hardening of any other article of attire
of larger dimensions than hats that may be required to be made of felted
material. Whilst I intend to use the arrangements for raising and lowering
the upper cone and for steaming, jiggering, and pressing described in the
Specification of a Patent granted to me in the year 1864, No. 2887, and
partly described in that of 1861, No. 185, in the manufacture of hats or small
articles of wear, I intend to avoid the necessity of raising & lowering the
larger upper cone required for some articles by making it in one or more
perpendicular parts to be withdrawn from the under cone whilst the material
is being placed on it and then causing them to press against it successively all
round whilst it is being jiggered. This method may also be adopted for the
smaller cones used for hardening hats.
The second part of this Invention consists of a machine for felting or sizing
fur hat bodies so as to produce results which have hitherto been obtained by
hand labor. The hat bodies, are rolled in a cloth and placed on a plank
sloping down to a kettle of hot water: another plank or jigger board is
placed upon them attached to a rocking or oscillating lever in such a manner
that it yields to the inequalities in the roll whilst its pressure and the oscillating
movement excites the feiting action in the fur bodies. The plank is partly
covered with boiling water from the kettle at its lower end and has an apron
attached both to it and to the jigger board, the hats are thereby prevented
from rolling off and are kept moving with little change of place, obtaining the
needful heat and moisture whilst undergoing the felting action. To the jigger
board is attached a belt or strap which passes over a series of rollers, and is
attached to a foot lever for the purpose of raising it while the roll of hats is
removed and another placed under. Moveable weights are employed to
regulate the pressure of the jigger board on the hats as may be required.
The third part of this Invention consists in an improvement of the machines
for stretching and blocking hats, patented in the year 1865, No. 3281, by
making the cone of the stretcher of a form and construction that in con-
nection with long pressing fingers instead of the stretching rollers prevents
overstraining of the hat bodies, and thus adapts it for fur hats and those of
a more tender and less elastic character than could formerly be stretched
by the machine. To both this machine and that for blocking I propose to
substitute eccentric cams for cranks so as to more accurately time the move-

page_text: ments and thus avoid any sudden pull or strain on the hat body and facilitate
the adjusting of the blocking machine for the depth of hat crown required.
The fourth part of this Invention consists in a machine for "pouncing"
felt hats without changing the hat to do the tip or brim, so that by one
machine and one operation the "pouncing" operation may be completed.
This machine consists of a round or oval hat lathe firmly fixed on a frame
and having a slow revolving motion. To this is attached the hat block of
sufficient length for both crown and hrim to rest upon. A rapidly revolving
roller formed of india-rubber or other clastic material covered with glass or
cmery paper is automatically carried over the surface of the hat, lightly
pressing it in every part. commencing at the centre of the tip and "pouncing"
the hat from that point to the edge of the brim.
The object of the fifth part of this Invention is to sew in the "head or
sweat leather of a felt hat by sewing machine, and thus both produce a
neater appearance and a smoother edge to the forehead than is common now.
To attain this the ordinary working table or plate of the machine is cut off
close to where the needle passes through it, and a circular flange is fastened to
the edge at about a right angle. The feeding dog is so arranged as to operate
at an angle of 45° to the needle. An angular plate held down by the yielding
pressure pad holds the hat in a position for the needle and pad to operate on
it and also serves as a guide for the leather to be sewed in. To facilitate the
holding of the hat during the operation the machine is fixed at an angle,
bringing the needle bar in a nearly horizontal position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WILSON, of the Town and County of Newcastle. Hat Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of December. in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
the said William Wilson, Her special licence that . the said William
Wilson, my executors. administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the
said William Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should

page_text: at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use. exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS, AND OTHER FELTED ARTICLES OF WEARING
APPAREL, AND IN MACHINES EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES," the result partly of a
communication made to me from abroad by Rudolf Eickemeyer. a person
resident at Yonkers, in the State of New York, of the United States of America,
and partly of my own Invention, upon the condition (amongst others) that I.
the said William Wilson, my executors or administrators. by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals. should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE. that I. the said William Wilson. do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement. thereof, that is to say:
The first part of this Invention relates to an improvement in machinery for
hardening hat bodies and other articles of wearing apparel after the bodies
have passed from the carding machine and been formed into shapes preparatory
to their being felted. The general working and arrangement of machinery of this
description is now well understood and is also hercin-after minutely described.
so that it is unnecessary to give here any description of it. This part of the
Invention consists in making the cone of the hardening machine to which the
jiggering motion is given in parts or horizontal sections and in communicating a
uniform motion to each part or section so as to equalize more nearly than can
be done by existing machines the to-and-fro motion over the whole surface
thereof and thus prevent the occurrence of ridges that are often made at the
lower part of a large hat by the longer oscillation necessarily given to the base
of the cone in order to obtain suflicient movement on the tip to harden that part
when machinery of the kind hitherto used is employed. This improvement is
applicable to a conc of any required size and is therefore adapted for the
hardening of any other article of attire of larger dimensions than hats that
may be required to be made of felted material.
On Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is represented a cone in four
parts or sections at the lines and circles A, these sections may be more
numerous as may be required. Each section is cast with four arms B equi-

