IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BONNET FRONTS, ROUCHES, AND OTHER MILLINERY TRIMMINGS, OB FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Grey Hill, of Commerce Square, High
Pavement, in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Laco
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF BONNET FRONTS, ROUCHES, AND OTHER MILLINERY
TRIMMINGS, OB FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 11th January 1861, and dated the 13th July 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Grey Hill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th July 1860.
I, CHARLES GREY HILL, of Commerce Square, High Pavement, in the
Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BONNET FRONTS, ROUCHES, AND OTHER
MILLINERY TRIMMINGS, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in machinery for the manufacture of
bonnet fronts, rouches, and other millinery trimmings, or for other purposes,
and consists of a strong hollow cast-iron platform or bed plate of any required
length, and heated by one or more rows of gas jets, or by steam. The bed
plate is secured to a cast-iron standard at each end, which supports a bar or

page_text: bars horizontally, which also support a series of levers worked by one or more
cams, moved either by foot or by hand, the levers causing a presser plate to
descend on to the top of the bed plate, and another lever to rise up through a
slot in the bed plate to meet the one above the bed plate, the top side of the
lower presser plate pressing equally all over the bottom side of the top presser
plate, both plates sliding vertically upon short rods at each end above and
under the bed plate. The bottom presser plate is somewhat wider than the
top one, and in the portion forming the extra width I cut a groove the whole
length of the plate, and about one-eighth of an inch in 'depth, the use of which
shall be hereafter described. Between the short rods on the upper side of the
bed plate I place one or more pairs of fixed or moveable guides, the sides of
which instead of being parallel to each other and forming two straight lines
as beretofore used, are parallel to each other, yet forming one, two, or other
number, and a variety of curves. The two pairs of guides I use as follows:-
I place one piece of the material to be goffered and made up (the manner of
goffering which I will herein-after describe) between one pair of guides, and.
place the said guides in such wise that when the pressers are brought together
they will just clear that edge of the guide which is nearest to them, and allow
a knife to be passed along the side of the upper presser, the point of which
entering into the groove in the lower presser will cause one edge of the curved-
shaped goffered material to be cut straight, a band being proviously placed over
the material lying over the slot in the bed plate. Another pair of guides is
placed over the first, the second pair having a bottom of thin brass or other
suitable metal the whole of its length, and as wide as will reach from one
curved edge of the guido to the edge of the slot in the bed plate. Upon this
bottom a similar piece of material is placed to that in the first guide. Tho
pressers are then closed, and the process is finished, the edges being cut off
as herein-before described, the material having been previously goffered, as
follows: Above the bed plate, and between it and the top presser, I place a
cogged wheel, the axle of which runs in bearings which slide upon two V-bars
or round rods lying parallel to the top presser. The cogs of this wheel are
of various depths and thicknesses gradually from a small size to a large size,
and from a large size decreasing to a small size. Each of these cogs or teeth
take into a similar formed and gradually increasing and decreasing sized
groove cut on the top of the cast-iron platform or bed plate first herein-before
mentioned. A material being fed into the bed plate during the passage of the
wheel from end to end will receive the shape of the corrugations and teeth of
the cog wheel, the bed and bars carrying the wheel being of such a length

page_text: that the wheel clears either end of the top presser plate. The corrugations in
the bed plate I sometimes make in each side of the slot in the bed, or on one
side only as I may require. I also use a bed plate corrugated, as before
described, and a wheel, and the upper presser plate only, there being no slot
in the bed plate in this case. I also use a bed plate heated, as above
described, and with one or two presser plates; and instead of a cogged wheel
travelling the length of the bed, I place two such wheels on the end of the
bed plate in suitable fixed bearings. The axles of the two cogged wheels are
hollow, and have pipes passed through them, the pipes being pierced with
holes for gas jets, by which means the wheels are heated, they being cast
hollow. The material to be goffered is fed in between these wheels, and when
a sufficient length is passed between them it is cut off and made up as before
described.
I also propose to use guides, as herein-before described, with a groove and
knife-making-up machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Grey Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th January 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
GREY HILL, of Commerce Square, High Pavement, in the Town and County
of the Town of Nottingham, Lace Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Grey Hill, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Grey Hill,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Grey Hill, 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 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF BONNET FRONTS, ROUCHES, AND OTHER
MILLINERY TRIMMINGS, OR FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Grey Hill, my executors or administrators, by

