IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCALDING AND FELTING HAT BODIES AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES SEELEY TAYLOR, of Danbury, in the state of Connecticut, United
States of America Hat Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCALDING AND FELTING HAT
BODIES AND OTHER FABRICS" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery specially intended for
scalding and felting hat bodies but applicable also to the felting of other fabrics.
In carrying out my invention I combine and arrange a series of parallel rollers
in such a manner as to form an open and unobstructed chamber within which the
goods may be inserted and felted and from which they may be conveniently
removed without the neces-ity of employing a lever or treadle therefor. This
I effect by placing the rollers three in number at such a distance from one another
that a space is left between two of them which space shall at all times be wider
than any other of the spaces between the said rollers. I communicate motion to
the small, upper, or supplemental roller or idler by means of friction between the
roll of hats or other fabric and the said roller. The two larger or lower rollers
only are suitably geared together so that when the roll of hats or other fabric is
placed in the chamber or space between the rollers the action of the said lower
rollers causes the roll to revolve and the roll in turning gives motion to the upper
or third roller; this causes a friction between the fabric and the said upper roller
producing a marked and beautiful effect on the roll of material to be felted.
I place felting surfaces or irregularities upon the rollers in such a manner as to
secure a better action upon the roll of material to be felted and effect a speedy and
efficient felting operation. Upon one of the lower rollers (the feeding roller) is
secured a number of lugs or strips of suitable material such as wood, metal, or
rubber placed nearly or quite parallel with the axis of the roller so as to present a
broken or uneven surface in the line of the circumference of the said roller the said
broken or uneven surface serving to force the roll of goods into the chamber as the
roll is placed into the receiving space and without which the roller would slip and
the goods would not be drawn into the working chamber especially when any

page_text: amount of pressure is applied to the upper or supplemental roller or idler; the
other two rollers are provided with convolutions formed in any suitable way such
as by winding round the same hempen rope, rubber or metal or a spiral groove
may be cut in the face of the roller; but I prefer to use a rope as above stated
which is wound with its successive convolutions at a short distance apart.
I provide the machine with an arrangement which I call a balanced top whereby
instead of the top roller being lifted by depressing a lever as hitherto the said
roller is always maintained in a raised or open position except when depressed by
operating the lever by hand or foot.
The lower or large rollers are mounted in fixed bearings in the frame of the
machine. Supported on the axis of one of the lower or large rollers or pivotted
concentrically therewith is a lever or yoke provided with arms extending forward
and connected with the hand or foot lever of the machine and frame connected
therewith by suitable springs the said arms carry the small or upper roller or idler
and are balanced or centred at a point on the line of the axis of the said roller for
the purpose of keeping the said roller and the small or supplemental roller at an
equal distance apart in any position in which the said supplemental roller may
be whilst felting the goods which is very necessary.
In order that the large roller having the convolutions and the supplemental
roller may present the least resistance to the revolving motion of the roll of goods
to be felted place the surface of the projections or coils on the said rollers nearly
or quite smooth in the circular direction thereof the proper relation of the rollers
with the corresponding surfaces or projections thereon being important.
In order to adjust the supplemental roller in any desired position so as to exert
the requisite pressure on the roll of goods to be felted the hand or foot lever having
its fulcrum at a suitable point in the frame of the machine and connected to the
balanced arm by means of the spring is held in any desired position by means of a
pin attached to the said lever and passing into holes formed in the upright of the
frame of the machine; an elastic or spring force is applied to the side of the said
lever in order that the connection formed by the pins and holes may with little
resistance be removed and that the said pins may be kept firmly inserted in the
said holes until it becomes necessary to change the position of the lever. A weight
is used as a counterbalance to the supplemental roller so as to cause it to exert less
than its weight on the material to be felted and to be counterbalanced by the
power applied to the lever as above described.
A tub or receptacle is employed for holding scalding water and is placed beneath
the rollers of the machine for the purpose of saturating the goods with scalding
water in the process of felting the same.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The roll of felting material which
may be hat bodies or other fabrics which are to be scalded and felted is first
saturated in scalding water by immersion as required in the water contained in the
tub or receptacle supported in the lower part of the frame and heated by means of
a steam pipe. The material is then rolled or manipulated by the operator upon a
plank with which the machine is provided rolled in a bundle and enclosed in &
cloth and placed in the machine between the rollers, the hand or foot lever being
loosened or raised to allow the easy insertion of the roll of goods while its fibres
are in the raw or tender state. The lever is then secured in position for giving the
required pressure by inserting the pin in one of the holes according as the pressure
is to be greater or less. Motion is imparted from any suitable source to a pulley
on one of the rollers. The supplemental roller or worker will exert a yielding
pressure upon the roll of goods to be scalded and hardened which pressure is
greater or less according to the adjustment of the hand or foot lever. The roll of
goods is drawn into the machine by means of the projections or strips on one of
the large rollers while the smooth surface of the convolutions on the other large
roller force the roll of goods against the supplemental roller or worker and thus

page_text: prevent the roll of material from being choked in between the large rollers which
would be the result were the surface of the second large roller and the supplemental
roller or either of them covered with projecting lugs or strips as in the other large
roller.