page_text: distant from each other passing to a central boss C. also with four stnds D
between the arms. The sections are fitted close to each other at the edges, so
as to make a proper conical, form which is then turned on the exterior and
perforated, as described in Specification of Patent. No. 2887. A.D. 1864, for
the transmission through it of steam: four bars are then placed in the interior
of the cone, one at each side, and by means of a screw through it and the comé
at the studs D are fastened to each section of the cone: these screws are even
with the exterior of the cone and smooth; the interior may be secured by a
nut on the screw or the screw may screw into the bar as shewn, so that the
bars hold firmly to each section. The cone is screwed on to a bottom plate E.
The bosses C are bored out to receive a shaft F which passes through them
and is fixed to that at the top of the cone in those below: it is loose enough to
turn round: it passes also through the bottom plate E. a block G and frame
bar carrying it, and through the frame bar II at the base of the machine. A
double connecting rod
is attached at one end to a perpendicular crank
shaft J, and at the other end it is attached by one arm K to the bottom of the
cone and by the other arm 1 to the shaft. fastened to the top section, so that
when put in motion the same to-and-fro movement is given at once to the
top and to the lowest section, and by the bars connecting these with the other
intermediate sections also. On the shaft is placed a collar M fastened with a
set screw under which a lever N is fixeşl so as to raise the cone and keep the
'The
top of it pressing against the upper cone while it presses all round.
manner of working is however now well understood and is described in the
Specifications of former Patents granted to me and therefore need not be
further described.
What claim in respect to this part of the Invention is the forming the
cone of machines for hardening hat bodies and other felted articles of wearing
apparel in parts or horizontal sections and in communicating a uniform motion
to each part or section, substantially as herein described.
The second part of this Invention consists of a machine for felting or sizing
fur hat bodies so as to produce results which have hitherto been obtained by
hand labor. The hat bodies are rolled in a cloth and placed on a plank sloping
down to a kettle of hot water, another plank or jigger board is placed upon
them attached to a rocking or oscillating lever in such a manner that it yields
to the inequalities in the roll whilst its pressure and the oscillating movement
excites the felting action in the fur bodies. The plank is partly covered with
boiling water from the kettle at its lower end and has an apron attached both
to. it and to the jigger board, the hats are thereby prevented from rolling off and
are kept moving with little change of place, obtaining the needful heat and

page_text: moisture whilst undergoing the felting action. To the jigger board is attached
a belt or strap which passes over a series of rollers and is attached to a foot
lever for the purpose of raising it. while the roll of hats is removed and another
placed under. Moveable weights are employed to regulate the pressure of
the jigger board on the hats as may be required.
This part of the Invention is illustrated on Sheet 2 of the accompanying
Drawings.
"
A represents the frame of the machine; B the shaft with driving pulley on
one end is an eccentric on same shaft: b, the horizontal arm working with
the strap and the upright connecting rod or lever C to which is attached another
horizontal arm D. Sloping boards E on each side of the frame serve as felting
planks." a recess or well between them F is filled with water and heated by a
steam pipe or otherwise, as in an ordinary hatter's "kettle," the water not only
filling the kettle but for some inches covering the planks on either side. The
arm D has attached to its under side a flat board to which one end of a cloth
or apron its entire width is fastened, the other end of this apron being
attached to and wound round a roller d; this roller has on its end a ratchet
wheel e with a pawl to prevent its slipping: g are weights on the arm D to
increase the pressure as may be needed; is a footboard; a centre lever on
the top of the frame of machine; these are connected by cords or bands i
and the lever with the arm D, so that by placing the foot on the board
attached to the arm D is easily raised to take out or put in the rolls of hats
to be felted.
What I claim as respects this part of the Invention is the combination of
apron and jigger boards working in hot water, as described herein.
The third part of this Invention consists in an improvement of the machines
for stretching and blocking hats, Patented in the year 1865, No. 3281, by
making the cone of the stretcher of a form and construction that in connection
with long pressing fingers instead of the stretching rollers prevents any over-
straining of the hat bodies and thus adapts it for fur hats and those of a more
tender and less elastic character than could formerly to stretched by the
machine. To both this machine and that for blocking I propose to substitute
eccentric cams for cranks so as to more accurately time the movements and
thus avoid any sudden pull or strain on the hat body and facilitate the
adjusting of the blocking machine for the depth of hat crown required, the
cam being so shaped as to lift the ribbed former rapidly until the hat body
thereon comes in contact with the pressing fingers or pressing blades and
then to move slowly and remain stationary or nearly so while the greatest
pressure is applied,

