US707392A - Machine for trimming curled hat-brims. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. l9, I902 F. C. GRAW.

MACHINE FOR TBIMMING GUBLED HAT BRIMS.

(Application-filed Apr. 19, i900.

(No Model.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

. HHI IIIHHHHI MINIMUM HHH IIHHII.

INVENTOR W rates at r FFlCE.

FRANK C. CRANV, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIALF TO WILLIS R. AUSTIN AND WILLIAM N. ORAW, DOING BUSINESS UNDER FIRM-NAME OF AUSTIN AND CRAW, OF SOUTH'NORWALK, CON- NECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING CURLED HAT--BRIMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 707,392, dated August 19, 1902.

Application filed April 19, 1900. Serial No. 13,487. (No model.)

To CLZZ/ whom, it IN/[(1] concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK O. CRAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Norwalk, county of Fairfield, State of Con- 5 necticut, have invented a new and useful Machine for Trimming Curled Hat-Brims, of which the following is a specification. 7 My invention has for its object to provide a machine for performing the operation in the 10 art of hat-making variously known as trimming, paring, or planing the brims of curled hats, which will perform the operation while the hats are still on the curlingblocks, will be self-adjusting to different sizes of hats and to different syles of hats that do not involve changes in the width of the curl, and which shall require but the change ofa single part to adapt the machine to different widths of curls. With these ends in view I have devised the simple, inexpensive, and easily-operated brim-trimming machine, which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and using reference characters to designate the several parts.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine complete; Fig. 2, a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the rotating arm and head,

0 the cam-gear being shown as having made a quarter-turn from the position in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a section on the line at 4. in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a detail elevation and plan of one form 5 of cutter, on a still larger scale, with the end of the arm by which it is carried.

A denotes framework of any preferred construction or design and comprising an upper arm 10 and a lower arm 11. 12 denotes a depending rod which is rigidly but adjustably secured in arm 10, as by a set-screw 13, and 1% denotes a rod which is vertically movable in arm 11. Rod 14: is held against rotary movement in the arm by means of a spline- 5 and-groove connection, as at 15. The lower end of said rod is pivoted to a treadle 16, and the treadle and rod are retained at the raised position by means of a spring or springs 17, (one only being shown,) one end of said springs being connected to the lower end of the rod or the treadle and the other end to arm 11 or to a hub 18, depending therefrom, the function of the hub being simply to provide additional bearing for the rod. At the upper end of rod 14 and rigidly secured there- 5 5 to is a carrier 19, which is provided with a recess 20, adapted to receive the crown of a hat 1), the crown of the hat .appearing in dotted lines only. The top 'of the carrier is provided with pins 9, appearing in dotted lines only,which are adapted to engage corresponding holes in the under side of a curling-block C. The hats to be operated upon while still on the curling-blocks are retained in position by simply placing each curling-block over the carrier, the crown of the hat being downward and pins 9 engaging the holes in the block.

D denotes an arm carried by a sleeve 21, which is adapted to be rotated on rod 12. This sleeve rests upon the hub 22 of a bevel gear-wheel E, which is rigidly secured to the rod, as by a set-screw 23. At the lower end of the rod and rigidly secured thereto is a suitable holder F, against which the brim of the hat rests when the carrier and curlingblock-are held at their normal position by springs 17, as in Fig. 1. It will be noted (see Fig. 1) that a catch 24 is provided, which is adapted to be engaged by the treadle to retain the carrier out of operative position and in convenient position for the attachment or removal of a curling-block.

G denotes a head which is adapted to slide longitudinally on arm D and to be carried around thereby.

25 denotes a longitudinal shaft suitably journaled in the arm and carrying a bevelpinion 26, which engages fixed bevel gearwheel E on rod 12.

H denotes a pinion, which is connected to shaft 25 by a spline-and-groove connection, as at 27, so as to leave said pinion free to slide longitudinally on the shaft, the pinion, however, being carried by the shaft when the 5 latter is rotated. The pinion is shown as provided with a hub 28, having a groove 29,which is engaged by a lug 30, extending from some portion of the head, so that longitudinal movement of the head upon the arm will also move the pinion longitudinally on the shaft. The special construction of the head is of course not of the essence of my invention. It is made in convenient form for assembling and of different parts rigidly secured together by cross-bolts 31.

The essential features of construction are an internal recess 32, a rounded front 33, a slot 34 in the front, a slot 35 in the bottom, and a slot 36 in the back.

J denotes a block lying in recess 32 and adapted to slide longitudinally therein, and 37 an arm extending rearwardly from said block and passing through slot 36.

