IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICE AND OTHER HEAD DRESSES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Kenyon, of Westminster, for the Inven
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICE AND OTHER HEAD DRESSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Kenyon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th November 1875.
I, FRANCIS KENYON, of Westminster, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICE AND OTHER HEAD DRESSES,"
to be as follows:-
The chief objects of this Invention are to render the helmets worn by
the police and other similar head dresses lighter, stronger, and capable
of affording greater protection to the wearer than those at present in use,
and to attain such objects I proceed as follows:-
I form the lower foundation of the helmet of two pieces of cork of a
suitable shape and thickness, and around their base I place a metal band
of a suitable width, and which I prefer to make of steel of a similar

page_text: quality in strength, substance, and elasticity to that used for the manu-
facture of watch springs, but any other suitable metal may be employed.
In order to prevent such metal band being subject to corrosion, I cover
it on both sides with a solution of india-rubber, or with any other
suitable solution. I then place the upper foundation of the helmet,
which is also made of cork, in a similar manner as above described, on
the lower foundation, and cover it externally with cloth or other suitable
material, and otherwise finish the head dress in the ordinary manner.
I take care to form the cork foundations at the back of the helmet with
corrugations, flutings, or grooves, which communicate with the passage
and orifice formed in the crown of the helmet for ventilation, and which
corrugations, flutings, or grooves thus serve as air passages.
If it be desired to impart additional strength to the crown of the
helmet or other head dress, I place across the crown thereof a transverse
metal band, preferably of similar steel as that already described, and
which extends to the metal band which passes round the base of the
helmet between its upper and lower foundations, as before mentioned,
and to which band such additional transverse band is securely attached
by means of rivets, or in any other suitable manner. Such transverse
band I also cover with a solution of india-rubber in order to prevent
corrosion.
I also take care to cut the metal base band somewhat in the form
of an ellipse, so as to render it capable of fitting with closeness and
exactitude to the base of the foundation of the helmet, or in any
other suitable manner, according to the shape of the head dress to be
manufactured.
By my improvements great lightness is secured at the same time that
the metal band not only affords great protection to the wearer, but also
prevents the helmet being broken or battered out of shape, owing to the
flexibility and strength of the steel, which on receiving a blow rebounds
and assumes its original form.
Military and other caps and head dresses may also be made upon
similar principles, and wherever preferred or rendered unnecessary by
the shape of the head dress, cork may be dispensed with, and the
|_ ordinary materials employed for making their foundations.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis Kenyon in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
KENYON, of Westminster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Francis Kenyon, Her special
license that I, the said Francis Kenyon, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis Kenyon, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and 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 Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN POLICE AND OTHER HEAD DRESSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Francis Kenyon, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Francis Kenyon, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The chief objects of this Inveution are to render the helmets worn by
the police and other similar head dresses lighter, stronger, and capable
of affording greater protection to the wearer than those at present in use,
and also to render silk and other hats, caps, and head dresses grease,
1
chinata T proceeding

page_text: I form the inside of the helmet of two or more pieces of cork of a
suitable shape and thickness, and around its base (the part fitting the
head) I place a metal band of a suitable width, and which I prefer to
make of steel of a similar quality in strength, substance, and elasticity
to that used for the manufacture of watch springs, but any other suitable
metal may be employed. In order to prevent such metal band being
subject to corrosion, I cover it on both sides with a solution of india-
rubber, or with any other suitable solution. I then place a layer of
cork or other material as an outside covering of the metal band, and
then cover the helmet externally with cloth or other suitable material,
and otherwise finish the helmet or head dress in the ordinary manner.
I take care to form the cork layers or foundations at the back of the
helmet with corrugations, flutings, or grooves, which communicate with
the passage and orifice formed in the crown of the helmet for venti-
lation, and which corrugations, flutings, or grooves thus serve as air
passages.
If it be desired to impart addițional strength to the crown of the
helmet or other head dress, I place across the crown thereof a transverse
metal band, preferably of similar steel as that already described, but
other metal may be used, and which extends to the metal band which
passes round the base of the helmet between its upper and lower
foundations or coverings, as before mentioned, and to which band such
additional transverse band is securely attached by means of rivets, or in
'any other suitable manner. Such transverse band I also cover with a
solution of india-rubber in order to prevent corrosion.
My Invention is also capable of being used to strengthen any silk or
other hat, cap, or head dress by introducing a similar steel band or other
metal within or betwixt the material or substance of which it is made at
the base or head part of such hat, cap, or head dress, so as to strengthen
the same, and render it grease, sweat, and water proof.
I also take care to cut the metal base band somewhat in the form
of an ellipse, so as to render it capable of fitting with closeness and
exactitude to the base of the foundation of the helmet or head dress, or
in any other suitable manner, according to the shape of the head dress
to be manufactured.
By my improvements great lightness is secured at the same time that

page_text: prevents the helmet or other head dress being broken or battered out of
shape, owing to the flexibility and strength of the steel, which on
receiving a blow rebounds and assumes its original form.
Military and other caps and head dresses may also be made upon
similar principles, and wherever preferred or rendered unnecessary by
the shape of the head dress, cork may be dispensed with, and the
ordinary or other materials employed for making their layers or
foundations.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that
what I claim and desire to secure is, the arrangement or placing of a
metal band of suitable width in combination with cork or other material
or substance into the helmet, hat, cap, or other head dress for the
purpose of protecting the head and rendering the helmet, hat, cap, or
other head dress grease, sweat, and water proof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Kenyon, have hereunto
hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, in the year of our
set my
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.