A MACHINE FOR THE MORE SPEEDY FELTING AND MAKING OF HATS
Year: 1792

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, JAMES DANIEL,
of Stockport, in the County of Chester, Hat Manufacturer, sends greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Third, by Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster
on the Twenty-fifth day of April now last past, after reciting therein that the
said James Daniel had, by his Petition, humbly represented to His said
Majesty that he, after much trouble, labour, and expence, had found out and
invented "A MACHINE FOR THE MORE SPEEDY FELTING AND MAKING OF HATS;"
that he was the first and true Inventor thereof, and that the same had never
been made or used by any other person or persons to the best of his
knowledge and belief, and thereby praying that His said Majesty would be
graciously pleased to grant unto him, his executors, administrators, and
assigns, His said Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of
Great Britain, for the sole use, benefit, and advantage of the said Invention
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, for the term
of fourteen years, according to the Statute in that case made and provided;
and that His said Majesty, being willing to give encouragement to all arts and
inventions which might be for the public good, did, of His said Majesty's
especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, for Himself, His heirs
and successors, give and grant unto the said James Daniel, his executors,
administrators, and assigns, His said Majesty's especial licence, full power,
sole priviledge and authority, that he, the said James Daniel, his executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by himself and themselves, or
by his and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as he,
the said James Daniel, his executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend his said Invention within that part of His said
Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain called England, His Dominion of Wales,
and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to him, the said James
Daniel, his executors, administrators, and assigns, or any of them, should
in his or their discretion seem meet, and that he, the said James Daniel, his
executors, administrators, and assigns, should and lawfully might have and
enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage, from time to time
coming, growing, accruing, and arising by reason of the said Invention, for
and during the term of years therein mentioned, to have, hold, exercise, and
enjoy the said licence, powers, privileges, and advantages therein-before
granted unto the said James Daniel, his executors, administrators, and
assigns, for and during and unto the full end and term of fourteen years from
the date of the said Letters Patent next and immediately ensuing, and fully
to be compleat and ended, according to the Statute in such case made and
provided, and to the end that he, the said James Daniel, his exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, and every of them, should have and enjoy the
full benefit, and the sole use and exercise of the said Invention. Provided
(amongst other things) that if the said James Daniel, should not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of his said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under his hand and
seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within one calendar month next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties
and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine,
and become void, anything in the same Letters Patent contained to the
contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding, as in and by the said in part
recited Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, will appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that he, the said James Daniel, in pursuance of the grant
of the said Letters Patent, and of the aforesaid proviso therein contained, doth
by this Instrument in writing, under the hand and seal of him, the said James
Daniel, particularly describe and ascertain the nature of his said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in manner following, that is to say:
First, by reference to the Plan of his said machine hereunto annexed, the
several parts of which are marked No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7, and to the

page_text: descriptions of the same in part, as they are mentioned and set down on the
said Plan, with references to the different numbers which the same purport to
explain.
Secondly, by a further description and explanation of the nature and use of
the said Invention as follows, viz*:-
As to No. 1, which is for first Forming the Hat.-The parts marked a is
the frame for the carding and bowing the wool, &c, six feet long, three feet
high, and three feet wide, made of wood, but the particular size or strength of
this frame is of no consequence. The parts marked ā is a frame fixed to the
end of the frame a, in which is fixed the forming cone p, and likewise the crank
which works the bows. The frame a is made of wood; the rails of the two
frames are six inches by three inches thick; but the strength is of no con-
sequence if it be sufficient to hold the cylinder, cone, &c. 6, 6, is a feeder upon
which the wool, hair, or any article of which hats may be made, is laid, after
having been first weighed. The particular quantity of wool, hair, &c. cannot be
accurately ascertained, as it will vary according to the size or strength of the
hat, but for a common size man's hat, eight ounces of wool, hair, &c. may be
necessary. c, c, a carding cylinder which receives the contents of the feeder b, b.
