IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPS OR BONNETS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Mackie, of Stewarton, in the County of
Ayr, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPS
OR BONNETS."
Sealed the 29th December 1868, and dated the 11th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Mackie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th July 1868.
I, ROBERT MACKIE, of Stewarton, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CAPS OR BONNETS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates chiefly to the stiffening of the crown or pro-
jecting portion of "Balmoral" or Scotch caps or bonnets, but is equally
applicable to any other form of cap or bonnet where stiffening for the same
purposes may be necessary; and it consists in applying suitably shaped
pieces of cardboard, pasteboard, leather, buckram, or other similar or
suitable material inside the crown or widest part of the cap or bonnet, so
that the wearer may with greater ease take the cap or bonnet off, or
Price 8d1

page_text: place it on the head when desired, the stiffened part thus answering the
same purposes and as effectually as the brim of a hat, at the same time
tending to preserve the shape of the bonnet or cap. The stiffening
material may be so cut as to extend either wholly across the crown in
all directions, or it may only extend around the part which projects,
leaving a space in the centre; and instead of using any of the materials
above mentioned in some cases a strand or frame of wire, steel, or other
material may be found sufficient.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Mackie in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MACKIE, of Stewarton, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Mackie, Her special license that I,
the said Robert Mackie, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Mackie, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Ohannel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPS OR BONNETS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Mackie, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Mackie, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by

page_text: the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say
My said Invention relates chiefly to the stiffening of the crown or
projecting portion of knitted or woven "Balmorals" or Scotch caps or
bonnets, but it is equally applicable to any other form of cap or bonnet
where stiffening for the same purposes may be necessary; and it consists
in applying suitably shaped pieces of hatter's stiffened calico, such as is
used in hat making, stiffened with shellac or any other kind of stiffening,
or cardboard, pasteboard, leather, buckram, or other similar or suitable
material inside the crown or widest part of the cap or bonnet, so that
the wearer may with greater ease take the cap or bonnet off, or place it
on the head when desired, the stiffened part thus answering the same
purposes and as effectually as the brim of the ordinary hat, at the same
time tending to preserve the shape of the bonnet or cap. The stiffening
material may be so cut as to extend either wholly across the crown in all
directions, or it may only extend around the part which projects leaving
a space in the centre and back part of the cap unstiffened, or it may be
placed in the under part of the front of the cap or bonnet which meets
the crown where there is not sufficient projection to be of use; and
instead of using any of the materials above mentioned in some cases a
strand or frame of wire, steel, or other material may be found sufficient.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Figure 1 is a plan showing the shape of the stiffening material which
may be used to stiffen the front or projecting part of "Balmoral bonnets."
The part marked A is placed at the front, and the ends B extend round
the sides The stiffening material may also be cut so as to extend
wholly across the crown of the bonnet. In the case of caps or bonnets
which have no projecting part the stiffening material may be placed
in the under part of the front Figure 2 is a front view, and Figure 3 is
a plan, showing the configuration of the stiffening material which may be
used for the purpose of stiffening the under part of the front of Glengarry
bonnets or Scotch caps. The lowest part, marked C, is placed at the
centre of the front, and the deepest part D extends round the sides.

page_text: Other caps or bonnets may be stiffened in a similar manner, the material
used in each case being shaped according to the configuration of the cap
or bonnet. The material used for this purpose may be stiffened calico,
cardboard, leather, buckram, or a strand or frame of wire, steel, or other
material.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the method of
stiffening the crown or under part of the front of knitted or woven caps
or bonnets in contradistinction to padding them by applying thereto
suitably shaped pieces of stiffened calico, cardboard, leather, buckram, or
by means of a strand or frame of wire, steel, or other suitable material,
as herein-before described and shown on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mackie have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of January One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-nine.
ROBERT MACKIE. (L.S.)