US2039911A - Manufacture of fur or felt hats - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 22 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of fur or felt hats.

According to conventional practices, the manufacture of fur or felt hats is carried on in two main groups of steps, the first group of steps being practiced in that part of a factory or plant known as the back shop and the second group of steps being practiced in a plant subdivision known as the front shop. The back shop operations consist generally in the steps of forming the hat bat, felting and shrinking the same, coloring the resulting body, stretching and blocking the body into a rough shape simulating the finished article, and the pouncing of the rough blocked body. To outline the steps more specifically, fur fibers, which have been suitably prepared for felting as by treatment with a carroting composition or solution, are deposited on a forming cone in a wet or moist condition to form thereon, what is known as the hat bat. Thereupon, the bat is hardened as by immersion in scalding water and gentle manipulation, whereby the bat is felted sufliciently to render it strong enough to withstand handling during subsequent operations. Then the bat is sized; that is, it is manipulated in such manner that the fur iibres are interlocked and felted to a high degree, and simultaneously shrunk to desired size, the resulting structure being kno-wn as a hat body which still retains the conical shape of the bat.

The sizing operation is usually effected in two steps. or treatments. According to the practice of hand sizing, a number of the hardened bats, o disposed one on another, are rolled in a sizing cloth and the roll is suitably saturated and rolled by hand under varying pressures. This treatment is one of preliminary sizing. Final sizing consists of a more severe manipulation, and usually this operation involves the rolling of the partially shrunk bats into a roll formation and causing theV resulting roll to be rotated between the cleated rolls of a sizing machine with increasing pressure and application of scalding water until the bats have been completely felted and shrunk to iinal size.

In the practice of sizing by machine, the bats are given the first or preliminary sizing in the A machine, of the character generally disclosed in United States Letters Patents 1,533,349-50, dated April 14, 1925, and 1,535,324-8, dated April 28, 1925, which functions to effect first or preliminary felting and shrinking of the bat to 'about 5 inches of nal size. The second or iinal sizing treatment is then given to the bats coming from the A machine on what is known as the B machine, such vas generally disclosed in Patents 1,586,551, dated June 1, 1926, and 1,620,957, dated March 15, 1'927. The B machines effect a more severe working of the bat and further felt and shrink the bat to its desired body size.

The iinally felted and fully shrunk body is next colored as by dyeing. Then the shape of the body is changed by suitable operations from a cone to a structure khaving a crown and brim as by conventional stretching and blocking apparatus. The blocked body is next pounced; that is, the body is engaged by abrasive surfaces, generally constituted by sheets or strips of Vsand paper or the like suitably arranged on supports forming pads, rolls or the like. This pouncing treatment cuts away the rough outer surface of the felted body and the resulting pounced body is one of even texture and uniform surface throughout.

It will be understood that both the inner and outer surfaces of the crown and the under and upper surfaces of the brim are subjected to the pouncing treatment. By reason of the shape of the blocked hat, separate machines or separate operations on a, single machine are utilized for the crown 'pouncing and for the brim pouncing operations, respectively, with the shape of the hat further tending to diiiiculty in manipulating the hat as it is pounced, and the reversal of the body as is 'required toy pounce the inside of the crown, further increasing the amount of handling of the body necessary in the pouncing operation. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the pouncing operation as at present carried out is not only one that requires a great deal of skill in its practice, but is further one that is unduly expensive by reason of the many operations involved.

The blocked and pounced hat, known to the trade as a rough hat, now leaves the back shop and is sent to the front shop where the iinishing, trimming, and hanging operations are practiced. Such operations may comprise generally the mounting of the rough blocked hat on a crown block of nal size and shape as by means of a dry blocking machine vor by a hand blocking operation, with suitable steam treatment. The hat .is then subjected to the expensive hand iinishing operation, which operation involves surface treatment with ne sand paper or the like and the application of heated irons or pads and gives to the outer surface of the crown and the under and upper surface of the brim a limited sheen or lustre characteristic of fa newly purchased hat.