d, d, is a card fixed over the cylinder c, c, and which is to keep the wool, hair,
&c. even upon the cylinder c, c, as it is taken from the feeder. e is a carding
roller or cylinder, which takes the contents of the cylinder c, c. The parts
marked f is a crank which is worked up and down by turning the pully g,
with comb teeth fixed at f, F, f, which takes off the contents of the roller or
cylinder e. G, g, two pullies to work the crank. h, a roller fixed under the
cylinder or roller e, which is to convey the wool, hair, &c. to the feeders j, j,
as it falls from the cylinder or roller e. j, j, j, j, two feeders to convey the
wool, hair, &c. to the rollers 1, 1, 1, 1.
N.B. All the particulars above mentioned are part of an old Invention
upon the plan of a carding machine, and the only use they are of in this In-
vention is to make the wool, hair, &c., fine and light when it comes to the bows
k, k, k, k. k, k, k, k, two bows strung with sheep's gut (the one upon the plan of
hatters' old bows), which are used for the purpose of throwing the wool, hair,
&c. upon the forming cone p, as it comes from the feeders j, j, j, j. I, I, I, I,
four rollers fixed across the frame, which move each other by cog wheels. The
rollers are of wood; the wheels may be either brass or wood; the only use of
the rollers being to move the feeders j, j, which bring the wool, hair, &c. to the
bows, and to prevent the strings of the bows from flirting the wool, hair, &c.
back as the bows are throwing it upon the cone p. m, m, are two arms fixed
to the crank n, which are used to flirt the bow strings. These arms are made

page_text: of wood, each about one foot long. n, n, n, n, n, is the crank which works the
two arms, and are to be made of either wood or iron, and to be fixed and
worked as appears by the Plan. o is a handle, which works the crank by turn-
ing round. This crank may be worked by water with a pully instead of a
handle, and turned the same as any other machine by water. p is the forming
cone, made of either wood or metal, two feet long by two feet at the width or
broadest part. The size of this cone will vary as the size of hats vary. There
is a wet cloth drawn upon this cone, made the size and shape of the cone,
which keeps the wool, hair, &c. upon the cone as it receives it from the bows
k, k; and when the forming cone has received all the quantity of wool, hair,
&c. necessary for one hat, the cloth with the hat is taken to the hardening cone,
No. 3. There is a little wire stick in the end of the cone p which is to reduce
the end of the cone so small as that there can be no hole through, and to
answer the same purpose to the hat. q is a rolling cone made upon the same
plan as the forming cone p, only smaller; it has an iron pin in each end, and
runs in the frame ā, and is placed by the side of and turned by the forming
cone, in order to roll the wool, hair, &c. upon the forming cone as it falls from
the bows. r, r, a piece of tin or pasteboard fixed upon the top of the frame ā,
which is to return to the forming cone any wool, hair, &c. which may fly from
the bows. S is a pully, which by the assistance of another pully 5, turns
round the forming cone has it receives the wool, hair, &c. from the bows;
t a pully. There is likewise another pully at the end of cylinder c, c, which
cannot be seen, and which turns the pully t. This last pully, by a cord to the
roller or cylinder e and roller h, turns them; it likewise turns the pully S.
There is likewise a cord from the lowest roller to the roller or cylinder e,
which first turns the lowest roller l.
As to No. 2, which is also for first Forming the Hat.-The parts marked a is
the frame of the carding part of the machine, six feet long, three feet high,
and three feet wide. a* is an upright from the floor for a stay to the end of
the frame, which the pully end of the crank is fastened upon. ā, ā, ā, is the
frame which the forming cone is fixed in. Both these frames are made of wood;
the rails six inches by three thick; but particular size or strength of the frames
is of no consequence. b, b, is a feeder fixed upon the frame to convey the
wool, hair, &c. to the cylinder c, c. The exact quantity of wool, hair, &c.
