US2479228A - Felt hardening machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 16, 1949. H. M. GOODCHILD 2,479,228

FELT HARDENING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTQR. HARRY M Go n/mp A TTOEIVEY Aug. 16, 1949. M. GGODCHILD 2,479,228

7 FELT HARDENING MACHINE Filed Sept.'ll, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Aug 16, 1949.

h. M. GOODCHILD 2,479,228

FELT HARDENING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1946 5 Shets-Sheet 4 l 'T 54 170 4, B4

80 48 44 u 8 78 1 L I" 1 3 a INVENTOR.

HARM M. @oooc/mp BY 2 Kw A TTORNEY 2 6, 1949. H. M. GQODCHILD 2,479,228

FELT HARDENING MACHINE Filed Sept. '11, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 7 108 112 INVENTOR.

H y M. GoopCII/AD 1 11" .12 B

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1949 UNITED S TATES PAT EN T i 0 FF ICE FELT HARDENING MACHINE Harry M. Goodchild, Amesbury, Mass, 'assignor to Merrimac Hat Gorporation, Amesbury, Mass, a. corporation of Massachusetts Application September 11, 1946, Serial,.No..696,165

2'7 Claims.

invention relates to felt hardening machines and more particularly to a machine 'for hardening shaped Ielt bodies such as hat bodies. Heretofora-suOh felt bodies have generally been hardened in the collapsed or flattened state in machines wherein the flattened bodies are pressed between oscillating hardening plates .in the presenceof steam. When hardened in the flattened state, the bodies tend toshow crease marksat the sides unless frequently. removed and rearranged during the treatment. Also, because they are flattened out of their natural riomn, the bodies tend to wrinkle; forming irregularities in the finished product. Only the outer surface of the body isoperated upon Toy the hardening members and in order to prevent .the opposite inner surfaces of the collapsed walls from felting and adhering. together under the hardening action, it is the practice .to insert aprot'ective lining fabric into the body prior to the hardening operation andsu-osequently toremove the iabric therefrom. For these reasons the hardening operation with such machines has been difficult, laborious and costly, calling vfor very considerable skill on .the

part of the machine operator and frequently productive oi deiectively hardened Zbodies. In addi- -tion,.bodies with a rounded tip such as hat 'bod-ies require two .such hardening operations ffernt machines, .a. side hardening operation on one machine and a tip hardening operation on a second machine. r 7

An object-oi this invention to vprovide ;a .felt hardening machine wherein such shaped bodies are suifiected to hardening while supported and maintained in their natural shape, thereby eliminating .the troublesome mrirflilmgand-creasingoi "the bodies which takes 131MB when they are hardened in the flattened state.

Another otn'ect is .to provide .sucha machine which is capable of simultaneously completely hardening 'both the and thesidesof a hat .or the like uniiomnlyand without removalrof the partially hardened Tbody .irom the machine .for smoothing -as been necessary heretofore.

.A .furtiher-obiect to-pro-videsucha machine wherein theJinner and outer-.suzzfacesof the .body

walls are subi eeted simultaneously to hardening action, thereby increasing .thespeed-and improving the quality of the hardening and :also eliminating the .fabric which has been required in flathardening andtheiabor andexpense involved 'in app ing-.andremoving-the Yet another objectisto-provide suchamachine svhichrequires less skill and is less costly to operate than prior machines but ,whicmproduces a superior grade of .-.-hardening. 2 V

llhe .foregoing and other obiects and advan- .ta-ges of the. invention Willrbfiall'lDKei-HHY-QQDQIGHZ irormthe ensuingparticulandescriptionof.theiinventionin conjnnction with the. appended .draw- 2 ings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of novel mechanisms of theinvention arranged in a single :machine for simultaneously hardening the tip and sides of a felt hat body.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial vertical section, partial side elevation of the machine;

Fig'. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view of an upper portion. of the machine as shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

"Fig. 4. is .a horizontal section view on the zigzag line 44 of Fig. 3;;

Fig. 5 .is a vertical section view on .line 5-5 of Fig. 3; r V

.Eig. 6 is'a fragmentary detail view in side elevation of certain parts of the machine;

'7 is a detail View in plan of' parts of the machine:

Fig. 8 is a vertical section view on line '8-"8 of 77;

Fig. 9 is ,a detail view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 1, lookingin .the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10' is a diagrammatic plan view of the rounded ojfahat body, illustrating by shading and ,by dot-dash lines the successive zones of hardening action of the machine .on the tip;

'F'ig. '11 'is.'a detail side elevation View of certain operatin Parts of the machine;

Fig. "12 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 11.