'Ihe hat is now stripped from the block and receives the trimming operations, which may include the sewing on of the brim edge binding if the hat is to have a bound edge, and the application of the outer band, the inner crown lining, and the sweat leather. Finally, the brim is flanged, that is, it is set to its final shape or character in conventional fianging apparatus and thereupon ironed for surface lustre.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the manufacture of hats in accordance with conventional practice includes various operations which so severely work the bats and hat bodies in their Aseveral stages of fabrication as to impair the felt texture thereof and destroy to some extent at least the highly desirable properties of firmness and elasticity in the felt. Thus hats made by the aforesaid practice do not retain their shape over substantial periods of time and are subject to marring and creasing when the hat is distorted for one'reason or another. It will beV further understood that the manufacture of hats by the known practice as aforesaid is in general laborious and expensive and is complicated 'further by reason of the fact that the back shop operations are separate and distinct from the front shop operations, this being due primarily to the requirement and maintenance of a finishing room to carry on'the major front shop finishing operation. In fact, the line of separation between the front and back shop operations is so well defined that in many hat manufacturing plants the back shop is physically segregated, if not entirely separated from the front shop and has resulted in many cases in the manufacturer, faced with the expense of maintaining what amounts to two separate establishments, electing to carry on only back shop operations to the exclusion of front shop operations, or vice versa. Although the manufacturers overhead is decreased by the latter arrangement, nevertheless the ultimate price of the finished hat to the purchaser is in nowise reduced, as the retail price of the hat must be such as to cover the operation and maintenance of the expensive back shop and front shop operations and practices.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of a simplified method of hat manufacture which is practical and economical; the provision of a method of hat manufacture which involves a novel sequence of operations; the provision of a method of hat manufacture which eliminates the conventional hand finishing operation; the provision of a method of hat manufacture which does away with the necessity f separate establishments, or separate sections or divisions of one establishment Y in carrying out the requisite steps of fabricating hats; the provision of a method of hat manufacture which substantially reduces production costs; the provision of a method of manufacturing hats by the practice of which an article of improved appearance, texture, and shape-retaining properties is obtained; the provision of felt or fur hats of attractive appearance, which may be fabricated without the necessity of practicing thereon the conventional finishing operation; and the provision of felt or fur hats having improved appearance; texture, and shape-retaining properties.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter'pointed out in connection with the following analysis of this invention, wherein is described and illustrated one preferred mode of carrying out'the present invention, together with possibleV modifications-thereof.

Referring to the drawing, the figure represents schematically the chain of operations involved in the method of hat manufacture forming the subject-matter of the present invention.

In the practice of the invention I first form a hat bat by conventional apparatus, such comprising generally a perforated cone mounted within an enclosure to which suitably treated fur is blown. Suction pressure through the cone causes the deposition of the fur fibers on the cone and, by the application of moisture such as steam or water, the fur fibers form on the cone a matted structure of cone-shape, with the fur fibers being loosely interlocked. While the forming operation is conventional, I propose to form the bat so that the tip portion thereof is relatively light, with the bat being heavier towards its brim or skirt portion. Such may be accomplished by increasing the size of the perforations of the cone, and/or the number of such perforations, towards its bottom portion whereby more fur fibers are deposited on the brim area or zone than on the upper or tip portion. 'I'hus the portion of the bat which later becomes the hat brim is formed extra heavy. The forming operation is indicated on the;

chain drawing by the legend Bat forming.

The cone and bat formed thereon are now removed from the enclosure of the forming machine and the bat is stripped from the cone and suitably hardened by the conventional hardening steps as described in the foregoing and represented on the schematic chain by the legend Hardening.

