Improvements in and relating to Machines for Ironing Hats.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1895 Accepted, 14th 'Dec., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Ironing Hats.
**
I, CHARLES HENRY REID, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing on Crosby Street near White Street, in the City of Danbury, County
of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, one of the United States of America,
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 :-
My invention relates to machines for ironing hats, and has for its object to iron
a hat body automatically and evenly, to regulate the pressure of the iron so that
the extended contact and pressure against the tip will not cause the latter to be
burned, to vary the pressure of the iron against the tip without altering the ironing
pressure on the side of the hat, and to operate the iron with great facility.
My invention also renders the ironing of the hat automatic in every particular,
an element hereinafter called a positive trip being provided, whereby the operation
of ironing is limited, as may be desired, so that a single operator may attend to
several machines.
f.
Also the movement and operation of the iron is so contrived and regulated, that
a hat may be ironed once or twice in a single automatic movement of said iron,
while the iron drops away from the hat the moment that the ironing of the
latter is completed.
Furthermore, my invention prevents the iron from coming in contact with the
stiffening of the hat and thereby smudging or burning the same, and produces
a neat and finished appearance such as is indispensable in hats of the first
quality.
J
My invention is especially applicable in the instance of hats which are treated
with what is termed as a "wine stiff" or a sizing containing wine, since in such
hats the heat from the iron will draw the stiffening to the surface of the hat
where it will become quickly dried and smeared by the hot iron when the latter
is in direct contact with the hat.
With these ends in view my invention consists in certain details of construction
and combination of elements such as will be hereinafter fully set forth and then
specifically designated by the claims.*.
In the accompanying drawings-
274
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine, the cloth belt which
encloses the iron being shown in section.
L'
"t.
*
Figure 2 is a plan view with said belt and the means for carrying the same
shown in dotted lines...
Figure 3 shows my improved machine without the mechanism for interposing
the cloth belt between the iron and the hat::
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the parts' shown at Figure 3, but in the proper
relative positions which they assume when the iron has finished operating against
the tip of the hat and has dropped away therefrom.
Figure 5 is a section at the line of Figure 1:
“Figure 6 is a' front elevation of my complete machine, and
The meaus which
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Figure 7 détail perspective of the frame and the belt carried thereby,'
employ for interposing a cloth belt between the iron and the
hat I have shown section at Figure and in dotted lines at Figure 2, in order
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Price 8d.
to

page_text: be more
that the operation of the iron and the parts for manipulating the same may
clearly seen, and I will now describe my invention, reference by number being had
to the drawings.
1 is a bed and 2 a frame work projecting upward therefrom. 3 are boxes at the
top of said frame within which is journaled the shaft 4. On the outer end of this
shaft are the usual loose and tight pulley's 5, 6. 7 is the hat-block which is
secured to the inner end of said shaft.
This block is secured in position on the shaft by means of any suitable and
ordinary chuck operated by a hand lever 8, and it is not deemed necessary to
describe this chuck, and I will merely state that the hat block is secured to the
shaft so as to revolve therewith. 9 is an L-lever pivoted at the heel to the
frame, as seen at a, the upper end of said lever being provided with any suitable
handle 10.
11 is a short shaft journaled within the lower arm of the lever 9. 12 is a worm
wheel tightly mounted on the inner end of the shaft 11, and 13 is a crank rigid
with the outer end of this shaft. This crank extends at its rear end beyond
the shaft 11 and is weighted as seen at 14 for the purpose presently to be
explained.
15 is a small pin extending from the frame and which acts as a support for the
lower arm of the lever 9 when the latter is dropped. 16 is a dog pivoted within
the lower arm of the lever 9, and 17 is a coil spring between the tail of said dog
and the said arm whereby the nose of the dog is normally depressed.
When the lever 9 is operated to lift the lower arm thereof, this dog will, when
said arm is in its highest position, spring into a recess or notch 18 in the frame,
after the manner of any ordinary spring catch.
19 is a beveled shoulder or projection secured on the side of the wheel 12
constituting the positive trip hereinbefore referred to, and adapted, when said
wheel revolves, to lift said dog out of the notch 18, thereby causing the lower
arm of the lever 9 to drop and rest against the pin 15.
20 is a bracket extending from the frame 2 and having on its extremity a
box 21 within which latter is journaled a rock-shaft 22. 23 is a T-lever pivoted
at one end to said shaft, and 24 is a pulley around the latter for the purpose
presently explained.