' Describing now .the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, .and referring first to Fig. 1, the machine has a main frame in the form of a table 20 upon mountedtby means hereinafter described an upstanding cone support 22 101' the hat body "B, shown mounted on thesupport in Figs. 1, 3 I

and '4. Support 22 is of generally conical shape with a rounded.'-tip,;its externalshape and diameter corresponding closely to the inner shape and .diameterofthehat bodyBzto hehardenedso that thellatterfits tightlyandsmoothly thereon. :Support 22 is shown Jormed of .aperturedmetal .and is provided with an rough hardening surface. .In the illustrated machine, this hard- .surliace is .theroughened .metal surface of the .:support itself, which .may be suitably rough- .ened 'by sand or .shot .blasting, but if desired, the support mayhe covered with-.arfabric .or other suitable porous hardening vmaterial. The rough surfaced supportconstitntes inner hardening .memberiorhoth the conical side and the rounded tip of the hat body, .as .will hereinafter appear.

Cooperating with the support and inner hardening .member :22 .an router hardening .member :24 (Figs. v.l,, .3 and A) as .shown, is .in the form of :a -.-nrolded flexible "belt having .a rough jinner hardening-surface. .Belt .24 is .of inverted .U-ishapefitting closelyiover support .lz extending 3 r from tip to base thereof at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the support and extending partially about said axis. As shownin Fig. 4 the outer hardening member or belt 24 is curved transversely, the intermediate portion of this transverse curvature corresponding to the curvature of the contiguous portion of the support 22. Thus, the transverse curvature of the mid-portion of the hardening belt opposite the tip of the support is approximately spherical about the center of the spherically curved support tip, while the two side portions of the belt are approximately conically curved at their mid-section about the support axis in conformity with the curvature of the rest of the support.

Referring further to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the side portions of belt 24 are transversely curved at increasing radius from the support axis so that they incline away from the surface of the support. Also, the angular extent of the transversely curved mid-portion of the belt about the support axis is approximately uniform from adjacent the mid point of the tip to the base. In the instance shown, this angular width is approximately 60. Since the belt engages opposite sides of the hat body, the total angular width of the latter which it engages is 120. Belt 24 is preferably of moldable rubber and fabric composition or of rubber with an inner facing of fabric but may be of any suitable flexible material.

Referring again to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the portions of the hardening belt 24 at opposite sides of the support tip are fastened on their outer surfaces to correspondingly transversely curved'plates 26. Projecting from the outer surfaces of plates 26 are upper and lower pairs of opposite arms 28, 36. The outer ends of arms 28 are pivotally connected to the ends of a cross strap 32 fixed to a rod34 extending longitudinally of the plate 26 (Figs. 1, 3 and 9). The arms 36 are pivotally connected to the lower end of a block 36 the upper end of which is fixed to the lower end of rod 34 and which is slidable longitudinally of the plate 26 in a guideway 38 projecting from a supporting frame member 40 (Figs. 1, 3 and 9) The upper end of rod 34 is fixed to a'collar member 42 (see particularly Fig. 9) pivotally connected by a pin 44 to the lower bifurcated end of a lever 46, the pin 44 extending through the end of lever 46 and being fixedly connected to a pair of blocks 48 slidable longitudinally of plate 26 in ways 50 projecting from the under surface of the plate. The upper ends of levers 46 are pivotally connected to the opposite ends of a crank 52 (Fig.

.3) which is pivotally mounted at its mid portion on a rock shaft 54 the ends of which are fixedly mounted in blocks 56 (Figs. 1 and 9) which are vertically slidable (for a purpose hereinafter explained) on standards 58 fixedly mounted above the support 22 on a frame 60 rising from table 20. An arm 62 integral with crank 52 is pivotally connected to one end of a crank arm 64 the opposite end of which rotatably receives an eccentric 66 on a shaft 68 rotatably mounted on frame 60. Shaft 68 is rotated by belt and pulley connection to a motor 16 also mounted on frame 60.

