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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
MILLINERY BLOCK
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2016/037226
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a millinery block being a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin; and a stand including a base and support post. The support post is mountable to the polymer foam substrate and the polymer foam substrate is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the support post when it is mounted to the support post.

Inventors:
MICHAEL GRAHAM (AU)
Application Number:
PCT/AU2015/000560
Publication Date:
March 17, 2016
Filing Date:
September 11, 2015
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
OPAL IP PTY LTD (AU)
International Classes:
A42C1/04; A42C3/02
Foreign References:
US3498510A1970-03-03
GB281628A1928-01-19
US1283637A1918-11-05
US1863123A1932-06-14
US3746293A1973-07-17
US5725134A1998-03-10
DE4003821A11991-08-14
US2536913A1951-01-02
US3424419A1969-01-28
Other References:
"Hatstruck Couture Millinery: Carve Your Own Utility Hat Block", 26 April 2013 (2013-04-26), Retrieved from the Internet [retrieved on 20151127]
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
WYNNES PATENT AND TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS (BulimbaBrisbane, Queensland 4171, AU)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

1 . A millinery block comprising

a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin; and

a stand including a base and support post, wherein the support post is mountable to the polymer foam substrate and the polymer foam substrate is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the support post when it is mounted to the support post.

2. A millinery block as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one or more layers of cured polymer resin forms a coating which renders the millinery block resistant to exposure to steam and resilient and durable with repeated use. 3. A millinery block as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the polymer foam substrate has a recessed portion in a base section for the positioning of a socket for mounting to the stand.

4. A millinery block as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rigid polymer foam substrate of the millinery block is strengthened by inclusion of a skeleton, frame or other strengthening means.

5. A millinery block as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rigid polymer foam includes closed cell expanded polystyrene.

6. A millinery block as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more layers of cured polymer coating cover substantially the entire surface area of the millinery block to prevent unopposed surface tension causing warping of the millinery block.

7. A millinery block as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more layers of cured polymer resin include a base layer of cured polymer selected from polyvinyl acetate and polyurea and an outer layer of cured polymer selected from polyurea, polyurea/polyurethane, polyurethane, epoxy resin, polyester, acrylic and vinyl ester.

8. A millinery block as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outer layer is polyurea.

9. A millinery block as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outer layer is polyuria and the curable polyurea resin is thixotropic to permit flowing after application to the rigid polymer foam substrate to provide a high quality finish. 10. A millinery block as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fiberglass mesh can be added to the coatings to provide additional strength and durability.

1 1 . A millinery block as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thickness of the layers can be tailored according to the tensile strength of the finish and the ease of pin penetration required.

12. A millinery block as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the millinery block is formed from discrete, separable sections that when combined form a unitary block.

13. A millinery block as claimed in claim 12, wherein the discrete, separable sections include a central keystone section which is removable to facilitate the removal of each of the sections of the millinery block and the central keystone section can be removed after the hat has been made to avoid damaging the formed hat mounted on the millinery block.

14. A millinery block as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the plurality of sections can be held together by any suitable means including fasteners, tape and double sided tape, lock and key arrangements, and with the use of magnets.

15. A millinery block as claimed in claim 14, wherein the discrete sections of the millinery block are secured together with hook and loop fastening such as Velcro™.

16. A millinery block as claimed in any one of the claims 13 to 15, wherein there is a socket that is eatable in a recess in a base portion of the central keystone piece. 17. A method of forming a millinery block comprising

forming a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate wherein said substrate includes a recess in a base;

inserting a socket into the recess;

securing the socket in the recess with a curable polymer resin;

coating the surface of the foam substrate with one or more layers of curable polymer resin;

allowing the one or more resin layers to cure;

having a stand that has a base and a support post;

mounting the coated polymer foam substrate to the stand so that it can rotate about the vertical axis of the longitudinal axis of the support post.

18. A method of claim 17 wherein a colour is added to the coatings.

Description:
MILLINERY BLOCK

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to hat making. The present invention has particular but not exclusive application as a millinery block for hat construction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Millinery blocks, also known as hat blocks, are used in the trade of millinery to shape hats during manufacture. A millinery block is a three-dimensional form on which the hat fabric is moulded, or blocked, into a hat or part of a hat. During the hat making process, the hat fabric is stretched and pinned onto a millinery block to form the desired hat shape. Typical fabrics used in hat making include sinamay, felt and buckram. It is often necessary to repeatedly steam the fabric when mounted on the millinery block to assist in softening and stretching the fabric and moulding it to shape.

