Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 31st May, 1887.
I, JOHN HENRY NEAVE of Rainow near Macclesfield 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 :-
Felt or wool hats upon the surface of which it is desired to produce a bright polish
or lustre are usually treated in manner following:-
"
Having already had a level surface produced upon it by the oporation known as
pouncing" or by shaving, cutting or other known methods, the hat fitted upon a
block is damped with water and a hot iron is passed over and over the surface, until
it becomes dry, this operation is performed once or more according to the quality of
the hat and the amount of lustre or brightness required. To facilitate the operation,
the block upon which the hat is fitted is sometimes placed upon a revolving lathe
and the hot iron brought into contact with the hat whilst it is thus in motion. This
process of ironing is frequently succeeded or alternated by that of "velouring," a pad
or piece of velvet felt or other similar material being in like manner pressed against
the surface of the hat. This operation of "velouring" by the hand of the workman
is usually applied in the finishing of felt and wool hats even when the ironing
operation is dispensed with.
The brightness of the hat is materially increased when instead of being pounced
bare, or approximately bare of nap, or subsequently to the pouncing a longer or
shorter nap has been produced upon the surface of the hat, by combing, carding,
or other operation, or especially by the means for producing a polished nap described
in the specification of my former patent No. 2051 of 1881. In general the greater
the nap the higher the polish that may be obtained.
:
By my new method I am able to obtain upon hats which have been pounced bare of
nap (or approximately so) a polish equal (or nearly equal) to that previously obtained
upon hats with a nap, and much greater than that produced upon hats without nap at
the present time. This is accomplished by means of a rapidly revolving velour
the smooth surface of which causes greater and more even friction to be applied to all
parts of the surface of the hat thereby producing the greater degree of snoothness
and lustre required. The result will especially be good upon hats that have been
D
07

page_text: pounced upon a machine adapted to pounce hats that have been already blocked and
shaped. Hats pounced previously to blocking and shaping, or those pounced by hand
work after shaping do not present so good a surface for polishing by the revolving
velour as hats which have a smooth surface prepared by pouncing after shaping by a
machine adapted to the purpose.
Whilst however a very high polish may be thus obtained, this polish I find speedily
passes off unless means are taken to preserve it. This I accomplish by damping the
surface of the hat and immediately afterwards placing it in a hydraulic or other hat
press; the "dish" in which the hat is placed being previously heated and the pressure
being quickly brought upon the hat. The damp surface of the hat is thus brought
forcibly into contact with the heated dish and the steam or vapour thus generated
under pressure sets the polish, and renders it much more lasting.
Care must be taken in damping the hat to do it with some approach to uniformity
and not to wet the hat excessively or danger will be incurred of destroying the polish.
The polish will also be destroyed if too long a time is allowed to olapse after damping
the hat before subjecting it to the hot pressure. When the hats cannot be pressed
immediately after dan ping it will be preferable to coat the hat with some substance
such as paraffin which will not melt until heated in the press.
It will be obvious that the damping is not used as in the old process of damping
and ironing or velouring to assist in producing the polish, but after the polish has
been obtained to produce a steam or vapour under pressure, that will render
the polish much more durable. If the polished hat not under pressure were subjected
to a jet of steam, the polish would be destroyed.
The revolving velour may also be used to increase the polish upon hats with
a nap.
Other machines for velouring hats by a revolving velour have been invented, but
they have been adapted to the velouring of the hats whilst upon the block, and none
of them so simple in construction, and effectual as the one herein described, where
the hat off the block is passed over a yielding cushion or pad which adjusts itself
to the inequalities in the felt, and thus presents an even surface to the action of the
velour.
In carrying out my invention the mechanism can be varied widely in detail,
but a simple and convenient form for such mechanism is shewn in the annexed
drawing.
A is a shaft revolving at about 1000 to 2000 revolutions per minute, and supported
on one or more pedestals B. D, D, are fast and loose pulleys for driving the shaft A.
The velour is attached to one end of the shaft A, extending beyond the supporting
pedestal and may consist of a drum C keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft and
covered with velvet, mole-skin, cloth, or other suitable material in one or more
thicknesses, according as it is required to make the velour harder or softer or in some
cases the velour may be built up entirely of cloth, felt, or other textile or flexible
material, or in some cases a hard material such as polished wood, glass, or metal, may
be employed. If found necessary velours of different material may be employed
alternately to obtain the desired result. This may be done by making them
interchangeable on one machine, or by having a series of machines. A movable
rest E is placed in front of or below the velour, or in other convenient position to
receive the hat. The rest is raised and lowered by means of a lever H or other
device preferably worked by a treadle. The degree of pressure with which the hat
is brought against the velour is regulated by the foot of the operator. The movable
rest may be of any suitable construction to receive the hat, and hold it whilst being
operated upon. It is covered with a pad of yielding material, such as solid
indiarubber, or indiarubber inflated with air water or other fluid, or it may be formed
of flexible hollow tubing. If desired it may be constructed with springs, so as to
produce a yielding surface. Such a pad will adjust itself to any inequalities in
the felt and will cause a level surface to be presented to the action of the velour.
The hat will be drawn round upon the rest by the friction of the velour upon it. It
0

page_text: will be guided and controlled by the hand of the operator, being passed round and
round until the whole surface is operated upon.
After the hat has been brought to the required degree of smoothness and lustre by
the rapidly revolving velour, it is damped with water, spirit, naphtha, or similar
liquid and subjected whilst damp to a heavy pressure between heated plates or rollers.
I prefer to use a hydraulic press, and heat the plates or dishes by means of steam
to the required temperature. The pressure can be varied within considerable
limits, but I have found 200 to 400 lbs. per square inch of surface a useful average
pressure for most purposes.
Although at present I much prefer to damp the hat, and apply heat through the
medium of the pressing apparatus, the hat or the damping medium may be heated
before being placed in the press; or a result almost similar may be obtained by
allowing the hat to gather damp to a suitable degree, and applying heat to the inside
of the hat, whilst the outside is brought into contact under pressure with a cold
surface of metal, or other suitable material.
Instead of damping the hats, they may be coated with paraffin, wax or other
suitable substance which will melt under the application of heat.
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 inode of, and machine for velouring hats after they have been taken off
the block, in which a hat is pressed against a rapidly revolving velour while the
rotation of the hat is slowly regulated by hand, substantially as described.
2. In combination with a velouring machine a yielding pad, substantially as
herein described for pressing the surface of the hat equally against the velour.
3. The improvement in the process of manufacturing hats which consists in first
blocking and shaping, then pouncing in a pouncing machine, and afterwards velouring
by means of a rapidly revolving velour.
4. Fixing the polish upon hats finished as above described by damping or coating
with material such as described and subjecting the hat to heavy pressure at a
temperature sufficient to vapourise the damping or other material employed.
Dated this 25th love of Marah 1007
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.