page_text: The Drawings Sheet 3, represent a stretching machine with the present
improvements applied to it. Figure is a side elevation of the stretching
machine partly in section. Figure 2 a front clevation, Figure 3 a detached
view of the plate which supports the stretching or "pressing fingers" which
I prefer to act only against the lower section of ribbed former. Figures
4, 5, 6, detached views of rollers, which as heretofore act against the upper
section of the ribbed former. Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, detached views of the
clamping fingers and connections; Figure 11 detached plan view of hub or
central support of the hinged adjustable ribs of the lower section of the skeleton
ribbed former. Figure 12, detached view of the small hooked piece put in the
notches of the hubs or central support of the hinged ribs to keep them in
place. Figure 13. detached view of the cam motion for operating the " ribbed
former. The frame of the machine consists of two side frames a, a, framed
together by the cross plates a', a, and a tie rod a³. The cross plate a is made
in the form of a shallow annular trough to catch water coming from the hat
body, and the parts above in the operation of stretching. In the middle of
the cross frame plates there are bosses, in which vertical holes are bored to
serve as guides for the round vertical reciprocating lifting rod or spindle a', to the
upper end of which is secured the series of ribs b, which constitute the upper
section of the ribbed former, and are used for stretching the tip of the hat
body. Upon the lifting rod a below the upper section of the ribbed former
a screw is cut, and fitted with a nut e' in the form of a hand wheel. This
nut supports and moves a sleeve which encircles the screw cut in the lifting rod
loosely enough to admit of its moving freely up and down on the lifting rod.
A circular hub or ring c is formed (by casting with it) on the upper part of
the sleeve having its upper edge rounded to receive the hooked ends of the series
of hinged radial ribs d of the lower section of the skeleton or ribbed former,
which ribs may be twelve in number, and hinge upon the rounded edge of the
hub or ring forming the central support as shown in the Drawings. The
outer edges of the hinged ribs may have inclined notches d' cut in them to
prevent the hat body from slipping upward on the ribs during the stretching
operation. These hinged ribs should be as long or a little longer than the
maximum width of brims of the hat bodies to be stretched on the machine.
The hinged ribs are supported and adjusted relatively to each other by a
circular plate or nut, which moves up and down on a screw cut around the
outside of the sleeve, the inner edges of the ribs resting on the edges of the
circular nut or plate. The hand wheel nut which supports the sleeve and
hinged ribs of the lower section of the former is turned only when it is neces-
sary to adjust the upper and lower sections of the ribbed former relatively to

page_text: each other for different heights of crowns of hats, which it does by raising or
lowering the lower section. The adjustable hinged ribs are adjusted for
different sizes of hat bodies by turning the nut or plate up or down on the screw
cnt on the outside of the sleeve. The hinged ribs are split or forked at their
hooked ends so as to receive and he kept in place by the small projecting
hooked pieces of, which are hooked to the circular ring (as shown in Drawing
Figure 12). in notches placed at equal distances apart. This forms a con-
venient hinge, admitting of the easy removal of the hinged ribs when necessary
for any purpose. but is not essential, the ribs may be hinged in any convenient
way to an adjustable central support. Motion is communicated to the lifting
rod of the ribbed former by the cam g fast to the cam shaft. g through the
bent lever, the link g', and the vibrating levers f. f. which latter are coupled
together, and joined at one end to the lifting rod a' and at the other end to
an adjustable arm projecting upward from the rocking frame . which
rocks on a cross shaft near the rear feet of the frame. The cam shaft. is
driven from the driving pulley ', which revolves on a stud h. projecting from
the side of the frame through the pinion * fast to the pulley, a spur wheel h
and pinion + fast to the rotating shaft h, and a spur wheel fast to the cam
shaft g. The bent army is composed of two pieces coupled together, sufficient.
space being left between them for the cam to revolve, and is fast at one end
to the rock shaft. which rocks in bearings a, a, at the sides of the frame.
The range of motion of the ribbed former is regulated by a screw thread
on the arm, projecting upward from the upright. rocking frame f', and also
by change holes in that end of the bent arm which is connected with the
link g¹.
The cam g is so shaped as to cause the skeleton or ribbed former
to rise rapidly until the operation of stretching commences, and then slowly
and with but very little or no motion during a part of the revolution of the
cam at the point of greatest pressure. and then to permit the former to move
down rapidly after the stretching is completed. The operation of stretching
the hat bodies in this machine is greatly facilitated by the application of steam
directly to the hat body from within while on the ribbed former during the
operation of stretching by the machine. At the top of the machine is firmly
secured the horizontal circular plate 7 (shown detached at Figure 3), through
which is a series of radial slots m' to receive the levers m, which hold the long
pressing blades that co-operate with the hinged ribs for stretching the
brim of the hat body. The levers m are hinged to the circular plate 1, being
notched on their outer edges to correspond with a circular rounded edged
flange or bead m² formed around the edge of the circular plate 1. There are
as many levers m and "pressing blades" m" as there are adjustable hinged