Conventional millinery blocks are made of timber, such as pine or balsa. Suitable timber is expensive, and supplies may be limited. The timber may be hand carved, or may be cut with a saw and hand finished with files or sandpaper to form a millinery block of the required shape. Accordingly, timber millinery blocks are time consuming to make, and are relatively expensive. They can represent a significant capital investment as a milliner generally requires a selection of millinery blocks in different shapes and sizes.

Timber millinery blocks are intrinsically heavy. This leads to high shipping costs. The relatively heavy weight of the millinery block can also make them difficult to manipulate and handle during the hat forming process. Furthermore, hardening of the timber over time causes insertion or removal of pins or tacks to become much more difficult resulting in slowing the blocking process, or potentially injuring the user. Splitting of the timber due to aging and repeated wetting with steam can render the millinery block unusable.

Because of these disadvantages, people have carved millinery blocks from

Styrofoam cubes and coated the blocks with one or more coats of polyurethane. Coating with polyurethane was necessary to provide protection to the block as expanded polystyrene wilts with exposure to steam and steam is used to shape hats. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative millinery block that overcomes at least in part one or more of the abovementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention broadly resides in a millinery block comprising a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin; and

a stand including a base and support post, wherein the support post is mountable to the polymer foam substrate and the polymer foam substrate is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the support post when it is mounted to the support post.

Preferably the one or more layers of cured polymer provides protection for the underlying rigid polymer foam substrate to ensure that the substrate can resist steam and provide firm support for the pins or tacks whilst under tension supporting the attached hat fabric.

The present invention further provides a millinery block comprising a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin wherein the one or more layers form a coating which renders the millinery block resistant to exposure to steam.

Preferably the millinery block comprises a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin wherein the one or more layers form a coating which renders the millinery block resilient and durable with repeated use. Preferably the millinery block is resilient and durable with repeated exposure to steam and pin insertion.

In a preferred form, the millinery block comprises a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin wherein the one or more layers form a coating which provides protection from steam for the underlying rigid polymer foam substrate and ensures that firm support is provided for pins or tacks whilst under tension when used to attach hat fabric to the millinery block during hat manufacture. The millinery block can be of any size and shape suited to the construction of hats or parts of hats in the field of hat making or millinery.

Preferably the polymer foam substrate is rotatable in a horizontal plane when mounted on the stand.

Preferably the polymer foam substrate has a recessed portion in a base section. Preferably the recessed portion is fitted with a socket. Preferably the socket is metal, e.g. aluminum. Preferably the socket interior is substantially cylindrical in shape and mountable to the support post. Preferably the interior of the socket has a substantially smooth surface. Preferably the socket exterior is substantially cylindrical in shape. In one form at least part of the socket exterior surface is knurled to increase the surface area for attachment.

The rigid polymer foam substrate of the millinery block can be strengthened by inclusion of a skeleton, frame or other strengthening means. In one form the strengthening means is provided by metal wire or rods incorporated in the rigid foam substrate.

Preferably the rigid polymer foam includes closed cell expanded polystyrene.

Preferably at least one of the the one or more layers of cured polymer coating cover substantially the entire surface area of the millinery block to prevent unopposed surface tension causing warping of the millinery block.

Preferably there is a first, or base, layer of cured polymer.

Preferably there is a top, or outer, layer of cured polymer.

Preferably there is a base layer of cured polymer and an outer layer of cured polymer.

Preferably the base layer is polyvinyl acetate or polyurea.

Preferably the outer layer is formed from a curable resin selected from polyurea, polyurea/polyurethane, polyurethane, epoxy resin, polyester, acrylic and vinyl ester. More preferably the outer layer is polyurea. Preferably the curable polyurea resin is thixotropic to permit flowing after application to the rigid polymer foam substrate to provide a high quality finish.

The thickness of the layers can be tailored according to the tensile strength of the finish and the ease of pin penetration required.

