IMPROVEMENTS IN HEAD COVERINGS FOR HOT CLIMATES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Forbes Watson, of Anerley in the County of
Surrey, Doctor of Medicine for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN HEAD
COVERINGS FOR HOT CLIMATES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Forbes Watson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th July 1882.
JOHN FORBES WATSON of Anerley in the County of Surrey Doctor of Medicine,
IMPROVEMENTS IN HEAD COVERINGS FOR HOT CLIMATES."
My Invention has for its object to protect the head from the injurious effects of
the sun and heat in hot climates, and it consists in a mode of constructing hats,
helmets, and other bead coverings by providing them with absorbent materials
capable of imbibing and retaining a liquid, these materials being so disposed or
combined in the construction of the hat, helmet, or other head covering as to
promote or facilitate the slow evaporation of the liquid whereby a cooling effect is
produced upon the head.
According to my Invention the hat helmet, or other covering is constructed with
a lining or with a double top, the said lining being composed preferably of a fabric
made of an absorbent stratum of sponge and fibre upon an indiarubber backing or
backing of other material, which lining may be either permanently attached to the
body of the hat or helmet or may be secured thereto so as to be capable of removal
at will. It is wetted with water or a volatile liquid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Forbes Watson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th January 1883.
JOHN FORBES WATSON of Anerley in the County of Surrey, Doctor of Medicine
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HEAD COVERINGS FOR HOT CLIMATES.
My Invention has for its object to protect the head from the injurious effects of
the sun and heat in hot climates or during exceptionally hot weather in temperate
ones, and it consists in a mode of constructing hats, helmets, and other head
coverings by providing them with absorbent materials capable of imbibing and
retaining a liquid, these materials being so disposed or combined in the construction
of the hat, helmet, or other head covering as to promote or facilitate the slow
evaporation of the liquid whereby a cooling effect is produced upon the head.
According to my Invention the hat, helmet, or other head covering is constructed
with a lining or a double top; the said lining being composed preferably of a fabric
made of an absorbent stratum of sponge and fibre (with or without an indiarubber
backing or backing of other material) which lining may be either permanently
attached to the body of the hat or helmet, or may be secured thereto so as to be
capable of removal at will. The lining is to be wetted with water or a volatile
liquid.
The accompanying drawing represents a section of a helmet to which the
Invention is applied in the form of a lining A made preferably of a specially made
material composed as above mentioned of sponge and fibre similar to that known
and sold under the name of "spongio-piline," but other absorbent material may be
used. This lining is made to conform to the shape of the crown of the helmet to
which it may be secured by a metallic centre piece B which also serves as a
ventilator. Or the absorbent material may be otherwise secured to the crown, for
instance it may be cemented thereto at any or all points of its surface by
indiarubber or other waterproof cement.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is.
The application and employment in helmets and other head coverings of a lining
of absorbent material combined and arranged substantially in the manner and for
the purpose herein specified.
In witness whereof I the said John Forbes Watson have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty third day of January, A.D. 1883.