page_text: ribs on the lower section of the former, and they are so placed over the former
that when the former rises the pressing blades come between the ribs of the
lower section of the former. It will be observed that the improveinent of
the long pressing blades is not of necessity dependent upon the use of
the adjustable ribs of the lower section of the former, but may be used
with a former such as before used in the machine. One of the levers m
and pressing blades is shewn separately on Sheet 4. The object of the
substitution of the long pressing blades" in place of the "rollers" user
in the former machine with the lower section of the ribbed former
being to press upon a greater surface, and also to press more at some
parts than at other parts, and therefore stretch the hat body more at certain
parts when required, as for instance, in high bell-crowned hats the pressing
blades are each furnished with an adjusting screw m. whereby the position
of the blades is adjusted when required. The "pressing blades" are
long thin plates curved at their lower ends, where they are pivoted to the
lower ends of the levers m, and their edges are rounded to prevent tearing the
hat body, or they may have a rounded strip of vulcanized india-rubber m²,
secured as their pressing edges as a further profection to the hat body. The
upper ends of the levers mare bent and converge towards the vertical 'centre
of the machine, where they all rest upon a horizontal circular plate or
flange projecting from the hub of a hand wheel m, in which hub is cut an
internal screw which screws up and down on a vertical screw m fixed in the
middle of the circular plate 1. By turning this hand wheel the levers m
simultaneously adjusted to their required positions the circular flange supporting
the levers against the pressure upon them from below.
"
An inner series of
slots n in the circular plate receive the inner series of levers n, which are
hinged on the inner circular bead or flangen, in the same manner as the
otter series of levers, and are otherwise similarly constructed, except that they
are shorter and carry pressing rollers" as in the former machine, and their
upper ends bend outwards and are supported against pressure by a circular
plate p just above them, which is itself held down with yielding pressure by
the hand wheel p', the huis of which is a nut and turns on the screw m³, com-
municating a yielding pressure to the plate p through an annular vulcanized
india-rubber spring p, the plate having adjustable supports in the shape of
screw pins p. the ends of which resting upon the circular frame plate!
determine the position of the plate p. and consequently the position of the
inner series of pressing levers and their pressing rollers, which latter co-operate
with the ribs of the upper section of the ribbed former, and should be covered
at their pressing edges with vulcanized india-rubber, which may be done most

page_text: conveniently by grooving the edge of the rollers and slipping on a tubular
ring of vulcanized india-rubber. The clamping fingers are made in two
parts, the part q which rests on the ribs of the lower section, or rather
on the hat body, to hold it to the ribs of the lower section, being covered by a
tube of vulcanized india-rubber. and jointed to the upright part q by a friction
plate attached to the part q, and a similar plate q3 attached to the part q',
the two plates being held together by a rivet pin in the middle sufficiently
tight to hold the parts q' in the proper position and suffer them to conform to
the outline of the hat body when pressed upon it to clamp it to the ribs of the
former. The clamping fingers are secured to a ring r supported by the sliding
rods r, which pass up through guide holes in the plates and p and are fastened
in the circular plate r, in the hub of which is a hole of proper size to admit
of its sliding up and down freely on the central screw m A rubber washer
or spring s lying around the screw on top of the hand wheel takes the weight
of the frame of the clamping fingers. The upper ends of the rods by
which the frame that supports the clamping fingers is framed with the circular
plate above are made adjustable by means of screw threads and nuts, as shown
in the Drawings, for the purpose of setting the clamping fingers so as to clamp
the hat body to the ribs before the "pressing blades come in contact with it.
The lower section of adjustable ribs must be kept from turning by a spline or
some equivalent mechanical device applied to the sleeve which supports the
ribs. A vertical groove in the lifting rod across the screw threads, and a
pin through the sleeve projecting into the groove will answer the purpose.
When the machine is properly adjusted all that is necessary to operate it is to
set it in motion and to place the hat body on the ribbed former when the
lifting rod is down, and the machine being in motion it is carried up to the
pressing rollers" and "pressing blades," which by pressing upon the hat
body between the ribs of the skeleton former stretch the hat body as required
for blocking. The operation may be repeated upon the same hat body two or
three times, shifting the hat body around a little each time so as to press upon
a different place.
"
When steam is used in the operation of pressing hat bodies that have been
sized or stiffened, it is better to cover the ribs of the ribbed former with felt,
cloth or some suitable non-conducting material, so that the heat of the ribs
will not injuriously affect the hat body.
On Sheet 5 of the Drawings is shewn a blocking and shaping machine, in
which the lifting mechanism of the hat block holder and the holding plates is
actuated by means of cams instead of cranks, as used in the former machine,
the object of the use of cams in place of the cranks being to more perfectly

