Improvements in Hat Stretching Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1994-Accepted, 19th Jan., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by RUDOLF EICKEMEYER, of Yonkers, in "the
County of Westchester and State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturing Engineer.]
Improvements in Hat Stretching Machines.
I, GILES ATHERTON, Virginia Mills, Higher Hillgate, Stockport, in the County
of Chester, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to hat stretching machines.
Machines embodying'my present invention, contain automatically vibrated brim
stretching fingers annularly arranged, and a former, having not only a hat supporting
sholl, but also a series of stretching ribs, which intervene between and co-operate
with the stretching fingers, for stretching hat bodies on the corrugation principle,
and although these elements, broadly considered, have been employed in machines
as heretofore constructed, said elements have now been more or less changed and
reorganized, with special reference to their effective co-operation with novel
accompanying mechanism, which in itself involves much substantial utility.
The main object of my present invention, is to provide a thoroughly effective and
reliable automatic brim stretching machine which will be within the means of
numerous bat manufacturers and in accomplishing that end, I have also secured
greater rapidity in operation, with consequent increased capacity.
An essential feature in an automatic brim stretcher, is a capacity for rotating” or
turning a hat body while upon its vertically moved supporting device, or former, so
that fresh portions of the hat brim may be fed to, or presented for contact with the
automatically operated vibrating stretching fingers, and their co-operating stretching
riba. In automatic brim stretching machines as heretofore constructed, rotation
was accomplished, by applying the rotative power to the brim portion of the hat
body, and therefore reliance was had upon conical ribs, which served not only as
stretching devices but also as hat turning rolls.
I have now devised means, whereby the hat rotating power is applied to the tip
of the hat body, and said power is communicated thereto from the top of the machine
to a pendent disc, which bears upon or clamps the tip of the hat body, and is
rotated only when its brim is free from the action of, and control by, the vibrated
stretching fingers, and also when free from contact with the stretching ribs. This
freeing action is accomplished by a lowering movement of the former from its
highest position for a short distance, this movement and a prompt return, being
repeated several times, between the initial complète raising and the final lowering
of the former, to its lowest position, and during the intervals between said short
movements, the former is maintained at its highest position, so that a hat body
thereon will be presented to the co-operative action of the overlying rapidly
reciprocating stretching fingers, and the underlying stretching ribs, which are parts
of the former.
This intermitting dropping and raising of the former, is a feature peculiar to my
new machines, and it has value even if the rotation of the hat should be effected by
hand, and especially, when the former is provided with such a rotative hat supporting
shell, as has been employed in machines as heretofore constructed.
In the said prior automatic brim stretching machines, provision was made for

page_text: vertically advancing the former with the conical rotative stretching ribs during the
operation of the vibrated stretching fingers, but in my present machine, I employ
hinged ribs on the former, and automatically, swing them outwardly, gradually
increasing their capacity to co-operate with the vibrating stretching fingers, in
proportion to the progress of the brim stretching operation, thus securing auto-
matically, a movement of the hinged ribs which has been heretofore accomplished
by a hand lever, in brim stretching machines, whorein automatically vibrated
stretching fingers, were co-operatively employed with a hinged rib former which
was raised and lowered by a treadle actuated by the foot of the operator; and said
spreading movement of hinged ribs, in certain other of my prior machines, was
accomplished by the rotation by the operator, of a hand wheel, said ribs being of a
former which had no hat shell, and which was automatically lifted for co-operation
with stretching fingers, which were not automatically vibrative.
In hat stretching machines, wherein the former was automatically lifted and
lowered, provision was made for the delivery of steam to the former, (for heating
hats) by means of a peudent pipe, secured to and parallel with the spindle on which
the former was carried, said spindle being hollow at its top and said pipe being
arranged to slide through a vertical steam ohamber; so as to receive steam through
ports in the pipe, only after the former and the pipe had been properly lifted, so as
to locate said port or ports within said chamber.
'
.
In my present machine, I have provided the former with a steam chamber, and
supplied it from an adjacent fixed pipe by way of flexible tubing, the steam supply
being controlled at the fixed pipe, by a rotative cock which is automatically actuated
by link connections, preferably coupled to the levers by which the former spindle is
lifted and lowered, thus enabling me to utilize the interior of the spindle at its top
as a chamber for a screw by which the hat shell is adjusted, and to obviate that
expenditure of power,, as well as the well known difficulties, attendant upon the use
of sliding pipes, telescopic steain joints, and duplicated stuffing boxes.