cannot be specified, as sizes and strength of hats may vary, but say eight
ounces of wool, hair, &c. for one hat. c, c, is a cylinder which takes the con-
tents of the feeder b, b. d, d, and e are two card rollers to keep the wool, hair,
&c. even upon the cylinder c, c, when it rises from the feeder b, b. These
particulars are an old Invention upon the plan of a carding machine, and

page_text: in this Invention only serve to make the wool, hair, &c. even upon the
cone ff ff, a carding cone covered with fillits, cards which takes the con-
tents of cylinder c, c. This cone is made of wood two feet long by two feet
at the widest end; the smaller end is reduced to two inches. There is an iron
axletree through the middle which runs through the frame a. g is a pully
fixed to the end of the carding cone f, f, which is used to turn the carding
cone f, f, by a cord to pully W. h, h, h, is a crank with comb teeth at h*,
which is to convey the wool, hair, &c. from the carding cone f, f, to the form-
ing cone k, k. This crank is an old Invention, and works upon the same prin-
ciple as a crank in a cotton carding machine. i is a pully fixed upon the end
of the crank; two smaller pullies are also joined next to the crank. These
pullies are used differently, as they are of different sizes, and one will make
the crank go quicker than the other. The crank is worked by a cord from
pullies to a pully at the end of pully W. k, k, is the forming cone made the
same size and shape as the carding cone f, f. There is an iron axletree
fastned in the middle of the wide end of the forming cone which runs in the
frame ā, and which is used to bear up the cone k, k. There is a cloth for the
hat to be taken on and off by, and the roller is the same and to act in the same
manner as the roller q in No. 1. m is a pully used to turn the forming cone
k, k, by a cord to pully u. na binding pully used to prevent the cord from
pully m to pully u from touching the frame ā. o, a pully which, when turned
by a strap from the carding cylinder c, c, turns an iron axletree fixed in the
middle of pully o, and runs in and across the frame under the center of the
cylinder c, c, which axletree turns the pullies u and w, and also a pully at the
back of pully w. p and q are two binding pullies in order to prevent the
cord from pully i to a pully at the end of pully w from touching the frame a.
r, a handle used to turn the cylinder c, c. If this machine goes by water there
must be a pully instead of a handle, and which must be worked upon the
same plan as other carding machines. t, t, is an iron plate fastened to the
frame, and in which the end of the roller runs; while the cloth and hat are
taking off the cone k, k, the roller is heaved sideway from it. No particular:
mention is here made of the size of the pullies, as the sizes will vary as the
hats are to be made quicker or slower.
:
As to No. 3, for Hardening the Hat.-a, a brick frame three feet square.
b a cone made of cast iron, open at the bottom. This cone is made hot by a
fire in the brick frame a, and is intended to heat the hat, as when it is taken
from the forming cone, No. 1 or No. 2, it is of a very soft substance, but by
being rolled upon the cone 6 by roller c, and being watered with what water
proceeds from the wet cloth, which is brought with the hat from the forming:
b

page_text: cone, No. 1 or No. 2, it gets into such a state as to be fit for the planking
or milling operation with that part of the Invention marked in the Plan No. 4.
The size of the cone in No. 3 must be in proportion to the forming cones in
No. 1 and No. 2. c, the roller which runs round the cone 6, is made of heavy
wood, or may be made of metal, so that it be heavy enough to harden the hat
sufficiently. This roller is taken sideway while the hat is put on and taken off
the cone b. d, an iron plate in a conical form. There are four of these plates
placed round the hat upon the cone b, which are to prevent the roller c from
rubbing the hat while hardening. e, e, are two ring joints made of iron, fixed
over the center of the cone 6, which are made to give way while the roller c is
taken sideway, and the end of the roller c runs in the lowers joint. f is a pully
or handle to turn the roller c. 9, 9, 9, is an iron frame fixed to the top of the
room, and over the center of the hardening cone b. The particular size or
strength of this frame is of no consequence, as it only serves to support the
roller c. h, h, are two joists to which the frame g, g, g, is fastened.