38 denotes a groove in arm 37, which is en gaged bya cam-gear K, having a hub 39 and mounted to turn on a stud 40, which is tapped into the back of the head. This cam-gear meshes with sliding pinion H, said cam-gear, pinion, bevel-pinion 26, and bevel gear-Wheel E being so proportioned relatively as regards number of teeth as to just produce two revolutions of cam-gear K each time the rotating head is swung around rod 12. The shape of cam-gearK is such as to give it a cam action upon the walls of groove 38 and cause it to move arm 37, and with it block J, in and out once during each rotation of the'cam-gear and twice during each rotation of the arm and head about rod 12, as will be more fully explained.

L denotes the cutter, which must obviously have three movements to enable it to trim the edge of a curled hat-brimz'. 6., it must have a vertical reciprocatory movement to enable it to follow the rise and fall of the curl at the sides of the brim, it must have a longitudinal reciprocatory movement to provide for the constantly-varying diameter of the oval of a hat-brim, and itmust have an axial movement to enable it to maintain a position tangential at all times to the curve of the brim. These movements are produced as follows: The shank 41 of the cutter is pivoted at the outer end of arm 42, which extends forward from a block M, adapted to move vertically in a correspondingly-shaped recess in block J, said arm passing through a slot 43 in block J and through slot 34 in the front of head G. The lower end of block M extends downward through slot 35 in the bottom of head G and is provided with a ring 44 for convenience in operation.

45 denotes a suitable bolt or catch on the under side of block J and lying in slot 35, which is adapted to engage a hole in the back of block M for the purpose of locking said block and with it the cutter downward and out of operative position. I have shown the shank of cutter L as provided with a flange 46, which rests upon the top of arm 42, and the cutter and shank as retained in place in the arm by means of a pin 47, which passes through the shank below the arm.

As stated above, it is necessary that the cut made by the cutter in trimming ahat-brim be at all times tangential to the curve of the voices brim. In order to insure that the cutter will automatically assume and remain in this tangential position, I place the cutting edge wholly back of the axis of shank 41 and radial thereto, as in Fig. 5, or else provide the cutter with a guide 43, as in the other figures of the drawings, in which the cutter is located centrally to the axis of the shank. Guide 48 when used is preferably made of wire and is so shaped as to provide surfaces 49, which engage the brim on opposite sides of the cutter, and thereby oscillate the cutter just sufficiently to cause it to follow the curve of the brim and to act at all times in aline tangential thereto. The guide may be dispensed with and precisely the same result attained by setting the forward end of the cutter back of the axis of the shank, as in Fig. 5, from which arrangement it necessarily results, the head being pressed forward at all times, so that rounded front 34 will engage the edge of the brim, that the cutter will follow the line of the curve.

Block M and with it arm 42 and the cutter are normally held up, so that the cutter will act on a hat-brim by means of a spring 50. In the drawings I have shown aclock-spring made use of for this purpose and have shown said spring as provided with Winding mechanism 51, by which I am enabled to adjust the tension of the spring to suit the special requirements of different styles of hat-bodies. The entire head and with it of course the cutter and sliding pinion Hare held forward, so that the rounded front 33 of the head will press upon the edge of a hat-brim by means of a spring 52, preferably a clock-spring, as shown in the drawings, which is also provided with winding mechanism, (not shown in the drawings,) but which may be identical with winding mechanism 51 illustrated in connection with spring 50. Arm D is shown as provided with a handle 53 for convenience in swinging said arm and with it the head around rod 12, and the head is shown as provided with a handle 54 for convenience in drawing it back against the power of spring 52.

55 denotes a pin in head G, which when the head is retracted is adapted to drop into a hole 56 in arm D and to lock the head in the retracted position.

57 is a round bar, or, if preferred, a roller may be provided, over which the spring passes, by which block M and the cutter are held at the raised position.

