IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FELTING OR PLANKING' HAT BODIES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR FELTING OR PLANKING' HAT BODIES."-A communication.
Sealed the 24th October 1856, and dated the 1st May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st May 1856.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FELTING OR PLANKING' HAT BODIES," com-
municated to me by a foreigner residing abroad, to be as follows:-
This improved machinery consists of an endless floor passing over drums
placed at a suitable distance apart. The drums are supported in a frame, and
rotate, so as to impart to the endless floor a slow progressive movement. Over
the floor is suspended a felting plate, leaving just space enough to pass and
squeeze the hat bodies between it and the endless floor. The hat bodies being
put in at one end, are carried along by the endless floor, while the felting plate
is kept in rapid vibration. The endless floor consists of a series of slats or
laths, hinged together in such manner as to permit the floor to bend round
the drums. To give it solidity, and insure its being level on the surface when
the hat bodies are operated upon, a number of small rollers are pivotted in a
frame beneath. The felting plate consists of a strong flat plate or board,
suspended horizontally on ways at the four corners, and kept down by springs,

page_text: which, while allowing it to yield in case of necessity, yet maintains the
requisite pressure upon the hat bodies. The tension of these springs can be
regulated by screws, and the plate may be made to incline a little at that end
where the hats are delivered. A rapid vibratory motion is imparted to the
felting plate, while operating, by means of a crank and connecting rod, or
otherwise. Several modifications may be made to the machine. Instead of
the endless floor of slats, a belt or band may be employed, being kept up by a
plate or stationary floor beneath. A second felting plate might be placed
beneath, and the hat bodies continue across to the front of the machine in
this way, instead of sliding down an inclined plane. Workmen might be
stationed on both sides, and thus work from end to end.
The operation is as follows:-The machine being set in motion, the
attendant takes a hat body, dips it in a vat of hot water; he then forms it into
a roll and places it upon the endless floor or band under the edge of the plate;
it now begins to progress along with the endless floor, rolling back and forward
as it goes onward, by reason of the rapid vibration to which it is subjected by
the felting plate, until finally discharged at the opposite end, where it rolls
down an inclined plane to the feet of the attendant, or is continued across to
the front; if not found fully felted, it may be rolled up again in another
direction from the first, dipped again in hot water, and sent through the
'machine a second time..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st October 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166; Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the said. Richard
Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should 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

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FELTING OR PLANKING HAT BODIES,"
(communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly 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 Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention is for certain, improvements in machinery for felting hat
bodies, commonly known as "planking" by hatters. The improved machinery,
shewn partially in section in the annexed Drawing, consists of an endless floor
passing over drums placed at a suitable distance apart. The drums are
supported on a frame, and rotate, so as to impart to the endless floor a slow
progressive motion; over the floor is suspended a felting plate, leaving just space
enough to pass and squeeze the hat bodies between it and the endless floor.
The hat bodies being put in at one end, are carried along by the endless floor
while the felting plate is kept in rapid vibration. a, a, are the drums supported
upon a frame, as shewn, and 6 is the endless floor. The endless floor consists
of a series of slats or laths, hinged together in such manner as to permit the
floor to bend round the drums. To give it solidity, and insure its being level
on the surface when the hat bodies are operated upon, a number of small
rollers c are pivotted in a frame beneath. The felting plate d consists of a
strong flat plate or board, suspended horizontally on ways at the four corners,
and kept down by springs e, which, while allowing it to yield in case of
necessity, yet maintain the requisite pressure upon the hat bodies. The
tension of these springs can be regulated by screws, and the plate may be
made to incline a little at that end where the hats are delivered. A rapid
vibratory motion is imparted to the felting plate, while operating, by means of
a crank i, and connecting rod , or otherwise. The operation is as follows:-
The machine being set in motion, the attendant takes a hat body, dips it in a
vat of hot water, forms it into a roll, and places it upon the endless floor or
band under the 'edge of the plate d, as seen at o.
It now begins to progress

page_text: along with the endless floor, rolling back and forward as it goes onward, by
reason of the rapid vibration to which it is subjected by the felting plate, until
finally discharged at the opposite end, where it rolls down an inclined plane t
to the feet of the attendant; if not found fully felted, it may be rolled up again
in another direction from the first, dipped again in hot water, and sent through
the machine a second time. Generally twice is sufficient, but if not, the
process must be repeated until the body is fully felted or sized. Several
modifications may be made to the machine; as instead of the endless floor of
slats, a belt or band may be employed, being kept up by a plate or stationary
floor beneath. A second felting plate might be placed beneath, and the hat
bodies continue across to the front of the machine in this way, instead of
sliding down the inclined plane. Workmen might be stationed on both sides,
and thus work from end to end.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the method of
felting or sizing hat bodies by means of a machine having an endless floor
operating in combination with the vibrating felting plate, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six.