The rotation of shaft 68 by motor 10, through eccentric 66 and crank arm 64, rocks crank 52 so that levers 46 are alternately oppositely raised and lowered a small amount. This motion 'is imparted to plates 26 through the longitudinal reciprocation of rods 34 with respect to members 40 (held stationary by means hereinafter described) and by means of arms 28, 30 so that the plates are oscillated toward and from the top of the sup- 4 port 22 oppositely, the plate at one side of the support moving up while the opposite plate moves down. The hardening belt 24,- which is attached to plates 26, therefore, oscillates with them longitudinally parallel to the surface of support 22 and in contact with the outer surface of a hat body thereon. By reason of its flexibility, the portion of the belt extending between plates 26 over the rounded tip of the support 22 is maintained under pressure against the tip during the oscillation, this portion of the belt oscillating approximately about an axis normal to the axis of the support and extending through the center of curvature of the spherical end of the support.

The relative oscillation of the hardening member 24 and support 22 effects hardening action on ie segments of the hat body engaged between the opposed hardening surfaces of member 24 and support 22. The action is facilitated by passing steam into the'felt as it is rubbed between the hardening surfaces, the steam applying means being described subsequently herein.

Sincehardening belt 24 extends only partially about theperiphery of the support, it is necessary, once the hardening action has been completed on the segmental portions of the side and tip of the hat body engaged by the belt to relatively move the hardener belt and the hat body about the longitudinal axis of the body and support to present a fresh area of the body between the hardening surfaces of the support and belt. In the machine shown, this is accomplished by first bodily moving the hardening belt out of engagement with the hat body on the support and then rotating the support about its longitudinal axis the requisite amount, by means now to be described.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 and 9 it will be seen that the lower end of each member 40 is provided with a transverse cross bar 12 having reduced projecting ends each of which extends through a slot 14 in a vertically disposed segmental support member 'lfi'fixed to frame 60. Slot [4 is curved in a vertical plane, its upper end being nearer to the upper end of member 40 in the full line position of the latter in Fig. 1. The upper ends of members 40 are provided with laterally projecting pins 18 (Fig. 4) which extend through slots in vertical supports 82 depending from the upper part of framework 60 at either side of the memtheir upper ends to blocks 56 which, as previously described, form the end mountings for rock shaft 54 and are vertically slidable on standards 58.

When the reduced ends of bars 12 are slid up- :wardly in slots 14, they approach the lower ends of slots 80 causing pins 18 to slide upwardly along said slots and bearings 56 are slid upwardly on standards 53 by arms 84 in correspondence with the upward movement of pins 18, crank arm 64 pivoting on its connections to arm 62 and shaft 68 to permit this movement. Members 40 are thereby brought to their raised position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Plates 26 are correspondingly moved away from support 22 by their connections to members 46 carrying hardener'belt 24 clear of the support and out of contact with-the 'hat body thereon, both at the sides and over the tip, the relative tilting of the members 40 during this movement, as indicated by the dotted lines in v parts cohrititd thret6 beiiig permitted by outward fleiii'n of the belt adjaefit the ffli'd point of the tip of siippbit 2 2.

Meets" the provided fbr raisirig a idioiv'efihg the members as and ethheeted parts b i hiai'iiptb latlon of a pair at foot peeia1sit4, as R'ferrihg [to Figs. Ii, 2; 3, i1 aha-i2, eae tithe su ports 1'6 has pivotedthereto s ievei ss having a slotted eiid which embraces the c'rihti guous reclueil ieiid "of cross bar it on member s-l1. Levers 9B are pit tied at one end to reverts a at theothei' the toehe end of levers 9'2 'iiigea te shait 9% rotatahlfv mounted oh frame 80. Bell crank evers 6h each of the shafts 94 have their depe'iidihg arms '93 diirleoted to rod 98 h foot pedal 86 hy e-ems mt secured at one end to said passing tiger pulleys m2, let on frame at, and attached atthe opposite eiid to a his 99 in the end qi rodee (Figs. 11, '12). The other, upper arms 9T 01" the bell r'a'hks are eohi'iected to a rod Hi6 6h. D'edal F4 by Cards 598 fastened at opposite ends to arm and to a lug it! on rod {Malone of said iidrds (oh the right in 11 and '12) passing over a guide pulley HE? and ufider a second guide pulley llz o'h frame 29. r v