In one preferred embodiment, fiberglass mesh can be added to the coatings to provide additional strength and durability. Preferably fiberglass mesh are incorporated into sections supporting brims and or crowns. Preferably the fiberglass mesh is incorporated as chopped fiber (portions) rather than sheets of mesh.

In one preferred form, the millinery block is formed from discrete, separable sections.

In another aspect the present invention broadly resides in a millinery block comprising

a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin, the polymer foam substrate has a plurality of discrete separable sections that when combined form a unitary block; and

a stand including a base and support post, wherein the support post is mountable to the polymer foam substrate and the polymer foam substrate is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the support post when it is mounted to the support post.

Preferably the discrete, separable sections include a central keystone section which is removable to facilitate the removal of each of the sections of the millinery block. The central keystone section can be removed after the hat has been made to and its removal avoids damaging the formed hat mounted on the millinery block. Preferably the discrete, separable sections each comprises a three dimensional shape of rigid polymer foam coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin which fit together to form the desired shape of the millinery block. The plurality of sections can be held together by any suitable means including fasteners, tape and double sided tape, lock and key arrangements, and with the use of magnets. In one form the discrete sections of the millinery block are secured together with hook and loop fastening such as Velcro™. Preferably, when a socket is present in a polymer foam substrate formed from discrete, separable sections, the socket is located in a recess in a base portion of the central keystone piece.

Preferably a millinery block of the present invention is used in combination with a stand. Preferably the millinery block is rotatable on a horizontal plane and about the longitudinal axis of the support post when mounted on the stand.

The support post preferably has an upper end that is complementary in shape to the interior of the socket to form a male-female joint arrangement when the millinery block is mounted on the stand. Preferably the support post has an upper end which is substantially cylindrical. Preferably the interior surface of the socket is substantially cylindrical in shape. Preferably the upper end of the support post and the interior of the socket cooperate to form a joint and allows the hat block to rotate on a substantially horizontal plane when the hat block is mounted on the stand. Preferably the vertical post is substantially cylindrical.

Preferably the stand is made from metal, e.g. aluminum, steel.

In one form, at least part of the stand has a powder-coated finish.

Preferably the stand is collapsible for ease of transportation and storage.

In a further aspect, the present invention also provides a method of forming a millinery block as described above and comprising

forming a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate;

fitting a socket in a base portion of the substrate;

coating the surface of the foam shape with one or more layers of curable polymer resin;

allowing the one or more layers to cure;

having a stand that has a base and a support post;

mounting the coated polymer foam substrate to the stand so that it can rotate about the vertical axis of the longitudinal axis of the support post.

Preferably there are at least two coating layers.

In a further aspect there is a method of forming a millinery block comprising forming a three dimensional rigid polymer foam substrate wherein said substrate includes a recess in a base; and, in any order,

inserting a socket into the recess;

securing the socket in the recess with a curable polymer resin;

coating the surface of the foam shape with one or more layers of curable polymer resin;

allowing the one or more resin layers to cure;

having a stand that has a base and a support post;

mounting the coated polymer foam substrate to the stand so that it can rotate about the vertical axis of the longitudinal axis of the support post.

Preferably the rigid polymer foam is closed cell expanded polystyrene foam.

Preferably the rigid polymer foam shape is formed by cutting closed cell rigid polymer foam to the required shape using a hot wire. Preferably the hot wire cutting is controlled by computer numerical control (CNC) technology, such as computer aided manufacturing (CAM). Instead of a hot wire cut, a CNC router can be used to cut the foam.

In a preferred form the resin coatings are applied when the polymer foam substrate is in a mould. Preferably the mould is made of silicone and provides a consistent and reproducible finish to the exterior surface of the millinery block.

In another form the resin coatingsare applied by spraying. In another form the resin can be manually applied by troweling the resins onto the foam surface. Preferably a curable polymer layer is applied to substantially the entire surface area of the foam shape.

Preferably a curable polymer layer covers substantially the interior surface of the recess. Preferably an inner end of the recess is coated with curable polymer resin, the polymer is allowed to cure before the socket is placed in the recess and remaining space between the interior surface of the recess and the exterior surface of the socket is filled with curable polymer resin.

In one preferred embodiment, the curable resin is coloured.