Thereupon a plurality of the hat bats so formed and hardened are wet down in such manner that the brim and/or general edge portion of the bat, which portion was formed extra heavy, is tightened or shrunk. The wetting down operation as practiced in accordance with the herein described method is of such nature that the brim edge portion particularly of the bat is shrunk, it ybeing understood that such may be accomplished by immersion of the brim portion of the hat in scalding water and gently rolling or working the same. This treatment is designed to give additional strength to the heavy portion of the bat by effecting a degree of felting of the fur fibers thereof, and at the same time acts to -x the edge fibers of the bat in such manner that they may eventually form the final or finished edge of the hat. The aforesaid wetting downstep is indicated on the schematic chain drawing by the legend Wetting down.

The bat is then subjected to treatment on the conventional A machine and given regular work thereon. As will be understood this treatment is in the nature of a gentle kneading manipulation of the hat bats, causing the fur fibers thereof to be interlocked and felted and at the same time shrinking the bats down to about inches of their final size. The treatment given to the bats on the A machine is one of first or preliminary sizing, and such step is indicated on the schematic chain by the legend A machine treatment.

Thereupon, when colored hats are desired, the partially felted and shrunken bats coming from the A machine are colored as by immersion of the bats in dyeing vats, and are thereafter suitably dried. I find that coloring at this stage is advantageous, as the dye is better taken up by the partially felted and shrunken bat and subsequent and final sizing steps or operationsv act to fix the color in and throughout the felted fibers of the bat. The coloring step is indicated on the schematic chain drawing by the legend Coloring.

Thereupon the colored bats are subjected to the treatment of the B machine and given regular Work thereon, it being understood that the B machine kneads and manipulates the bats so as to further felt the fur fibers thereof and also to shrink the bat. This step is indicated on the chain by the legend B machine treatment, and this operation is carried on sufficiently as to shrink the bat to within two inches (approximate) of its nished size.

The hat bat is now hand-sized by a regular sizing process, such cgmprising the alternate immersion of the bat into scalding water and the application of rolling pressure thereto. The aforesaid sizing operation further felts the fur fibers of the bat and brings the hat down close to final body size and specifically to within about a half-inch of the final size. This sizing step is indicated on the chain by the legend First hand sizing. The slightly over-size hat body is then dried by the conventional methods to remove the moisture contained therein as the result of its immersion treatment.

The dried, slightly over-size body is next brushed, as with a wire brush or equivalent means which functions to raise and lay the surface bers in a uniform direction, as a preliminary to a shaving operation, and the hat bodies, while in their cone shape, are next shaved by conventional hat shaving apparatus of the general type as disclosed in United States Letters Patent 982,926, dated January 31, 1911, such comprising rotating knives which cut away the loose projecting fur fibers of the hat surface. The brushing and shaving steps, being directly related and complemental steps, are indicated on the chain by the legend First shaving.

The shaved body, slightly over-size, is thereupon returned to the hand sizer and given further work, as by further immersion in scalding water and application of rolling pressure, until the body is shrunk to its exact final size. Such step is indicated on the chain as Second hand sizing,

The hat is again dried to remove the moisture contained therein as a result of the final sizing operation and is again subjected to the brushing and shaving operation similar to the first brushing and shaving operation. This step is indicated on the chain by the legend Second shaving.

It will be understood that the hat body at this stage of its fabrication still retains its conical formation and, by reason of the Various shrinking and felting operations, is of final desired size and is felted to a high degree. Further, by reason of the brushing and shaving operations practiced both before and after final sizing, all of the loose, protruding fur fibres have been cut away, and such bers as form the surface of the conical body are of a uniform length and closely clipped or shaved. In view of the foregoing, it will further be evident that the hat body so formed possesses its original raw edge resulting from the forming step, such edge being gradually worked up during the felting operations until it is substantially rounded, with the felting steps tending to protect the edge fro breaking down. v

'I'he conical, sized body is now placed on a rotating conical spindle, and the relatively heavy skirt portion of the body, which later becomes the brim, is subjected to abrasive action as by engagement withthe sand paper pads, rolls, or the like. This spindling treatment is given to both inner and outer surfaces of the hat and serves to smooth still more the surface of the brim portion of the hat. The resulting brim structure is one of even texture and, by reason of its extra weight, possesses a high degree of strength and shape-retaining properties. The aforesaid brim treating operation has an eect somewhat similar to that obtained by the conventional brim pouncing operation and is indicated on the chain by the legend Spindling, although it will be understood that this operation not only pounces but serves to smooth the surface of the brim.