In hat stretching machines wherein the former has been automatically lifted, and
lowered, beavy strains occur at the pivotal connections, uniting the lifting levers
with the spindle of the former, and as heretofore constructed, rapid wear has ensued
with consequent lost motion and shocks. Said connections have heretofore consisted
of screw shanked bolts at the spindle cross.head, but I have now introduced a broad
link between the lifting levers, and the cross head of the spindle, and coupled, said
link with the levers and cross head, by means of cylindrical joint pins, which afford
an extensive journal surface, and not only assure durability, but also obviate the
shocks incident to loosening at the joints, as when screw bolt pivots are employed,
all of which although of general value, is specially important in these machines,
because during the stretching of a hut therein, the former spindle is quickly lifted,
once wholly, and then partially lowered and lifted six times, and then fully lowered,
whereas in the machines as heretofore constructed the spindle is raised and lowered
but once, during the stretching of a hat.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 illustrates one of my machines in vertical central section, with the
former in its lowest position, ready to receive a hat body.
Figure 2 is a side view of a cam, which controls the spreading of the ribs on the
former.
Figure 3 is a side view of the cam which actuates the former spindle.
Figure 4 is a side view of the cam which controls the hat turning mechanism, in
this machine.
Figure 5 is a central vertical section of the machine, with the former and
stretching ribs in co-operative position.
Figure 6 is a view illustrating the stopping mechanism.
Figure 7 is a front view illustrating the heavy portions of the machine, partly, in
vertical section.
Figure 8 is a sectional plan view illustrating the lower portion of the machine
below the middle plate.

page_text: Figure 9 is a top view of the upper portion of the machine with the cap, plate
removed, and illustrating the hat turning mechanism.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 illustrate respectively, the spindle cross head or plate;
the link to be coupled to said cross head, and the adjacent end of the spindle lifting
lever, and their cylindrical joint pins.
Figure 13 is an enlarged view of the hat stretching devices, in co-operative
relation, a hat body being interposed between the fingers and ribs, and steam
emerging from the steam chamber."
Figure 14 is a cross section through the hat body, the stretching fingers and
stretching ribs, on line, Figure 13, and "
Figure 15 illustrates in side elevation and section, another arrangement for
turning the hat body.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
The frame of the machine may be variably constructed, provision being made
for proper strength and rigidity, and for mounting therein the several bearings. As
sliown, the frame A, includes two side plates a, a, Figures 1, 5, 7 and four inter-
mediate plates, as follows: one near the bottom, as at a; a middle plate as at a, a.
top plate, as at a³, and a cap plate, as at a', these being firmly united by suitable
bolts, to the side plates.
The driving shaft B, is located adjacent to the bottom plate a', near the front of
the machine, and is provided with fast and loose pullies, at 6 Figure 7, and a
balance wheel. This shaft B also serves as a rapidly driven eccentric shaft,
having near cach bearing, an eccentric, as at 63, (instead of cranks, as heretofore)
aud these are coupled to a cross head 63, by double rod links or pitmen bb, said
cross head being rigidly coupled to vertically reciprocating slide rods 6º, 6º,
Figures 1, 7 and 8, which are provided with guide bearings on the side plates a, a,
and between the two upper bearings, said rods are secured by bolts, to an annular
finger plate C, which is thereby rapidly reciprocated.
In the above mentioned prior machines, the slide rods b, b, have been separately
coupled to their pitmen, but I have now rigidly coupled said rods together by the
cross bead 3, Figures 1, 5, 7 and 8 thus rendering them capable of being smoothly
operated by high speed, and with a minimum liability of wear and derangement,
the main shaft being driven at least 450 revolutions per minute.
The brim stretching fingers D, Figures 1, 5, and 13 are each triangular in outline,
and usually twelve in number, annularly arranged, and all are pendently pivoted to
the annular finger plate C, as at c, and their fulcra,. are links c¹, suspended from,
and pivoted to the top plate a³, so that, as heretofore the reciprocation of the finger
plate C, simultaneously vibrates the several fingers of the set, and causes their
working faces & Figures 13 and 14 to swing toward and from a common centre.
