IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY: OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Vero, of Dewsbury, in the County of
York, Hatter, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY:
OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS."
Sealed the 10th July 1868, and dated the 10th March 1868..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Vero at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th March 1868.
I, JOSEPH VERO, of Dewsbury, in the County of York, Hatter, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention has especial reference to the "hardening" of felt hat
bodies. For this purpose prior to commencing the operation of
hardening I place the hat body upon a thin perforated metallic shell of
a segmental parabolic formation, such shell is then placed upon a sup-
porting block of metal, and by its weight it is caused to open a steam.
cock placed within the block, by which means the body is heated and

page_text: steamed. I then remove the shell and body to a machine which I
will now describe..
Upon a suitable framework I mount a shaft through which I impart
(by means of a crank) a horizontal reciprocatory motion to a hollow
sliding block covered with felt or other soft and suitable substance.
This block is placed vertically with its apex upwards, and of a similar
shape to the shell before named, and adapted to receive it.. Also it is
heated by steam or any convenient means, but is not perforated. Over
and above the centre of the traverse of the block I suspend in a vertical
frame a pair of wings or flaps hinged together at the top and capable
of being opened out by suitable apparatus, so that when lowered down
over the block and the shell and body which it carries they may fit on
the same graduated weights connected to them, causing them to press
towards each other. The two wings or flaps are lined with two con-
tinuous sheets of metal padded with a lining of felt or other suitable
substance, the sheet adjoining the plate being solid and the other one
perforated. When the apparatus is therefore in motion, the hat body
having been previously steamed, and then with the shell upon which it
rests placed on the reciprocatory heated moving block, and the wings
being lowered upon it the process of hardening takes place, the top of
the hat body being equally well operated upon with the rest of the
body, inasmuch as the continuous sheet lining referred to has a circular.
formation near the hinges which corresponds with that of the shell,
and when the sides of the body are properly hardened by the friction
of the wings it is turned round on the shell one-fourth, so as equally
to harden the parts previously lying on the edge of the segmental
parabolic shell. I find the process improved by the direct contact of
the perforated metallic surfaces. (copper being used by preference)
with the hat body, a "milling" effect being the result. The process
being effected the wings are opened out and caused to rise in the
vertical frame by suitable mechanism and a fresh body substituted.
The apparatus above described may, if desired, be reversed by causing
the wings to traverse horizontally, and the block to be stationary, or
wings inverted (heated by steam) might also be used, a correspondingly
inverted and expanding block being used.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Vero in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th September 1868.
'
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
VERO, of Dewsbury, in the County of York, Hatter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of March, in the
year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Vero, Her special licence
that I, the said Joseph Vero, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Joseph Vero, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF
HATS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Vero,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands 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 Joseph Vero, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention has especial reference to the hardening of felt hat
bodies. For this purpose prior to commencing the operation of
hardening I place the hat body upon a thin perforated metallic shell
of a segmental parabolic formation, such shell is then placed upon a
supporting block of metal, and by its weight it is caused to open a
steam cock placed within the block, by which means the body is heated
and steamed. I then remove the shell and body to a machine which I
will now describe.

page_text: Upon a suitable framework I mount a shaft through which I impart
(by means of a crank) a horizontal reciprocating motion to a hollow
sliding block covered with felt or other soft and suitable substance.
This block is placed vertically with apex upwards, and of a similar
shape to the shell before named, and adapted to receive it. Also it is
heated by steam or any convenient means, but is not perforated.
Over and above the centre of the traverse of the block I suspend in a
vertical frame a pair of wings or flaps hinged together at the top and
-capable of being opened out by suitable apparatus, so that when lowered
down over the block and the shell and body which it carries they may
.fit on the same graduated weights connected to them, causing them to
press towards each other. I may here add that the moveable shell
referred to may in some cases, if desired, be composed of perforated
metal covered with metal gauze, and, if required, such shell may be
padded between the wings. In most instances, however, I prefer to
deviate from my first plan, and heat the flaps by placing jackets on 'the
outsides and heating them by means of steam. When the apparatus is
therefore in motion, the hat body having been previously steamed, and
then with the shell upon which it rests placed on the reciprocatory
heated moving block, and the wings being lowered upon it the process
of hardening takes place, the top of the hat body being equally well
operated upon with the rest of the body, inasmuch as the continuous
sheet lining referred to has a circular formation near the hinges which
corresponds with that of the shell, and when the side of the body are
properly hardened by the friction of the wings it is turned round on the
shell one-fourth, so as equally to harden the parts previously lying on
the edge of the segmental parabolic shell. I find the process improved
by the direct contact of the perforated gauze surfaces (copper being used
by preference) with the hat body, a "milling "effect being the result.
The process being effected the wings are opened out and caused to
rise in the vertical frame by suitable mechanism and a fresh body
substituted.
The apparatus above described may, if desired, be reversed by causing
the wings to traverse horizontally, and the block to be stationary, or
wings inverted (heated by steam) might also be used, a correspondingly
inverted and expanding block being used.
In order, however, that my Invention may be the better understood,

page_text: and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my apparatus; Figure 2, an end
elevation of the same; Figure 3, showing the adjunct machine (Figures
1 and 2).
Letters a show the framework of the machine; letters 6 show the
side uprights within which the flaps or wings c ascend and descend;
letter 6 shows the crosshead within which the pulleys 6' are mounted
necessary to raise or lower the wings c (by aid of the weights 6³).
It will be seen on reference to Figure 2 that the machine is driven
through the pulley c', the pulley d driving the fast or loose pulleys e
and f; a crank disc (see Figure 1) keyed on the shaft, or the latter
pulleys, gives by means of the rod h a reciprocating motion to the
sliding block d¹. On the table, Figure 3, will be seen shell block e
composed of perforated metal covered (by preference) with the metal
gauzes referred to, upon which the material to be hardened has been
previously placed, and being heated by means of the pipe f¹, the
valve f carrying the weight fs, which turns off and on as the shell is
removed or placed on it; felted material so heated being removed and
placed upon the block d', which is likewise heated internally by steam.
The wings c with their steam jackets c¹ are now lowered on to the block d¹,
their pressure upon the material of such block being regulated by the
weighted lever g, connected as will be seen to the levers g¹, g³. The
small catch brackets h are for the purpose of keeping the wings c steady
when lowered, while the small top brackets i prevents lateral motion of
the same. The machine is stopped when the material under operation
has been sufficiently hardened by means of the worm wheel acting upon
the wheels in conjunction with it, and by means of the pin j on the lower
wheel catching the rod k throwing the belt from the fast to the loose
pulley. In other respects ordinary mechanical appliances are used.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and shown in what
manner the same is to be performed, what I claim is,-
Firstly. The reciprocating moveable block d.
Secondly. The use of perforated metal or metal gauze coming in
direct contact with the surface of the material to be hardened.

page_text: Thirdly. Projecting steam through the perforated_wings and linings
upon the materials to be hardened.
And, lastly. The general construction of the machine described and
shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Vero, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
P. H. SHARP,
Leeds.
JOSEPH VERO. (L.S.)