In a further aspect, the present invention resides in a millinery block obtained by a method as hereinbefore described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a cutaway view of a first embodiment of a millinery block;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the millinery block of Figure 1 on a stand showing internal features in phantom;

Figure 3 is a cutaway view of a socket for a millinery block;

Figure 4 is a cutaway view of a wide brim millinery block;

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the wide brim millinery block of Figure 4 showing the internal strengthening wires in phantom;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section of a multi-piece millinery block on a stand;

Figure 7 is a top view of the multi-piece millinery block of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a partial vertical cross sectional view of an alternative stand for a multi-piece millinery block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to Figure 1 there is shown a first embodiment of a millinery block 10. The millinery block includes a three dimensional body 1 1 with a coating 12 including a first layer 13 and an outer layer (top coat) 14. The body 1 1 has a base section 15 with a recessed portion 16 housing an aluminum socket 17.

The skilled person will appreciate that the millinery block may be of any size and shape suitable for the manufacture of hats, or parts of hats. Typical millinery block shapes for hats include, for example, shapes for making bowler, boater, cloche, fez, pork pie, pill box and top hats. Parts of hats include crowns and brims.

The body 1 1 is preferably made from rigid polymer foam, preferably closed cell expanded polystyrene foam. The desired three dimensional shape is formed from a block of expanded polystyrene by carving, cutting, sanding, filing and other techniques known in the art for shaping expanded polystyrene. Various grades of foam can be used and in particular high density foam.

Preferably the expanded polystyrene is shaped using heated nichrome wire. Preferably shaping using heated nichrome wire is carried out under the control of computer numerical control (CNC) hotwire technology or manual hotwire techniques.

The base layer 13 is formed from a curable polymer resin. The curable resin does not dissolve or otherwise affect the expanded polystyrene substrate. The base layer 13 assists in allowing a subsequent layer, i.e. layer 14, to bond. Preferred curable resins for the base coating layer 13 are polyvinyl acetate and polyurea.

The outer layer 14 is formed from a curable polymer resin, and may be the same as, or different to, the polymer resin used for the base layer 13. The use of chemically compatible resins for the top coat and the base layer reduce the possibility of degradation of the millinery block coating 12. The resins to provide the coats are applied when the substrate is in a silicone mould. Alternatively the resins can be sprayed on to form the coatings.

The coating 12 provides protection for the underlying polymer foam body 1 1 to ensure that the millinery block 10 can withstand steam and can provide firm support for pins and tacks whilst under tension when supporting the attached sinamay, felt or buckram. The coating 12 is also resistant to degradation due to exposure to UV radiation. Secure adhesion of the base layer 13 to the expanded polystyrene body 1 1 and the outer layer 14 to the base layer 13 ensures that any steam penetrating pinholes does not cause peeling or delamination of the coating layers. The outer layer 14 can resist direct application of wet steam at 100°C and does not exhibit peeling during normal use.

The curable polymer resin for the top coat is preferably selected from polyureas, polyurea/polyurethanes, polyurethanes, epoxy resins, polyesters, acrylics or vinyl esters. Preferably the top coat is a polyurea/polyurethane. The polyurea is preferably a thixotropic resin which provides an improved finish quality and particular resilience with regard to repeated puncturing due to insertion of pins.

The thickness of the top coat 14 can be varied during manufacture to control the tensile strength of the finish and ease penetration of pins into the block.

The polymer resin coating layers 13, 14 are preferably spray coated using known techniques for spray coating.

After the application of each coating layer, the block is exposed to reduced pressure, for example in an autoclave, to eliminate exposure to atmospheric particulates which may settle on the surface prior to curing. The curing of the surface layer at reduced pressure ensures that any residual blowing agent in the expanded polystyrene foam can be evacuated and any air bubbles trapped during coating application can be removed before curing.

Complete coating of the millinery block 10 with a coating is preferred to prevent unopposed unequal surface tension causing warping of the millinery block 10.

A recessed portion 16 is cut in a base portion 15 of the millinery block 10 to accommodate an aluminum socket 17 for housing the top end of a stand. The recessed portion 16 is preferably cut with a hot wire, but can be cut using other techniques. In a preferred aspect, the recess 16 is cut larger in size than the socket. The space between the exterior of the socket 17 and the interior of the recess 16 is filled with curable polymer resin to secure the socket in place and ensure that the surface area of the polymer foam body is totally covered with resin.

