IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FELTING AND HARDENING HAT BODIES AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Clark at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 21st October 1878. A communication from
abroad by John Griffin Meeker, of Danbury, in the County of Fairfield, State
of Connecticut, United States of America.
WILLIAM CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FELTING AND HARDENING HAT BODIES AND
OTHER FABRICS." [A communication from abroad' by John Griffin Meeker, of
Danbury, in the County of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, United States of
America.]
This Invention relates to a machine for felting or hardening hat bodies and
other fabrics composed of fur or wool, and the Invention consists in a rotary
cylinder or felting roller having a ribbed surface formed of small hempen rope or
other suitable material attached by nails or pegs, which roller is used in connection
with a slatted apron that has its surface next to the roller ribbed with a similar
material to the ribs upon the surface of the roller. By this construction the surfaces
which act upon the article to be felted have a certain amount of flexibility, and the
felting operation is successfully accomplished.
The felting roller is journalled in a suitable frame, and has a pulley for connection
by a belt to power, so that the roller will be revolved. The apron surrounds the
felting roller, except at one point at the upper side, which is left open for the
insertion of the article to be operated upon. The apron is composed of slats as
before mentioned held together by a surrounding rigid strap at each end, which
straps extend up and are connected to a bar on the frame so as to retain the apron
in place. Around the shaft of the felting roller are circular heads attached to the
framing, upon which heads the apron rests, whereby the direct contact of the roller
and apron is prevented. The bar to which the straps are connected is fitted to
move vertically in slots formed in the frame of the machine, and its position can be
regulated by screw rods, and the distance between the felting roller and apron,
thereby adjusted to regulate the pressure upon the liat bodies.
The rope on the surface of the felting roller is applied by preference in lines
running diagonally, and crossing each other, and upon the apron the lines are
- 51

page_text: parallel, inclining from the centre upward or downward toward the sides of the
apron.
The ribbed surfaces formed by the rope act efficiently in felting the hat bodies
or other fabrics placed in the machine; they have the required flexibility or
elasticity to form a substitute for the hand manipulation usually employed, and
may be successfully employed for the work which rigid corrugations fail to
perform.
"
I do not limit myself to the exact manner described of arranging the rope to form
the ribbed surface, neither do I limit myself to the use of rope, as any material
which will furnish the characteristic features of the rope ribs may be used for the
same purpose.
The machine above described, when in use for felting, will be placed in a suitable
box for containing hot water, but for hardening the bodies water will not be
used.