25 is a connecting lever whose ends are pivoted to the crank 13 and to the
lower leg of the T-lever, whereby motion from said crank as it revolves will
be imparted to the T-lever, causing the latter to rock up and down on its
pivotal point:
26 is the bat iron of any suitable and ordinary shape, and 27 is a pin which
extends rigidly from the side of said iron and has secured to its outer end a
handle 28. 29 is a projection from the shank of this handle, and 30 is a chain
secured to this projection and maintained against the pulley 24 by means of a
weight 31 secured to the lower end of said chain. 32 is a pin passed freely
through the sbank of the handle 28 from side to side at right angles thereto, and
secured in any adjustment by means of a set screw 33, and 34 is a weight secured
on the inner end of said pin.
The outer end of the T-lever 23 has extending therefrom a handle 35, and to the
shank of this handle and around the pin 27 is pivoted a connecting, bar 36.
The hat iron rests by gravity upon the block 7 and has a free rocking movement
owing to the pivotal connection between the pin 27 and bar 36. 37, 38 are pipes
through which the heating elements are introduced within the iron, which latter is
of course hollow. The heating agents which I prefer to use are hydrogen and
oxygen, the principle involved being that of the blow pipe.
The function of the weight 31 is to preserve a firm pressure of the iron against
the body of the hat, and to overcome any tendency of the iron to fall away
from the hat when operating against the tip of the latter, while at the same time
said weight causes the iron to exert a limited pressure against the tip.
It will be obvious that the pressure of the iron against the tip may be increased

page_text: by adding to the weight 31, but this will so increase the pressure of the iron when
operating on the sides of the hat that the latter will becoine scorched.
While the chain and weight are serviceable in that they serve to overcome the
tendency of the iron to fall away from the hat at the tip end, I prefer not to rely
upon these parts as a means for effecting and controlling the pressure of the iron
against the tip. I have therefore provided devices, which not only contribute to
give to the iron the desired pressure against the sides of the hat, but also are
capable of such adjustment as will cause the pressure of the iron against the tip of
the hat to vary according to the demands of the occasion, without in any way
altering or affecting the pressure of the iron against the sides of the hat.
The ineans which I employ for accomplishing the result last referred to are the
pin 32, set screw 33, and weight 34. By adjusting the pin 32 so as to bring the
weight 34 inward or away from the tip, the pressure of the iron against the latter
will be increased, while the reverse follows when the weight is brought outward or
toward the tip.
In practice I first ascertain the pressure with which the iron must bear against
the side of the hat without scorching the latter and make the combined weight
of the parts 31, 34, accordingly.
It will be readily understood, therefore, that when the iron is in the position
shown at Figure 1, the pressure brought to bear on the hat is that of the iron
itself plus the weight of the parts 31, 34, but when the tip is being ironed, and the
position of the iron is at right angles to that shown in Figure 1, or substantially
as is shown in Figure 4, the hat will be entirely relieved of the weight of the iron,
and the pressure of the latter against the tip will be effected partly by the weight 31
and mainly by the weight 34.
Also when operating against the tip the iron has longer contact therewith than
it has with the body of the hut, and if the pressure of the iron were the same in
all instances, the tip would undoubtedly be scorched. By relieving the tip of the
weight of the iron and effecting the pressure against such tip by devices that are
adjustable so that such pressure may be varied to suit the occasion, I obtain the
best results.
During the swing of the crank 13, it will be obvious, from the foregoing
description, that the T-lever will be swung on its pivotal point thereby causing the
iron 26 to travel across the bat. When the iron has completed its operations
against the tip of the hat, the continued movement of the crank 13 will cause the
connecting bar 36 to be thrown into such position that the iron will topple back-
ward away from the hat. In order that this bar 36 and the iron carried thereby
may drop backward only to a limited extent, I provide dogs 39, 40, rigid respec-
tively with said bar and with the shank of the handle 35. When the bar 36 drops
back the dog 39 will strike against the dog 40 and thereby arrest the further
movement of this bar, thus holding the iron 26 in convenient position with respect
to the hat block.
'
In restoring the parts from the position shown at Figure 4 to the position shown
at Figure 1, the operator simply grasps the handle 35 and raises the parts, and
this is accomplished with very little effort owing to the fact that the weight 14 on
the crank 13 very materially assists the operator.
