CERTAIN IMPROVE-- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Husband, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Hat Manufacturer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE--
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS."
Sealed the 23rd September 1856, and dated the 24th March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Husband at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the.
24th March 1856.
I, RICHARD HUSBAND, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Hat
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CER-
TAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS," to be as follows:-
In the construction of hat bodies, having their internal surface of a fabric'
suitable for lining, the practice heretofore has been to spread and fix the said
fabric upon another, and afterwards to shape or "block" the double substance
as one into the form desired, in which operation an overlapping vertical seam
is cemented together, that, owing to the re-duplication of the substances, is
liable to be thick and otherwise inelegant or imperfect. Now, the object of
the first part of the present Invention is to fit and cement each of the single
fabrics separately, and forming the junction of their ends in such situation
that the cemented strip of neither shall overlic that of any other at the same
point of junction.

page_text: Secondly, in the manufacture of hats the practice (at present), with respect
to that part of the lining which is technically called "the tip," has heretofore
been either, first, to insert the same in the process of making the body, and as
an integral part thereof, or, secondly, to 'fit and sew the tip to another article,
technically called the "side lining," and place both together in the finished
hat as conjointly the lining thereof. Now, the second part of my Invention
provides that the tip aforesaid need neither be fixed before the completion of
the body, nor be sewed to any side lining, but may be effectually fixed singly,
and at any convenient time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Husband in the. Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD-
HUSBAND, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Hat
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Husband, Her special license that I, the said Richard Husband, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Husband, my executors, 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 CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Richard Husband, 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 Richard Husband, 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 the following statement
(that is to say):-

page_text: Whereas, in the construction of hat bodies, having their internal surface of
a fabric suitable for lining, the practice heretofore has been to spread and fix
the said fabric upon another, and afterwards to shape or "block" the double
substance as one into the form desired, in which operation an overlapping
vertical seam is cemented together, that, owing to the re-duplication of the
substances, is liable to be thick and otherwise inelegant or imperfect. Now,
the object of the first part of the present Invention is to fit and cement each
of the single fabrics separately and with the junction of its ends, in such
situation that the cemented strip of neither fabric shall overlie that of any other
at any point of junction.
Secondly, in the manufacture of hats the practice (at present) with respect to
that part of the lining which is technically called the "tip" has heretofore been
either, first, to insert the same in the process of making the body, and as an
integral part thereof, or, secondly, to fit and sew the tip to another article,
technically called the "side lining," and place both together in the "finished
hat" as conjointly the lining thereof. Now, the second part of my Invention
provides that the tip aforesaid need neither be fixed before the completion of:
the body, nor be sewed to any side lining, but may be effectually fixed singly;"
and at any convenient time.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I proceed now to explain
in what manner the same is to be performed, that is to say:-
⚫ I first determine in what part of the intended body the vertical seam in the
side crown of the internal surface fold shall be situated. I make a foundation
or skeleton crown as for an ordinary gossamer body, but with its vertical seam
opposite to, or at least two inches from, the line along which the corresponding
seam in the side of the intended interval surface fold is to come. I add in the
common manner to the foundation, and outside thereof, a covering or. second
fold, taking care that the junction of the ends of the side covering shall be
placed not less than four inches from the vertical seam of the foundation. In
respect of robbin, band, and brim, respectively, I proceed exactly as in making.
an ordinary gossamer body. And, except as above indicated, no difference
between my operations and those in making an ordinary gossamer body occurs
until the stage is reached at which, after having been stoved or otherwise
dried, the rough body has had its block withdrawn, that admission may be
given to the finishing shell preparatory to ironing up. At this stage, I take of
any suitable fabric, well stiffened with starch or other transparent stiffening, as
much as will make a side crown, and I shape the same so as to fit the inside
of the rough body, which has been made, dried, and had its block withdrawn, as
above signified. With a sponge or brush I damp the inside of the said body

page_text: and then insert therein the side crown just mentioned, placing it so as to form
an inside fold upon the foundation, and taking care to have its vertical junction
seam opposite to, or at least two inches from, the vertical seam in the foun-
dation, and also not less than two inches from the corresponding seam in the
covering fold. I place with proper care the finishing shell inside the inserted
side crown, and having afterwards, also with proper care, put the block into the.
shell, I proceed to iron up. The increased wedge pressure of the block, as
assisted by the shell and the additional side crown, causes the latter to adhere
to the foundation, and this effect the ironing up (which is performed as usual)
confirms and perfects. When the ironing up is completed the block and
finishing shell are withdrawn, and the first part of my Invention will have been
carried into effect.
The second part of my Invention relates to the lining tip, and is claimed,
as an Invention only when applied in hats having bodies made as above
described. The lining tip is to be inserted after the hat has been finished.
It must be cut to the exact shape required, be fitted into its proper place upon
a thin layer of fresh spread spirit proof, and to fix it be ironed gently with
not too hot an iron. An additional ironing upon the tip outside with a tip
block underneath greatly increases the security of the fixture.
I limit my claim as regards both the first and second parts of my Inven-
tion to bodies, in constructing which, the woven fabric constituting the internal.
surface fold of the side crown is fixed subsequently to the foundation or
skeleton; and I extend my claim to all bodies so constructed, whether in
other particulars they conform to this Specification or not.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Husband, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six.
RICHARD HUSBAND. (L.S.)