In this portion of my machine, I have secured a specially smooth and effective
operation, by connecting the links c', to the stationary top plate a³, and directly
pivoting the fingers as at c, to the reciprocating annular finger plate C, as
distinguished from prior machines, wherein the said link couplings were either
interposed between a movable fulcrum plate and the fingers, or between said fingers
and the reciprocating finger plate.
These vibrated stretching fingers, co-operate as heretofore with a ribbed
"former" E, Figures 1, 5, and 13, which is mounted upon a vertically reciprocating
spindle F.
This former, embodies a set or series of annularly arranged riba e, twelve in
number, and each co-operates with two appropriate stretching fingers, by being
alternated between them but at the opposite or underside of the brim of a hat body
when interposed and in position to be stretched, as fully illustrated in Figures 13
and 14. Each rib is pivoted at its upper end as at e', to the body or cylindrical
portion of the former, and so also is each finger near its lower end, pivotally
connected to a freely sliding cross head G, on the usual contral spindle F, by means
of links e, so that when said cross head is raised; independently of the spindle, the

page_text: lower ends of the ribs are swung outwardly, thus increasing the co-operative
stretching capacity of the fingers and ribs, and also providing for a progressive
operation. The ribs are actuated by means of parallel links or rods e³, e³, Figures 1
and 7, connected to a horizontal lever e, which is fulorumed' upon a cross head or
sleeved plate e, Figures 1 and 5, secured to, and movable vertically with the
spindle F, so that although the said lever, the former and the cross head G, move
together, at tiines, the latter may be raised independently of the spindle, as when
the outer end of said lever e, is depressed, as will be hereinafter more fully
described.
Upon rearward extensions of the middle frame plate, a counter shaft H,
Figures 1, 5, and 7, is mounted, having at one end a set of cone pullies, as at h
which are belted to, and driven by smaller cone pullies, as at 4, on the main or
driving shaft B. The opposite end of said countershaft, carries a small pinion. 2,
which meshes with a larger spur gear h³, on one end of a parallel idler shaft H¹,
which at its opposite end, carries a small pinion, in mesh with a large spur gear ho,
at one end of a parallel cam shaft H, Figures 1, 5, and 8, at the rear of, and in the
same plave with, the main shaft.
The slidable spindle F, is counterbalanced, by means of a weight Figures 1
and 8.on an arm, which is an extension of a spindle lifting lever having two
parallel arms, fulcrumed on a horizontal bar or rod 3, and coupled at its.
inner end, by means of cylindrical joint pins, and a broad link f, (Figures 1, 3,
8 and 11) to the cross head or hub plate es, before described as being secured to the
spindle F.
These joint pins are non rotative, being secured at their ends respectively, in their
seats in levers, and in the ears of the upper end of the link fo, thus affording.
the extensive journal surface, hereinbefore referred to.
As is well known the lower portions of these machines are constantly exposed to
dripping water, and hence these coupling points are specially liable to corrosion and
undue wear, which renders the above described joint pius of special value.
This lever, is provided between its arms with a shaft and a roller, as at ƒ,
which latter by its contact with a cam F, on the cam shaft II, causes the spindle
and former to be lifted and lowered. As shown in Figure 1, the roller f, is in the
stop seat f Figures 1 and 3 on the cam, as at the beginning and termination of
each round of the stretching operation.
The cam F, (shown separately in Figure 3), has six lifting faces f, in addition:
to the initial long lifting face at the one side of the deep stop seat, there being
of course, corresponding intervening drop faces as at 10, with alternating peripheral
resting faces, concentric with the axis. This cain, thus constructed, provides
for lifting, the former to its proper height (about eleven inches) and during each
round it drops the former about four inches and raises it, six times, thus freeing the
hat from the fingers, to admit of its being rotated during each depression, the ribs
in the meantime being also contracted.
The gradually expansive action of the ribs e, of the former E, by way of the
lever e, (when the spindle F, is elevated as hereinbefore mentioned), is effected by
the abutting contact of the top of the outer end of the lever e', with the coincident
or lower portion g, Figures 1 and 5, of the outer end of a bow shaped rock shaft g',
and this contact point g, is variably located by means of a scroll cam El Figures 5
and 8 on the cam shaft H2, said cam being separately shown in Figure 2..
This cam E', has a scroll working face, so that it gradually swings and lifts the
lower end of au arm g2 provided with a roller g* Figures 1,5 and 8 for contact with.
the cam, and thereby imparts a slow rotative motion to a rock shaft g³, provided
with an arm (Figures 1 and 5) which is coupled by a link to a vertical arm gª,
which imparts rotative motion to the bow shaped rock shaft gl, which affords the
abutting contact at 9, and' with which, the outer end of the lever et, engages, when
the hat former is lifted.
