US244041A - Machine for blocking and shaping hats - Google Patents

Description

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MACHINE FOR BLOCKING AND $HAPING HATS. 7

No. 244,041. Patented July 12, 1881.

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R. EIOKEMEYER. MACHINE FOR BLOCKING AND SHAPING HATS.

No. 244,041. Patented July 12, 18811.

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MACHINE FOR BLOCKING AND SHAPING HATS.

No. 244,041. Patented July 12, 1881.

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R. EIGKEMEYBR. MACHINE r011 BLOCKING AND SHAPING HATS.

No. 244,041. Patented July 12,1881.

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WITNESSEEH. INVEN TEIH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF EIGKEMEYER, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

MACHINEFOR BLOCKING AND SHAPING HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,041, dated July 12, 1881.

Application filed June 4, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDoLF EIOKEMEYER, of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Blocking and Shaping Hats; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished, and forming apart thereof, is a clear, true, and complete description of the several features of improvement.

My improved machines have been devised for blocking and developingthe bands of hats, shaping the crowns, and drawin gout or stretching the brims, and while they are of general value in operating upon hats composed of wool, they have been specially organized by me for operating upon for hats.

The principal elements and many of the essential combinations of elements now employed by me have heretofore been made the subject of Letters Patent, full reference to which will be hereinafter made in connection with the detailed description.

The several features deemed novel by me will be specified in detail in the several claims hereunto annexed.

Referring to the four sheets of drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a perspective view of a complete machine embodying my present improvements with belt attached. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is an enlarged side view of the same with a portion of the brim-stretching devices removed and the parts somewhat varied in position. Fig. 3 Sheet 3, is a vertical central section of the same on a line extending from front to rear, with the operative mechanism in position as if working on a hat, which is shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4, Sheet 3, is a detached front view of the block-liftin g rod and the block-expanding rods, their cross-head and links. Fig. 5, Sheet 3, is a horizontal section of the same on line as, Fig. 3. Fig. 6, Sheet 4, is an enlarged side view of the upper portion of the machinewith some of the parts detached, illustrating the position of the banding-ring andits levers while in operation. Fig. 7, Sheet 4, is a similar view representing the parts in position just prior to the operation of thebanding-rin g. Figs. 8, 9, and 10, Sheet 4, are views of one of my improved brim-stretching tongs or fingers detached.

The principal feature of my present invention consists, broadly, in the combination of automatic brim-stretching tongs or fingers, a hat-block, and a rapidly-reciprocating banding-ring, organized to co-operate for performing the service hereinbefore indicated.

granted to Osterheld and Eickemcye'r, April 3, 1866, a stationary banding-ring is shown in combination with a reciprocating block and brim-clamping plates, and the same combination differently organized is also shown in my Letters Patent, December 31, 187 7, No. 72,7 26. In my Letters Patent No. 167,083, August 24, 1875, I show the combination of brim-stretching tongs or fingers, a hat-block, and a banding-ring operated by a hand-lever; and in my Letters Patent, February 5, 1878, No. 200,034, I show the combination of brim clamping plates, a hat-block, and a rapidly-rcciprocatin g banding-ring.

The main feature of invention as above stated is not limited to any particular type of hat-block but, in connection with a novel subordinate combination of elements, I limit myself to an expansible hat-block, however varied in construction; but I prefer the block which is made the subject of my Letters Patent No. 141,338, July 29, 1873, without limiting myself thereto. The brim stretching tongs or fingers embraced as elements of these novel combinations may also be varied in their construction and arrangement 5 but I prefer, without limiting myself thereto, such tongs as are in part the subject of my aforesaid Letters Patent N 0. 167,083, August 24,1875. I have now improved said tongs orfingers, as will be hereinafter indicated, for rendering them better adapted to operate on fur hats.

The frame A of the machine is preferably composed of cast-iron in duplicate side platesan intermediate horizontal plate, a, suitably perforated for the accommodation of verticalmoving portions of the machine, and a central tie-brace, a, below, which also serves as a fulcrum for the treadle-lever and supports a guide for the lower end of the block-spindle.

The drivin g-shaft b is provided with fast and y In United States Letters Patent No. 53,661,

loose belt-pulleys, and its sole purpose is to rapidly reciprocate the banding-ring B, all other movements of the working parts of the machine being obtained through the motions of the foot and hand of the attendant. In my Letters Patent No. 200,034, February 5, A. D. 1878, a machine is shown in which a rapidlyreciproeating banding-ring is kept in motion during the use of the machine; but as now organized by me it is only in motion when actually required to operate upon a hat, notwithstanding the continuous rotation of the driving-shaft. As in my prior Letters Patent last referred to, the banding-ring is provided with side arms, I), which are mounted upon the upper ends of a pair of vertically-sliding rods, b but instead of having said rods directly connected with the driving-shaft, as before, by cranks and pitmen, they are now connected by means of a rock-shaft and a system of levers, which enable the banding-ring to rest, when elevated, during the introduction and removal of a hat.