when the hhi'de i belt member is iii its row-- ered pesitioh, pedal '83 is in its lowermost positioh and p dal -83 i in it uppennost positi'oh as shc'iwh in the drawings. By depressing pedal {)6 arms '93 of the bell rcrar'iks arel drawn inwardly tbward one another through cords i Gil oppositely rdtating the two shafts 94 in the direction to raise arms 92, levers 90 and 91, The raising of levers 90 pivots levers 88in the direction to move bar 12 upwardly in slot M to the raised position of members id showii in dotted lines iii Fig. 1, and the raising ti arms at of the hen crahks' iii'ts pedal 84 to its upper position through 'c'oiin'e'ctmg oords I68. The system is balanced so that 1', and of the members 43 and connected parts remain in their up er position until lowered by depression of pedal 84, reversing the movemeht of parts ju-s't iiesoribed. H v When the hardening member '2 is in its raised pci'siti'on, support 22 is freed for rotation about its longitudinal axis to present a fresh area of th hat body to member 2 1 for liardehing. To this end,- member 22 is provided with an annular base H4 to the base of which is bolted a plate l'lfi ro tatab ly seated on ah annular member H8 (Figs. 1 and '8). Plate H5 is provided with a central aperture which relatively rotatabl'y receives the edge of the'to'p flange of a tubular "member '12?) held against longitudinal motion relative to plate He by a retaii iing ring :21. A rihg gear 122 pro vided on the base of s'u'p iiitzz is sheared by a ve tieeiiy disposed gear wheel 1-24 fitted to a shaft m ittat'sieiyiheuntedeh member it (Figs. 4 gg '5'). Gear Wheel I24 is rotated bye hahtile 1'28 ts rotate support 22.- p

il's'o pivoted on member H8 is a latch member 136' the notched head of which is spring urged tb a "position Of eh'g'a'g'lileht with teeth "32 proi'eting laterally from base I'M of support '22. Teeth 1 32 are uhiferi'n'ly space-e1 abofit the axis of support 22 a distance equal to the aiigular width ef the hardener member '24 'andinthe ma- *hiri shown there are, therefore, six teeth l3? spa-tease" apart.

the hardening o eration has been eoin mete-d oh the poitiea of the hat body on support 22 eh' a ged by her is raised m-ber 21-, said -'m as above described Lateh we is th pivete'el iiv hand iii the eouhteroioekwise tl'ireot'ioh as showh E! Fi 4 te ieiease it drain a tooth I 32:

v freed from the latch and m is thh 'iejtatea to suppt'it i2 ahtii the f ril!'tto0th 32 reaches 'afiii is engaged by the iateh. as above noted; the anguiai eiiteht iii thisturi'i will b to, e'q'ual to the angular width of the hat body segments previously harqei ed 'aiid presenting the etn'tigiitus fresh'ar'ea or hat body to the iiiehiber '24 which is then lowered aii'ti aga'ih operated to harden the second portion ef the hat body; A soohfl turn or support it present the rest third of the hat body siir'isee "to member @4 for hardenihg, after whib'h' th com- 'vertio'all'y slidable between guides hi2 ais'o axes to frame use. A sleev lit is vertically siit'iaeie oh the outer surface of guides {42 and hasat its base a press bar T46 engaged by a hook i ii iron a foot pedal 1-59; A plurality of Chains ieiare a't=- tached at one end to sleeve l ia eiiteheihg up wardly therefrom over pulleys 154 on frame i and again downwardly with their opposite ends attached to the legs [3% (Figs. ran-d ii when support :22 is in its raised position showh in i, pedal its is lowered and taught under a latchingprojection in its guide plate E56. 1:33 swinging the pedal to the ieit in said figure, it is member tiawith support 22 which it carries is freed to slide down wardl'y under its owh weight, legs sat slidiirg downwardly in games its nd m mber tie sli ii'i'g' downwardly iii uides m. The dow 'waiti sliding of legs !34 pulls down the ends or chairl's -15 2 attaohed thereto r'aisih'g' their opposite hds and the sleeve M8 attachedthereto and'also rais= ihg pedal fist by means of hook I45 engaged with bar 1416'. the sup ort 22 has thus arrived at its lowered position, fr'aine I33 is tiltedafbout trunhion's sat by ineahs of a hand lever its (big. 2) to tilt support '22 forwardly as indicated dotted line's'ih Fig. '2, cross bar M3 'slidihg' out from funder hook I 4 8. "In this position the hartl= ehed hat body is readilyremoved from the suppett 12 and a ir sh hat body is applied. rhe support is then tilted back to its vertical pos'itidii wherein bar [E6 is reen'gage-d with h'oo'li M8, and

is depressed drawing sleeve H14 down ahd raising member l [8 and support 22thr'ough the upward pull ehains I52 ohlegs r34. Pedai fl 5!) is new latched to maintain the parts in raised, ardening pbs'ition until the hardening 'opei'atio'ii has been completed.