page_text: adapt the motions of the holding plates and the hat block relatively to
each other and to the operations to be performed than can be practically
accomplished by crank motions.
The general construction and operation of blocking and shaping machines
is now well understood, so that it will be unnecessary to give here more than
a general description of the machine.
Figure is a side elevation of the blocking and shaping machine as improved
partly in section: Figure 2 is a front view of the same: Figure 3 is a
detached view of the cam motion and its connections with the vibrating frame
which operates the lifters of the holding plates: Figure 4 is a detached view of
the cam motion and connections to the levers of the lifting rod which carries
the hat block.
The frame of the machine consists of two side frames a. a. framed together
by the cross plates a', a, and a tie rod . The cross plate a is made in the
form of a shallow annular trough to catch water that may come from the
parts above in the operation of blocking. In the middle of the cross
plates . a. are bosses cast on the plates, through which holes are bored to
serve as guides for the round vertical reciprocating lifting rod or spindle a', to
the upper end of which is secured the hat block carrier . which is a flanged
circular plate or disc of metal. The upper end of the lifting rod a' extends
through the hai block carrier and projects a little above the same, so that it may
enter a hole in the centre of the bottom of the removeable hat block to serve
as a guide for placing the same and also to keep it in place. The hat block b
is made of wood as usual, and round or oval of the different varieties and
shapes used by hatters that are suitable to the operation of this machine.
Within the frame of the machine and near the sides are two round vertical
lifting rods c. c', one on each side of the hat block, and in the plane of the hat
block lifting rod. These lifting rods move up and down through guide holes
bored through bosses cast on the cross plates a. . at opposite ends thereof.
and are further provided with guide holes or bearings in the stationary shaft d
at the top of the machine up through which they pass. These lifting rods
move simultaneously up and down in the operation of the machine for the
purpose of lifting up the holding plates e, e. their downward motion being
due to gravity. Motion is communicated to the hat block lifting rod a' by
the cam fast to the shaft. h. through the bent vibrating arm y, the link hº,
and the vibrating levers h, h, which latter are coupled together and jointed at
one end to the hat block lifting rod, and at the other end to an adjustable
arm projecting upwards from a rocking frame h, which rocks on a cross
shaft at the rear of the machine near the feet. The cam shaft is driven

page_text: from the driving pulley i which revolves on a stud i projecting from the side
of the frame through the pinion fast to the pulley, a spur wheel and
pinion fast to the rotating shaft i, and a spur wheel i fast to the cam shaft.
The bent arm vibrates on its bearing in the middle of a rocking shaft y
which rocks in bearings secured to the side frames, the vibrating arm y²
being loose on the rock shaft and confined in place by the collars y and y* on
the shaft at each side of the vibrating arm y. turning freely on the rock shaf:
which is made to rock for another purpose, which will presently be explained.
An antifriction roller is placed on the vibrating arm to relieve the friction
of the cam. The cam is so shaped as to lift the hat block rapidly until it
comes in contact with the hat body which has been drawn over the shell and
then more slowly until it arrives at its highest point within the shell, where it
may be permitted to pause before returning (the cam being made concentric
at the point if desired) in order to set the hat body to the block and also set
the band and brim. Motion is communicated to the two lifting rods e, c', which
lift the holding plates by an adjustable cam through the rocking arm y', a
connecting rod j', and vibrating frame, which latter jointed at the sides of
the yoke in front by pins to the adjustable collars . . on the lifting rods c, ¹.
and also jointed at the rear end to the upright rocking pillars . . which are
themselves pivotted to and rock on the projecting ends of the stationary
shaft at each side of the frame near the feet. The rocking arm y' is keyed
fast to the rock shaft y, and rocks with it. The cam is not fast to the
shaft h. but turns with it, being secured to a circular plate or disc ♬ which is
fast to the shaft by an adjustable connection, consisting of a curved slot. 8 in
the cam and screw bolts . . which secure the can to the plate through
the slot, the curved slot permitting the cam to be changed in position for
adjustment of the relative motion of the holding plates and hat block. An
antifriction roller is placed on the rocking army to relieve the friction of
the cam.
The adjustable connection between the connecting rod and vibrating
lever frame shown in Figure 7 is used to raise and lower the lever frame for
the purpose of adjusting it to raise the holding or clamping plates high enough
to stretch the hat body the required distance over the banding shell, but
should the set screw which operates on the hearing of the pin on the
connecting rod for that purpose not be sufficient to adjust the parts so as to
stretch the hat body the required distance, resort may be had to the collars
on the lifting rods, which may be moved to complete the required adjustment.
The shape of the cam i should be such as to lift the holding plates rapidly at
first, then slower, while they are drawing the hat body over the shell, and then
to suffer the holding plates to move down while the hat block is rising within

page_text: the shell at about the same speed as the hat block is moving, or a little
slower, so as to put the hat body on the block under proper tension to make
it set smonthly to the block. By the use of the cams and the relative
motions of the holding plates and hat block can be more accurately adjusted to
each other, and to the exigencies of the operation to be performed on the hat
body than with crank motions as in the machine as formerly made. The
upward motions of the hat block and holding plates must be timed that the
holding plates will have risen to the full extent of their motion, and drawn the
hat body over the banding shell when the hat block begins to enter the shell
and the cam is therefore made adjustable, as before described, by the con-
centric slot and bolts 7. 7. so as to time the rising of the holding plates to
accommodate the different heights of hat blocks.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The parts being properly
adjusted and in position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a hat body that has
been previously pulled out or stretched in the brim and tip by hand or
machinery, as practised by hatters, and moistened by steam or hot water, is
placed on the lower holding or clamping plate with the tip pointing upward,
and the machine heing in motion the lower holding plate rises with the hat
body until the upper holding plate is reached, when they both rise together,
holding the hat body by the brim between them until the tip and crown of the
hat body are turned inside out and stretched over the banding shell and
the band formed by the banding ring. The hat block has by this time
during this time the hat body will
reached the tip of the hat body, and as
have been subjected to the action of steam, as is now commonly the case, the
tip of the hat body will be now somewhat distended downwards from the
middle part of the banding shell by the steam and water of condensation; the
hat block then commences to press upon the tip carrying it up into the shell,
and the holding plates having commenced their downward motion lower the
brim of the hat body as required by the raising of the hat block within the
shell, which thus receives the hat body by turning the crown right side out
around the edges of the shell; when the hat block has attained the highest
elevation and begun to descend the rods c. c. are moving faster than the hat
block, and consequently the holding plates being free to rise on the lifting
rods are detained by resting on the hat block carrier, and move down with it.
the upper plate, stopping when it reaches the lugs, and the lower plate
continuing to move down with the hat and block until (the range of motion of
the hat block being greater than that of the lower holding plate) it overtakes
and rests upon the collars of their lifters, the hat block carrier moving forther
down below. The hat block being held tight by the hat body and merely

