Abstract: A hat pallet for use in a printer which prints an image onto a hat of the type having a cap and a brim attached thereto includes a bottom plate and a top plate mountable in a closed position over the bottom plate. The bottom plate includes a printing plate and a brim support fixedly mounted thereon. The top plate has an opening exposing at least a portion of the printing plate when the top plate is in the closed position. The brim support is positioned relative to the printing plate such that when the hat is mounted in the pallet with the top plate in the closed position, a portion of the cap on which the image is to be printed is supported on the printing plate and exposed through the opening of the top plate and the underside of the brim of the hat is supported by the brim support.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing a seamless hat comprises an assembling cutting device and a layer connecting device, wherein the assembling cutting device comprises an ultrasonic metal wheel, an ultrasonic metal platform, a feeding rubber wheel, and a feeding metal wheel; the ultrasonic metal wheel and the feeding rubber wheel are concentric and closed each other, a metal wheel is disposed at the bottom of the feeding rubber wheel, the ultrasonic metal platform is disposed at the bottom of the ultrasonic metal wheel, a top end of a cone peripheral surface of the ultrasonic metal wheel has a sharp edge and a platform portion, which is disposed at a side away from the rubber wheel. Accordingly, the seam allowance cut pieces of the hat may not be initially connected to the edge of the hat. And, the assembling cutting device simultaneously proceeds the ultrasonic connection of the seam allowance cut pieces and the cut to the residue of the cloth in order to uniform the connection so as to get more efficient.

Abstract: A shape supporting and form maintaining device, known as a “HatNoodle”, for a cap. The cap includes two components, an essentially hemispherical crown component and an attached visor component. The aforementioned “HatNoodle” device is constructed from a resilient material and includes a bottom surface and an essentially convex top surface. The bottom surface may contain a plurality of insertion holes that extend into, but not completely through, the material of the device and are used when installing the device into a cap. The top surface of the device contains a plurality of compliance slots wherein each compliance slot begins at the center of the top surface of the device and proceeds outward in a radial direction. The compliance slots facilitate installing a cap onto the device. These compliance slots also allow the device to better conform to the shape of the inside surface of the crown of the cap hat it resides within.

Abstract: A method of making a fur plate includes cutting lengthwise at least one elongate animal tail skin having fur to form a plurality of split tail pieces, and cutting at least one of the split tail pieces to form a plurality of short tail pieces. A plate backing material form is provided by a tongue of backing material having a pair of sides which form a long dimension, and a pair of ends which form a short dimension, the ends comprising a proximal end and a distal end. A split tail piece is attached to the tongue along each of the sides and layers of short tail pieces are attached to the tongue adjacent to the distal end. To make a hat, a plurality of fur plates are attached to the crown of a hat shell by attaching the proximal ends of the tongues to the crown so that the tongues overlap and form a ring bounded by the fur on the sides.

Abstract: A method for fabricating the leather firefighting helmet includes the steps of: (a) providing an outer leather covering, where the covering includes a bowl-shaped head portion attached to a brim portion; (b) providing an inner leather liner, where the liner includes a bowl-shaped head portion attached to a brim portion; (c) positioning a layer of reinforcing fibers between the covering and the inner liner; (d) positioning liquid thermoset resin between the covering and the liner; (e) assembling the cover with the liner such that the bowl-shaped head portion of the liner is received within the bowl-shaped head portion of the covering; and (f) curing the covering, liner, reinforcing fibers and thermoset resin together to form a substantially unitary firefighting helmet.

Abstract: A combination automatic molding machine and associated cooling rack for pressed items, such as hats, using advanced features which produce a pressed items, such as a completed hat form from an unshaped configuration of a moldable material, such as felt, wool or straw. The combination can also be used to produce other flexible, inelastic fabric structures, such as molded insulation members within a wall or vehicle body. When a hat is first taken from the hat molding machine at a first large size, it is then placed upon the cooling rack, where the size is further varied by placing corresponding male crown inserts extending up from a flange placed upon the cooling rack. Preferably the male inserts are made of ABS Plastic. In effect, the molding rack is used to vary sizes for each hat upon the cooling rack. While the hat is in a warm, malleable state of a large size, the hat thus formed is squeezed through a fenestration hole of a smaller size reducer.

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.

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.

Abstract: A flap is inserted in a similarly shaped and sized tubular opening with the aid of a tool, slots in the flap being engaged by hooks on the tool and being entrained thereby. The tool is inserted into the opening with the flap, and upon withdrawal of the tool, the hooks automatically disengage from the slots so that flap remains within opening. The flap and the tubular opening constitute opposite ends of part of a disposable paper hat.