As to No. 4, for Planking or Milling the Hat.-The parts marked a is the
frame fixed upon the plank f, f, f, No. 5. This frame may be made either of
wood or iron, and its strength and size is not of consequence, so that it be
sufficiently strong and large to bear the cones and the operation of them.
b is the outside milling or planking cone, with an iron axletree fastened to
the end of it, which runs in the frame a, through the pully c, into which
cone two others are put, one covered with leather, the other lined with a
cloth, and between which the hat is placed. The cone lined with cloth
is full of small holes, through which the water from the bason j, No. 5,
is conveyed to the hat or hats, as the water which mills the hat or hats
runs in at the top of the cones, between the outside cone and the middle
cone, full of holes, by a cock at the end of a pipe from the bason j, No. 5.
These cones will mill or plank one hat only if the hat be very strong; if
light hats, two or three will mill better than one only. These three cones are
made of street or rolled iron, or other metal, and the sizes of the three are
in proportion to the former cone, No. 1 or No. 2. c is a pully, which turns
round the three cones by a cord or chain to pully e. d, a star nutt fixed upon
the middle of an iron axletree, which runs in the frame a, and which is to jolt
the three cones as they turn round. e is a small pully fixed to the end of
the axletree, which by a cord or chain to pully e turns round the axletree,
which turns the star nutt. The size of the pully c, the star nutt d, and the
pully e, are in proportion to the Plan; but if the hat or hats do not mill
quick enough, the star nutt d is to be made larger, and it will then jolt with
greater force. f is a handle to turn the axletree. 9, g, two binding pullies, to

page_text: prevent the cord or chain from pully c to pully e from touching the
frame a.
As to No. 5, for Ruffing the Hats.-The parts marked a is a wood frame
to support the crank, and the two pullies which work the crank; the
size in hight must be in proportion to the pan. B, b, two pullies which work
the crank by a cord, strap, or chain. c, c, c, c, is the crank, and when the
pully 6 turns round it lifts the holder d and hat e up and down. This crank
is made all of iron, in the form as the Plan. The size and strength are of
no consequence if it be sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the hats. d, a
holder made of iron, with a mouth to hold the hats. e, the lower part of the
end, is made fast to the bottom of the crank; the top part is free to slide up
and down in order that the hats may be taken in and let out of the mouth, as
there is a small pin fast in the top part which gives way by a joint when the
hats are put in or taken out. The pin is slided by a finger from the lower.
part, then by the hand the top part is brought down, which opens the mouth.
e is the hat, or one, two, or three hats, which, after the beaver, &c. is laid upon
them by hand, is placed in the holder d, and being worked up and down by the
crank c, c, c, c, and watered from the bason j, through the pipe k, the beaver,
&c. is shaken fast to the hats. ff. f, is the plank which the hats are ruffed,
planked, or milled upon, with a trough at the bottom to convey the water
which falls from the hats in milling or planking and ruffing into the pan g.
This plank is wood; the size must be in proportion to the pan, as, if the pan
be long, more of the milling or planking and ruffing frames may be placed
round it. is the pan to heat the water. h, h, is a pump, with a bason at the
top made of copper, fixed in the center of the pan g, which is to pump hot
water into the bason j. jis the bason. k, k, are pipes which convey the
water from the bason upon the hats. is the pump spear. m, m, a crank
which works the pump. The size of these must be in proportion to the
pan g. The bason may be either small or large, as, if small, the pump must
go quicker. n is a pully, which works the crank m, m, by turning round.
0, 0, are two joists of the floor, to which the two uprights from the crank m, m,
are made fast. p, p, the roof of the room. q, a handle to turn the pully B.
These works may be made to go by water.
As to No. 6, for Stiffening the Hat. The parts marked a, the frame made
of wood; particular size or strength is not of consequence.