"As previously stated, means are provided for 's'upplyihg steam to the felt during the hardeniflg fabtioifidf the machine thereon and in the 'ihaehine shown the s'team is fed from the interior of support '22 through the porous wall thereof into the felt. Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 3, and 4, base I M of support 22 is provided with an upstanding hollow hub I60 in which is fitted {a pipe 562 extending upwardly to near the top o'f'the'cone. A flange I64 onthe top of pipe 162 is fastened to the inner wall of the support 22 and forms above it a small chamber at the top portion "of the rounded tipof the cone. A pipe I66 is fitted at one end in the lower end 6f h'u'b 1%0; extends uewnweraiv in member 129 and fi ihfh-ifififiats with a steam compartment it pedal l st provided in frame I38 through registering ports in member I20 and compartment I68. Compartment I68 is continuously supplied with steam by means of pipe I10 extending from the compartment axially through one of the trunnions I40 and to a source (not shown) of steam under pressure. Steam thus flows continuously through pipes I66 and IE2 into the chamber above flange I04 and through the tip of support 22 into the tip of the hat body during the hardening operation.

The interior of support 22 below flange IE4 is divided into six segmental compartments I1I of equal size by vertical partitions I12 (Figs. 3 and 4) connected to pipe I62, flange I64, the inner wall of support 22 and its base II4. These compartments have an angular width of 60, equal to the angular width of the hardening area of hardener belt 24 and teeth I32 are so arranged with reference to partitions I12 that opposite pairs of said compartments register substantially exactly with the hardening mid portion of belt 24 at each turn of the support 22, as indicated in Fig. 4. Base H4 is provided with ports I14, one in each compartment I1I, opposite pairs of which register with ports I18 in the upper end of member I20 when their compartments are opposite the hardener member 24. Steam is fed into member I20 from a compartment I18 in frame I38 through connecting ports, compartment I18 being continuously supplied with steam under I pressure from a suitable source (not shown) by a pipe I80 extending axially through a trunnion I40.

Thus, during a hardening operation, steam flows only into the two compartments I1I which are opposite hardener member 24 and whose ports I14' are, therefore, in registry with ports I16. The steam is thereby directed entirely into the areas of the hat body undergoing hardening action at any given time.

It will be noted that when the support 22 is lowered on completion of the hardening opera tion, the downward movement of member I20 moves its ports out of registry with the corresponding ports in compartments I88 and I18 and seals the latter ports, so that all flow of steam to the interior of support 22 is automatically cut off until the support is again raised to hardening position, as is desirable. Th provision of a separate steam supply line to the extreme tip of the support 22 has been found desirable in practice since this area of the hat body is difiicult to harden properl and may require different conditions of swam than the sides. For the same reason, the angular width of the effective hardening area of the hardener belt portion opposite this extreme tip portion is made greater than 60 to provide for extra hardening action on this portion of the hat body. This is illustrated by Fig. 10, wherein the shaded area a indicates the zone of hardening engagement of member 24 with the tip of the hat body. This zone increases in angular width at the extreme top so that at each of the two other positions of the support 22, as indicated at 1; and c, this top portion continues to receive hardening action.

The increasing radius of transverse curvature of the hardener belt 24 at either side of the hardening zone thereof, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, provides diminishing contact at the sides of the segment being hardened and prevents the formation of lines between successively hardened areas.

The operation of the machine has been. sufficiently explained in the foregoing description.

