Hat with rotatable and removable brim

A hat including a crown with a base. An outer headband layer is affixed to the crown at the base by a base seam that extends around a circumference of the crown. an inner headband layer is affixed to the outer headband layer at a position opposite the base to define a circumferential pocket between the outer headband layer and the inner headband layer. A rail has a T-shaped cross section disposed in the pocket. The T-shaped cross section is defined by a stem and an arm. The rail is affixed to the outer headband layer and the inner headband layer by a first rail seam through the stem, the outer headband layer, and the inner headband layer. The rail is further affixed to the outer headband layer by a second rail seam only through the outer headband layer and the stem. A bill has a track with a figure four shaped cross section affixed thereon. The track has a channel that receives and retains the rail therein to guide the bill around the crown.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention lies in the field of hats, such as baseball hats. The invention pertains, more particularly, to a hat having a bill that may be rotated around the periphery of the crown portion of the hat.

Hats with rotatable bills are well known. The hats have different constructions for providing the rotatable bill feature.

The following published documents represent pertinent prior art:

U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,267/US20040055073 to Ahn et al. describes a hat with a rotatable brim that includes respective sliding members that are provided in the crown portion and the brim. The construction of the sliding members is bulky and uncomfortable for a person wearing the hat.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,373 to Ahn et al. attempts to provide improvements to the above-noted sliding members. However, the construction remains bulky and thus uncomfortable. Likewise, the movement of the brim is not smooth and is not easy to adjust.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a hat with a rotable brim which overcomes a variety of disadvantages, including those mentioned above, of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which provides for a hat with rotatable bill that is more compact, more comfortable and for which the brim is easily adjustable.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a hat including a crown with a base. An outer headband layer is affixed to the crown at the base by a base seam that extends around a circumference of the crown. an inner headband layer is affixed to the outer headband layer at a position opposite the base to define a circumferential pocket between the outer headband layer and the inner headband layer. A rail has a T-shaped cross section disposed in the pocket. The T-shaped cross section is defined by a stem and an arm. The rail is affixed to the outer headband layer and the inner headband layer by a first rail seam through the stem, the outer headband layer, and the inner headband layer. The rail is further affixed to the outer headband layer by a second rail seam only through the outer headband layer and the stem. A bill has a track with a figure four shaped cross section affixed thereon. The track has a channel that receives and retains the rail therein to guide the bill around the crown.

In accordance with another advantageous feature of the device of the invention, the figure four shaped cross section has a track stem that defines an overall height of the track. The track is affixed on the bill to present the track stem towards the inner headband layer and the track stem has a flat surface disposed along the inner headband liner.

In accordance with a further feature of the device of the invention, the bill has a substrate sandwiched between fabric layers. The fabric layers have turned up portions at the track that abut an end of the track stem.

In accordance with an added preferred feature of the device of the invention a fabric band encircles the track stem to affix the track to the bill. A track seam is provided through the track stem and opposing layers of the band. A bill seam is provided through the turned up portions and the opposing layers.

In accordance with an added preferred feature of the device of the invention one of the layers of the band extends substantially entirely over the flat surface of the track stem.

In accordance with an additional particularly advantageous and thus preferred feature of the device of the invention, the track seam is adjacent the channel.

In accordance with yet another advantageous feature of the device of the invention, the bill seam is disposed between the substrate and a base of the track stem.

In accordance with still yet another advantageous feature of the device of the invention, the first rail seam is disposed at a base of the stem.

In accordance with still another advantageous feature of the device of the invention, the rail has two ends opposite one another in the pocket and spaced apart from one another for defining a gap therebetween. The gap receives the channel and allows the channel to be fed onto the rail.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention there is also provided a hat including a crown having a base. An outer headband layer is affixed to the crown at the base by a base seam that extends around a circumference of the crown. An inner headband layer is affixed to the outer headband layer at a position opposite the base to define a circumferential pocket between the outer headband layer and the inner headband layer. A rail has a T-shaped cross section disposed in the pocket. A bill has a track with a figure four shaped cross section affixed thereon, the track having a channel that receives and retains the rail therein to guide the bill around the crown. The figure four shaped cross section has a track stem defining an overall height of the track, the track stem having a flat surface. The track is affixed on the bill to present the flat surface towards the inner headband layer. The flat surface is disposed along the inner headband liner.

In accordance with another advantageous feature of the device of the invention, the bill has a substrate sandwiched between fabric layers, the fabric layers have turned up portions at the track that abut an end of the track stem.