The operation of the machine as a whole is briefly as follows: The head is drawn back against the power of spring 52 and locked in the retracted position by pin or any simple form of locking device and block M. Arm 42 and the cutter may be drawn down against the power of spring 50 and, if required, locked in the lowered position by means of bolt 45 or any simple form of locking device. No special mechanism is required for holding hats in place, for the reason that they are operated upon before be- IIO ing removed from the curling-blocks, it being simply necessary to place a curling-block, with a hat thereon, in position on the carrier, pins in either the carrier or the block registering with holes in the other part. Unlike most machines of this general character, in' my novel machine the hats are operated upon when the crowns are downward, the cutter operating from below instead of from above. In placing a block in position on a carrier the latter may be drawn down against the power of springs 17 by means of the treadle, and, if necessary, the treadle may be locked at the lowered position by means of catch 24. Having placed a hat in position on the carrier, springs 17 are allowed to raise the carrier so that the under side of the brim of the hat upon the curling-block (the under side of the brim being now uppermost, as in Fig. 1) will be pressed against holder F. The head is now released, so that spring 52 will draw it forward and cause the rounded front 33 of the'head to press against the edge of the hatbrim, and if block M has been locked at the lowered position it is released and spring 50 is allowed to draw block M, arm 42, and the cutter upward, the cutter of course passing into and cutting the hat-brim and flange 4.6 resting against the top of the curl, (the brim being new in inverted position.) The cutter is of course made just sufficient height above the flange to cut through the hat-brim, but without anything more than lightly touching the brim-flange of the curling-block. It will of course be understood that the several steps I have described are all performed even by a person not an expert in much less time than it takes to describe them. The operation of trimming a brim is effected bysimply swinging arm D and the head once around on rod 12. The variation in the width of the curlis determined by the degree of offset of camgear K. By that I mean the diiterence between the width of the curl at the ends and at the sides. The cam-gear maybe described as a gear-wheel whose sides form a return spiral inclinethat is, a spiral incline which makes a half-turn and then instead of continuing downward inclines upward to the starting-pointwhat I term the ofiset of the cam -gear being clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. If the curl is but little wider at the sides than at the ends, the cam-gear is required to have but little ofiset, or, in other words, but little pitch to the spiral. If a wider curl is required at'the sides of the brim, a cam-gear having a greater offset, as seen in Fig. 3, is required--that is, the pitch of the spiral must be greater. The starting width of the curl-that is, the width at the ends of the hat-brim-ver y rarely changes at all. It is fixed, of course, by a definite arrangement relatively to each other of the cutter, groove 38, and the engaging edge of the cam-gear when the cutter is at either end of the hat, although it does not make the slightest difference at what portion of the brim the trimming operation is commenced. The position of the hat in the form illustrated is always the same; but the cutter may start at any portion of the brim and is simply required to be passed once around. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 2 arm D and the head have made an eighth of a revolution from one end of the hat and the cam-gear has made a quarter-revolution, which places the cutter at the first quarter of the brim. A half-revolution of the cam-gear will place the cam-gear, arms 37 and 42, block J, and the cutter at just the reverse of the position shown in Fig. 1, and the cutter will be acting upon the side of the brim, at which point the curl will be widest. At the completion of the revolution of the cam-gear the cam-gear, arms 37 and 42, block J, and the cutter will again be in the position shown in Fig. l; but arm I) and the head will be in the reverse of the position therein shown-that is to say, they will have passed half-way around rod 12. The cutter will now be acting at the opposite end of the hat from where it started, the cam-gear making, of course, another complete revolution during the last half of the rotation of arm D and the head, so that when the arm and headagain reach the position shown in Fig. 1 the cam-gear, arms 37 and a2, block J, and the cutter will be at the position therein shown the second time. As soon as the trimming of a brim has been completed block M is moved downward sufficiently to disengage the cutter from the brim. The head is moved backward and may be locked in the retracted position, after which the carrier is moved downward, the curlingblock and hat removed, and another curlingblock and hat placed upon the carrier, after which the operation is repeated, as before, the

entire operation of putting a hat in the Inachine, trimming the brim, removing it, and placing another hat in position to be operated upon requiring but an instants time.

I have deemed it sufficient for the purposes of this specification and as clearly setting forth the principle of my invention to illustrate a form in which the carrier, holder, and bevel gear-wheel remain stationary and the arm rotates. I wish it distinctly understood, however, that I do not limit myself to this arrangement, as it is equally within the scope of my invention to reverse the arrangement and make the arm stationary and the carrier, holder, and bevel gear-wheel rotatable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. In a machine of the character described the combination with a curling-block carrier having a recess to receive the crown of a hat and also having means for connecting a hatcurling block therewith with the hat-crown in said recess, of a cutter, an element by which said cutter is carried and with reference to which the cutter has oscillatory movement, and mechanism whereby said cutter is moved vertically and longitudinally to conform to the curvature of the brim. 2. In a machine of the character describe the combination with a curling-block carrier and means for holding a curled hat rigidly while on a curling-block and with the crown downward, of a cutter acting from below the brim and means for causing said cutter to act in a plane tangential to the curve of the brim.

3. In a machine of the character described the combination with means for holding a curled hat with the crown downward, of a cuttcr acting from below the brim and mechanism whereby said cutter is moved vertically and longitudinally to conform to the curvature of the brim.

4. In a machine of the character described the combination with means for holding a curled hat, of a rotating arm, a longitudinallymoving head. on said arm, a longitudinallymoving block J within the head, a verticallymoving block M carried by block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

5. In a machine of the character described the combination with a longitudinally-movable head, a block J longitudinally movable within the head, a block M vertically movable in block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M, of a carrier for a curled hat, and an arm by which the head is carried and means whereby one of said parts may be rotated.