The link g is adjustably coupled to the arm go, by means of a hand wheel
screw 9, the latter being a rotative fixture on the arm go, and having a uut which
べ
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page_text: is pivoted to the link g', so that by turning the screw, the arm g, may in substance,
be lengthened or shortened, and thus enable the abutting contact at g, to be variably
located and moved, and thereby cause the ribs e, of the former to be variably
expanded.
This former E, is unlike any which has been heretofore devised in many
particulars. It is provided with a hat supporting shell, Figures 1 and 13 which
is vertically adjustable and capable of free rotation, as heretofore so as to enable
a hat to be automatically rotated, for presenting fresh surfaces to the action of the
stretching devices, as will be hereinafter further described.
The hat shell e, is mounted upon the collar of a central scrow e', Figure 13,
which is tapped into a threaded nut or sleeve e, having two or more arms at its
top which project through slots in the side of the hat shell, thus rotatively
connecting said sleeve and shell. The sleeve e, is loosely mounted on top of the
spindle F, and is free to rotate thereon, and it serves as a base upon which the hat
shell, can be adjusted to auy desired height of hat crown, by rotating the screw e².
The body of the former, to the top of which the ribs'e, are hinged or pivoted, has
at its lower end an annular steam chamber E, which discharges steam upwardly
beneath and against the hat L in an annular jet as indicated in Figure 13, and is
provided with an induction pipe e', which is coupled by a flexible tube, (shown in
dotted lines Figure 5) to the nozzle of a steam pipe, at e, (Figure 7), which is
provided with an automatically controlled cock, at e, which is operated as follows:
the arm of the cock el, at its outer end, is engaged by one end of a horizontal
rode, which at the other end, is supported by an arm el, pivoted on the inner
side of the opposite frame plate, Figures 1, 5 and 7.
This rod el, is coupled by a link e, to one of the arms of a two armed lever.
hy which the spindle F, is lifted, so that, when the former is elevated, steam is
fully supplied thereto and then partially cut off,, when the former is partially
lowered as during its short movements, and fully cut-off when wholly lowered.
The rotative hat shell, within a cylindrical shell which serves as the foundation
to which expansive stretching ribs are pivoted, constitutes a valuable novelty iu
hat stretching machines.
In the said prior machines, steam was automatically controlled by means of a
telescoped steam pipe, which was attached to the spindle, and was reciprocated
vertically therewith, which involved certain obvious disadvantages which are wholly
obviated, by the novel combination with the former, of flexible stean tubing, and
the steam cock, automatically controlled as described.
In operating with prior machines, the hat bodies were either rotated by hand,
or automatically, by means of rotative stretching ribs which involved much
expensive complication, which is now wholly obviated, because I have now
organized with the hinged stretching ribs and rotative hat shell, novel hat
stretching mechanism, which is located above and apart from, although in
co-operation with the former, when properly lowered away from engaging contact,
with the constantly vibrated stretching fingers.
Above the former, and axially in line with the spindle F, and coincident with the
top of the hat shell there is a suspended' disk I, Figures 1, 5, 7 and 15 which, while
it may perform the duty of a hat tip weight as in the said prior machines, its
prime duty now, is to serve as an important part of the novel hat rotating
mechanism, which I have now devised.
This disk 1, is mounted upon the lower end of a vertical shaft i, slidable in
bearings afforded by the top and crown plates of the frame, and having a ratchet
wheel, rigidly secured thereto, between said plates, so that said disk instead of
being a weight as heretofore, may if desired be made, of wood, or other light
material well suited to frictionally engage with felt, because of the weight afforded
by the shaft and ratchet wheel.
This disk is preferably provided with a groove, as shown, for enabling its face
to be covered with felt or cloth and thus secure effective frictional contact with a
hat body.
?

page_text: An intermitting rotative movement, is imparted to the disk I, by way of the
ratchet wheel, and it is immaterial to the end sought by what means rotative
power may be communicated to the disk from any suitable moving portion of the
machine, provided it be applied when the hat body is free, as when the former has
been so far lowered, as to release the hat body from the stretching devices.
