AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANU- PACTURE OF HATS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward John Seville, of Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF HATS."-A communication."
Sealed the 23rd January 1855, and dated the 12th October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward John Seville
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th October 1854....
I, EDWARD JOHN SEVILLE, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,.
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF HATS" to be as follows:-
Heretofore in the manufacture of silk and other hats it has been usual to
make up the lining separately, and to introduce and fix the same at intervals
and loosely in the hats; hence the linings-are very liable to become displaced,
and to come out after a little wear. Now, the object of the present Invention
is to cause the lining of a hat to form an integral part of the body, and to be
in fact a portion of the body, by which the making up of linings, by sewing and
attaching them at intervals after the bodies of the hats have been made, are
avoided, and the linings are not liable to come loose and detached from the hat
by wear. For this purpose the parts of the linings are, in the act of making up
or finishing the bodies, cemented to the interior of the bodies, and are caused
to adhere thereto, and form a part of the bodies of hats, in like manner to what
the exterior coverings of silk hats now do in respect to the outer surfaces.
For these purposes the linings of hats may be of silk or other suitable fabrics.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward John Seville in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th March 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
JOHN SEVILLE, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day, of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward John Seville, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
John Seville, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Edward John Seville, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS," (a communication), upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward John Seville, 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 Edward John Seville, 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) :—
Heretofore in the manufacture of silk and other hats it has been usual to make
up the linings separately, and to introduce and fix the same at intervals and
loosely in the hats; hence the linings are very liable to become displaced, and to
come out after little wear. Now, the object of the present Invention is to cause
the lining of a hat to form an integral part of the body, and to be in fact a
portion of the body, by which the making up of linings, by sewing and attaching
them at intervals after the bodies of the hats have been made, are avoided, and
the linings are not liable to come loose and detached from the hat by wear.
For this purpose the parts of the linings are, in the act of making up or
finishing the bodies, cemented to the interior of the bodies, and are caused to
adhere thereto, and form a part of the bodies of hats, in like manner to what

page_text: the exterior coverings of silk hats now do in respect to the outer surfaces.
For these purposes the linings of hats may be of silk or other suitable fabrics.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same. In carrying out the Invention,
the bodies or foundations of hats may be made of any suitable material, as
heretofore, and stiffened with shellac; for which purpose the materials are
saturated with shellac, dissolved in spirits of wine, naptha, or ammonia and
water, as is well understood. The cloth or material to form the body of a hat
when so saturated and partially dried, is to have the lining or interior surface,
whether of silk or other fabric, laid on to the material which is to form the hat
body, and is then by a warm iron made to adhere smoothly thereto. The
material for the body is then cut to the size required, and put on a block and
stuck together, as is well understood, by means of a warm iron. The other
materials to make the body of the required strength are put on afterwards, as
is ordinarily practised, and the body of the hat is to be covered and finished in
the ordinary manner.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the details; but what I claim is, the manufacture of hats with linings, as
herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward John Seville, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
EDWARD JOHN SEVILLE. (L.B.)
5 Witness,
GEO. CHRISTY,
31, Surrey Sq, Old Kent Road,
London.