Auto mold machine for hats
OwnerMario A. Plastinoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hat molding machine using advanced features will produce a completed hat form from an unshaped felt or wool configuration. The machine employs male and female hat molds. The female hat mold has embedded electric heating elements which are temperature controlled. Low pressure steam is piped into the female mold. Using three pneumatic cylinders and an automatic programmable air controller with timer for proper sequencing, a completed hat form shape including shape portion and flange brim portion results.
Claims22
A hat molding machine using advanced features to produce a completed hat form from an unshaped felt, wool or straw configuration form to a completed hat form shape including a crown shape portion and a flange brim portion, comprising:
- a male hat mold and a reciprocal female hat mold, said male hat mold having a first movable brim portion and a separate second movable crown portion, said first movable brim portion of said male hat mold advancable against a corresponding brim portion of said female hat mold, said second movable crown portion of said male hat mold separately advancable in sequence against said flange brim portion of said female hat mold, said male hat mold and said reciprocal female hat mold clamping the raw unshaped hat form in a tight cavity formed therebetween;
- said tight cavity between said male hat mold and said female mold being provided sequentially with a source of heat and a source of moisture vapor,
- said source of heat increasing the temperature of said male hat mold and said female mold to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time;
- said source of moisture supplying moisture vapor to said male hat mold at a predetermined pressure and temperature in a gaseous state for a second predetermined period of time;
- said source of heat and said source of moisture vapor being provided sequentially for said first and said second predetermined periods of time sufficient to squeeze the raw hat form to the desired completed hat shape;
- and,
- a means to vary the sizes of hats made therewith, said means comprising said a plurality of male crown molds corresponding to various sized hats, each of said male crown molds removably insertable within said male hat mold, said means further comprising a plurality of insertion members insertable within said female hat mold, said insertion members reducing a first predetermined volume of said female hat mold to a further smaller predetermined volume of said female hat mold, said further smaller predetermined volume corresponding to a smaller hat size.
A method of making a hat from a raw hat body comprising the steps of:
- measuring the raw hat body for an appropriate size and selecting a male crown mold corresponding to the appropriate size from a plurality of various sized male crown molds;
- placing the raw hat body in a female mold;
- applying steam along with heat to the raw hat body;
- moving a movable brim flange mold down over the raw hat body;
- moving a male crown mold down over the raw hat body;
- leaving the hat thus formed in said molds for a predetermined time period;
- moving said male crown mold up away from the hat;
- moving said brim flange mold up away from the hat;
- and,
- cooling the hat thus formed on a cooling rack,
- wherein during the sequence of operations, said movements are sequentially controlled in conjunction with said steam and said heat in predetermined sequences for desired duration's of time to form a completed hat.
A mold machine using advanced features to produce an item of a finished, pressed state, comprising:
- a male mold and a reciprocal female mold, said male mold having a first movable portion and at least one separate second movable portion, said first movable male portion advancable against a corresponding recess of a female mold, said first and said second movable male portions separately advancable in sequence against said female mold, clamping said item therebetween,
- a cavity between said male mold and said female mold being sequentially provided with a source of heat and a source of moisture vapor,
- said source of heat increasing the temperature of said male mold and said female mold to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, and,
- said source of moisture supplying moisture vapor to said male mold at a predetermined pressure and temperature for a second predetermined period of time,
- said source of heat and second source of moisture vapor being provided sequentially for said first and said second predetermined periods of time sufficient to squeeze the item to a desired completed pressed state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.