Improvements in Apparatus for Shaping Hat Brims.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1889
Specification Accepted, 18th May, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Shaping Hat Brims.
I CHARLES EDGAR KEATOR, of Park and Nostrand Avenues, Brooklyn, Kings
County, New York, United States of America, 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:
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for shaping hat brims, and
more particularly has reference first to an improved construction of flexible bottom
board or die adapted for use in such machines and secondly to the combination with
such a bottom board or die, of devices whereby the bottom board or die may be the
better adapted for all sizes and varieties of curls to bo produced in hat brims.
.
The bottom board or die of the present invention is designed as an improvement
upon the hat die described in the Bigelow Patent No. 18,960 dated December 28th 1888.
It is constructed of flexible and elastic material such as rubber, which is male hollow
and filled with a fluid such as water or air under pressure.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a hat shaping machine of ordinary con-
struction and known as the Kelsey machine (see Patent number 2991 of 1881).
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of the flexible bottom board.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same showing the application of my present
invention thereto; and
Figure 4 is a plan view, detached, of the flexible bottom board.
The bottom board A is constructed of a flexible and elastic material such as soft
rubber and is made hollow with an annular chamber A', into and from which fluid
can be introduced and withdrawn through a pipe a. The central portion of the
ottom board or that portion over which the hat is situated when under operation
s made solid and a unitary part of the bottom board so that it cannot rise vertically
when the bottom board is inflated, and thereby disturb the position of the hat.
The bottom board is so shaped that its upper surface approximates to some extent

page_text: to the general shape of the hat brim and to give the necessary upward curve to the
sides and to support the hollow edges of the bottom board at those points there
are provided movable wedge pieces G G. These wedge pieces as shown at Figure 3,
enter under those edges at the bottom board which give the shape to the sides of
the hat brim, and the positions of these wedge pieces and the consequent curve
imparted to the flexible sides of the bottom board are determined for different sizes
of hat brims by the extent of the inward movement of the side edge curlers
hereinafter referred to. That extent of movement varies with different sizes of
hats. The front and rear edges of the flexible bottom board are supported laterally
by pieces g.
To curl over the edges of the front, rear and sides of the brim, front and
rear edge curlers such as TT and side edge curlers such as T¹, T' (Figure 1) are
employed.
The wedge pieces G, G, are preferably connected to the side edge curlers T¹ T¹, as
indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3, in order to move with them.
The inward and outward movements of these curlers are controlled as usual by a
lever S, which operates them simultaneously, and when they are moved inwards, they
press a portion of the brim inwards over the pressers K K which act upon the upper
side of the hat brim in the usual manner. The pressers in the Kelsey machine as
illustrated are carried by arms I, I, suspended from a vertically moving cross-head J
at the upper part of the machine.
When these arms are moved downward by the descent of the cross-head, the
connecting links L pivotted to the side frames of the machine cause the pressers to
move inwards at the same time and to close in upon the body of the hat. The
pressers are actuated by a treadle or other means connected by rods J with the
cross-head J.
The fluid employed to inflate or fill the interior of the bottom board, may be
air or gas, but for all practical purposes water is preferable, and to obtain a steady
pressure within the bottom board and to allow the material of the same to yield
readily and conform to the shape of the pressers K, the bottom board is first placed
under hydrostatic pressure. As shown in Figure 1, the interior of the hollow bottom
board is connected by a vertical tube E with a funnel F that is located above the level
of the bottom board. Water being introduced into the bottom board by means of a
funnel, a pressure corresponding to the level of the liquid in the tube E is exerted on
all the hollow parts of the board and it is thereby inflated.
Instead of using water, the bottom board could be inflated with air and the com-
pression of the same would cause sufficient pressure and still allow the bottom board
to conform to the shape of the "pressers."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. In apparatus for shaping hat brims a hollow bottom board of elastic material
having as a unitary part, a solid central portion, substantially as described.
2nd. In apparatus for shaping hat brimms a hollow bottom board having as a unitary
part a solid central portion and a passage for the admission and exit of fluid sub-
stantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
3rd. The within described bottom board for a hat brim curling machine, said bottom
board having as a unitary part a solid central portion and around it a surface flexible
throughout and conforming to the general shape of the brim with its dip and roll, said
flexible surface being such as to act on the underside of the brim only in pressing, all
substantially as hereinbefore described.
4th. The within described bottom board for a hat brim curling machine, said bottom
board constituting a self contained structure independent of and detachable from the
machine, and having as a unitary part a solid central portion and around this a flexible
upper surface, conforming to the general shape of the brim of the hat, all substantially
s hereinbefore described.

page_text: 5th. The combination of the flexible bottom board of a hat brim curling machine
with wedge pieces to support and give shape to the side edges of the bottom board,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
6th. The combination of the flexible bottom board of a hat brim curling machine
with movable wedge pieces to support and give shape to the side edges of the bottom
board, all substantially as described.
7th. The combination of the bottom board having a solid centre and a hollow rim
with movable wedge pieces to support and give shape to the flexible side edges of the
bottom board, substantially as herein before described.
8th. The combination of the flexible bottom board of a hat brim curling machine
with pressers and side edge curlers and movable wedge pieces to support and give
shape to the flexible side edges of the bottom board, substantially as hereinbefore
described.