US2054201A - Process of making felt hats - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 15, 1936. s. KANNr-:R

PROCESS OF MAKING FELT HATS Filed Feb. lO

@litem/Lug Patented Sept. 15, 1936 f UNITED STATES c PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The generally approved and popular process in the forming 'and shaping of felt hats from the formed an-d dyed bodies, consists in a number of successive steps or operations involving the 5 use of a number of different machines for performing these operations as well as the employment of a number of craftsmen necessary for the proper performance of these several steps.

Briey, the present day process consists in rst manually fitting the unshaped and dyed body to a Wooden block of proper size and configuration, the size depending, of course, upon the size the hat is to assume when completed. In tting the body to the block, the rim portion of the body is turned outwardly and a cord is usually passed tightly and tied around the body at the juncture of the rim therewith, whereupon the block is inverted and applied to a. press, being suspended therein by clamps which attach to the body rim.

Thus positioned in the press, steam under pressure is admitted to the entire exterior surface of the body until a relatively high degree of saturation occurs.

A plunger then descends and forces the block further into the crown while still subjected to steam under pressure, causing the .body to accurately conform to the size and shape of the block. Upon removal of the plunger, the block with the body thus treated is withdrawn from the mold and is applied to a machine which irons the crown smoothly upon the block in an eifort to return the fibers of the body to their -original condition. Moisture is applied in this ironing step. After the crown has been ironed, the block with the body thereon is applied to a brim ironer where the same treatment is carried out, After both crown and brim have been ironed, pouncing is required where a smooth finish is desired. .The pouncing operation necessitates separate machines, one in which the crown is pounced, while the other is employed for brim pouncing. In some instances the steam and moisture treatment has been found to disturb the'dye in the body, whereupon special treatment and further hand pouncing for both crown and brim becomes necessary. Y

After the body has been thus formed, shaped and set, the brim is out, the lining and sweat bands are applied, the rim is trimmed and the hat is ready for use. Y

There are several objections to this process, among which are that uniform sizes are not assured, uniform colors are by nor means certain, the expense of special machinery and labor necessar-y in the performance of the many treatments or steps required for the production of a salable article, and the time necessarily consumed in carrying out these several operations.

An. analysis of this process discloses that the use of wooden blocks as forms for the hat body, 5 accounts for variations in hat sizes, because of the relatively high coecient of expansion of wood. The initial steam treatment disturbs and lo'osens the fabric .of the hat body to such ex.- tent that several of the subsequent operations 10 are required to restore the fur to its original condition. The steam and saturation'treatment is also responsible for color defects, requiring skillful pouncing to restore the body to its original shade and to eliminate blemishes. 15

The process of my invention eliminates the use of blocks or forms, dispenses entirely withk steam and saturation at any stage, obviates the use of ironing and pouncing machines fo-r both crown and brim, and largely does away with 2Q hand treatments except in instancesv where' defective hat bodies are encountered.

The drawing forming a part of this. descrip-V tion illustrates in a more or less diagrammatic manner the machinery necessary in successfully 2.5 carrying out the process, and it will be understood that no claim is made to the specific machinery illustrated, but that variations therein may be resorted to without departing from the spirit .of the invention. Y 3o VIrl the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view showingth'e first step of the process, that is, applying a coat ,of vapor to the interior of the hat body,

Figure 2 discloses the second step, the body 35 being applied to the mold-.and the plunger ready to descend,A Y

Figure 3 illustrates the third step, -that is, the plunger .has descended and pressure has been applied to the interior of theflexible bag, 40

Figurey 4 isa fourth step, showing the plunger removed andV the hat temporarily withdrawnv from the mold, y y

VFigure 5 showsV the fth or concluding step, that is, the hat reapplied vto the mold and pres- 45 sure admittedto the interior of the flexible bag, and

Figure 6 discloses the general appearance of the hat body after the several steps of the process havevbeen performed. 50

In carrying out my process I rst take the rough hat body and apply to a surface thereof, for a brief interval, 'vapor'or moistened warm air. This slightly raises the temperature of the body and .coats the surfacethereof with anv .ex- 55 soY e relieve brittleness.

tremely light film of moisture, sufficient only to The body is then applied to a heated'mold of the shape and size the finished hat is to assume, Ywhereupon a plunger` equipped with an expansible head moves into the hatbody. Fluid pressure applied to the interior of the head expands the latter and forces the body into intimate Contact with the interior of. the mold. The temperature of the mold is such asnot to convert the lm of moistureA toY steam, but only to Va. porize it, andthe pressure withinthe head is sufficient to cause this vapor to entirely pene-V trate or to be driven throughpthe thickness ov the hat body. This perrneationV of the felt body by the vapor creates a suppleness sucient only to assure a proper fitting and shaping of the body withoutrdisturbing the fur or in any'wayaffecting the color thereof.Y The pressurel is Y'maintained for a few` moments, or only suniciently long to drive the vapor through the body, whereupon it is relieved and the plunger withdrawn. Theihat is removed from the mold to the openair fora brief intervaL'thenit is replaced in the mold the plunger-Lis lowered and pressure-,againgapplied. The pressureon this vvsecond occasion is continuedY a trifle. longer than in the first instance .to definitely fix the sizeand shape and upon.withdrawall of .the plunger the hat is removed, the brim is cut andtrimmed lining and sweat bandsiare applied andthe hat is ready foruse.- r. Y

