HAT MANUFACTURE 



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frequently made entirely of silk. To these two improvements, now pretty generally 

 introduced, the present excellence of the silk hats may be ascribed. 



Fig. 1132 is a side view of the carding-engine, employed in preparing the silk for 

 hats, with a horizontal plan or view of the lower part of the carding-machine, showing 

 the operative parts of the winding-apparatus, as connected to the carding-engine. The 

 doffer-cylinder is covered with fillets of wire-cards, such as are usually employed in 

 carding-engines, and these fillets are divided into two, three, or more spaces, extending 

 round the periphery of the cylinder, the object of which division is to separate the 

 sliver into two, three, or more breadths, which are to be conducted to and wound 

 upon distinct blocks, for making so many separate hats or caps. 



The principal cylinder of the carding-engine is made to revolve by a rigger upon its 

 axle, actuated by a band from any first mover as usual, and the subordinate rollers or 

 cylinders belonging to the carding-engine, are all turned by pulleys, and bands, and 

 gear, as in the ordinary construction. 



The wool or other material is supplied to the feeding-cloth, and carried through the 

 engine to the doffer-cylinder, as in other carding-engines ; the doffer-comb is actuated 

 by a revolving crank in the common way, and by means of it the slivers are taken 



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from the doffer-cylinder, and thence received on to the surfaces of the blocks e e. 

 These blocks, of which two only are shown to prevent confusion, are mounted upon 

 axles, supported by suitable bearings, in a carriage ff, and are made to revolve by 

 means of a band g g, leading from a pulley on the axle of a conical drum beneath. 

 The band g passes over a pulley h, affixed to the axle of one of the blocks, while 

 another pulley i, upon the same axle, gives motion, by means of a band, to as many 

 other blocks as are adapted to the machine. 



As it is necessary in winding the slivers on to the blocks, to cross them in different 

 directions, and also to pass the sliver over the hemispherical ends of the blocks, in 

 order that the wool or other material may be uniformly spread over the surface in 

 forming the cap or hood for the shell or foundation of the intended hat, the carriage 

 /, with the blocks, is made to traverse to and fro in lateral directions upon rollers at 

 each end. 



This alternating motion of the carriage is caused by a horizontal lever 1 1 (seen in 

 the horizontal view fig. 1132), moving upon a fulcrum-pin at m, which lever is 

 attached to the carriage at one extremity n, and at the other end has a weighted cord 

 which draws the side of this lever against a cam -wheel o. This cam is made to 

 revolve by means of a band and pulley, which turns the shaft and endless screw , 