41 is a worm on the shaft 4 and meshing with the wheel 12, whereby motiou is
imparted to the latter.
The operation of my improvement is as follows:-
:-
It is not deemed necessary to show a hat on the block, since the superficial
contour of the latter will answer the purposes of a hat body in this connection.
The lever 9 having been operated to raise the wheel 12 into engagement with
the worm 41, and to thereby cause the dog 16 to latch within the notch 18, said
wheel will revolve in the direction indicated thereon by the arrow.
The crank 13 revolving with said wheel, will through the medium of the connec-
ting rod 25, rock the T-lever up or down, thereby causing the iron to travel along
the hat from tip to side, or from side to tip as the case may be, the iron meanwhile

page_text: rocking on its pivot so as to preserve a constant tangential position with respect to
the contour of the hat. The timing of the crank 13 is such that when the T-lever
has been drawn downward so that the hat iron occupies a position in a vertical
plane, the ironing of the tip will have been completed, and the fitial movement of
said crank will carry the T-lever downward to the extent that will throw the bar 36
outward and cause the iron to topple backward until the movement of said bar is
arrested by the abutment of the dog 39 against the dog 40.
Synchronously with the abutment of said dogs, the trip 19 will in its circuit
lift the dog 18, as hereinbefore set forth, and the lower arm of the lever 9 will then
drop and rest against the pin 15, thus disengaging the wheel 12 from the worm 41.
Ordinarily, in ironing a hat, the initial position of the iron and the operative
parts of the machine are as is shown at Figure 1, but should it become necessary to
iron twice over a hat, I commence at the tip and work upward over the body and
thence down over the tip again.
It will be readily understood, that, in ironing a hat twice as above set forth, the
initial position of the crank 13 will be at the side of the wheel 12 substantially
opposite to that shown at Figure 1, while the trip 19 will be a slight distance below
the dog 16 so that said trip will complete nearly an entire circuit before operating
to cast off the hat iron.
By means of the handle 28 the iron may be manipulated at all times by hand
either to alter the pressure or to cast off said iron from the hat.
Having now fully described the operation of the iron and the mechanism connected
therewith, as well as the parts for controlling the movements of the hat, I will now
explain the means which I employ for insuring a first class finish to the surface of
the hat.
42 is a frame provided at its extremities with journals 43 and having ears 44,
which latter are securely bolted to the bar 36 whereby the frame is fixed in position.
Swiveled within said journals are stirrups 45 within which are journaled band
wheels 46. 47 is an endless belt cf cloth or other suitable material carried by said
wheels, which belt also encloses the iron above and below the same.
When the iron is in use the revolving hat will by friction cause the belt to travel
in unison therewith so that there can be no chafing between said belt and hat. As
the iron travels from the sides of the hat to the tip thereof the journals of the
stirrups will swing around, thereby causing the belt to always present a flat surface
to the hat. In other words, the belt partakes of the movements of the iron along
the sides and around the tip of the hat, this being of course due to the fact that
said belt is carried by the bar which supports the iron.
Instead of supporting the belt upon the bar 36, this belt may of course be
supported directly by the iron itself, the gist of my invention in this respect
resting in the broad idea in arranging and supporting the belt so that it will move
in harmony with the iron, and therefore it is immaterial whether the belt be
supported upon the iron or upon the part which carries the iron.
Moreover, the belt may be positively revolved by means of the usual flexible
connections with the rotatory shaft which causes the revolutions of the hat, but I
prefer the construction showu, as it is simpler, more readily applied, and is
exceedingly efficient.
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:-
1. In a hat ironing machine, the combination with a revoluble hat block, of the
iron capable of a movement at right angles to the line of movement of said block,
and intermediate mechanism pivoted to said iron and controlled by the power shaft
for effecting the operation of said iron, substantially as set forth.
2. In a hat ironing machine, the combination of the primary shaft having
mounted thereon the hat block, and the power transmitting wheel adapted to receive
motion from said shaft and carried by a lever having a vertical swing, whereby said

page_text: wheel may be engaged with and disengaged from the shaft, substantially as set:
forth.
3. In a hat ironing machine, the combination of the primary shaft having
mounted thereon the hat-block, the power transmitting wheel adapted to receive
motion from said shaft, a swinging lever within which said wheel is journaled, a.
crank rigid with the shaft of said wheel, a series of levers connected with an
actuated by said crank, and the hat iron pivoted to the last of said levers,...
substantially as set forth."