Inv the drawing ,I indicates a pan or shallow tray mounted .upon asuitable support and con- Y ering` Y represented at 2 I vapor passing within taining water. A burner I I .beneath the pan suplies Vsuflicient heatto create a vapor rising from the pan through a lattice or foraminous cover I2 on the vpan and uponwhichthe rough hat body I3 rests. Y

. The sl'iapingmoldk is indicated at Ill,V andris formedfpreferablyof aluminum or other metal Yhaving a low coefficient` of expansion and of a size andV shape Vthe finished hat isto assume'. This mold may be suitably supported as shown and is heated in any preferredmanner.Y In theY present instance, a gas burner AI supplies heat to the bottom' of themoldwhile perforated gas pipes I6 i supply heat tothe upper or brim portions .of mold.

d with an` outstandingflange The moldis equippe .I 1 upon which the brim of thehatwill be shaped. The plunger includes the hollow core I8 open at its lower end .and which carries a exible cove constituting'a bag securely sealed at its upper end in anyrapproved manner .upon'the exteriorof the plunger.. Thisplunger also includes flange vpressing. .portions 20 heatedlby perforated gas pipes Hydraulic pressure within the plungeris supplied by pip-es 22 leading to 'asuitable source of hydraulic supply and controlled by suitable valves, not shown.Y -Y Y In Figure 1 ofthe drawingthe hat body I3 is shown in theY course of the vapor treatment, the the hat body and covering theinterior. surfaceAonly in a light film. The bodyVV reina-insV overthe pan I0 only for a brief intervaL-fas-it is important that thebody not be saturated with moisture. YIn Figurel2 the hat body has been inverted and dropped Vinto the shaping mold I4 -and is ready" for the first pressure operation. In FigureB Vthe plunger has been movedrinto themold and hydraulic pressure has been admitted to the interior of Vthe hat, .expanding the rubber bag Vagainst the hat bodyV and intovintimater contact with vthe interior of the mold. It will be .noted that in this Vpositionthe application of'pressure.

. moisture and causes the I9 'ofheeyy Iubber .or the vlike; Vthis cover' In Figure 4 the hydraulic pressure has been 'Y relieved, the plunger withdrawn and the hatremoved temporarily, while in Figure k5 the hat has been reapplied to the mold, the plunger lowered and hydraulic pressure Vagain applied; Figure 6A after this last.

shows the appearance of the hat While no means 'are disclosed for moving the plunger, it will be understood that the same is.

brought down with sufcient force :to have the parts assume proper position and to create suflifoient pressure between the flanges I'I-20 to properly treat .the brim. As regards internal pres- "sures in' the mold, experiments have disclosed that ahead of 100 pound pressure produces the -best results.

VThe rst application of pressure is maintained only for a few moments, just sufficient to vaporize the lm and to drive the vapor into the body, and when the'hatmis Withdrawn after this. first .pressure application, the vaporsV therefrom rapidly pass .'off. These .vapors are created by the heat fromthe walls of the mold I4, such 'heat` being sunicient Vto produce Yvapor but notsteam. By submittingthe vhatbody to a high degree of pressure .atthe samev time the body is heated bythe mold, the vapors upon the interior of the hat crownpassV entirely through the same and thus sufficiently soften thebers to obtain a proper and even shaping of the body withoutfdisturbing the felt formation or inV any Way affecting the dye that is' present in the body. The momentary wthdrawalof the body from the mold bringsk the hat into the atmosphereand re-v lieves the vapors and in thesecond application of Vthebody to the mold,the body is practically dry vand substantially free from all moisture. The nal pressing operation drives. off any remaining crown and brim to'become firmly set and in such condition as to maintain its shape without further treatment; Y

It has been found that by making the hatin accordance with the method outlined, a number of steps employed in hat treatment methods heretofore proposed are eliminated, and the resulting articleis superior to sists in slightly moistening the surface only of the hat body, thereafter introducing thehat body to a heated mold and applying pressure upon the hat body againstthe mold. .Y

2. The method of -making felt hats which Vconsists in slightly moistening one'surfacegonlyof the hat body, applying theY body to a heated mold with its dry surface against said. mold, and'driv*Y ing the moisture through the hat body by applying pressure to the moistsurface thereof e 3. The method of making felt hats -whichconsists in slightly moistening one surface onlyof the hat body, applying the body to a` mold heated only sufficient Vto producevapor fromsaid mois.- ture, and driving said vapor through the hat body by pressure. 3 1 1 4. The method of making felt hats which consistsrin slightly moistening one surfaceionly of the hat body, applying the body to a heated mold, applying pressure to 'the bodyk within the mold Y,for a brief interval, removing the body from the mold,

that producedby meth- Yods heretofore practiced. The elimination ofV Y. y

moisture, applying pressure to the body to force the same against the heated mold, withdrawing the body from the mold momentarily, again applying the body to the mold, repeating the pressure upon said body against the mold and finally 5 removing the body from the mold.

SAMUEL KANNER.

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