It is square, with
four upright posts, two of which only appear in the Plan. b, b, is the case or
frame for the hat, fixed in the center of the frame a, which is to hold the hat
while stiffening. The size of this case must be in proportion to the size or
fashion of hats. c, a pully which the case or frame b, b, is turned round by;

page_text: it is turned by a cord or strap. d is a brush with a hole at the top which is to
let the glue into the brush, and through the bristles of the brush the glue is
conveyed to the hat; while the hat is put in and taken out, the brush is slided
up the frame.
As to No. 7, for Finishing the Hat.-The parts marked a is the frame, made
upon the same plan as the frame No. 6. b, b, is the block, to which the hats
are made fast upon. e is the pully which turns the block and hat; this pully
is turned by a cord or strap. d is a cord one-fourth part of the finishing case.
e, e, are two fourth parts; one iron, the other is a piece of wood in the form of
part f, which is lined with hair, shagg, or velvet. fis one-fourth part, which
is a brush. All these parts are joined together, and fixed steady in a frame
over the center of the block and hat b, b. The iron is made hot, and the
brush is wet before they are joined together. The size of these four parts is in
proportion to the fashion of the hat.
In witness whereof, the said James Daniel hath hereunto set his hand
and seal, the Nineteenth day of May, in the thirty-second year of the
reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of God of
Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and
so forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and
Inrolled the same Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year above written.

page_text: a. a. the Frame b. b. the Feeder c. c. the Cylinder. d. d. a Card e aRowler. Gg. Two pullies to a howler. All the above par act in the same maner
other Machins. J. J.J.jare Feeders made of Leather to convey the Wool & from Card Roller & from Roller h. to holler Ul. L. L. h. k.k. are two Bows upon
the same plan Hatters old Bows IIII four Rollers moves each other by Cogg Wheels and for which purpose they move the jeder j. j and prevent the
Wooll &c from flying back when the Bows are throwing it upon the Cone P. m. m. two arms which work the two how brings by the Crank n. n.
o. is a handle by turning it round work the Crank n. n. n. n.. P. the forming Cone made of either Wood or Mettle two feet ng by two feet at the wide
or broader end of the Cone covered with a Cloath and as it receives the contents from the Bows moves round by pullis S.S. it receives a sufficient
quanty of Wool & from the Bows to form a Hat in its first state the Cloath with the Hat are taken off together tol. A 3. q. Rolling Cone which rolles
the Wool Ic, upon the forming Cone P as it falls from the Bows. 7. 7. a piece of Tin or Pasteboard fixid over the Cone I to guard the Wool & upon
S. S. Two pullis-
x. a pully turned by a pully at the end of the Cylinder c which turns pullis S. S. and Carding Roller c and
NB The size of the forming Cone P will vary as the sizes or fashions of Hats vary.
the Cone P
howler h
V
a a the Frame b. b. the Feeder,
d. d
α
Cord to
g. u pully by
h. h. h. h. All the above
av
cc Cylinder
Two Card Poters. f. f. a Cone covered with fillits cards.
peilly W. turns the Carding Cone ff... h h h h the Crank. j. a pulty which by a cord to pully in works the cras =
is upon the same plan as an old Carding Machien only; the Curding Cone if hk the forming Cone which receives to contents of the Carding
Cone f f by the Crank h. h. h. h. Two feet long by Two feet at the broad end its coverd with a Cloath and when it received a sufficient
quantity of Wool Fc is taken off to gather to No 3. 1 a roling Cone for which use is to role the Wool & upon the forming Cone I h
it falls from the Carding Cone IF. m. a pulley by a Cord to pulley it turns the forming Cone h. h. n. a binde y pully to prevent the
Brit pom kuching the frame
a pully herned by a strap from the Cylinder cc. the two pullis ut at w. q two binding pullies
which prevents the Cord from j. pulley w from touching the frame a a r a handle to turn the Cylinder c. which moves the Ma-
chine, t. ta plate which the Roling Cone I runs in
a..
Q