page_text: resting on the hat. block carrier (not being held in any manner to the carrier
by the centre pin, which only serves as a centering and steady pin) is taken
off with the body as soon as the brim and block are free from the upper
holding plate, and if not desirable to immediately remove it from the blocked
hat another block is placed upon the hat block carrier and another hat body
on the lower holding plate, and the operation of blocking and shaping
repeated as often as desired without stopping the machine.
Having now described the nature of this part of the Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I
claim is,
First. The employing (in machines for stretching hat bodies) long pressing
fingers acting in combination with a skeleton or ribbed former, as herein
described.
Second. Actuating the lifting mechanism of the skeleton or ribbed former
by a cam in place of a crank as heretofore.
Third. Actuating the lifting mechanism of the hat blocks and holding
plates of machines for blocking hats by cams in place of cranks as heretofore.
The fourth part of this Invention consists in a machine for "pouncing" felt
hats without changing the hat to do the tip or brim, so that by one machine
and one operation the "pouncing" operation may be completed.
This machine consists of a round or oval hat lathe firmly fixed on a frame
and having a slow revolving motion, to this is attached the hat block of
sufficient length for both crown and brim to rest upon. A rapidly revolving
rolier formed of india-rubber or other elastic material covered with glass or
emery paper is automatically carried over the surface of the hat lightly
pressing it in every part commencing at the centre of the tip and "pouncing"
the hat from that point to the edge of the brim.
On Sheet 6 of the Drawing is shown a machine constructed according to
this part of my Invention. Figure 1 is a side view of a machine; Figure 2 is
a front view of the same; Figure 3 is a plan view of pattern or guide of the
pouncing roller Figure 4 is a horizontal section, showing the mode of trans-
mitting the power to the roller; Figure 5 is a plan of the feeding attachment
of the roller. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the Figures.
The object of the Invention is to enable the process of pouncing to which
fur and other felt hats are subjected to be performed in a better and more
expeditious manner than by the machine heretofore used, as by this Invention
the whole operation is performed on one machine and without removing the
hat until finished on both sides. By constructing the pouncing roller of india-

page_text: rubber I am also enabled to produce a much smoother surface than can be
obtained with rollers formed of hard substances and where the cutting surface
is not continuous on account of the manner by which the emery or sand paper
is fastened.
A is the main frame of the machine furnished on one end with the upright
spindle a and having placed on the top an ordinary lathe head of an oval or
round hat lathe b, which hat lathe carries on its end the long hat block c.
The spindle a carries a horizontal shaft. d on which shaft the two frames and
slide loosely. The frame is attached at its upper end by means of the
straps and g to a stationary roller " and is in this manner held up to the
pattern P. The frame carries on its upper end the pouncing roller R on a
spindle fitted into frame j' receiving a quick rotary motion by means of
pulley h, belt. '. pulley . bevel pinion . bevel wheel bevel pinion *.
shaft from the main driving pulley . The spindle of the hat lathe
receives its motion by means of pulley s'. belt. 2, and pulley from the same
shaft
On shaft is keyed a cone pulley K to operate the feeding
apparatus of the machine. A round belt connecting this cone pulley with the
cone pulley K gives motion to the bevel gears K and K and through a
pinion and gear K to the upright shaft. K" on which an excentric cam K is
permanently fixed. This cam K revolving at a very slow speed, say, at 2
revolutions per minute acts upon the roller K which roller is attached to a
guide rod K and through the link K and lever K upon the upright spindle a
causing it, the spindle, with the roller frame, &c., to revolve or turn of a
revolution at every revolution of cam K.
The pouncing roller I construct in the following manner: A piece of
emery or sand paper of the proper size and quality is wrapped' around a
cylindrical mould the exact size of the rubber spring forming the roller, as
shown in Figures 6 and 7 and glued or pasted so as to form a hollow cylinder
or bag. This is slipped over the rubber and the nut 4 being screwed up the
loose flange or washer q' pressing the india-rubber against the collar q will
cause it to expand and in this manner hold the emery or sand paper firmly on
the spindle thus making a continuous cutting surface without any brake for a
key or other device to hold the paper. Under the roller and fast to the
frame is a guiding plate n for the purpose of holding down the brim of the
hat while the guiding plate m or m². as shown in Figures 6 and 7. forces the
brim to lay smooth on the block while the operation of pouncing on the brim
and side crown is performed. The strop o attached to frame has on its end
a screw o with hand wheel o". This screw is for the purpose of holding the
roller R closer or further from the block to allow for the various thicknesses

page_text: No text detected.