In accordance with yet another advantageous feature of the device of the invention, a fabric band encircles the track stem to affix the track to the bill.

a track seam is provided through the track stem and opposing layers of the band, and a bill seam is provided through the turned up portions and the opposing layers.

In accordance with still yet another advantageous feature of the device of the invention, one of the layers of the band extends substantially entirely over the flat surface of the track stem.

In accordance with yet a further advantageous feature of the device of the invention, the T-shaped cross section is defined by a rail stem and an arm. The rail is affixed to the outer headband layer and the inner headband layer by a first rail seam through the rail stem, the outer headband layer. The rail is further affixed to the outer headband layer by a second rail seam only through the outer headband layer and the rail stem.

In accordance with yet still a further advantageous feature of the device of the invention, the track stem defines a side of the channel.

Any desired combination of the invention described above and the advantageous embodiments of the invention described above likewise forms an advantageous embodiment of the invention.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in hat with a rotatable bill, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, in which like elements and components bear like reference symbols, and first, particularly, toFIGS. 1 and 2thereof, where there is seen a perspective view of a hat1having a crown2with a removably attached bill or visor3attached to the crown1. The hat1has a button4that is provided as a fabric covered female snap half, which can be removed from a male snap half5on the crown2and replaced with a different color button4.

FIG. 3shows a section view through the bill3and the crown2. The crown2is provided with a headband or sweatband6. The headband6has an outer headband layer6aaffixed to the crown2with a seam7at a base8of the crown2. The seam7extends around the perimeter of the crown2. The seam7may be a double seam. The outer headband layer6aextends from the seam7along an inner side of the crown2up to a seam9that affixes the outer headband layer6ato an inner headband layer6baround the perimeter of the crown2for defining a circumferential pocket10between the inner headband layer6band the outer headband layer6aaround the circumference of the crown2. The seam9may be provided as a double seam.

The section is taken at a position where a point stitch11affixes the top of the headband6to the crown2. The head band6may be provided with several of the point stitches11around the perimeter of the crown2. The point stitches11are provided at a discrete location, such as along a seam that joins individual panels of the crown2or at an embroidered logo that is provided on the crown2so that the stitches11are not seen on an exterior of the crown2. The point stitches11hold the head band6in the crown2and prevents the headband6from being pulled down out of the crown2when the bill3is rotated about the crown2.

A rail12having a T-shaped cross section is disposed in the pocket10. A seam13through the outer and inner headband layers6aand6bat a base of a stem12sof the “T” holds the rail12in the pocket10. A second seam14through the outer headband layer6aand the stem12sadjacent a transverse arm12aof the “T” serves to bias the rail12to and outer headband layer side of the pocket10. This assist in allowing the bill3to rotate more freely about the crown2. A base of the inner headband layer6bis shown with an additional seam (not numbered) that affixes a bent over end (not shown) of the inner headband layer6b.

The bill3of the hat includes a substrate material30that is sandwiched between fabric layers31. At an end of the bill3that is attached to the crown2, the fabric layers31are brought together at a turned up portion of the fabric layers31. The turned up portion is substantially perpendicular to the substrate material30. The bill3has a track15with a figure four shaped cross section or an inverted h cross section affixed thereto. Ends of the turned up portions of the fabric layers31abut a stem15sof the track15.

The track15is affixed to the bill3by a fabric band16that extends around the stem15sof the track15via a first track seam17through the band16and the stem15sand by a second track seam18through the band16and the bent portion of the fabric layers31. The stem15sdefines an overall height of the track15and is disposed to provide the track15with a flat surface that is disposed along the inner headband layer6band thus to the head of a wearer to make the construction of the track/rail assembly more comfortable for a person to wear. Furthermore, it is preferable for the band16to extend up a majority of the length of the stem15sin order to maintain a flat face against the inner headband liner6b. On the opposite side of the stem15s, the band16extends substantially up to an underside of a channel15cof the track15. The channel15chas opposing inwardly directed flanges15fthat retain the arm12aof the rail12in the channel15cas the stem12spasses through a space defined between the flanges15fand allows the bill3to rotate about the crown2.

The rail12is manufactured by extrusion molding and the rail12has the characteristics of a rail that is extruded. The rail12is provided from a continuous reel of rail12and is cut to length according to a corresponding crown size. The rail12is affixed in the pocket10around the crown2so that rail ends12eare spaced apart at a small distance (less than 3 mm) a gap therebetween, the gap receives the track and allows the track channel15cto be fed onto the rail12.