As shown, in Figures 1, 6, 7, and 9 power is communicated to the disk I, as
follows: An arm k, pivoted on the rod on which the lever ff, is fulcrumed, is
provided at its free end, with a roller * which rests upon the edge of a cam I',
on the cam shaft H2, this arm k, connected by a link k', with a bell crank lever k²,
mounted on a stud at the top of one of the side plates of the frame.
The bell crank lever, carries on its pendent arm, a short, lateral, vertically
slotted arm, which loosely embraces a vertical rod k, Figure 9 which is carried
by one end of an H shaped link, hinged upon or to a vertical swivel post
seated at its two ends in the top and crown plates of the frame. Hinged upon
the vertical rod ; there is a pawl having a long vertical ratchet engaging
bar (because the ratchet wheel moves up and down with the spindle of the
disk 1) provided with two parallel arms 2, Figures 1 and 5 each having at its
rear end, a hub or sleeve which is occupied by the pawl rod . This working
pawl is coupled by a retractile spiral spring Figure 9 with a stop pawl m
which as usual prevents a backward movement of the ratchet wheel, during the
sliding forward inovement of the pawl har, over the teeth, of the ratchet wheel.
The organization thus described, causes the disc I, to be slightly rotated, and
by its frictional contact with the tip of a hat body, the latter is rotated' when
supported on the rotative hat shell, and free from contact with the stretching ribs
and fingers.
This mode of operation for rotating hat bodies while on a hat stretching former,
being absolutely new, and of substantial value, I do not intend to restrict this
portion of my invention to this particular mechanical organization, although I
shall make specifio claim thereto, so far as relates to providing a special actuating
cam, this being the most reliable mode of securing the required motion and at
proper times, because, as will be seen in Figure 1 the working faces of the cam I,
are located opposite the centres of the concavities in the face of the cam F', which
actuates the former spindle.
In Figure 15, I have shown another arrangement of ratchet and pawl mechanism
for intermittingly rotating the bat turning disk.
In this arrangement, the hat disk I, is heavier than the first, and its spindle or
shaft i, is freely splined so as to slide in the hub of a chain wheel n, which is
coupled by a suitable chain »', to a chain wheel n², on the axis of a ratchet wheel;
provided with a stop pawl ml. A vertically reciprocating pawl bar, is coupled
at its lower end to the arm e¹³, (or rod ). The barn, has a pawl tooth n
which engages with the ratchet wheel n³, during a portion of each short downward'
movement of the pawl bar, as during the swinging reciprocations of the steam
cock arm, these movements corresponding in time, with the short vertical recipro
cations of the former spindle, the parts being so organized, that the ratchet wheel
will be actuated oue tooth, between the time the former has been lowered, say two
inches from its highest position, to the end of its four inch drop. After each
cycle, the pawl bar moves to its lowest position, and resumes its duty, after having
been again elevated.
As the machine is wholly automatic, it is provided with a stop motion, specially
shown in Figure 6. A friction clutch K, on the countershaft H, is controlled by
a spring shipper lever p, which in turn is controlled by a treadle pl, for starting
the machine and said lever is depressed for stopping the machine by means of a
vertical stop pin p², carried on a bracket projecting from the spindle F, below the
former, as shown in Figure 7.
The operation of one of my machines constructed and organized as described,
is substantially as follows: It will be assumed that power is so applied, as to
impart to the main or driving shaft, 450 revolutions per minute, and 'that the

page_text: countershaft is belted by way of the middle faces of the two cones, the larger
and smaller portions of the countershaft cone pulley, affording such time
variations in the round of operations, as may be 'desired. The countershaft being
out of service, until clutched the remainder of the inachine would be at rest, and
the former at its lowest position:
A hat body having a previously stretched tip is taken from an aljacent hot
water or steaming kettle, and placed upon the former, the supporting shell having
been properly adjusted as to the height of the crown, the brim portions being
thereby properly located with relation to the stretching ribs, on the former. The
friction clutch is then set, or operated by way of the treadle whereupon the can
shaft commences its rotation. The former with the hat boly thereon is promptly
lifted about eleven inches, so that its ribs occupy co-operative relations with the:
rapidly vibrated stretching fingers, the ribs on the former being then but slightly
expanded; in a fow seconds, the former is dropped about four inches, thus froeing
the hat body from the stretching devices and also contracting the ribs, ant
immediately thereafter, the hat is slightly rotated, whereupon the former is again
lifted, and the stretching operation resumed, the sormer ribs being all the while
slowly expanded.
