AN IMPROVED HAT FINISHING MACHINE
Year: 1885

page_text: I, THOMAS WILLIAM CLARK, of 205 Bourke Street East, in the City of Melbourne,
and Colony of Victoria, Hat Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "AN IMPROVED HAT FINISHING MACHINE" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention has been designed for the purpose of sticking and finishing the
outer surfaces of those descriptions of hats or helmets which have an outer cover or
pull-over placed over an inner prepared body. Machines for this purpose have been
used before in which the body with its cover or pull-over have been pressed from
the inside and made to conform to the shape of a rigid mould by the pressure of
an elastic bag within them. Now my invention entirely reverses this order of
procedure. I force the hat body and its cover into a heated elastic mould or
presser which presses the cover or pull-over on to the body by outside pressure.
By its elastic even and warm pressure over the whole surface of the hat, the cover
is made to adhere firmly to the body at all points.
Referring to my drawings,
Figure 1 shews front elevation of a machine constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 sectional side elevation of same at the line a a Figure 1.
Figure 3 plan of the top of same, and
Figure 4 central vertical section of an alternative construction of the mould
chamber or pot at the top of the machine.
A is the mould chamber or pot, B the elastic mould or presser made preferably
of india-rubber, and secured underneath the lower flange of said pot by means of
the ring C, and the clamps C. A¹ is the hot water chamber, A² the inlet pipe
thereto, and A³ the outlet pipe therefrom. A is a cold water duct or way, A³ its
inlet pipe, and A6 its outlet. D is a circular gas burner, the perforations of which
are on its inner face, and D' is its supply branch. A' A' are lugs formed at the
top of the pot A to allow of its being bolted to the top of the frame E, which
stands upon and s rivetted to the bottom plate E¹ as shewn. A³ is a pressure
gauge for denoting the pressure of the water within the chamber A¹. F (in dotted
lines) is the position of the block or shape, and F¹ the brim frame upon which the
hat to be "finished" is placed. This is supported on platform G which has bolted

page_text: to its under side the guide brackets G¹, which with the platform, work up and
down between the sides of the frame E. H H are toggle connections, the upper
joints of which are centred on pins H' in the guide brackets G', and the lower ends
of which are centred on the pins H2 secured to the frame E. The knuckle joints H³
of the toggles are connected together by the transverse rod H' which passes through
the links bolted to the cross-bar H, which is secured at its ends to the pins H
which are also centred in the side of frame E. He is a hand lever secured to one
of these pins. Figure 4 shews an alternative mode of constructing the mould
chamber or pot in which the cold water way or duct A is open at the top.
In using my machine, I first turn on the water supply to chamber A' and to the
passage or duct A. I then light the gas jets in burner D so as to heat the water
in chamber A¹, and when its temperature has risen to about boiling point, the
machine is ready for use, it being understood that the water in the duct A' is
always to be kept cold so as to prevent the india-rubber gripped by the ring C
from perishing by contact with what would otherwise be hot metal. The machine
being thus prepared, I place the hat body on its block with the cover placed on its
body. The block with its covered body I then place on the brim frame F¹ which
rests on the platform G, I then press down the lever H³ and so force up the hat
body and its cover into the elastic mould B, which presses against it with an even
elastic and warm pressure. When the hat has remained in it say from three to
five minutes, the platform is again lowered by raising lever H³ and the hat is
removed. If preferred, the water might be supplied hot to the hot water
chamber A' and the hot water itself might be substituted by steam, hot air, or any
other.elastic heating agent.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein described and explained of constructing my improved hat finishing machine
so long as its essential feature be retained viz: the heated elastic mould or presser
to press upon the outside of the hat cover or body so as to stick and finish them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The construction of hat finishing machines with a heated elastic mould or
presser which presses upon the outer surface of the hat while it is upon its block
so as to make the cover or pull-over adhere to the body at all points substantially
as herein described and explained and as illustrated in my drawings.
2. The special construction and arrangement of such heated elastic mould or
presser and its appurtenant parts either with or without the gas burner D
substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in my drawings.
3. The two methods of constructing the cold water duct A* as shewn in Figures 2
and 4 of my drawings.
4. The combination of the parts marked H to H³ with the platform G Gand
frame E forming together the means for supporting the hat block and frame and
for raising and lowering them and the bat to be finished into and out of the before
claimed heated elastic mould or presser substantially as herein described and
explained and as illustrated in my drawings.
Dated this fifth day of October One thousand eight thundred and sighty five