Year: 1887

page_text: I, JOHN ROBINSON KELSEY of No. 1 Worship Street, Finsbury, in the County of
Middlesex, Hatter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to hat-shaping machines, and chiefly to machines of the class
described in the specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated
July 7, A.D. 1881 No. 2991.
In the machine described in the said former specification the hat brims are
shaped upon blocks in conjunction with pressers or formers and side curlers, the
said pressers forcing the felt into the cavities of the block and the side curlers
drawing the lateral edges of the said brim over the top of the pressers. The said
pressers, however, do not exactly correspond in shape with the mould portion of the
block but only touch it on the innermost edge, the strain exerted upon the brim
of the hat by the side curlers being depended upon to draw the said brim into
close contact with the forming surfaces of the pressers.
Owing to this want of uniformity between the block and the pressers more or
less unsightly marks or irregularities are formed upon the hat briins, which marks
impair the quality of the hat.
Also in making hats of different sizes it is customary to have a separate block
for every size of hat, so that it is necessary to provide say ten different blocks in
order to manufacture hats of the ordinary sizes. These blocks in addition to being
very expensive were also a source of considerable trouble, owing to the fact that
they have to be changed whenever hats of different sizes are to be made.
The objects of my invention are to provide means whereby hat brims are perfectly
shaped so that no marks or irregularities are visible thereon, and to reduce, as far
as possible, the number of blocks required for shaping hats of different sizes. To
these ends my said invention comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
According to my said invention the portion of the block which is adapted to
receive the hat brim is shaped to correspond exactly with the pressers, and is made
removable, so that when hats of varying size are to be shaped it is not necessary
to remove. the entire block but only the mould portion proper, and to substitute
therefore a mould portion of the required shape.

page_text: These interchangeable mould portions can be made of sheet metal which is easily
worked, so that the expense of production is reduced to a minimum.
In using these thin mould portions, however, it is necessary to support them
properly at all points during the operation of the pressers, in order to prevent them
from being bent or otherwise damaged. For this purpose the recess in the block
into which the said mould portions are intended to be introduced can be made
somewhat larger than the latter, and a sheet of India-rubber or other suitable flexible
material can be stretched tightly over the said block before the mould portions are
introduced. The India-rubber thus forms an elastic bed which supports the mould
portion during the pressing. The said elastic-bed also serves to hold the mould
portion in intimate contact with the underside of the hat brim.
If desired I can use spiral springs or any other suitable means for holding the
mould portion in intimate contact with the hat-brim.
My invention is also of great service in cases where it is required to move the
hat from the machine together with the mould as, instead of moving the entiro
block it is only necessary to remove the mould portion of the same so that the hat
can be manipulated more easily than heretofore.
Although I have described my improvements as applied to the machine described
in the said former specification, it is to be understood that they may be applied to
other hat shaping machines.
Dated this 8th day of February 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Shaping Machines for Use in the Manufacture
of Hats.
I, JOHN ROBINSON KELSEY, of No. 1. Worship Street, Finsbury, in the County of
Middlesex, Hatter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to machines for shaping the brims of hats and chiefly designed
to improve the construction and increase the efficiency of the kind or class described
in the specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated July 7th
A.D. 1881 No. 2991.
In the machine described in the said former specification the hat-brims are shaped
upon blocks, moulds or dishes in conjunction with pressers or side-formers and side-
curlers the said pressers or side-formers forcing the felt into the cavities of the dish
and the side-curlers drawing the lateral edges of the said brim over the top of the said
pressers or side-formers. The said pressers or side-formers, however, do not exactly
correspond in shape with the mould portion of the dish, but only touch its innermost
edge, the strain exerted upon the brim of the hat by the side-curlers being depended
upon to draw the said brim into close contact with the forming surfaces of the pressers
or side-formers. Owing to this want of conformity between the dish and the pressers
or side formers more or less unsightly marks or irregularities were formed upon
the
hat brims, which marks, impared the shape of the hat.
Moreover in making hats of different sizes it is customary to have a separate
dish for every size of hat so that it is necessary to provide say ten different dishes in
order to shape hats of the ordinary sizes. These dishes in addition to being very
expensive were also a source of considerable trouble owing to the fact that they have
to be changed whenever hats of different sizes are to be shaped.
The main object of my said invention is to diminish the expenditure of labour and
time necessary in changing the parts of the machine to adapt it for shaping hats of
different sizes. For this purpose I employ interchangeable plates or moulds and
pressers or side formers as hereinafter described.
Another object of my said invention is to provide means whereby hat-brims may be
perfectly shaped so that no marks or irregularities are visible thereon.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,
Figure 1 is a vertical central section through the table portion of my improved hat
shaping machine.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the upper part of the same.
a is the main portion or body of the dish in which the hat-brim is to be formed.
b is a plate mould which is adapted to receive the hat-brim and which is shaped to
correspond exactly with the pressers or side formers d, d, figure 2. and is made
removable, so that, when hats of varying size are to be shaped, it is not necessary to
remove the entire dish but only the plate mould and to substitute therefor a plate
mould of different shape and size.
These interchangeable plate moulds b are made of sheet metal or of other suitable
material.
In using these plate moulds it is necessary to support them properly at all points
during the operations of the pressers or side formners in order to prevent their being
bent or otherwise damaged. For this purpose the recess in the dish a into which the