In one embodiment, a layer of polyurea is applied to the inner end of the recess 16 and, after the polyurea has cured, the socket 17 is inserted into the recess and the space between the recess and socket is filled with polyurea. In another embodiment the socket 17 is fixed in position in the recessed portion 16 using a suitable glue.

The polyurea forms a continuous coating on the recessed portion 16. The application of polyurea coating to the recess balances the surface tension over the entire surface area of the millinery block 10.

With reference to Figure 3 there is shown a cutaway representation of the aluminum socket 17. The interior surface of the socket 17 is substantially smooth and cylindrical. The interior of the socket is complementary in shape to the upper end of the vertical post of a stand. The curved exterior surface 18 of the cylindrical socket 17 is knurled or grooved to provide good contact and adhesion in the recessed portion of a rigid foam body.

The millinery blocks of the present invention are preferably used in combination with a stand which allows a millinery block to rotate in a horizontal plane. The stand has an upper end that is complementary in shape to the interior of the socket of a millinery block of the present invention, thus forming a male-female joint. The upper end of the stand and the socket cooperate to form a joint which rotates on a horizontal plane when the millinery block is mounted on the stand. A nylon washer, or similar, may be positioned in the joint to reduce friction and permit free rotation of the millinery block about the stand.

The stand is preferably made from metal, for example aluminum, steel or aluminum and steel. At least part of the stand may have a powder coated finish. The stand is preferably collapsible or easily dismantled for ease of transportation and storage.

With reference to Figure 2, there is shown a stand 40. The stand 40 has a vertical post 42 and a base 46. The vertical post 42 has an upper end 41 and a lower end 43. The upper end 41 is adapted to fit inside a socket 17 at the base of a millinery block 10 to form a male-female joint around which the millinery block 10 can be rotated in a horizontal plane during use.

The lower end 43 of the vertical post 42 is accommodated in a female socket 44 located on an upper surface of the base 46. The vertical post 42 is secured in position by tightening a screw fixing 45 inserted through an aperture (not shown) of the female socket 44. The vertical post 42 can be attached to the stand base 46 using other means of connection.

In an alternative embodiment of a millinery block stand, the lower end of the vertical post is drilled and tapped to accommodate a bolt which secures the vertical post to a substantially planar base surface. In this embodiment, the base has an aperture located substantially at the centre of the base. The aperture is countersunk on the underside of the base to accommodate the head of the bolt. The vertical post and the base are secured together by inserting the bolt from the underside of the base and into the drilled and tapped lower end of the vertical post.

In an alternative embodiment, the base of the stand has a tapped aperture to accommodate a vertical post wherein the lower end of the vertical post has a complementary screw thread.

The millinery block stand 40 is readily dismantled for ease of transport or storage by unscrewing the fastening means (bolt, screw etc), and separating the vertical post from the base.

In a second preferred embodiment, the rigid polymer foam body of the millinery block is formed from discrete, separable sections. This embodiment of the present invention is particularly desirable where the shape of the millinery block is complex, or where the millinery block has a base area of smaller dimensions than the dimensions of top surface area of the block.

With reference to Figures 6 and 7 there is shown a millinery block 20 having discrete, separable sections. The millinery block 20 is in the form of an inverted truncated cone. The top surface 31 has a larger diameter than the base surface 30.

The millinery block 20 is formed from five discrete, separable sections 21 ,22 include a central keystone section 21 and four outer sections 22 which surround the keystone section 21 and together forms an overall inverted truncated cone shape. The keystone section 21 is a truncated cone shape wherein the base of the truncated cone forms a central portion of the base surface 30 of the millinery block. The keystone section 21 is easily removable through the base 30 of the millinery block 20 to facilitate each of the four outer sections 22 of the millinery block 20 to be separated and removed individually after hat formation to avoid damaging the formed hat fabric mounted on the millinery block 20. An aluminum socket 27 is located in a recessed portion 26 of the base of the central keystone section 21 . The socket 27 is used to mount the millinery block 20 on a vertical post of a stand 70. The millinery block 20 is mounted on an aluminum disc 28 which, when mounted on a stand, is rotatable about the stand. The discrete sections 21 ,22 of the millinery block 20 each comprises a three dimensional shape of rigid polymer foam coated with one or more layers of cured polymer resin. Sections 21 ,22 of the millinery block 20 are secured together with hook and loop fastenings 23,24 (such as Velcro™) affixed to opposing vertical faces 25 of adjacent outer sections 22. The hook and loop fastenings 23,24 are preferably recessed in the opposing vertical faces 25 of the adjacent outer sections 22 to permit close contact of the sections.