Instead of the supplemental roller receiving its motion from contact with the
roll of fabric to be felted as hereinbefore described it may be driven by gearing
from either of the large rollers.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I JAMES SEELEY TAYLOR of Danbury in the state of Connecticut, United States
of America, Hat Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SCALDING AND FELTING HAT BODIES AND
OTHER FABRICS 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 improvements in machinery specially intended for
scalding and felting hat bodies but applicable also to the felting of other fabrics.
In carrying out my invention I combine and arrange a series of paralled rollers
in such a manner as to form an open and unobstructed chamber within which the
goods may be inserted and felted and from which they may be conveniently
removed without the necessity of employing a lever or treadle therefor. This
I effect by placing the rollers (by preference three in number) at such a distance
from one another that a space is left between two of them, which space shall at
all times be wider than any other of the spaces between the said rollers.
I communicate motion to the small or supplemental roller or idler (which is
supported in bearings in a pivoted yoke) by means of friction between the roll of
hats or other fabric and the said roller. The two larger rollers only are suitably
geared together and revolve in stationery bearings so that when the roll of hats or
other fabric is placed in the chamber or space between the rollers the action of the
said larger rollers causes the roll to revolve and the roll in turning gives motion to
the third roller: this causes a friction between the fabric and the said small roller
producing a marked and beautiful effect on the roll of material to be felted; the
said pivoted yoke is so held by a spring or weight in the rear that the small
roller exerts less than its normal weight on the roll of material to be felted, the
degree of pressure on the said material being controlled by a lever and suitable
connections; I provide certain new felting surfaces or irregularities upon the
rollers so as to secure a better action upon the roll of material to be felted and
effect a speedy and efficient felting operation.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side
elevation of a machine for scalding and felting hat bodies and other fabrics
constructed according to my invention; Figure 2 is a similar view, the front
portion being removed and the position of the rollers indicated; Fig: 3 is a
perspective view illustrating the construction of the rollers; Fig: 4 is a detached
detail illustrating one way of gearing the rollers.
In suitable bearings upon the frame A. A. of the machine are mounted two
rollers a, and b, the latter being placed partially above and behind the former, a
suitable space being left between them. These rollers may be made of any
suitable material but are preferably constructed of wood. They may be either of
a plane like surface or both concave, or one concave and the other convex in
contour. The lower roller a, is mounted in fixed bearings. The end of the upper
roller b (slown in Fig: 1) is also supported in fixed bearings.
Supported on the axis of the roller b, or pivoted concentrically therewith is n
yoke provided with arms F. F. extending forward and connected with a hand
lever D. and frame connected therewith by a suitable spring h. Swinging on
bearings in the arms F. of this pivoted yoke is a frame, G. carrying a small

page_text: supplemental roller or worker c. This worker is held elastically against the roll of
goods x. x The roller b. is wound with some suitable material. I find hempen
rope well suited for this purpose, though some more yielding or elastic substance
may be used, such as rubber-or a harder substance such as lead pipe or copper
instead, or a spiral groove may be cut in the face of the roller. I preferably use
rope as above stated, which is wound with its successive convolutions a slight
distance apart. The worker c, can be wound in a similar manner as shewn
although it is not in most cases necessary.
Upon the surface of the roller a, are secured lugs w, w, w, of any suitable
material such as wood metal, or rubber placed nearly or quite parallel with the
axis of said roller.
The rollers a, and b, are driven by gearing such as that shewn in Fig: 4 that
will permit of the adjustment of the roller b. The worker c, derives its motion
from the turning of the roll or bundle of felting material upon which it rests or
presses.
The top yoke m¹, supporting the idler or supplemental roller c, is balanced or
centred at a point on the line of the centre of the back roller b, for the purpose of
keeping the two rollers b, and c, at an equal distance apart in any position the said
supplemental roller may be, while in the act of felting the goods.