6. In a machine of the character described the combination with means for holding a curled hat and a bevel gear-wheel E, of arm D, a head longitudinally movable on said arm and carrying a shaft with a bevel gear-Wheel engaging gear-wheel E, a block J within the head, connections intermediate the shaft and the block whereby the latter is moved longitudinally independently of the head, a block M vertically movable in block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

7. In a machine of the character described the combination with means for holding a curled hat and a bevel gear-Wheel E, of arm D, a head longitudinally movable on said arm,'a shaft journaled in said arm and carrying a bevel-pinion engaging the gear-wheel, pinion H having a groove 29, said pinion bein g carried by the shaft but free to slide thereon and said head having a lug engaging the groove, a block J within the head, an arm extending from said block and having a groove 38, a stud extending from the head, a cam-gear mounted on said stud and engaging the sliding pinion and groove 38, a block M vertically movable in block J and an oscillating cutter'carried by block M.

8. In a machine of the character described the combination with means for holding a curled hat, arm D and the sliding head having. a front adapted to engage a hat-brim, of a spring for holding the front of the head in engagement with the hat-brim, a block J,

block M vertically movable in block J, an oscillating cutter carried by block M, a spring for holding said block up so that the cutter will always engage the brim and means for imparting longitudinal movement to block J independently of the head so that the curl may be given any required width at the ends and sides.

9. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D, a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adapted to slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide on said arm and having a lug engaging groove 29, a block J in said head, an arm extending from said block and having a groove 38, a stud extending from the head, a cam-gear mounted on said stud and engaging the sliding pinion and groove 38 whereby longitudidal movement is imparted to block J independently of the head, a vertically-movable block M in block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

.10....In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D, a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adapted to slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide on said arm and having a lug engaging groove 29,a spring for moving said head forward on the arm, means for locking said head in the retracted position against the power of the spring, a block J in said head, an arm extending from said block and having a groove 38, a stud extending from the head, a cam-gear mounted on said stud and engaging the sliding pinion and groove 38, a vertically-movable block M in block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

11. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D, a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adapted to slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide on said arm and having a lug engaging groove 29, a block J in said head, connections intermediate block J and the sliding pinion whereby said block is moved longitudinally independently of the head, a vertically-movable block M in block J, an oscillating cutter carried by block M, a spring for holding block M and the cutter in operative position and means for locking block M in the retracted position against the power of the spring.

12. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D, a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adapted to slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide on said arm and having a lug engaging groove 29, a spring for moving said head forward on the arm, a block J in said head, connections intermediate block J and the sliding pinion whereby said block is moved longitudinally independently of the head, a vertically-movable block M in block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

13. In a machine of the character described thecombination with arm D, a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adapted to slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide on said arm and having a lug engaging groove 20 and a slot 36, a block J in said head having an arm 37 which extends through slot 36 and is provided with a groove 38, a stud extending from the head, a cam-gear mounted on said stud and engaging the sliding pinion and groove 38, a vertically-movable block M in block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

14. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D, a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adapted to slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide on said arm and having a lug engaging groove 29 and a slot 35, a block J in said head, connections intermediate block J and the sliding pinion whereby said block is moved longitudinally independently of the head, a block M lying in block J and extending through said slot, a spring by which block M is held up, an oscillating cutter carried by block M and means for retaining'said block and the cutter at a retracted position against the power of the spring.

15. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm I), a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adapted to slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide on said arm and having a lug engaging groove 29 and a slot 34, a block J in said head having a slot 43, connections intermediate block J and the sliding pinion whereby said block is moved longitudinally independently of the head, a vertically-movable block M in block J, said block M having an arm 42 extending through slots 43 and 34 and an oscillating cutter carried by said arm.

16. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D, a head adapted to slide thereon and a block within the head having an arm extending therefrom with a groove 38, of a shaft journaled in the arm, a pinion carried by said shaft and free to slide thereon, means for connecting the sliding pinion to the head so that the head will move the pinion on the shaft, a stud extending from the head and a cam-gear mounted on the stud and engaging the sliding gear and groove 38 whereby the block is moved longitudinally independently of the head.

17. In a hat-brim-trimming machine, the combination with the cutterL havinga shank 41 and a cutting edge radial to the axis of the said shank, of means for supporting a hat with its brim in position to be trimmed by said cutter.

18. In ahat-brim-trimming machine, the combination with the cutterL having a shank 451, a flange 46, anda cutting edge above the flange and extending radial to the axis of the shank, of means for supporting a hat with its brim in position to be trimmed by said cutter.

19. In a machine of the character described the combination with a carrier adapted to receive a hat upon a curling-block, a holder F and means for pressing the hat against the holder, of arm D, the sliding head, sliding block J within the head, sliding block M within block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

2O. In a machine of the character described the combination with a carrier adapted to receive a hat upon a curling-block, a holder F, means for pressing the hat against the holder and means for lowering the carrier against the power of the spring and for locking the carrier out of operative position, of arm D, the sliding head, sliding block'J within the head, sliding block M within block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK O. ORAW.

W'itnesses:

A. M. Woosrnn, S. W. ATHERTON.

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