page_text: and g' is a compound one it causes the frame to always remain in contact
with the pattern block P. and at the same time causes the frame to slip on
the shaft d, and thus cause the roller R while moving around the edge of the
block to produce another part of its cutting surface to the surface of the hat
to be acted upon, thus insuring an even and equal use of the whole paper,
and at the same time prevent the injury to the hat by any imperfection of the
paper, as each part operates on the hat only momentarily no grooves or rings
could appear in the surface as the parts of the roller are continually shifting.
The shape of the cam K should be such that the pouncing is equal over the
whole surface, a point which can never be gained in a machine where the
roller is carried over the surface of the hat by hand and where the operator
has to use his own discretion about the speed which he should use in going
over a hat. The same can he said in relation to machines where the roller is
held up to the block without any guide or pattern. simply held. and the
pressure regulated by the feeling of the operator. When the paper is sharp
and clean the operator could not feel the pressure against the hat as well as
when the paper has lost some of its sharpness, and the consequence would be
that more of the stock is cut off with sharp paper than otherwise. All these
various difficulties are overcome in my machine by the use of an aniomatic
feed and a stationary pattern corresponding with the shape of the hat block.
What claim in respect to machines for pouncing felt hats is the so con-
structing such machines that the hats may be supported upon a hat block of
sufficient length for both crown and brim to rest upon, whilst they are auto-
matically acted on by a pouncing roller as herein described. by which means
the pouncing operation may be completed at one operation and by one
machine.
Second. Constructing a pouncing roller of india-rubber, or other clastic
material covered with glass or emery, or such like paper as herein described.
The object of the fifth part of this Invention is to sew in the "head or
sweat leather of a felt hat by sewing machine and thus both produce a
neater appearance and a smoother edge to the forehead than is common now.
To attain this the ordinary working table or plate of the machine is cut off
close to where the needle passes through it, and a circular flange is fastened
to the edge at about a right angle. The feeding dog is so arranged as to
operate at an angle of 45° to the needle, an angular plate held down by the
yielding pressure pad holds the hat in a position for the needle and pad to
operate on it, and also serves as a guide for the leather to be served in. To
facilitate the holding of the hat during the operation the machine is fixed at
an angle bringing the needle bar in a nearly horizontal position,

page_text: Figure on Sheet 7 is a back view of a sewing machine constructed
according to this Invention: Figure 2 is a left-hand side view of the same;
Figure 3 is a front view of the mechanism for holding and feeding the hat:
Figure 4 is a plan of the holding mechanism; Figure 5 is a plan of the feed-
ing devices: Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section of the plates for support-
ing and guiding the hat and sweat lining. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding paris in the several Figures.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use this part of the Invention
I will proceed to describe it with reference to the Drawings which represent the
improvements applied to a machine of the kind known as Wilcox and Gibbs.
A is the base, and B is the stationary arm of the machine: is the needle
operating lever: D. the needle bar: n. the needle: E is the rotating shaft which
carries the rotating hook or looper F. the eccentric G which works the needle
operating lever. and the eccentric wrist a which operates the feeding device:
these parts are substantially the same as in the Wilcox and Gibbs machine.
Instead of the ordinary flat cloth plate. I substitute the stationary bottom
supporting plate H which is nearly of rectangular form as shown in Figure 1
The top
in its transverse profile taken at right angles to the feed motion.
part of this plate, upon which the brim of the hat rests during the sewing
operation, is flat and nearly horizontal, being only slightly inclined downwards
from the angle of the plate as shewn in Figures 1 and 3. The side portion h
of the said plate against which the exterior of the side of the crown of the
hat resis is nearly upright, as shewn in Figures and 3. but is curved in a
longitudinal direction as shewn in Figure 4. to conform nearly to the form of
that portion of the hat. The hat is shewn in red color in Figures 1. 3, and 4.
The plate H thus constructed and arranged has the needle nearly perpendicular
with the part h, and nearly parallel with the part h'. as shewn in Figure 3.
The part of the plate has a wide opening (Figure 2) opposite the
needle and rotating hook or looper F to allow the free movement of the loop
in the formation of the stitch. This opening c communicates with the needle
hole (Figure 4) in the top part of the said plate near the angle thereof. I
is the top supporting or guiding plate by which the hat is held upon the top
and against the side of the plate H. This plate is of angular transverse profile
form corresponding with H, and its side part has a similar curvature, but in
an arc of somewhat shorter radius that the opening between '. and i at the
front or entering end may be somewhat wider, as shewn at e in Figure 4, than
it is opposite the needle to facilitate the entrance of the hat between them.
The said plate I has an opening ' in its side and upper parts, as shewn in
Figures 2 and 4. to afford free movement to the loops in forming the stitches,