page_text: an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands 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 Charles Grey Hill, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to improvements in machinery for the manufacture of
bonnet fronts, rouches, and other millinery trimmings, or for other purposes,
and consists of a strong hollow cast-iron platform or bed plate, of any required
length, heated by one or more rows of gas jets, or by steam, and secured to a
cast-iron standard at each end, which supports a bar or bars horizontally,
which also supports a series of levers worked by one or more cams moved
either by foot or by hand, the levers causing a presser plate to descend on to
the top of the bed plate, and another lever to rise up through a slot in the bed
plate to meet the one above the bed plate, the top side of the lower presser
plate pressing equally all over the bottom side of the top presser plate; both
plates slide vertically upon short rods at each end above and underneath the
bed plate. The bottom presser plate is somewhat wider than the top one, and
in the portion forming the extra width I cut a groove the whole length of the
plate, and about one-eighth of an inch in depth, the use of which is herein-
after described. Between the short rods on the upper side of the bed plate
I place one or more pairs of fixed or moveable guides, the sides of which
instead of forming two straight lines parallel to each other, as heretofore used,
are still parallel to each other, but form one, two, or other number, and a
variety of curves. The two pairs of guides I use as follows:-I place one
piece of the material to be goffered and made up (the manner of goffering
which I will herein-after describe) between one pair of guides, and place the
said guides in such wise that when the pressers are brought together they will
just clear that edge of the guide which is nearest to them, and allow a knife to
be passed along the side of the upper presser, the point of which entering into
the groove in the lower presser will cause one edge of the curved shaped
goffered material to be cut straight, a band being previously placed over the
material lying over the slot in the bed plate; another pair of guides is placed
over the first, the second pair having a bottom of thin brass or other suitable

page_text: metal the whole of its length, and as wide as will reach from one curved edge
of the guide to the edge of the slot in the bed plate; upon this bottom a
similar piece of material is placed to that in the first guide; the pressers are
then closed, and the process is finished, the edges being cut off, as herein-
before described, the material having been previously goffered as follows:-
Above the bed plate, and between it and the top presser, I place a cogged
wheel, the axle of which runs in bearings which slide upon two "V" bars or
round rods lying parallel to the top presser. The cogs of this wheel are of
various depths and thicknesses, gradually increasing from a small size to a
large size, and decreasing from a large size to a small size; each of these cogs
or teeth takes into a similarly formed and gradually increasing and decreasing
sized groove cut on the top of the cast-iron platform or bed plate first herein-
before mentioned. A material being fed into the bed plate during the passage
of the wheel from end to end will receive the shape of the corrugations and
teeth of the cog wheel, the bed and bars carrying the wheel being of such
length that the wheel clears either end of the top presser plate. The corru-
gations in the bed plate I sometimes make in each side of the slot in the bed,
or on one side only, as I may require. I also use a bed plate corrugated as
before described with a wheel and the upper presser plate only, there being no
slot in the bed plate in this case. I also use a bed plate heated as before
described, and with one or two presser plates, and instead of a cogged wheel
travelling the length of the bed, I place two such wheels at the end of the bed
plate in suitable fixed bearings. The axles of the two cogged wheels are
hollow, and have pipes passed through them, the pipes being pierced with
holes for gas jets, by which means the wheels are heated, they being cast
hollow. The material to be goffered is fed in between these wheels, and
when a sufficient length is passed between them it is cut off and made up, as
herein-before described. I also propose to use guides constructed as herein-
before described, with a groove and knife-making-up machine.
I now proceed more particularly to explain my said Invention, and the
mode of performing the same, with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Sheet 1, Figure 1, is a front view of a machine arranged according to my
improvements for making up bonnet fronts, rouches, &c., with two pairs of
moveable guides, which are shewn in the position in which they are placed
ready for the upper presser plate to descend to meet the lower presser plate,
the goffered material lying in and between each pair of guides, with a band
between the material, the band and material being equally compressed:
together; Figure 2, Sheet 1, is an end view of the above arrangement,.

