To make " bard " hats, the brims are formed very thick, with a very thin "tip," as the orown is called. " Soft " hat forms are wound on about even in thickness. The same is the oase with "framed " hats. " Soft tops" are formed very thick, as the crown, when finished, must feel thick and soft, and the brim hard.
Hardening.—The formed hat is next taken to the " hardening "-machine, Fig. 808. A place should be seleeted for a table with good light in front, to enable the workman to look inside the wool forms against the light. That will at once show all the thin places, which are made good by putting thin layers of wool over them, to make up the felt to an even thickness. As the hard ening-maehine runs with great velocity, and by the motions of the various parts produces a considerable vibration, heavy stone foundations are necessary to secure steadiness, which is absolutely essential to good work. Of the pair of pulleys G for driving the machine, one is fast, and the oilier loose. On the end of the shaft, is fixed a solid faee-plate, fur nished with a groove, in which a T-bolt can be raised in a slot. This increases the diameter of the eirele as the shaft revolves, communicating a right and left motion to the lever A, for the bolt, having a square collar planed to fit the aperture in this lover A, acts as a slide bar, giving about 1 in. of travel in each direction. As the lever A is fixed by a key at the point B, the motion diminishes upwards. Above B, is seen a fixing, also keyed to the same shaft B. This fixing is about 7 in. long, bored at each end, and licked together by two pins, one end being attached to the top cover D, the other fastened to the bottom chest C, thus producing a slight shivering motion, similar to the effect of placing one hand on the other and moving them about in. at a great speed. If the travel is toe long, the tendency is to corrugate, or "fridge," the hat form. Should this take place, nothing will remove it, and the damage will be clearly seen after the hat is dyed and finished. Other causes producing the same result are (1) having the face of the top lid D too level, (2) an excess of pressure produced by the lever I, when brought down upon the spring A. C forms the bottom cover, travelling in four grooves. The bottom is a steam-chest, perforated on the top side with small holes, as seen in Fig. 809. The portion having the rude form of a hood is raised a little, planed true, and covered with a stout linen cloth, in several folds if-thiti. The cloth is strained after nailing one end, and is drawn from each
side until, when wetted, it becomes as tight as a drum-bead. The holes on the outer edge are filled with wooden plugs, into which are driven the nails for holding on the linen cover. Should too great pressure of steam be used, the fibre will be damaged, leaving upon the hat the marks of each hole in this bottom chest. This may be avoided by regulating the steam, or the length of travel of the cover, or the pressure. Some experience will be required to secure the best result. If the marks of "fridging " are not seen on the inner side, nor the damage by steam or other causes, the imperfection will be got rid of by turning the hat inside out when sending it to the next process. Taking a number of forms to the table, the workman, after carefully stopping up any thin places, outs a piece of linen cloth of the same shape as the inside of the hat form, steeps it in water, wrings it, and by inserting it between the folds, prevents the hood felting fast together. Placing the hood under the cover D, he brings down the lid as seen at work in H, the lever I acting as a pressure-bar on the spring H. So soon as the steam and pressure settle the wool, the hood is hardened and opened out, the linen cloth is removed, the hood is carefully looked at again, and any defective places are repaired ; it is then folded so as to bring into the middle the two sides or edges that received no pressure, and is again placed in the machine. When removed this time, if the process has been carefully conducted, the sides all round will have been transformed from a thick flossy wool to a loose thin cloth. The crown or tip has been first solidified. To effect this in the same manner as the aides, a stout iron pillar, terminating in the cone E, is used. By attaching a side bar from the shaft of the machine, the same motion is given to F. This ring must be Made into a pad, covered with linen. The hat form is placed over the cone E, which is perforated, to allow of the escape of the steam admitted to the inside. The workman lifts the rod F, places it with tbis linen covering upon the top of the bat resting on the cone, and turns on the steam ; the top becomes hardened by the mere weight of the side bar. The form is thus completely hardened and ready for the next process.