Iм- PROVEMENTS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF STRAW HATS AND BONNETS AND OTHER COVERS FOR THE HEAD AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Howard, of 37, London Road, Luton,
Bedfordshire, Straw Hat Manufacturer, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF STRAW HATS AND BONNETS AND OTHER
COVERS FOR THE HEAD AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Howard at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th November 1878.
I, SAMUEL HOWARD, of 37, London Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, Straw
Hat Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF STRAW HATS AND BONNETS AND
OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,'
be as follows:—
"
to
Heretofore in the manufacture of straw hats and other coverings for
the head of variegated pattern, in order to produce such pattern it has
been the ordinary practice to interweave plaits of straw of the requisite
color previously dyed and prepared for such purpose, much expense

page_text: being unavoidably incurred in the preparation of such colored straws,
and considerable loss of time arising in the manufacture of such articles
in order to insure accuracy in the production of the required pattern as
the designs are exceedingly limited at present. Now in order to obviate
these disadvantages I have invented a method of producing an unlimited
number of patterns and colors, such colored straw plaits being entirely
dispensed with. The requisite design being produced upon the article
manufactured by a simple operation, which also results in greatly
economising the time and labour hitherto expended in the production
and manufacture of such articles, and a more pleasing effect being
obtained thereby.
In order effectually to carry out my Invention I proceed as follows :—
Having first prepared a sketch of the design required to be produced in
the article [manufactured, the design is raised or embossed upon the
inside surface of the metal pan or mould of the ordinary hat blocks.
It is then colored by a dye of any desired color applied by means of a
roller passing over the embossed design. The hat is then placed into
such pan or mould and is subjected to the ordinary pressure in the
blocking machine. By so doing the design or figure is thus printed on
the external surface of the hat, at the same time that a more agreeable
effect is obtained owing to the pressure by which the imprint of the
pattern is obtained upon the straw, also producing indentations in the
article manufactured, corresponding in form with the raised surfaces so
embossed upon the block as before described.
The means by which I emboss the pattern upon the inside surface
of the metal pan or mould are as follows:-The bowl thereof being cast
in the usual fine sand bed the pattern is first cut out in wood and is then
pressed into the sand bed. The mould of the hat brim is cast separate and
afterwards riveted on to the bowl in the ordinary manner.
In many
cases only the brim of the article to be manufactured is required to be
variegated and the body of the hat or other article would remain plain.
The dye or ink used to produce the pattern is similar to that used by
printers, and is applied to that portion of the hat block whereon the
pattern is embossed in a similar manner, that is to say, by means of a
roller of suitable dimensions.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Howard in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Samuel,
HOWARD, of 37, London Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, Straw Hat Manu-
facturer, 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-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Howard, Her special
licence that I, the said Samuel Howard, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Howard, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE ORNAMENTATION OF STRAW HATS AND BONNETS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE
HEAD, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Samuel Howard, 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 Samuel Howard, 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 :-
Heretofore in the manufacture of straw hats and other coverings for

page_text: being unavoidably incurred in the preparation of such colored straws,
and considerable loss of time arising in the manufacture of such articles
in order to insure accuracy in the production of the required pattern, as
the designs are exceedingly limited at present. Now in order to obviate
these disadvantages I have invented a method of producing an unlimited
number of patterns and colors, such colored straw plats being entirely
dispensed with. The requisite design being produced upon the article
manufactured by a simple operation which also results in greatly
economising the time and labor hitherto expended in the production
and manufacture of such articles, and a more pleasing effect being
obtained thereby.
In order to effectually carry out my Invention I proceed as follows:-
Having first prepared a sketch of the design desired to be produced on
the article manufactured, the design is raised or embossed upon the
inside surface of the metal pan or mould. It is then colored by a dye or
ink of any desired color applied by means of a roller passing over the
raised or embossed design. The hat or bonnet of straw or felt or other
materials is then placed in the pan or mould and is subjected to the
ordinary pressure in the hydraulic blocking machines. By so doing the
design or figure is thus printed or produced on the external surface
of the hat or bonnet, at the same time a more agreeable effect is obtained
owing to the pressure by which the imprint of the pattern is obtained
upon the straw or felt, also producing indentations on the article manu-
factured corresponding in form with the raised surfaces so embossed
upon the metal mould as before described.
The means by which I emboss the pattern upon the inside surface
of the pan or mould are as follows:-The design having been drawn
on the surface of the wood block or shape is carved out and a plaster
of Paris mould taken from it which is then again moulded in the usual
fine sand bed and reproduced in metal. Should the design be too
elaborate for casting in metal it may be chased, or a copper mould
taken in galvano-plastic and imbedded in metal afterwards to obtain
solidity for bearing the pressure, or the brim only of the mould may be
cast or taken in galvano-plastic and secured on to the pan, as in many
cases only the brim of the article to be manufactured is required to be
ornamented and the crown of the hat or bonnet would remain plain.
The dye or ink used to produce the pattern is similar to that used by
printers, and is applied to that portion of the metal pan or mould

page_text: whereon the pattern is raised or embossed by means of a roller of
suitable dimensions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
Invention and in what manner the same may be performed or carried
out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention for "Im-
provements in the Ornamentation of Straw Hats and Bonnets and other
Coverings for the Head, and in the Apparatus employed therein," as the
same is herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Howard, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
SAMUEL HOWARD. (L.S.)
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventor's Patent Right Association, Limited.
21, Cockspur Street,
8.W.