Hat embroidery accessory

Abstract

An apparatus for use in preparing a hat (such as a baseball cap) for embroidery on the front of the hat, including a form for holding the hat, and a tensioning means for pushing on the inside of the back of the hat and so placing in tension the front of the hat.

1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a stand, having a form mount for receiving a form;    the form, for holding the body of a hat, the form including a cylindrical member;    a tensioning member, in adjustable spaced apart relation to the cylindrical member; and    a tensioning means, for adjusting the separation of the tensioning member and the cylindrical member so as to allow pushing the back of the hat away from the front of the body of the hat and so placing in tension the front of the body of the hat.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the tensioning means comprises a lever arm member pivotably attached to the stand via a tension control arm.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the tensioning member is a back stop member slideably attached to the cylindrical form and so a part of the form, and the tensioning means further comprises a lever arm finger protruding from the lever arm, for pushing down on the back stop member in response to downward pivoting of the lever arm.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus as in  claim 3 , wherein the form also includes a tension lock for holding the back stop in a desired position relative to the cylindrical member.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the tensioning member is a lever arm extender attached to the lever arm.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the tensioning means further comprises a tension control arm pivotably attached to the lever arm and also attached to a pedal by which an operator can exert a force on the tension control arm and consequently cause the lever arm member to pivot.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein in case of the hat having a bill protruding from the front of the body of the hat, the form also includes a bill clamp attached to the cylindrical form member and a outer wrap removable from the cylindrical form member, the outer wrap for placement on the cylindrical form member with the hat placed so that the front of the body of the hat is inside the outer wrap and the back of the body of the hat is outside the outer wrap, and having a bill portal suitable for allowing the bill of the hat to pass through the outer wrap and protrude toward the bill clamp.  
   
   
       8 . A method, comprising: 
 placing a hat on an accessory including a form having a cylindrical form member and including a tensioning member having an adjustable spaced apart relation to the cylindrical form member, with a back portion of the inside of the hat facing the tensioning member and a front portion of the inside of the body of the hat facing the cylindrical form member; and    adjusting the position of the tensioning member so as to place the body of the hat in tension.