With reference to Figure 8, there is shown an alternative embodiment for a stand 80 for a multi-piece hat block. The stand 80 has a base (not shown) and a solid aluminum vertical post 81 with a 6mm steel shaft 82 attached at the upper end 84 of the aluminum post 81 . The steel shaft 82 is conveniently fixed to the aluminum post 81 with glue, such as a cyanoacrylate glue (e.g. Loctite™). A nylon washer 84 is positioned horizontally at the upper end 84 of the aluminum post 81 and surrounding the base of the steel shaft 82.

A multi-piece millinery hat block (not shown) can be mounted on the stand 80 by inserting the steel shaft 82 into attachment means 90 comprising a cylindrical knurled aluminum socket 91 attached to an aluminum disc 92. The aluminum socket 91 is incorporated into the base of the central piece of a multi-piece millinery block using methods as hereinbefore described. The aluminum socket 91 is attached to the aluminum disc 92 by four screws 93. The aluminum disc 92 contacts the base of the multi-piece block and acts as support for the various component pieces of the multi-piece millinery block. The disc 92 has a central aperture (not shown) which accommodates the steel shaft 82.

When a multi-piece millinery block fitted with attachment means 90 at its base is mounted on the stand 80, the steel shaft 82 of the stand 80 is accommodated inside the aluminum socket 91 of the attachment means 90. The aluminum disc 92 rests on the nylon washer 83 and the upper end 84 of the aluminum post 81 . The nylon washer 83 promotes smooth horizontal rotation of the mounted multi-piece millinery block around the stand. Although stand 80 is described as being used with multi-piece millinery block, it is equally applicable for use with a single piece millinery block as hereinbefore defined.

Strengthening of the rigid foam substrate of a millinery block with metal wire is particularly useful where the required shape of a millinery block can lead to formation of potentially fragile structures, i.e. relatively thin portions of rigid foam substrate that may not be robust enough to endure the stresses of the hat forming process. A typical example is a millinery block for a wide brimmed hat. Such wide brim millinery blocks may be oval or circular, and may measure up to approximately 400mm in diameter, with a thickness of up to 75mm.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5 there is shown a millinery block 60 for forming a wide hat brim. The millinery block 60 has a three dimensional body 61 and an aluminum socket 67, similar to that described above for millinery block 10. Preferably the three dimensional body 61 is made from rigid polymer foam, preferably closed cell expanded polystyrene foam. The three dimensional body 61 is relatively thin in comparison to its length and breadth. The three dimensional body 61 has a coating 65 including a first layer 66 and an outer layer (top coat) 68. The body 61 has a recessed portion 69 housing an aluminum socket 67.

With particular reference to Figure 5, millinery block 60 is strengthened by inclusion of a skeleton of metal wire to increase robustness during use. In one embodiment, two 3mm aluminum wires 62,63 are each wound around the socket 67 with one turn of the mid-point of the wire prior to being incorporated into the rigid foam substrate. The aluminum wires 62,63 can be incorporated into the rigid foam substrate by heating the wires so that they cause melting of the surrounding rigid foam substrate as they are pressed into the substrate. Suitably, the socket 67 is fitted with the two wires 62,63 prior to incorporation into the body 61 . After the wires 62,63 have been incorporated into the body 61 by melting, the remaining surface groove on the substrate can be filled using, for example, polyurea. The strengthened three dimensional body 61 can be coated with a protective coating as hereinbefore defined. Suitably the strengthened three dimensional body 61 is coated after the wires 62,63 and socket 67 have been incorporated. The body 61 is preferably coated with one or more layers of polymer resin 66,68 as hereinbefore described. Rigid polymer foams are well known and are readily available from commercial sources. Examples of rigid polymer foams include rigid closed-cell polymer foams such as expanded polystyrene foam. Expanded polystyrene foam is readily available from commercial sources, and is preferably Type II or Type IX in accordance with ASTM C578. This expanded polystyrene has a density of 1.35 to 1.80 pcf (21 .6 to 28.8 kgrrr 3 ).