4! In a hat ironing machine, the combination with a series of levers supported by
and having a main pivot on the frame of the machine, of a rotatory crank pivotally-
connected to one end of said series, and the hat irou pivoted at the other end,..
substantially as shown and set forth."
5. The combination with a series of levers having the hat iron pivoted thereto,.
of an auxiliary weight constantly applied to said iron during its operation and
adapted to draw the iron against the tip of the hat, substantially as shown and
described.
6. In a hat ironing machine, the hat iron, and mechanism for operating the latter
at right angles to the rotatory movement of the hat block, in combination with,
means, as a weight and chain, for effecting a decreased pressure of the iron against
the tip of the hat, substantially as set forth.
7. The lever carrying the power transmitting wheel and having the spring catch.
adapted to engage with a notch in the frame, in combination with the trip carried
by said wheel and operating to disengage said catch and notch, substantially as
shown and described.
8. The shaft carrying the worm and hat block, in combination with the worm.
wheel, the crank rigid therewith, and means operated by said crank for effecting
the movements of the hat iron, substantially as shown and set forth.
9. The combination of the primary shaft carrying the hat block, the power
transmitting wheel adapted to receive motion from said shaft, the swinging lever
within which said wheel is journaled, the crank rigid with the shaft of said wheel
and having its rear end extended beyond said shaft and weighted, the T-lever
pivoted at one end to the frame, the connecting bar 32 pivoted to said T-bar aud
to the iron, dogs 33, 34, carried by said bar and T-head, and the connecting
lever 21 pivoted to the crank and to the vertical leg of the T-head, substantially
as set forth.
10. The combination of the weighted crank, the T-head lever pivoted at one end:
to the frame of the machine, the lever 32 pivoted to the other end of said T-head,
the bat iron pivotally attached to the lever 32, and the connecting rod pivotally
attached to the crank and the lower leg of the T-head, substantially as set forth.
11. The combination of the T-headed lever pivoted to the frame of the machine
and carrying the dog 34, the hat iron having extending laterally therefrom the
pin 23, to the outer end of which is secured a handle 24, the connecting lever 32.
whose ends are respectively pivoted around said pin and to the outer end of said.
T-head and carrying the dog 33, the pin 28 adjustable transversely through the
shank of the handle 24 and carrying on its inner end a weight, the rotatory
weighted crank, and the lever 21 whose ends are pivoted to said crank and to the
lower leg of said T-head, substantially as set forth.
12. In a hat ironing machine of the character described, the combination with.
the hat iron and means for operating the same, of means for adjusting the pressure
of the iron on the tip of the hat independent of and without affecting the pressure.
of the iron in side ironing, substantially as set forth.
13. In a hat ironing machine, the combination of the hat iron having extending.
laterally therefrom a pin, and the pin 28 at right angles to the first-mentioned pin,.
and rigid therewith but capable of an adjustment transversely thereto and having
secured on its inner end a weight, substantially as set forth.
14. In a hat ironing machine, the combination of the rotary chuck for supporting.
the hat, and the hat iron capable of being carried along the sides of the hat and.

page_text: around the tip, of a belt of cloth interposed between said iron and the chuck body
and capable of traveling in unison with the latter, substantially as set forth.
.
15. In a hat ironing machine, the combination of the rotary chuck, the bat iron
and the bar to which said iron is connected, with a traveling belt of cloth interposed.
between said iron and chuck, substantially as set forth.
16. In a hat ironing machine, the combination of the chuck body, the iron and
the bar to which the latter is connected, with a belt carried by said bar and capable
of traveling in unison with said chuck, substantially as set forth..
17. In a hat ironing machine, the combination of the chuck, the iron, and the
bar to which the latter is. connected, with a frame secured to said bar and
the traveling belt of cloth journaled within said frame and enclosing the hat iron,
substantially as set forth.
.
i
. 18. In a hat ironing machine, the combination of the chuck, the hat iron, and the
bar to which the latter is connected, with the frame secured to said bar, the stirrups
swivelled to said frame, the band wheels journaled, within said stirrups, and the
endless belt of cloth carried by said wheels and enclosing said iron, substantially
as set forth.
S
Dated this 1st day of October 1905
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.