page_text: '
said plate mould is intended to be depressed can be made somewhat larger than the
latter and a sheet of india-rubber c or other suitable material is stretched tightly over
tho said dish a before the plate mould is placed thereon. The india-rubber sheet c
thus forms an elastic bed which supports the plate mould during the pressing
operation, and serves to hold the said plate mould in intimate contact with the under-
side of the hat brim. It serves moreover for plate moulds of different shape and
size without the necessity for changing the dish a.
l
The dish a is fitted with a spiral spring or other suitable arrangement in order to
impart a certain amount of elasticity to the said dish and is also provided with a
circular part or portion m adapted to slide upon a sleeve or socket n actuated by
means of a screw o or any other suitable arrangement for the purpose of raising or
lowering the dish a according to the thickness of the material that is being employed.
I can if desired use spiral or other springs or any other suitable means for forming
an elastic bed for holding or supporting the plate mould while the hat-brim is being
shaped or moulded therein.
The pressers or side formers d, Figure 2 are provided with arms e connected
therewith in any suitable manner and having collars and screw threaded studs passing
through sockets g upon the rods h and fastened by nuts i. This method of connecting
the pressers or side formers d. to the rods admits by varying the position of the
arins e upon the said pressers or side formers & relatively to the size of the latter and
the curvilinear motion of the rods h, carrying the said pressers or side formers d, of
dispensing with the necessity for changing the position of the upper portion or heads j
of the said rods h upon the cross piece k whenever different sized pressers or side
formers are being employed.
My invention is also of great service in cases where it is required to move the
hat from the machine together with the mould, as, instead of moving the entire
dish a it is only necessary to remove the plate mould b, so that the hat can be
manipulated more easily than heretofore.
Although I have herein described my improvements as applied to the machine
described in the said former specification, it is to be understood that they can be
applied to other machines for shaping hat-brims.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
claim is;
First. The employment of interchangeable plate-moulds in combination with the
main portion or body of the dish and an elastic bed or cushion, substantially as,
and for the purposes, set forth.
+
Second. In a machine for the purpose above specified, wherein provision is made
for the use of interchangeable plate-moulds in combination with the body of the
dish and an clastic bed, the employment of interchangeable pressers or side-formers
constructed substantially as herein before described so that the machine may be
adapted for different sizes of hats without the necessity for adjusting the rods
carrying the said pressers or side-formers, as above specified.
Third. A machine for shaping the brims of bats and having embodied therein my
improvements substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing
for the purpose above specified.