page_text: showing the presser plates and guides in section; Figure 3, Sheet 2, is a top
view of a pair of moveable guides; Figuro 4, Sheet 2, is an end view, and
Figure 5 a front view, of a pair of cog wheels for goffering the material
previous to making up. The lower wheel is represented partly in section,
shewing more fully the perforated gas pipe whence proceed the jets of gas
which heat the wheels.
Figures 1, 2, 3, are drawn half the full size, and the goffering wheels and
'corrugated bed plate are shewn the full size. I do not confine myself to cog
wheels of the size shewn, but sometimes use wheels of a larger or smaller
diameter, having cogs or teeth of divers sizes, gradually increasing or
diminishing in size and number, as I may require. I also make the wheels of
various widths according to the breadth of material I wish to goffer. The
several corresponding parts in Figures 1, 2, 8, being lettered alike, the
following description will apply to each :-
A represents a hollow cast-iron presser and bed plate, secured to the
standard B at each end; on the under side of the upper part of B are three
projections, through which are passed pins on which the upper ends of the
drivers or hinged levers C move, the lower ends of the drivers bear upon and
work against snugs cast on the top side of the upper presser plate D, the ends
of which slide and are free to rise and fall in grooves in the standard B, as
shewn by the dotted lines. Each end of the standard B forms a bearing for
a shaft E, on which three bosses F are firmly secured, one of the bearings of
the shaft E projects beyond the end of the standard, and is shaped as seen at
G; and on the shaft is secured a fly-wheel G', having the boss at one side
formed of the same shape as the bearing G, the boss and bearing forming two
cams of a double-wedge shape working one within the other, by means of
which, if the fly wheel is partly turned round, the bosses F will be moved to the
right and force downwards the lower ends of the drivers C, which are hinged
in the centre of their length; by these means the upper presser D will be
forced downwards towards the lower one. When the material is sufficiently
pressed the fly wheel is released, and the drivers return to the position shewn
in Figure 1, the presser D being moved up by springs, as shewn. The
pressers are somewhat narrower near the ends at the pressing surfaces to make
room for a short platform H above the lower presser, and a driver I to the
upper presser. At each end the platforms II are supported above the presser A
by springs coiled round two short rods near the ends of the platforms, which
are free to move up and down in bearings El', cast on the ends of the presser
plate A. On the tops of the platforms are studs H, against which the lower

page_text: pair of moveable guides K are placed; there are small holes drilled through
the lower ends of the rods to the platform H, through which cotter pins are
passed to prevent the platforms being raised above the top of the lower presser
by the springs. When I make up two rows of rouches, I use two pairs of
guides placed one over the other, as shewn, and place the drivers I so that
they will commence pushing down the platforms H as soon as the lower edge
of the upper presser D has arrived at the level of the top of the upper guide,
by which means the lower presser will have the goffered material in the bottom
guides lowered on to it in the same proportion as the upper presser presses on
to the material in the upper guides, thereby pressing the material firmly
together in the centre of their thickness, whether they be two or more such
thicknesses. One side of each pair of guides has a slotted hole K' at each
end of the shape shewn in the top view, in which a stud slides, by which means
when the goffered materials are pressed together that side of the guide may be
drawn partly away from the other, and held there by being moved a little on
one side to allow of easier access of the knife to the edge of the pressers to cut
a straight edge to the rouches. The back and front of each pair of guides are
set the required distance apart by set screws K², and are held together by
india-rubber or other suitable springs which will allow of the guides being
pushed apart easily whilst the material is being placed between them. Each
pair of guides is also provided with two pointed pins, upon which the ends of
a damped band are placed, the moisture whereof as the heated pressers meet
will be converted into steam, and thus soften the dressing of the goffered
material between the pressers which press and dry the whole in one compact
mass. The pressers above shewn and described are heated by steam, which
passes through the lower presser from a steam boiler to the upper presser by
means of the swivel-jointed pipes L, as seen in Figure 1. The steam and
condensed water in the upper presser pass off by the pipe or stop-cock M, and
from the lower presser when required by the cock N.
similar pressers to those above described heated by gas jets.
The knife cutting the straight edge to the made up rouches is seen at
Figure 2, Sheet 1, O being the knife secured to a boss P¹ sliding on a rod P,
seen in section; a handle Q is secured to the boss for sliding the knife along.
I also apply guides similar to those herein-before described to a groove and
knife bonnet front machine, and instead of using two wheels, as herein-before
described, I use one wheel turning in bearings, which slides upon two rods
supported above a bed plate, which is corrugated to fit the teeth of the wheel,
as shewn in Figure 6, Sheet 2.
I sometimes use

page_text: And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly, the arrangement and combination of machinery herein-before
described.
Secondly, the improved arrangement of guides herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Grey Hill have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Agent,
Nottingham.
CHARLES GREY HILL. (L.S.)