page_text: end of an obliquely arranged
(Figure 1) to the stationary
The plate is attached rigidly to the lower
arm K. the upper end of which is pivoted at
arm of the machine in such manner that as it rises and falls it moves in an arc
nearly at an angle of 45° with the top part of the bottom plate or parallel
with a line bisecting the transverse angle of the said plate, so that it may press
the hat band or angle between the brim and sides of the crown close against
the angle of the said plate. The necessary pressure upon the plate I is pro-
duced by the ordinary spring presser bar J of the sewing machine which is
attached to it by a sliding mortise and tenon connection j. . as shewn in
Figures and 2. to permit the oblique rising and falling movement on the
pivot g, and to enable the pressure to come directly against the angle of the
band of the hat. K' is a thin plate of metal conforming to the exterior of
the side part of the plate 1. and so attached at the top as shewn at in
Figure 6 to the latter plate near the angle thereof and in front of the opening
as to enable it to spring slightly toward and from the part i. In the normal
condition of the said plate K' it stands off sufficiently from the part of the
plate to permit the free entrance between the two of the sweat lining of the
hat, which is shewn in blue color in Figures 1 and 4, but the elastic attachment
of its upper part to the plate I permits the lower part of the said plate K¹ to be
pressed against the sweat lining and press the latter against the plate I by the
action of a spring 1. upon the upper end of a bent lever M. which is pivoted
at V to an arm m attached to the plate 1. When it is desired to relieve the
plate K of the pressure of the lever M, another lever N pivoted to the arm 1
at is raised up by hand to bring a stud p in one side of it over the bend of
the lever M. The said stnd then pressing on the upper part of the lever M
holds away the lower part from the plate K'. The feeding device arranged in the
angle of the plate H and working in a hole in the top part of the said plate.
consists of a serrated dog P. and is rigidly attached to a lever which is
arranged to both oscillate and slide longitudinally upon the fixed fulcrum pin q
secured in the base A. The eccentric wrist pin a working in a hole or bearing
in the said lever and aided by the action of a spring (Figure 5) produces on
the said lever an upward and downward vibrating movement, and a longitudinal
movement by which the attached dog P receives the upward and downward
and longitudinal movements common to what is known as the "four-motion
feed," but a lateral movement is also given to the dog by arranging a stationary
inverted inclined plane S (Figures 2. 3. and 5) between the lever q and the
base A, and attaching to the said lever a spring which holds the said lever in
contact with the said inclined plane. As the lever is raised by the eccentric
wrist pin a it is moved laterally toward the portion h of the plate H by sliding

page_text: up the inclined plane. and as it is depressed it is drawn away from the said
portion of the plate by means of the spring f. This lateral movement of the
lever and its upward and downward movement together produce an oblique
movement of the dog toward and from the needle and the angle of the plates
H, I, and of the band of the hat.
The operation of the machine is as follows: The plate is raised from the
plate H by raising the presser har in the usual manner, and the hat is intro-
duced between the plates H and I with the brim between the flat parts of the
said plates, and the sides of the crown between the curved portions . P. and
the plate is then brought down to clamp the hat against the plate H. This
condition of things is represented in Figures 1. 3. and 4. the hat being
represented in red color in section in Figures and 3. and a portion of it
being shewn in red outline in Figure 4. The plate K' being relieved of the
pressure of the springs and lever M. the strip of leather or other material
to form the sweat lining represented in blue color in section in Figure 1. and in
blue outline in Figure 4. is then introduced between the plates K and 1, with the
upper edge against the bend of the plate K. as shewn in Figure 6, the end
of the said strip being passed far enough beyond the said plate to extend across
the openings and of the two plates and H. and between the plate 1 and
the hat, and to a position opposite to the feeding dog. The spring
lever M are then allowed to come into operation on the latter plate to make
it hold the lining between it and the plate I. The machine is then set in
operation, and the upper edge of the lining being bent over the angle of the
band of the hat, as shewn in Figures I and 6. is sewed to the brim close to
the said angle where the needle » passes through the brim of the hat nearly
perpendicularly thereto, as shewn in Figures 3 and 6. In this operation the
bend of the plate K' against which the upper edge of the sweat lining runs,
serves as a gauge to prevent the said edge from running too far over the angle
of the band of the hat and on to the brim.
and
I have described the Invention as applied to the Wilcox and Gibbs sewing
machine, merely because that machine serves as well as any other for its
illustration, but it may be understood by persons skilled in sewing machines
that the Invention may be just as well adapted to shuttle machines or to
machines with any other contrivance for producing the interlacing of the
threads by which the stitches are formed.
The machine may be arranged in such manner that the curved portions of
the plates and I may be presenied upward and the flat portions thereof in
upright positions. This arrangement of the machine is all things considered
the best as it provides a better support for the hat.

page_text: What I claim as regards this part of the Invention is, the general combi-
nation or arrangement of machinery herein described for sewing the head or
sweat leather into felt hats.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wilson, hath hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
WILLIAM WILSON. (L.S.)