Because the hardening action ofthe machine is exerted simultaneously on the opposite surfaces of the felt and produces no wrinkles and creases in the felt, it is superior in quality as well as much quicker than that of the prior flat plate machines. The hardening produced in a given time is uniform and the machine may, therefore, be operated upon the successive segments of the hat body for predetermined uniform time intervals, whereas with the flat machines the hardening action is not uniform with time and has to be gauged by the operator with frequent opening of the machine and shifting and smoothing of the body. Thus the high degree of skill heretofore needed for the hardening operation is rendered unnecessary, as the operation of the machine is a routine matter, readily performed by unskilled labor. Since the tip and side of a hat body are simultaneously hardened, the machine eliminates one of two hardening operations and machines heretofore required for hardening hat bodies.

While the novel mechanisms of the invention have been particularly described as organized in a single machine for completely hardening hat bodies, it will be readily appreciated that they may be applied in like form to the hardening of (other shaped felt bodies of similar nature or to hardening only the side or tip of hat bodies if that be desired. It will also be understood that the form and arrangement of parts as shown and described is preferred only and that numerous changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having now particularly shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A machine for hardening a wall of a hollow felt body which includes opposed hardening members relatively movable to and away from a hardening position of mutual engagement with the opposite surfaces of a segment of the felt body wall, means for relatively oscillating said members while in said hardening position to effect hardening of said body wall segment engaged between said members, means for relatively moving said members to and away from said hardening position and means for effecting relative rotation of said body and one of said members about the longitudinal axis of said body while said members are relatively moved away from said hardening position to present a fresh segment of said body wall between said members for hardening.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said relative oscillation of said members takes place longitudinally of said body wall.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said members has a steam-pervious hardening surface and which includes means for passing steam through said surface into the felt.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1 arranged for hardening a said felt body having a conical base and rounded tip wherein said segment of said body wall engaged between said members extends from the lower edge of the base to the mid-point of the tip of said body.

5. A machine for hardening a wall of a hollow felt body which includes a support member adapted to fit coaxially within and support said body wall, said support member having a hardening surface engaging the inner surface of said wall, a hardening member having a hardening surface engageable with a segment of said wall of the body on said support member, means for relatively moving said members to and away from -9 a hardening positionof mutual engagement of their hardening surfaces with said wall, means for relatively oscillating said members substantially parallel to their opposed hardening surfaces while in'said hardening position to effect hardening of the body Wall segment engaged by the opposed hardening surfaces of said members, and means for relatively rotatin said members about the axis of said support member while'said members are relatively moved away from said hardening position to-present a fresh segment of the wall between said members for hardening.

6. A machine as claimed in claim arranged for hardening a conically curved wall of a hollow felt body wherein said hardening surface of said support member has a substantially conical curvature and said hardening surface of said hardening member has a concave conical curvature substantially coaxial with said support member in the-hardening position of said members.

7.- A machine as claimed in claim 5 arranged forhardening a spherically curved wall of a hollow felt body wherein said hardenin surface of said support member has a substantially spherical curvature and said hardening surface of said hardening member has aconcave spherical curvature substantially concentric with said hardening surface of said support in the hardening position of said members.

8. A machine as claimed in .clai m 5 wherein one of said hardening members is steam pervi-ous and which includes means for passing steam through said surface into the felt portion engaged thereby when in hardening position.

9. A machine 'for hardening a conical wall of a hollowfelt body which includes a conical support adapted to fit snugly, coaxially within said wall, a hardening surface on said supportengaging the inner surface of said Wall, a hardener member movable to and away from a hardening position of engagement with the outer surface of a segment of said body wall on said support of substantially uniform angular width about the longitudinal axis of said support, means for relatively oscillating said support and said member longitudinally of said support axis and substantially parallel to their opposed surfaces when said member is in said hardening position, and means by which said support and said member are mounted for relative rotation about the axis of said support to present difierent segments of said wall to said member for hardening.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9 which includes means for moving said hardener member to and away from said hardening position and means for relatively rotating said support and said member about said axis through an angle equal to the angular width of said body wall segment while said member is moved away from said hardening position.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said hardener member includes opposed portions engageable with segments of said body wall at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said support.

12. A machine for hardening a spherically curved wall of a hollow felt body which includes a support having a substantially spherically curved hardening surface adapted to fit snugly concentrically within said wall, a hardener member movable to and away from a hardening position of engagement with a segment of said body wall on said support of substantially uniform angular width about the longitudinal axis of said support '10 from the base to adjacent the-mid-point of said wall, means for relatively oscillating said support and said member about an-axis substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said support and extending approximately through the center of curvature of said hardening surface of said support, and means by which said support and said member are mounted for-relative rotation about the longitudinal axis of said support to present different segments of said wall to said member for hardening.