The hat body is now ready for the stretching and blocking operations and the tip is next stretched by a conventional tip stretching machine which may be of the type shown in United States Letters Patent 1,902,516, dated March 31, 1933. This latter step is indicated on the chain by the legend Tip stretching. The brim of the hat is now stretched, preferably on a brim stretching machine such as is used in stretching the brirns of wool hats and in such manner as to protect the brim edge from breaking, marririg, or the like. Such brim stretching machine preferably embodies sets of rollers, of which the rollers of one set rotate at a higher rate than those of the other, whereby to tension a hat brim passing therebetween, as generally disclosed in United States Letters Patent 1,013,321, dated January 2, 1912. This operation is indicated on the chain drawing by the legend Brim stretching.

The stretched hat body is next taken to and blocked on the blocking machine of the kind utilizing an individual block for each hat of the ultimate size that the hat is to possess, such as 'Y1/8, 'l1/4, etc. Such a blocking machine is preferably also of the character as to protect the brim edge, and in this respect may embody features as generally disclosed in United States Letters Patent 1,907,556, dated May 9, 1933; and is further of the character as to set or impart a ange to the brim. It will be understood, therefore, that the blocking operation aforesaid blocks the crown to final or substantially final head size and sets the brim, while at the same time protecting the brim edge of the hat body. This operation is indicated on the chain by the legend Blocking and brim setting.

The blocked hat is next dried to remove the moisture taken up by it during the stretching and blocking operations and thereupon the crcwn is pounced in the usual manner. This crown pouncing step functions to cut down slightly the crown, removes the surface bers thereof, and gives the crown a soft uniform surface and texture as is understood. This step is designated on the chain by the legend Crown pouncing.

The blocked body resulting from the practice of the foregoing steps may be termed a rough hat and is now ready for the nal steps of treatment which formerly, according to the old method, consisted of finishing and flanging, etc. By my improved method, I modify the conventional practices in such manner as to simplify and' render less costly the final treatment of the hat usually carried on in the front shop. According to my mode of manufacture, tne blocked hat following the crown pouncing operation as aforesaid is fhand blocked in the usual manner, that is, the hat is forced over an individual block according to size, whereby to straighten out the crown preparatory to ironing, it being understood that the hat is blocked to final size by the wet blocking operation aforesaid. Such operation is designated on t-he chain drawing by the legend Hand blocking, the operation being one well known in the art.

The crown of the so blocked hat is now ironed on a crown ironing machine, which may advantageously be of the character disclosed in United States Lettersv Patent 1,944,655, dated January 23, 1934. This operation, as is Well known, smooths the surface of the crown and imparts thereto a limited lustre or sheen. Such operation is designated by the legend Crown ironing on the chain drawing.

The so treated hat is now removed from its block and is pressed in individual molds of a hydraulic press, which may be of the Cuming type, the principles of which are generally disclosed in United States Letters Patent 1,037,841, dated September 3, 1912. In the aforesaid press, the hat is subjected to about 200 lbs. steam pressure, such pressure serving both to set the crown and brim to a shape and character determined by the mold cavity, the latter without ironing, and also to keep the hat soft and mellow. The foregoing final step of my modified finishing treatment, which is designated on the drawing by the legend Pressing will bereadily distinguished by those skilled in the art from the conventional finishing practices. The hat is next trimmed as by sewing on the outer band, sweat leather, and tip lining, which latter steps result in the hat reaching its final stage of fabrication.

