US81244A - Improvement in pelting-machines - Google Patents

Description

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W. J. BENEDICT AND JOHN WYLIE, `OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

.Letters Pate-nt No. 81,244, dated `August 18, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN FELTING-MAGHINES.

TO ALL WHOM'IT MAY GONCERN:

Be it known that we, W. J. BENEDICT and JOHN WILIE, of South Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield, and State` o-Connecticut, have invented a new and improved Hat-Felting and Napping Machine; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to lI x'i'akc and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in vhichv Figure 1 is a side view of our improved machine. Figure 2 is a front view ofthe same.` Figure 3 isl asection, taken through the line :e :z: of fig. 2. Figure 4 is a detail section ofthe looped cloth and the sheeting-clotlis on the b'ox and apron. l Figui-e5 is a detail view ofthe elastic roller. i i l vSimilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

I The nature of this invention relates to the felting of hats, and consists in the mechanism-asset forth in the following. y

In the accompanying plate lof drawings' the frame of' thexmachne is shown to consist of the'uprights B, rcstingupon and forming part of the base-frame A A A A, as shown.

The-simplest form of our invention only. is shown, but the sam'e principle thereof may be employed in the multiplication of the parts claimed in the invention, as .will be hereinafter set forth.

L is a box or hollow bed, of wood, iron, or other suitable' material, made suiiiciently tight to holdhsteam, and grooved to work up and down between the uprights B. i

A guide, a, on each upright tits' on the grooves of the box L.

The crank-shaft D, with the crank'E and connecting-rod F, serves to giv'e the box L a vertical motion on the guides 'u a.

Oand Gore the ly-wheel and crunk, for obvious purposes.

The sides of the box L are plano surfaces, and a plate, M, is held in a contiguous and nearly parallel position to the sideof the box by means of the pivoted racks J J, theiteeth of which catch upon pinsf upon the sides of the plate.

The lower part of the said'platc is supported by nuts h, which slide on thc rods nn, which latter are affixed to the post uprights B B, as shown. y

The pins o from the;plate pass through the nuts fr, and project beyond, thereby-serving as a point for the springs z', (alii-xed to the uprights,) to exert their tcnsionagainst, and thereby throw the lower end of 'the plate from the box-L, when the screw K, which works in the nut g, is turned for that purpose.

The upper part of the plate is-adjusted by the racks J J, as aforesaid, the latter being held by the staples l, or other-equivalent means. i

Springs I serve to actuate the racks down upon the pinsf.

Between 'the plate and the bed a fold of cloth, H,or its equivalent, hangs on a bight or loop,l as shown.

This cloth is affixed lto the upper part of the box, and down in contact ywith its side and up in contact with the plate, and over the top of' the latter terminates in a rod, which catches under books CZ d, on the plate,

as shown.

By this rod and the said hooks, the length of the loop or bight can.be quickly adjusted lto the different lengths required in the felting process. l I

A steam-pipe, m, enters the box through 1the 4stuing-box n, and keeps the box supplied with the requisite steam. This pipe connects with any suitable steam-generator. l

In order to prevent the cloth-bight or loop from slipping on the proximate surfaces of the plate or box during `the upward motion ofthe latter, the proximate surfaces of both 1the plateand box are sheathed or faced with any suitable textile material, pp, or provided with a sutably-roughened surface, or coated with sand, or

other asperities, for the purpose of causing the part ol' the loop to hug the said surfaces, and not slip thereon during the motion of the box L. i

The bats are rolled upon a roller, in the usual mannelgaud placed within the loop, and the box is moved up and down, lwhereby the bight or loop of the cloth rolls the bundle of hat-cones lc in a manner very analogous to the hand-rolling, as practised with fur and other hats oi"finer quality.

The adjustment of the plate during the process will be understood by those skilled in the art of fclting hats,

and requires no description here.

This machinemay be used in felting common woollen hat-cones, as well as those of fur and the finer qualities of Wool hats, but in order to more perfectly simulate the'operation of felting by hand, we employ a hollow roller of'soft rubber, as shown at iig. 5, which, by its elasticity, eonduees in a considerable degree to the perfect and thorough felting of tbe cones.

The sides of the box may be perforated, to emitjcts' of steam upon the cloth, H, and its contents.

Innapping, apipe for hot water may be located to discharge into the loopand its contents from above the same'when'the machine is to be used in napping, so called, which process being analogous to the felting process so far as pertains to the motion of/the box and cloth, H, needs no further description here.

In practice, a plate, similar to the one shown, may be placed on the opposite side ofthe bar L, and provided t with a bight of cloth, as previously shownfand described, whereby one box is made to operate two bights at the same time.

Another modification contemplated, is to make the box with three or more vertical sides of equal dimensions, and tcv provide a corresponding number of plates and hights `of cloth, each to operate as above described.

Thus, bythe use of a pendent bight of cloth, or its. cquivalent,pand the rubbing-surfaces, we imitate' the operation of the human hand in felting fur hats, and accomplish the felting of the same in a superior and rapid manner.

We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentp 1. In a hat-felting and napping machine, the combination of the reciprocating steam-box L, the bight or loop of cloth H, roller K, and adjustable plate M, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

2. The racks J J, box' L, and bight or loop of cloth H, constructed and arranged substantially as set forth,

and for the purpose specified.

3. The arrangement of the shaft D, crank E, rod F, box L, uprights B, and looped cloth H, all substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

4. The aerea' K, in combination with the plate M and looped cloth H, arranged substantially as shown for the purpose set forth. p

The above specification of our invention signed by us, this 8th day of February.

W. J. BENEDICT, JOHN WYLIE.

Witnesses:

WM. F. MeNAMARA, ALEX. F. ROBERTS.

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