The hat is thus successively stretched, dropped, rotated and raised, six times,
and the cam shaft having completed its rotation, the stop motion operates, the
hat body having been well and thoroughly stretched, in about (23) twenty-three
Beconds. The hat body is maintained in fine condition for stretching, by the
supply of steam thereto, which is automatically delivered at all times, while the
former is within say three inches of its highest position, and the steam is
automatically cut off when the former is lowered.
It will be obvious, that the stretching fingers and ribs would be in like manner
co-operative, if the fingers were only vertically vibrated, and the ribs expansible,
as for instance if the finger plate and a fulcrum plate were coupled together and
simultaneously reciprocated; also if the finger plate slide rods should be uncoupled
from their pitmen, and secured against vertical movement in their bearings, in
which case said fingers and these ribs would be co-operative; so also if the finger
plate should be organized, so that while vibrating, the fingers would gradually
close inwardly as in some of my prior machines, in which case the ribs would not
need to be expansible, and it will be readily seen that my novel hat turning
mechanism would co-operate with the hat stretching devices regardless of their
special mode of co-operation so long as they perform their duty upon the woll'
known corrugation principle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to ine by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The combination in a hat stretching machine, of co-operating stretching
fingers, and ribs; a rotative hat supporting shell; a rotative disk which clamps
the tip of a hat body between it and said shell; means for automatically separating
the stretching devices for freeing the hat body from their engaging contact, and
means which intermittingly rotate said disk and shell for automatically rotating
the hat body at proper intervals in the operation of the stretuliing devices, and
presenting fresh portions of the hat body thereto.
2ud. The combination with co-operating sets of hat stretching devices, of a
rotative hat supporting shell; a rotative disk coincident with and adapted to bear
upon and clamp the tip of a hat body carried on said shell; and a rotating cam
operatively coupled by intermediate mechanisin with said disk for rotating it step
by step and changing the position of the hat body with relation to the stretching
devices.
3rd. In a hat stretching machine, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, of stretching fingers, a slidable spindle upon which a rotative hat
supporting shell and stretching ribs are carried; a lever coupled at one end to

page_text: said spindle and an operating cam beneath said lever provided with a stop seat at
which the spindle is maintained at its lowest position, also with a lifting face by
which the spindle is raised to its highest position, also with a series of concave
faces, by each of which, the spindle is partially lowered from and raised to its
highest position, also a series of intervening peripheral working faces, and a retiring
face, which fully lowers said spindle into its stop seat.
4th. In a hat stretching machine, the combination substantially as hereinbefore
described, with a former carried. by a vertically reciprocated spindle, and having
expansible stretching ribs, of a rotating cam provided with working faces as
described, which impart to the former spindle its extreme lifting and lowering
movements, and also a series of intervening vertical reciprocations from its
highest position, and a scroll cam which causes the stretching ribs to be gradually
expanded during the entire hat stretching operation.
6th. The combination with a ribbed former, and automatic mechanism for
expanding its stretching ribs, of a hand wheel screw which controls an adjustable
pivotal connection between portions of the expanding mechanism, and is accessible
at the front of the machine, for enabling an operator to accurately adjust the
expanding mechanism and to vary the strain of the stretching devices upon, a
hat.body.
.
..
6th. In a hat stretching machine, a ribbed former composed of a cylindrical.
hollow shell, stretching ribs hinged to the outside of said shell near its top, and
an annular steam chamber at the base of said shell, adapted to discharge steam
upwardly in combination with a rigid pipe mounted in the machine, a flexible
intermediate steam pipe, and a cock for controlling the supply of steam required
during the stretching operation for heating hat bodies carried by the former.
7th. In a hat stretching machine, the combination with a former, and its supporting
spindle, of a lever, and cam, for actuating said spindle, a steam pipe flexibly
connected with said former, and a steam cock, automatically operated, by a link
connected with said lever, substantially as described, whereby the supply of steam
will be varied according to the position of the former, and its relation to the
overlying stretching devices.
8th. In a machine for stretching hat bodies, the combination with the central'
spindle, and the cam by which it is vertically reciprocated, of a lever resting on
the cam, a cross head on the spindle, and a broad link coupled to said levers and
cross head by cylindrical joint pins which are non rotative, and afford extensive
journals, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 9th day of October 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..