The foregoing method of hat manufacture may be carried on in a plant which is truly unitary, as distinguished from the old practice of segregating certain operations within a back shop and other operations within a front shop. By reference to the above sequence of operations and the chain illustrative of them, it will be seen that all of the steps are steps that can be carried on in the back shop or unsubstantial additions thereto. In the layout of a factory practicing the foregoing method, all of the Wet steps may be suitably practiced in one section thereof, whereas the operations practiced when the hat is dry, such as the shaving, pouncing, and pressing operations, may be arranged in a related section or in a part of the first section protected from steam or water, but not necessarily a physically different part of the plant or factory. It will further be noted that according to the foregoing art of hat manufacture, the costly hand finishing operations and high labor costs incident thereto are eliminated. Thus it will be apparent that the physical lay-out of a factory utilizing the foregoing process is materially reduced.

I have further found that hats made according to the practice of the foregoing method are characterized by improved shape-holding properties and that hats so fabricated maintain their shape indefinitely. Further, hats so manufactured are substantially creaseless regardless of how much they are subjected to folding, rough treatment, and the like. I believe that the aforesaid improved properties and characteristics are due to the fact that the texture of the felt of a hat fabricated as aforesaid is very materially improved, being firmer and more elastic than hats made by conventional processes. Further, the raw or uncut edge acts to strengthen the brim and to maintain the brim in its proper shape indefinitely. y

It will be understood that while the sequence of steps characteristic of the above-outlined art or method of hat manufacture is preferable for the reasons set forth, the order of steps, and particularly the steps practiced prior to spindling is not to be regarded as unduly critical. Consequently, I claim a reasonable degree of latitude in the order or sequence of the steps or operations above-outlined, as characteristic of my improved method, and all variations of such order or sequence falling within the spirit and intent of the present -disclosure are intended to be comprehended within the scope of the annexed claims. It will be further understood that where in the foregoing I have identified by patent number typical apparatus by which a step or steps of my method may be practiced, such is suggestive only of apparatus readily available on the market, and I do not intend to be limited in any sense to the specific apparatus so designated.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential character-v istics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the steps of forming the hat bat, partially felting and shrinking the bat, shaving the resulting bat,

and then finally felting and shrinking the bat.

2. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the steps of forming the hat bat, partially felting and shrinking the bat, shaving the resulting bat, finally felting and shrinking the bat, and again shaving the finally felted and shrunken bat.

3. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the steps of forming a hat bat, partially feltingv and shrinking the hat bat, coloring the partially felted and shrunken bat, shaving the colored bat, and then finally felting and shrinking the bat.

4. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the steps of forming a hat bat, partially felting and shrinking the bat, coloring the resulting bat, shaving the colored bat, finally feltingand shrinking the bat, and again shaving the finally felted and shrunken bat.

5. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming the hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than its tip portion, felting and shrinking the bat to final body size, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, and thereupon blocking the body.

6. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat so formed, shaving the partially felted and shrunken bat, finally felting and shrinking the bat to final body size, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, and thereupon blocking the so treated body.

7. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat so formed, shaving the partially felted and shrunken bat, finally felting and shrinking the bat to final body size, again shaving the resulting body, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, and thereupon blocking the so treated body.

8. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat so formed, coloring the partially felted and shrunken bat, shaving the colored bat, finally felting and shrinking th-e colored and shaven bat to final body size, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, and thereupon blocking the so treated body.

9. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat so formed, coloring the partially felted and shrunken bat, shaving the colored bat, finally felting and shrinking the colored and shaven bat to final body size, again shaving the resulting body, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, and thereupon blocking the so treated body.

10. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming the hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, felting and shrinking the bat to nal body size, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, thereupon blocking the body, and crown pouncing the blocked body.

11. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brimis heavier than the tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat so formed, shaving the partially felted and shrunken bat, finally felting and shrinking the bat to final body size, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, thereupon blocking the so treated body, and crown pouncing the blocked body.

12. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat so formed, shaving the partially 'felted and shrunken bat, finally felting and shrinking the bat to final body size, again shaving the resulting body, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, thereupon blocking the so treated body, and crown pouncing the blocked body.

13. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat so formed, coloring the partially felted and shrunken bat, shaving the colored bat, finally felting and shrinking the colored and shaven bat to final body size, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, thereupon blocking the so treated body, and crown pouncing the blocked body.

14. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat so formed, coloring the partially felted and shrunken bat, shaving the colored bat, finally felting and shrinking the colored and shaven bat to iinal body size, again shaving the resulting body, spindling the skirt portion of the body prior to blocking, thereupon blocking the so treated body, and crown pouncing the blocked body.

15. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the

method which includes the steps of forming aV hat bat in such manner that its skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than its tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat, coloring the partially felted and shrunken bat, shaving the colored bat, finally felting and shrinking the colored and shaven bat to iinal body size, spindling the relatively heavy brim portion of the body, blocking the so treated body, pouncing the crown of the blocked body, ironing the crown of the blocked body, and finally pressure molding the so treated body whereby to set the crown and brim thereof.

16. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than its tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat, shaving the resulting bat, finally felting and shrinking the shaved bat to final body size, again shaving the resulting body, spindling the relatively heavy brim portion of the body, blocking the so treated body, pouncing the crown of the blocked body, ironing the crown of the blocked body, and finally pressure molding the so treated body whereby to set the crown and brim thereof.

17. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that is lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than its tip portion, partially felting and shrinking the bat, coloring the partially felted and shrunken bat, shaving the resulting bat, finally felting and shrinking the shaven bat to final body size, again shaving the resulting body, spindling the relatively heavy brim portion of the body, blocking the so treated body, pouncing the crown of the blocked body, ironing the crown of the blocked body, and finally pressure molding the so treated body whereby to `set the crown and brim thereof.

18. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the steps of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, working the edge portion of the bat to fix the edge fibers thereof, machine sizing the bat down to about i'ive inches of its final body size, thereupon coloring the resulting bat, machine sizing the colored bat down to about two inches of its final size, thereupon handsizing the bat down to slightly in excess of its final body size, shaving the slightly oversize bat, again hand-sizing the bat to final body size, again shaving the resulting body, spindling the relatively heavy brim portion of the body, stretching the so treated body, blocking the stretched body, pouncing the crown of the blocked body, ironing the crown of the blocked body, and finally pressure molding the so treated body whereby to set the crown and brim thereof.

19. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the steps which comprise forming a hat bat, Working the edge portion of the bat whereby to x the fibers thereof, partially felting and shrinking the bat to substantially over nal body size,-

thereupon coloring the resulting bat, further felting and shrinking the bat down to slightly in excess of final body size, shaving the resulting bat, and thereupon finally felting and shrinking the bat to nal body size.

20. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the steps which comprise forming a hat bat, working the edge portion of the bat whereby to fix the bers thereof, machine sizing the bat to about ve inches of its iinal body size, thereupon coloring the resulting bat, machine sizing the colored bat Vto about two inches of its nal body size, thereupon hand-sizing the bat to slightly in excess of its final body size, thereupon shaving the slightly oversize bat, and again hand-sizing the bat-to nal body size.

21. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method which includes the step of forming a hat bat in such manner that its lower skirt portion which ultimately forms the brim is heavier than the tip portion, working the edge portion of the bat to x the edge fibers thereof, partially felt'- ing and shrinking the bat to a size in excess of its nal body size, shaving the over-size bat, finally felting and shrinking the bat to final body size, again shaving the resulting body, spindling the relatively heavy brim portion of the body, stretching the so treated body, blocking the stretched body, pouncing the crown of the blocked body, ironing the crown of the blocked body, and ilnally pressure molding the so treated body whereby to set the crown and brim thereof.

22. In the manufacture of fur or felt hats, the method of finishing a rough 'hat blocked'to nal size which consists solely in the steps of mounting the hat on a block of final size whereby to straighten the crown thereof, ironing the crown only of the hat, removing the hat from the block, and nally pressure molding the so treated hat whereby to set the crown and brim thereof.

FRANK H. LEE.

Images