In operating upon wool hats it is not specially desirable that the bandin g-rin g be ever rendered inactive, and under some circumstances the same would be true in operating upon fur hats but in view of the tenderness of fur hats, and of the liability of injuring the same if the attendant of the machine be inexperienced or careless, I deem it desirable that the banding-rin g be rendered inactive until everything has been prearranged for its proper operation upon a hat; but when operated under the best conditions, involving the character of the hats and the capacity of attendants, the banding-ring may be continuously vibrated, if desired.

The means for driving the banding-ring are best illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, Sheet 4. The main shaft 1) is connected by a pitman, c, to a lever, c, on one end of the rock-shaft c and this rock-shaft, near each end, has keyed to it the arms or levers c Said levers c carry at their outer ends a pivoted rod, 0 at each end of which there is secured firmly a pendent arm, 0 in the form of a crank with its pin 0 at its lower end. Said crank-pins c are conneeted on each side of the machine by a link, 0 with upper levers or walking-beams, 0 one on each side of the machine, and both of said beams are pivoted to links 0 in turn pivoted to studs attached to the sliding rods b on which the banding-ring B is mounted. One of these levers or walking-beams, c, has its fulcrum on the weighted hand-lever 01. As seen in Fig. 6, it will be readily seen that the rotation of the shaft 1) will, by means of the rock-shaft, the levers, and the links described, cause the bandin g-rin g to be vertically reciprocated.

For causing the banding-ring to rest while putting on and removing a hat, and while said banding-ring is elevated, as shown in Fig. 2, Sheet 2, and even after said ring is lowered, as in Fig. 7, and until the reciprocating motion is desired by the attendant, the lever connections adjacent to the rock-shaft are rendered inactive by a change in the position of the crank-pins c on the pendent arms 0 they being moved rearward until said pins are coincident with the axis of the rock-shaft c and the pendent arms a are parallel with the rockshaft levers or arms 0 This inactive adjustment of said crank-pins is effected by means of a lever, e, having a fulcrum at 6 near the front of the machine, on one side of its frame. Said lever 0 is at its lower end connected by link 0 with the crank-pin 0, so that when the upper end of lever 0 is moved toward the front, as indicated in Fig. 7, the crank-pins are both thrown rearward, and thereby the operative connection is suspended between the rockshaft and banding-ring.

The hand-lever d, before referred to, is keyed to a fulcrum-rod, d, mounted at the upper rear portion of the frame, and to said rod other arms, W, are keyed, on which, at their outer ends, a balance-weight, d, is mounted. Near the front end of the hand-lever d is a springlatch, cl, on the frame of the machine, whereby said lever is maintained in a depressed position, but from which it may readily be disengaged when the lever is to be lifted.

Near the front end of lever 61 there is pivoted thereto an auxiliary lever, f, which constitutes in one of its functions a prolongation of the lever cl and serves as a handle thereto. The prime function, however, of said lever f is to control the lever e for rendering the banding-ring active or inactive. The lever fis rectangular in form, and has at its short end a laterally-projecting pin, j", which occupies a slot or fork, e formed in the upper end of lever 0, so that as the outer end of leverf is moved up and down independently of the hand-lever d the lever e and the crank-pins c are correspondingly moved. The lever e is provided with an expansive spiral spring, 0 which constantly exerts a pressure on said lever, tending to place it in the position indicated in Fig.

7, and when the lever f is depressed, as shown in Fig. 6, the spring 0 is compressed. locking the lever fin either of its two positions it is provided with a sliding spring-bolt, f, the outer end of which has a fin ger-pin, f and the inner end thereof occupies either the upper notch,f*, Fig. 6, or the lower notch,f Fig. 7, according to whether the banding-ring is to be rendered active or inactive. In Fig. 2, Sheet 2, the banding-ring is elevated to its highest point, the outer end of hand-lever at being also elevated and its weighted end depressed.

A comparison of Figs. 2, 6, and 7 will enable a ready comprehension of the operation of the mechanism thus far described, it being observed that only when lever f is depressed, as in Fig. 6, can the banding-ring be reciprocated, although the driving-shaft continues its rotation, and that the extent of the vibratory movement of the banding-ring gradually increases from the time said lever f is first moved until in its fully-depressed position.

The block 0 here shown is of the expansi- For a ble variety; but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself, under certain features of my invention, to expansible blocks, although such are deemed preferable by me, and I do not limit myself, under certain other features of invention, to the particular expansible block here shown, although I prefer it to any other known to me. This particular block will be found fully described and claimed in my aforesaid Letters Patent No.141,338. There are, however, certain improvements in the mounting and working of said block, which will be now described. In my machine shown in Letters Patent No. 167,083 the expanding mechanism was operated, in part, through a lever which was pivoted to the arms of the rockshaft, by which, in part, the block-spindle was raised and lowered, and consequently, whenever it was desirable to raise or lower the block to suit various heights of crowns, a corresponding adjustment of the expanding mechanism necessarily followed. I have now so organized this portion of the machine that the expanding mechanism is practically independent of the block-lifting mechanism, and it therefore requires no such adjustment. A comparison of Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive, of the drawings of my said Letters Patent No. 167,083 with Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, of the present drawings will clearly indicate the improvement referred to.

