Anderson & Writer Corporation v. Hanky Beret, Inc.

• Decision Date: 07 April 1930
• Docket Number: No. 278.,278.
• Citation: 40 F.2d 196
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit
• Parties: ANDERSON & WRITER CORPORATION v. HANKY BERET, Inc., et al.

40 F.2d 196 (1930)

ANDERSON & WRITER CORPORATION v. HANKY BERET, Inc., et al.

No. 278.

Circuit Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.

April 7, 1930.

O. Ellery Edwards, of New York City, for appellants.

Kenyon & Kenyon, of New York City (Wm. Houston Kenyon and W. Houston Kenyon, Jr., both of New York City, of counsel), for appellee.

Before MANTON, L. HAND, and CHASE, Circuit Judges.

MANTON, Circuit Judge.

This suit is for infringement of patent No. 1,725,500 for a tam pressing machine; claims 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are in suit. On motion of the appellee, the District Court granted a preliminary injunction and directed that the machinery of the appellants be impounded upon the appellee filing a bond. The patent relates to the art of making felt hats, tams, or berets out of one-piece felt discs, circular in outline, which are formed under the combined action of heat, pressure, and moisture, and stretching or shrinking into the articles. The inventor says:

"The invention proposes the use of a press having a spring holding disc connected with a foot pedal for assuming various positions, and springs connected with the disc and with a movable die engageable in a stationary cup-shaped die. Use is also made of a circular plate with a radial slot made of flexible material such as spring steel for receiving the tam goods which is spread over one side and the edges then pulled through a central aperture in the movable die. The said movable die may be provided with heating elements and the tam goods must be in a wetted condition when worked upon."

The style of the tam which is made on the machine is known as a beret. The machine consists of a flat heated lower die or supporting table. It is round, with a small upright marginal wall, whose sole function is to guide the operation of the upper elements. This is for convenience in manipulation as well. Upon the lower die is superimposed a hot upper die which is a thick disc of metal with a diameter of about ten inches having a round central opening of about four inches in diameter. The underside is smooth. The upper side is equipped with heating means, a gas pipe extending halfway around, and also has lugs or attachment arms whereby the upper die may be manipulated by the operator by pedal, and, when the beret is being cooked, the upper die may be forced down and held firmly in lowered position to co-operate with the lower die to hot-press damp material placed between them. There is inserted between the upper and lower dies a thin circular disc of metal of the same diameter as the upper die. It is a forming disc. During the operation, the cloth is wrapped around this disc, and all parts of the marginal edge are drawn tightly inward toward the center of the upper face of the forming die; one function of the forming element being to hold the cloth out to the shape of a beret. The entire cloth is first dampened by a water spray, and the forming element with the damp cloth wrapped and folded upon it is then placed upon the lower die or supporting table; the upper die is then lowered. In this position, the marginal edges of the cloth appear in the central opening in the upper die. The edges are pulled by the operator inwardly toward the center and upwardly through the hole, usually by a draw string. At the same time, the hot upper die is brought down hard by the pedals and held down. Due to the influence of the heat and moisture and rapid drying the cloth readjusts itself and stretches in some places and directions and contracts in other places, and thus settles and conforms around all parts of the forming element. It thus loses its folds and wrinkles and smooths out and acquires the shape as desired. After this cooking process, the pressure between the dies is released and the forming element with the pressed cloth thereon is removed from the machine. The smooth beret is then taken off the forming element, and, after additional steps, as turning inside out, sewing an elastic band around the head opening, and attaching a pigtail and a label, the beret is ready for the market.

Claims 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 read as follows:

"7. The method of producing tam-o'-shanters or the like from a sheet of material, comprising the steps of folding the outer portions of the material inwardly toward its center and holding the marginal edge of the folded material against contraction, pulling the free inner end of the material inwardly from the marginal edge, and subjecting the folded material to the action of pressure in the presence of heat and moisture.

"8. A machine for making tam-o'-shanters or the like, comprising a lower die having a base and an upstanding flange defining the effective area of the base, an upper die for movement within the flange of the lower die and having an opening extending therethrough and spaced from its outer marginal edge, a separate shaping element adapted for insertion within the flange of the lower die and adapted to have the material of the article folded over the same and serving to hold the marginal edge of the material against contraction, the opening in the upper die affording access to the free inner end of the material whereby it may be pulled inwardly from the marginal edge, means to effect a relative closing movement between the dies, and means to heat one die.

"9. A machine for making tam-o'-shanters or the like, comprising a lower die...