IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD, WITH A VIEW TO VENTILATING THEM
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Feaver, of Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS,
CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD, WITH A VIEW TO VENTILATING
THEM."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Feaver at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th June 1877.
JOHN FEAVER, of Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD, WITH
A VIEW TO VENTILATING THEM."
This Invention has for its object the more thorough and efficient ventilation of
hats, caps, and other coverings for the head than has hitherto been obtained. The
ordinary practice has been to simply puncture the crown of the hat in one or more
places; but this mode of ventilation does not accomplish the object by any means
in a satisfactory manner.
Under one modification I carry out my improvements in the following manner :-
I take a strip of leather or other suitable material, which forms what is technically
termed the "head lining," and I fasten to this by any suitable cement a corre-
sponding band of thin cork. This compound band is then perforated throughout
by means of suitable rollers or other mechanical equivalent therefor. Upon the
back of the perforated lining I place a piece of stiff gauze. This may be made
either of a fibrous; porous, or other suitable material, and it is fastened in any
suitable way to the perforated band. Inside the edge of the lining and next
the hat brim I attach a second strip of cork, about half an inch wide (more or less),
this cork is grooved or corrugated transversely, so forming a continuous series of
channels or air passages from the brim of the hat (next the wearer's forehead)
upwards. These channels serve to convey a current of air entirely around the lead
towards the crown of the hat, which is perforated in the usual manner. Or I make
the ventilating head lining simply of the perforated band, with the porous or gauze
backing and the corrugated cork before referred to.

page_text: By these improvements a soft, easy, and perfectly yielding hat lining is obtained
and a constant flow of cool air through the interior of the hat is secured, to the
great comfort of the wearer as well as being a safeguard against the dangerous
effects of solar heat; it is also an effectual preventive of the soiling of the exterior
of the hat from grease.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Feaver in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th December
1877.
JOHN FEAVER, of Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey..." IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD, WITH
A VIEW TO VENTILATING THEM."
The object of these improvements is to obtain a more thorough and efficient
ventilation of hats, caps, and other coverings for. the. head. than hitherto...
And in order that iny Invention may be properly understood I will now proceed
to describe the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, reference being had
to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon; that is to say,-
Figure 1 is a plan or under side view of a hat with my improvements applied
thereto.
Figure 2 is a side view of the hat partially in section.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 are portions of the ventilating band shown separately.
The part of the ventilator next to the hat body A, Figures 1 and 2, consists of a
band or strip B of cork, india-rubber, or other suitable soft, yielding material, to
which a corrugated, angular, or undulated surface can be imparted either by means
of a grooving or moulding machine or other mechanical equivalent therefor.
In the example shewn in the Drawing the band of cork or other material B is
formed with a series of vertical grooves or indentations, as shewn in Figure 3,
which represents a longitudinal portion of the band, and the semicircular or angular
form of the grooves is shewn in the plan, Figure 1, at B and E. This band B is
made sufficiently long to extend completely round the inside of the hat, and between
it and the inner lining a strip of woven, perforated, or other porous material C is
interposed. The object of this strip or band is to prevent the leather head lining
from being pressed into the grooves of the band B, and so interfere with the free
passage of air through the channels of the band, a portion of this band is shown
separately at Figure 4.
porous
Although I have here named and shown wire gauze as a suitable material for the
band C, and have found it so in practice; I do not confine myself to that material,
as horsehair, willow, or any suitable stiff net or other
inaterial may
be used
in lieu of metallic gauze.
The band C is attached by sewing or otherwise to the leather or other porous,
inner head lining. D, which is perforated throughout to facilitate the escape of the
natural perspiration, as shown in the detached portion at Figure 5. The head
lining D and the band C are fastened to the corrugated or angular band B by
sewing or otherwise attaching, and this latter band is fastened to the hat upon its

page_text: plain or smooth surface either by glue, shellac, varnish, or other suitable and con-
venient means of attachment to the hat body, these parts being united at the
ends by a strip of elastic material. By these means, when the hat is worn there is
a constant stream of cool air flowing through the channels in the band B, whilst
the heated air from the head passes through the perforations or pores in the inner
lining, and escapes by the ventilator now ordinarily placed in the crown of the
hat.
The ventilating lining serves also as a protection to the wearer's head from the
effects of solar heat.
I am aware that some of the materials I use in making ventilating hat linings
have been before used, but in a manner totally different to mine, and not producing
so efficient a result.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is or may be carried into practical effect, I desire it to be
understood that what I believe to be novel and therefore claim as my Invention
is,―
Firstly. The combination of materials used in the manufacture of ventilating
linings for hats, caps, and other coverings for the head, in which the ventilating
grooves or channels and perforated or porous linings entirely encircle and are next
the head of the wearer, thus causing a free escape for heat and perspiration through
the leather (or other porous lining), through the grooves and channels of the band,
substantially in the manner herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawing. For winter wear warmth may be obtained by placing a piece of woollen
material behind the lining, and thereby regulating ventilation.
Secondly. The use of a band of corrugated, grooved, or angular vulcanized or
otherwise prepared india-rubber as a ventilating medium for hats, caps, and other
coverings for the head, either in combination with other materials, or alone, or
howsoever placed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Feaver, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.