Polymer resins for forming the base coating layer include curable polymer resins which will not dissolve or otherwise degrade the expanded polystyrene substrate. The base coating layer should also assist in facilitating the adhesion of the outer layer. Such polymer resins are well known and are readily available from commercial sources. Examples of polymer resins for the base coat include polyurea and polyvinyl acetate.

Curable polymer resins for forming the outer layer should be resistant to repeated exposure to steam in addition to repeated piercing with pins or tacks. The outer layer should be resistant to peeling under such conditions. Examples of curable polymer resins include polyureas, polyurea/polyurethanes, polyurethanes, epoxy resins, polyesters, acrylics or vinyl esters. Such curable polymer resins are well known and are readily available from commercial sources.

A preferred curable polymer resin for the outer layer is a two-part curable polyurea resin which provides high adhesion, abrasion resistance and high tensile strength (approximately 300% elongation), durability and water/chemical resistance. Polyurea resins are commercially available. Examples of polyurea resins include FY-8500 and FY-9500, available from Zhuhai Feiyang Novel Materials, Guangdong, PRC (www.feiyangchemical.com). Another example of a coating resin for expanded polystyrene is a two component, semi-rigid polyurethane polyurea coating resin system available from Industrial Polymers Corporation, TX, USA (www.industrialpolymers.com) and sold under the names Styroprime (base coat/undercoat) and StyroSpray 1000 (top coat).

A polymer coating can be coloured for aesthetic purposes, or for ease of size identification. Colouring agents are preferably incorporated in the uncured resin prior to coating and curing. Colouring agents for curable polymer resins, such as dyes or pigments, are known in the art and are readily available from commercial sources. Computer numerical control (CNC) hotwire cutting technology systems are readily available from commercial sources. Commercially available foam cutters include, for example, model FC6A from Foam Casualty LLC, Ohio, USA; or Kompas Cut 1000 and Cut 950 Komplet available from Cau Cau, Bratislava, Slovakia. Other suppliers of hotwire cutting technology systems include RC Foam Cutter, California, USA. Control electronics are available from, for example, Hobby CNC Australia.

ADVANTAGES

An advantage of a preferred embodiment of the millinery block of the present invention is that it is significantly lighter than a comparable traditional timber millinery block. It is easier to handle and manipulate during the hat making process. The millinery block is softer than a traditional wooden block. This makes it easier to pin, reducing strain on the wrists and fingers.

The millinery block of the present invention is durable, resilient and easy to maintain. It is not prone to drying out associated with aging of timber and hence does not split or harden

The millinery blocks of the present invention are cheaper and quicker to manufacture than traditional timber blocks. Manufacture time of the blocks is optimized further by shaping with computer numeric control (CNC) wire cutting. Mechanized production reduces time and costs. The materials are relatively inexpensive and readily available in contrast to the increasing cost of wood and limited availability of suitable timbers.

The lightweight nature of the materials make the millinery block easy to transport. Shipping costs are minimized.

The use of computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing allows rapid construction of prototypes. Variations to standard designs are quickly and easily accommodated. Similarly, millinery blocks for differing head sizes can be rapidly produced.

The polymer surface coating provides protection for the underlying rigid polymer foam substrate, thus ensuring that the millinery block can resist the steam required to soften, stretch and mould the hat fabric. The surface coating also provides firm support for pins or tacks that are under tension from the hat fabric that they are being used to attach to the millinery block. The firm bond of the undercoat to the expanded polystyrene foam and top coat to the undercoat ensure that the penetration of steam into pinholes does not facilitate separation of the coating layers. The surface layer is resistant to peeling and is able to resist recurring direct application of wet steam at 100°C. Furthermore it is penetrable to pins and tacks used to hold the fabric in place during hat creation.

In a preferred embodiment, the millinery block can be manufactured in sections to allow the block to be readily subdivided to minimize disturbance of the hat fabric construction when removing the block from the formed hat.

Where required, the properties of the surface coating can be tailored to a particular task. This can be achieved by modifying the composition of the coating layers and varying the thickness to allow control over physical characteristics of coating layers.

Colour in the form of, for example, a dye or pigment, can be added to the surface coating. This can provide, for example, ready identification of hat size.

VARIATIONS

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.