13. A'machine as claimed -in claim 12 which includes means for moving said hardener member to and away from said hardening position and means for relatively'rotating 'saidsupport and said member about said support axis through an angle equal to 'theang'ular width of said body wall segment while said member is moved away from said hardening position.

14. A'inachine'as claimed in claim 12 wherein said hardener member includes opposed portions engageable with segments of said body wall at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said support.

'15. In amachine for hardening a hollow felt body which includes a support member adapted to fit coaxially within and support the body wall, a hardener member arranged for hardening engagementwith the outer surface ofa segment of the body wall on said support, said member having a concave hardening surface opposed to said support and extending'o'nl-y partially about the longitudinal axis of the "support, said hardening surface having a cross-sectional curvature of constantradius about said axis at its mid-portlon and of increasing radius about said axis from said mid-portion toward the side edges thereof. I A

16. A machine as claimed in claim 15 wherein said mid-portion of said hardening surface is of substantially uniform angular width about said axis.

17. A machine for hardening hollow felt bodies which includes a support having a conical base and rounded tip adapted to fit snugly within and support a correspondingly shaped felt body, a hardening surface on said support, hardener means having hardening surfaces arranged for hardening engagement with the outer surfaces respectively of a segment of the conical base portion and with a segment of the rounded tip portion of the body wall on said support, said segments extending the full length of said respective portions of the body wall, means for relatively moving said hardener means and said support to and away from a position of hardening engagement of said surfaces of said hardener means with said body wall segments, means for relatively oscillating said support and hardener means to elfect hardening of said segments, and means for relatively rotating said support and said hardener means about the longitudinal axis of said support while said support and hardener means are relatively moved away from said position to present fresh segments of said portions of the body wall to said hardener means for hardening.

18. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein said segment of said conical base portion of the body wall is of substantially uniform angular width about the longitudinal axis of said support.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein said hardener means are movable by said moving means to and from said position of harden- 11 ing engagement with said body wall segments. 20. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein said relative oscillation of said support and said hardener means takes place longitudinally of said body wall segments and parallel to the opposed hardening surfaces of said hardener means and said support.

21. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein said support is rotated by said means for relatively rotating said support and hardening means.

22. A machine as claimed in claim 1'7 wherein said support and said hardener means are relatively movable to and from a second position in which said support is exposed for application of felt bodies to said support and for their removal.

23. A machine as claimed in claim 1'? wherein said support and said hardener means are relatively tiltable about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said support to expose said support for application and removal of felt bodies.

24. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein at least one of the opposed hardening surfaces engaging each of said body wall segments is steam-pervious and which includes means for passing steam through said surface into said body wall segment during hardening thereof.

25. A machine for hardening a spherically curved wall of a hollow felt body which includes two hardener members having opposed respectively convex and concave substantially spherically curved hardening surfaces engageable substantially concentrically with the inner and outer surfaces of a segment of said wall, and means for relatively oscillating said members about an axis extending approximately through the center of curvature of said wall.

26. A machine for hardening a, conically curved wall of a hollow felt body which includes two hardener members having opposed respectively convex and concave substantially conically curved hardening surfaces engageable substantially coaxially with the inner and outer surfaces of a segment of said wall, and means for relatively oscillating said members parallel to their opposed hardening surfaces and longitudinally of the longitudinal axis of said wall.

27. A machine for hardening a hollow felt body having a conical base and rounded tip which includes hardener means comprising opposed respectively convex and concave substantially spherically curved hardening surfaces engageable substantially concentrically with the inner and outer surfaces of a segment 01 a said rounded tip of a said body and a pair of opposed respectively convex and concave substantially conically curved hardening surfaces engageable substantially coaxially with the inner and outer surfaces of a segment of said conical base of a said body and means for relatively oscillating said first named pair of hardening surfaces about an axis extending approximately through the center of curvature of said rounded tip of a said body and for relatively oscillating said second named pair of surfaces in parallel and longitudinally of the longitudinal axis of a said body.

HARRY M. GOODCHILD.

REFERENCES CIT ED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Card Mar. 7, 1933 Number

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