US2653737A - Method and means for blocking hats - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 29, 1953 J. MASlNl METHOD AND MEANS FOR BLOCKING HATS Filed Aug. 28, 1950 INVENTOR. JOSEPH MASINI ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1953 METHOD AND MEANS FOR BLOCKING HATS Joseph Masini, Weehawken, N. J.,' assignor to Joseph Luckow, conducting business under the name of Victory Hat Block Company, New

York, N. Y.

Application August 28, 1950, Serial No. 181,752

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to the art of blocking hats and particularly to a method and means for blocking a hat having a soft raised portion, for example, a rolled or cable edge in a hydraulic hat press.

Hats are formed from a hat blank of felt or other material on a block to give to such blank the general shape of the hat.

lhis generally shaped blank is then pressed in a hydraulic press between a heated metal, usually aluminum, die and a corresponding male. die which is known as a rubber saddle and which is formed from rubber and a canvas jacket. This rubber saddle is subected to hydraulic pressure to force the generally shaped blank against the heated metallic die to form the hat.

Hats having a soft raised porton such as a rolled or cable edge heretofore could not be blocked or shaped in a hydraulic press because prior to the method and means here proposed, the edge of this type of hat under the pressure of the rubber saddle would be pressed into a relatively thin and hard edge or raised surface.

In the trade, therefore, hats with a soft rolled or cable edge or a raised portion could not be hydrauliced to apply the term used in the trade.

The present invention therefore contemplates the provision of a method for blocking a hat having 3 rolled or cable edge or a soft raised part in a hydraulic hat press, which hitherto could not satisfactorily be accomplished.

The present invention further contemplates the provision of the means for practicing the method of the present invention and particularly the construction of the metallic female die and rubber saddle between which a hat is shaped in a hydraulic press.

These, other and further objects and advantages' of the present invention will be clear from the description which follows and the drawing appended thereto, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective front view of a conventional hydraulic press in which my invention is practiced.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the metallic female die used in the practice of my invention.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 3, the groove in the die being filled in.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation in partial section of a rubber saddle used in the practice of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the metallic female die and rubber saddle operatively mounted therein with a hat blank therebetween for shapin thereby.

Referring now to the drawing, a conventional hydraulic hat press, generally indicated by the reference numeral [0, is illustrated in Fig. 1. It is unnecessary to describe in any great detail such a hydraulic hat press as it is well known in the art and forms no part of my invention except as a vehicle in which to practice it.

The female die 12 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 preferably made of metal such as aluminum, is mounted in the saddle l4 seated in the bushing it of the hydraulic press.

The saddle l4, bushing 16 and the female metallic die [2 are heated in the press in any satisfactory manner.

The blank [8 (see Fig. 5), from which the hat is to be formed, is generally shaped on a hat block (not illustrated or described as this is conventional) before it is mounted in the female die I2, which die is formed into the shape that the hat will be pressed into and assume in the hydraulic hat press 10.

The female die I2 is provided with four vanes or guides 20 which are seated in the slots 22 in the saddle 14 to detachably mount the die in position on the press.

In the conventional hydraulic press to describe the heretofore conventional method, the female die l2 having the form of hat selected is mounted, as aforesaid, in the bushing l6 and saddle l4 and a corresponding rubber saddle or male die, generally referred to by the reference numeral 24 (see Fig. 4), is formed therein from rubber 26, which is shaped to fit against the metallic die, and the canvas jacket 28. Thus the rubber saddle is of exactly the same shape as that of the interior of the female die.

The rubber saddle 24 is then mounted on the upper carrier 30 of the hydraulic press ID with the block 32 positioned in the interior 34 of the rubber saddle 24.

The hat blank I8 is seated in the interior 36 of the female die I2 that forms the crown of the hat and the heated female die and the rubber Saddle are brought together in the press. The desired hydraulic pressure is applied to the rubber saddle and the parts held together in the hydraulic press for the desired time.

The steps and elements just described are conventional and a hat edge or raised portion will be flattened between the female die and rubber saddle, thus making it impossible to form a rope hat or one with a rolled or cable edge in a hydraulic press.

In order to provide a method and means for the practice thereof by which a hat having a rolled or cable edge or a soft raised portion may be formed in a hydraulic press, I provide the groove 38 (see Fig. 2) in the female die I2 around the edge of the interior 36 in which the crown of the hat is formed.

As will be seen, when the hat is pressed between the female die I2 and the rubber saddle 24, the rolled or cable edge 40 of the hat lies in this groove 38.

Before the rubber 25 is formed into the desired shape for the rubber saddle 24 in the female die I2 as aforesaid, I fill the groove 38 with a rigid material 42 (see Fig. 3) such as plaster of Paris.

Thus, when the rubber part 26 of the male die or saddle is formed in the female die I 2, that part 44 thereof (see Fig. 4), between which and the ledge 46 (see Fig. 3) of the female die I2 is formed, the brim 48 (see Fig. 5), bridges the groove 38 because it is filled with the plaster of Paris.

After the rubber part 26 of the hydraulic saddle is formed, it is removed from the female die and made up into the male die 24 illustrated in Fig, 4 and the rigid material 42, plaster of Paris, is completely removed from the groove 38.

The blank I 8 is then mounted in the female die I2 with the rolled or cable edge 49 seated in the groove 38 and the rubber saddle inserted against the blank by the upper carrier 30 to form the hat in the press.

The brim forming portion 44 therefore will bridge the shoulders 50 and 52 at the edges of the groove 38 to thereby prevent pressure from being exerted against the rolled or cable edge 40, which lies in the groove 38 of the metallic die I2, as the hat is hydrauliced in the press.

Thus, the rolled or cable edge, or any soft raised portion lying in a corresponding groove, will not be flattened but will remain soft and of proper form and shape when the hat is made in a hydraulic press.

An raised portion of a hat may be relieved from pressures in the hydraulic press by using the method described of filling with material the groove for the raised portion in a die, making a 4 corresponding rubber saddle with the filled in groove of the die, removing the filling material from the groove and pressing a blank between the die and rubber saddle to form a hat and by using the means for practicing the invention which I have described.

While I have shown and described in detail a certain method for the practice of my invention and the means for its accomplishment, it will be understood that the method described and the means for its practice are intended for illustration thereof and that changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Hence, I intend to claim my invention as broadly as permitted by the terms of the appended claim and the state of the prior art.

I claim:

For use in a hydraulic press of pressing a hat having a crown portion and a brim portion formed with a thickened outer rim, a female metallic die having a portion to receive the crown of the hat, a portion to receive the brim of the hat, said die being formed with a groove at the outer edge of said brim receiving portion to receive said thickened rim, said female die having a portion surrounding said groove and comprising a continuation of the brim receiving portion, and a male saddle of soft compressible material comprising a portion to press the crown of the hat into the crown receiving portion of the female die, a portion to press the brim of the hat against the brim receiving portion of the female die, a fiat portion bridging the groove for pressing the thickened outer rim of the hat into said groove, and a portion contacting the portion of the female die which surrounds said groove.

JOSEPH MASINI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,130,088 Kendall Mar. 2, 1915 2,110,739 Shildhaus Mar. 8, 1938 2,466,272 Porter et al Apr, 5, 1949 2,495,402 Bensten Jan. 24, 1950

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