The lifting of the block-spindle g by means of the hand-lever 0 via rock-shaft g, lever-arm g pendent links 9 horizontal pivoted arm 9, links 9 at the outer end thereof, and crosshead 9 is substantially as heretofore, the mechanism being now only varied in its parts and arrangement to best accommodate the new arrangement of the expanding mechanism.

The block-expanding rods h and their crosshcad h, sliding on the block-spindle, except as hereinafter specified, are as before. The blockexpanding hand-lever C is connected to the cross-head via rock-shaft 71. the arm h thereon, the link Ir, pivoted on the pivoted arm 9 and links 7L6, which, at their upper ends, are pivoted to the cross-head h. With this arrangement of the bloek-expandin g mechanism it will be seen that a variation in the vertical adjust ment of the block can in no manner affect the block-expanding mechanism, the latter being practically independent of the block-lifting mechanism, and that, although the lever k of the expanding mechanism is pivotally connected to the pivoted arm g of the block-raising mechanism, said connection in no manner adversely affects the freedom of the expanding mechanism to properly operate regardless of variation in the elevation of the hat-block, because the link h (which connects arm h on rockshai't h with lever it is in line with the center of the rock-shaft on which the arm or lever g is pivoted. It is frequently desirable that one block be substituted for another.

In the machine shown in my Letters Patent No. 167,083 the expanding -rods were connected to their cross-head by means of laterally-inserted screws or bolts, which could only be removed by first removing adjacent parts of the machine. As seen in Fig. 4, I

have provided the cross-head with a plate, 71/

through which the expanding-rods h are passed, and they are secured to said plate by the end nuts on said rods, so that by loosening these nuts and removing them and loosening the set-screw of the cross head 9, which is secured to the block-spindle g, the latter, with the block and the expanding-rods, may be readily lifted vertically from the machine and as readily replaced.

The series of brim-stretching tongs or fingers 1) here shown are in all general respects the same as those described and claimed in my aforesaid Letters Patent No. 167,083, and they are controlled in their stretching movement by the treadle-lever D and in their clampin g movement by the hand-lever D Fig. 1, and rendered adjustable by a hand-wheel and screw, all as before set forth in said prior Letters Patent. Thepresent improvements in these tongs render them more reliable for operating upon fur hats, and they are illustrated in detail in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, Sheet 4. The upperjaw, i, and lower jaw, k, of each pair of tongs or fingers are each provided with a firm but elastic cushion, l, and the edge of the hat-brim is firmly grasped between these two cushions without liability of tearing a fur hat, as is liable if the contact-surfaces be of metal, as in tongs heretofore constructed by me for operating on wool hats. As indicated in the sectional views, Figs. 8 and 10, the cushions Z are annular in form, peripherally rounded, and they are expansively slipped upon the studs 1, which are tapered, as shown, for more securely holding said cushions in position.

With a knowledge of the operation of the several patented machines hereinbefore referred to, the mode of working my improved machine will be readily understood from the following brief description: The banding-ring is raised to its full height by the hand-lever d, the driving-shaft beingin motion, but the bandin g-rin g then inactive. The hand-lever D, being in the position shown in Fig. 1, maintains all the brim-stretching tongs in open position, the block being also in its normal position. A hat is placed on the block with its brim occupying the jaws of the tongs, and the handlover I) is then brought forward to clamp the brim at its edge. The hat-block is then raised by the hand-lever O, which latches itself, when desired,in an elevated position. The bandingring is then lowered by the hand-lever d, (which is also latched,) and as it approaches its lowest point the reciprocating motion of the bandingring begins, and at frequent intervals the brimstretching tongs are expanded by the treadlelever and the block expanded by lifting the hand-lever G which is also provided with a latch, which maintains the block in an BXA panded condition when desired.

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Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the rapidly-reciprocating banding-ring, a block, and brim -stretohing tongs or fingers.

2. The combination of the rapidly-reciprocating banding-ring, an expansible block, and brim-stretching tongs or fingers, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the expanding block and its lifting mechanism, of expanding mechanism practically disconnected from the lifting mechanism, substantially as described, whereby said expanding mechanism is nonafteeted by variationsin the adjustment of the block and its lifting mechanism, as set forth.

4. The combination, with the banding-ring and its reciprocating mechanism, of the handlever for lifting the banding-ring, the auxiliary 2o lever, the slotted lever, and the link which connects the slotted lever with the crank-pin of the reciprocating mechanism, substantially as described.

5. The brim-stretching tongs provided at 2 5 their jaws with cushions, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the expanding block, its spindle, and expanding-rods, of the cross-head provided with the plate through 0

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