Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Ventilated Felt Hats, Helmets, and other Coverings for the Head.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Ventilated
Felt Hats, Helmets, and other Coverings for the Head.
I ROBERT ROBINSON of the firm of James Robinson and Sons of Stockport Road
Romiley in the County of Chester, Hat Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object an improvement in the manufacture of felt hats
helmets and other coverings for the head whereby the same are more perfectly
ventilated than has hitherto been practicable and consists in forming the necessary
ventilating channels directly in the body or crown of the hat or other head covering
itself and in the form of corrugations and which is most conveniently performed whilst
the bat is being blocked under hydraulic pressure.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a drawing of a felt hat having
my improvements applied. Fig. 1. is a front view of a felt hat embracing my
improvements and shewing a part of the riband removed to shew the corrugations
beneath and Fig. 2. is an inverted plan view of the same bat the section being taken
on line a-b in Fig. 1. Fig. 3. is a sectional view of one side of Fig. 1.
In all the views a is the body and b the brim of the felt hat which is of the usua
blocked construction. ccc are the corrugations constituting the feature in my
invention being formed as illustrated in the felt body of the hat itself and when the
form was in the mould and the same was being subjected to the hydraulic action of
the press bag-the exact form of the corrugations being thus imparted to the hat
body.
A convenient mode of doing this is to employ a brass or other suitable metal ring d
as illustrated in plan view Fig. 4 and side view Fig. 5. The inner edge of this
ring d is of the exact diameter or size required and is corrugated as illustrated to
correspond with the corrugations c c c to be imparted to the hat being blocked. The
ring is placed in the press in a recess formed therein to receive it. This ring d is
divided into two or more pieces as illustrated so as to be removable (from its recess in
the mould) along with the hat and then by coming apart may be readily disengaged
from the corrugations.
It will be observed that the corrugations or grooves c c c are formed to project
inwards thus not increasing the outside diameter of the hat and so they are no
disfigurement to the hat itself being invisible from the outside being made flush with
the crown and covered with the usual riband or band e. On the inside the said
corrugations project inwards so as to occupy the space hitherto either left vacant or
taken up by the packing placed between the hat body and the leather f
In this manner I forni intermediate corrugated channels g g g which are open to
the atmosphere completely or partially around the bottom of the hat where the hat
leather adjoins the brim 6 for the admission of the ventilating currents.
The improvements are equally applicable to felt helmets or other head coverings
formed of felt.
Although illustrated as completely surrounding the hat it will be apparent that the
ventilating channels may in accordance with this invention be only formed say across
the forehead or in any other desired part of the circumference.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what the manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact size, depth or form of corrugations

page_text: or ventilating channels hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing as the same may be considerably varied without departing from my invention
and I hereby declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The improved manufacture of felt hat, helmet or other head covering by forming
corrugations or ventilating channels directly in the felt hat body itself substantially as
herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
2nd. In the manufacture of felt hats, helmets and other head coverings the
employment of a corrugated metal ring in two or more parts for forming corresponding
corrugations in the hat during the blocking of the same substantially as herein before
described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 31st day of December 1889.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Patent Office, 55, Market Street, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.