The hereinbefore described lugs or projections w, on the surface of the roller a.
serve to facilitate the entrance of the roll of goods into the chamber, the said lugs
being placed in a line nearly or quite in a line of the longitudinal centre of the
roller a. so as to present a broken or uneven surface in the line of the
circumference of the said roller, the said broken or uneven surface being requisite
to force the roll of goods into the chamber as the roll is placed into the receiving
space and without which the roller a, would slip and the goods would not be
drawn into the working chamber especially when a considerable amount of
pressure is applied to the roller c.
In order that the rollers b. and c. may present the least resistance to the
revolving motion of the roll of goods to be felted I place the surface of the
projections or coils on the said rollers nearly or quite smooth in the circular
direction thereof as shewn in Fig: 3; the proper relation of the rollers with the
corresponding surfaces or projections thereon being a special feature of this
invention.
In order to adjust the supplemental roller c. in any desired position so as to
exert the requisite pressure on the roll of goods to be felted I a tach the lever D
having its fulcrum at 8, and connected to the arm F by means of the connection h,
sustained in any desired position by means of a pin attached to the said lever D
and passing into holes at g. g. formed in the upright of the frame of the machine as
shown in Fig: 1.
An elastic or spring force is applied to the side of the lever D in order that the
connection formed by the pins and holes may with little resistance be removed, also
for the purpose of keeping the said pins firmly inserted in the said holes until it
becomes necessary to change the position of the lever-The weight 7, is used as a
counterpoise to the roller c. so as to cause it to exert less than its weight on the
material to be felted and to be counterbalanced by the power applied to the lever D
as above described-A tub or receptacle O is employed for holuing scalding water
and is placed nearly or quite under the series of rollers for the purpose of
saturating the goods with scalding water in the process of felting the same.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The roll of felting material which
may be hat bodies or other fabrics which are to be scalde and felted is first
saturated in scalding water by immersion as required in the water contained in the
tub or receptacle O supported in the lower part of the frame and heated by means
of a steam pipe.-The material is then rolled or manipulated by the operator upon
a plank C rolled in a bundle and inclosed in a cloth and placed in the machine
between the rollers a, and c, the lever D being loosened or raised to allow the easy
insertion of the roll of goods while the fibres thereof are in the raw or teader

page_text: state. The lever D is then secure in position for giving the required pressure by
inserting the pin in one of the holes g. g. according as the pressure is to be greater
or less. Motion is imparted from any suitable source to a pulley (not shewn on
the drawing) on the roller a, the rollers a and b moving in the respective directions
indicated by the arrows-The supplemental roller or worker c. will exert a yielding
pressure upon the roll of goods to be scalded and hardened which pressure is greater
or less according to the adjustment of the lever D.
I find the form of surface of the rollers a and b, as shewn on Fig: 3 to suit better
in practice than any other form of surface, the combination shown being particularly
well adapted for effecting a rapid and efficient felting operation.
The roll of goods is drawn into the machine by means of the projections or
strips w, on the roller a, while the smooth surface of the Convolutions on the
roller b forces the roll of goods x against the supplemental roller or worker c, and
thus prevents the roll of material from being choked in between the rollers b and c
which would be the case were the surface of either or both of the rollers b and c
covered with projecting lugs or strips as in the roller a.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1. In a scalding and felting machine the combination of the supplemental
ungeared roller with a spirally grooved or wound roller and one or more rollers
having lugs or protuberances in a parallel or nearly parallel direction thereon
arranged as described and for the purposes specified.
2. In a scalding and felting machine the combination of two rollers working in
fixed bearings and a third roller forming a felting chamber with the other two
rollers and adjusted in bearings so as to exert a yielding combined vertical and
lateral pressure substantially as set forth and shewn in the accompanying drawing.
3. In a scalding and felting machine the combination of the two larger rollers
with a third or smaller roller pivoted in a frame substantially as shewn having
bearings in a hinged yoke the said smaller roller being held with an elastic vertical
and lateral pressure by means of a spring and its connections or their equivalents
as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
4. In a scalding and felting machine in combination with the balanced yoke
supporting the supplemental roller or worker the application of a hand-lever
having a projecting pin for sustaining the increased or decreased pressure on the
roll of goods substantially as described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
5. In a scalding and felting machine the balanced yoke supporting the
supplemental roller or worker having its centre bearing point on or near the centre
of one of the other rollers of the machine substantially as described and represented
in the accompanying drawing.
6. In a scalding and felting machine the use of two or more rollers having a
positive rotary motion in combination with the supplemental roller the said
supplemental roller receiving its motion from the rotary notion of the roll of goods
in the process of felting the same substantially as herein before described.
7. The improved machine for scalding and felting hat bodies and other fabrics
herein before described and represented in the accompanying drawing.