Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Softening Felt Hats.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Softening
Felt Hats.
I, JOSEPH LONGWORTH of 65 Ashton Road Denton in the County of
Lancaster Machinist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
--
This invention relates to an apparatus for softening felt hats my object being
mainly to construct an apparatus which shall soften the hat by means of hot air.
My improved apparatus is in two parts. The first part softens the whole of the
hat the second part softens the brim only.
The first part is constructed as follows:-
Upon a suitable frame I mount a hot air chamber, into which I insert one or
more smaller chambers. In the lower part of the large chamber I place a gas
burner directly under each of the small chambers the small chambers which are
perforated is for the purpose of tempering the direct heat upon the hat thereby
preventing the hat from being burned.
Immediately above each of the small chambers I attach doors secured to the
large chamber by suitable hinges to prevent the heat from escaping and to retain
the vapour which comes from the hat during the process of softening.
The large chamber at the bottom is slightly perforated so as to allow the gas to
burn and being so constructed as to almost exclude all cold air.
It should be distinctly understood that the smaller chambers are left whole at
the bottom and perforated at the sides so as to mellow the direct heat upon the hat
and to prevent the heat from escaping when the door is opened.
I purpose forming on or attaching to each of the small chambers a stand which
holds the hat while being softened.
At the lower part of the frame or stand, I place a foot lever the lever being
connected with the door by suitable fixings so that the operator can have both
hands at liberty, the foot lever raising and lowering the doors.
Having described the first part of the invention I may state that the mode of
operation is as follows:-
The operator takes the hat, raises the door, places it on the stand, closes the
door, allows due time for softening, then raises the door, removes the hat, places it
in the press, repeating the operation as often as required.
The second part of my invention is what is commonly called a baker and is for
softening the brim only and may be constructed as follows:-
Upon a suitable frame I mount the hot air chamber upon this I place a plate
arched to the required sweep of the hat brim, this plate being made of metal or
other suitable material and may be made of any required length. If the plate be
made to hold one hat I place in the centre a hollow brow, which when the hat is
placed on the baker the hat is kept cool inside, the brow being kept cool by a
continual supply of cold water thereby preventing the heat from effecting the
crown of the hat.
When the hat is in position on the baker I place on the top side of the brim an
oval ring which is heated by gas same as the lower plate, each being similar in
temperature thus giving equal heat to both sides of the brim. This oval ring I
purpose raising and lowering by means of pulleys, fixings, or foot levers.
It should be understood that the baker can be made to hold one or more hats
when desired and the plates on each side next to the brim may be covered with
felt or other suitable material.

page_text: When preferred I may dispense with the hot air chamber and oval ring and may
heat the baker by means of a gas burner without the chamber.
The action of this part of the invention may be described as follows:-
The operator takes the hat, raises the ring, places it on the baker, then lowers
the ring, allows due time for softening, the brim, then raises the ring, removes
the hat, places it in the curling machine, repeating the operation as often as
required.
In conclusion I may state that the chief features of the invention are
The peculiar construction of the large chamber.
The side perforations of the small chamber.
The heating of the hat brim on both sides.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Softening
Felt Hats.
I, JOSEPH LONGWORTH of 65 Ashton Road Denton in the County of
Lancaster Machinist 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 :-
This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for softening felt hats during
the process of manufacture, and the objects of this invention are to construct said
machine or apparatus so that felt hats may be softened by means of hot air which
is tempered and distributed with an equal temperature over the surface of said
felt hats thereby preventing injury caused by direct heat of the gas flame, and
also for supplying an equal amount of heat on both sides of the brim during the
process of softening.
I attain these objects by mechanism hereinafter described and as illustrated in
the accompanying two sheets of drawings. In the several views shown therein
similar letters refer to similar parts.
Fig. 1 is part front elevation and part sectional elevation of apparatus con-
structed according to this invention for softening felt hats.
Fig. 2 is side elevation of the same and
Fig. 3 is sectional plan on line B. B.
In applying my invention for the purpose of softening felt hats, I construct a
case or hot air chamber a with a hinged cover d, said case being either rectangular
as shown or of other convenient shape which I mount on a suitable frame b: For
the purpose of retaining the heat I form the sides of the chamber a preferably of
two thicknesses of metal and fill in the space between the inner and outer casing
either with slag wool or other non-conductor of heat.
Within the aforesaid chamber a I form a second chamber a¹ by placing therein a
division plate c which in the centre extends down as shown on drawings to within
a short distance of the bottom of the case a.
I construct an opening at the bottom of the case a and insert therein a metallic
plate g with holes perforated in said plate so as to form a gas burner which I place
centrally under the smaller chamber a¹.
At the lower part of the frame or stand b 1 place a foot lever h and connect said
lever to the hinged cover d by means of the chain j, the lever k which is attached
to the fulcrum m, and the connecting rod / connected to the bracket n that is
affixed to the cover d. The weight of the cover d is neutralized or lessened by
means of the spring a which is connected to the fulcrum u.
In order to soften felt hats by means of apparatus such as herein before
described, the operator ignites the gas through the opening p, and lifts the cover d

page_text: as shown in Fig. 2 by means of the foot lever h which enables the operator to
have both hands at liberty.
The hat q is placed within the hot air chamber a in an inverted position being
supported by means of the brim resting on the stand r, with the body of the hat
within the chamber a¹; the cover d is then closed.
The heat of the gas flame is tempered by means of the plate c in combination
with the baffle plate t, the hot air passing upward in the direction indicated
by arrows through the plate c which may be perforated at v or other preferred
parts.
When sufficient time has been allowed for softening the hat, the cover b is raised
and the operator removes the hat and places it in the press, repeating the operation
as often as required.
The machine or apparatus herein before described may be constructed as shown
in Fig. 4 with two hot air chambers such as a, or a larger number if required.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent end view and plan of machine arranged for softening
hat brims.
In order to soften the brim of a hat 1 construct a hot air chamber with the
upper plate a' formed to the required sweep of the hat brim; the apparatus may
be made to contain more than one hat, but if intended to hold only one hat at a
time I place in the centre of, and projecting upward through said plate a hollow
brow or chamber a³ containing water to which supply and delivery pipes j³, j² are
connected on the underside, which keeps said brow cool by a continual supply of
cold water, thereby preventing the heat affecting the crown of the hat when it is
placed on the plate or baker for the purpose of softening the brim. This is effected
by placing the hat with the brim on the plate or baker so that the brow comes
within the crown and placing on the top side of the brim an oval ring at which. is
heated by a gas flame a in the same way as the plate on which the hat brim rests,
each plate being thereby similar in temperature and affording equal heat to both
sides of the brim.
The aforesaid oval ring may be raised and lowered in the same manner as the
cover d herein before described.
The operator having raised the ring a places the hat on the baker a³, then lowers
the ring allowing due time for the brim to be softened, then raises the ring as
before removes the hat and places it in the curling machine repeating the operation
as often as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In a machine or apparatus that is employed for softening felt hats during
the process of manufacture the use of an oven in which is a second chamber for
containing the hat to be softened in order that the direct heat of the gas flame
may be tempered before acting on the hat by being directed and distributed so as
to cause the hot air to act uniformly over the surface of said hat in the manner
substantially as herein before described.
2nd. In a machine or apparatus that is employed for softening the brims of felt
hats during the process of manufacture the use of a hot air chamber upon which
the hat brim rests in combination with a ring that is placed over the upper surface
of the hat brim, said ring being heated from the top by a gas flame so as to obtain
an equal temperature on both sides of said brim at the same time in the manner
substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 28th day of January 1892.
THOMAS PRESCOTT,
53, Arcade Chambers, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.