New or Improved Appliances for Retaining Ladies' and Children's Hats on the Wearers' Heads.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Appliances for Retaining Ladies' and Children's
Hats on the Wearers' Heads.
We, ADAM MCMEEKIN, of Cogry Mills, Doagh, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, Mill Manager, and JOHN STALKER, of Alexandra Avenue, Belfast, Dyer
and Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to hats, such as are worn by ladies and children and has
for its object certain new or improved appliances which will retain the hats firmly
on the heads of the wearers.
An appliance constructed according to this invention for the purpose above
described consists of an apparatus to grip the hair and which is made sufficiently
long to enable the hat to be fastened to it on each side of the head.
The apparatus to grip the hair is made of steel wire or other suitable material
of any convenient section or shape, and consists of two side pieces running parallel
to each other and joined at the ends, these side pieces are faced about half an inch
or other suitable distance from each other, and in the centre of this space there
is a third piece or tongue which is free to work on a suitable hinge or other device
placed between the side pieces and about an inch or any suitable distance from the
end.
To affix the apparatus the free end of this centre piece or tongue is pushed under-
neath the hair, the two side pieces being then pulled down till the tongue comes
in line between them, the tongue being then held in this position by a small
ring sliding on the two side pieces, or by any other suitable device.
It will thus be seen that the hair passes under one side piece, over the tongue
or centre piece, and under the other side piece, and is thus firmly griped by the
apparatus, which is curved to lie close to the head, and also with the object of
bringing the hat sufficiently low down on the head, about an inch at each end
however is allowed to stand out straight on each side of the head and to these the
hat is fastened by a spring catch or other suitable device.
New or Improved Appliances for Retaining Ladies' and Children's
Hats on the Wearers' Heads.
We, ADAM MCMEEKIN, of Cogry Mills, Doagh, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, Mill Manager, and JoHN STALKER, of Alexandra Avenue, Belfast, Dyer
and Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in whai manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to hats such as are worn by ladies and children, and has

page_text: for its object the provision of certain new or improved appliances which will retain
the hats firmly on the heads of the wearers.
An appliance constructed according to this invention for the purpose above
described consists of an apparatus to grip the hair, and which is made sufficiently
long to enable the hat to be fastened to it on each side of the head.
And in order that our said invention may be properly understood we have here-
unto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings which shows, by way of example,
a convenient mode of making the appliance.
Fig. 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 a plan view of the appliance.
Fig. 3 is a view of one of the spring catches and Fig. 4 shows the method of
attaching the catch to a straw hat.
Figs. 5 and 6 show slightly modified appliances.
Referring to the drawings:-
The appliance which may be made of steel wire or of other suitable material and
of any convenient section and shape, consists of two side pieces a, a¹, running
parallel to each other and joined together at the ends. These side pieces, which
are placed about half an inch or other suitable distance from each other, have
arranged, midway between them, a third piece or tongue b which is hinged at one
end, 6, and is free to work between the pieces a, a¹. c is a ring which can be slid
upon the narrowed end d of the pieces a, a¹. f, f, are spring catches which can be
secured to, say, the brim of the hat by means of screwed studs g and nuts h.
Loops are preferably made on the ends d, e, of the pieces a, a¹, for the purpose
of readily grasping them.
The dotted lines Fig. 1 show the tongue b hanging down.
To affix the appliance the free end of the tongue b is pushed underneath the hair
and then the two side pieces a, a¹, are pulled down, until the tongue b comes in
line between them, when the tongue is locked in position by simply sliding the
ring along the end until it catches the end of the tongue. It will thus be
seen that the hair passes under one side piece, over the tongue, and under the
other side piece and is thereby gripped by the appliance.
The appliance is, preferably, curved, as shown at Fig. 1, so as to lie close to the
head and also to enable the hat to be brought sufficiently low down on the head.
The hat is attached to the appliance by means of the spring catches f. These
catches are each fastened, one on each side of the brim of the hat underneath,
by pushing the screw stud g up through the brim and then clamping the catch
in position by screwing on the nut h. Fig. 4 shows a catch attached to the hat
brim A.
The hat is attached to the appliance by merely sliding the ends d, e, of the
latter into the open mouth-ends of the catches in the manner shown at Figs. 1 and 2.
The hat is in this manner securely fixed to the head.
Instead of using the spring catches shown other suitable devices, such as spring
hinged clips or such like, may be employed.
In the modification shown at Fig. 5 the ends of the appliance are shortened and
elastic loops j, j, are attached, one at each end, so that all that is necessary to
secure the hat is to pass said loops over buttons, knobs, or hooks, sewn or otherwise
fastened to the brim of the hat underneath, one on each side.
In the modification shown at Fig. 6 instead of elastic loops, rings k, or wire
loops, or equivalent, connected to the ends d, e, by spiral wire springs
are used.
The details of construction of the appliance can be further altered or modified
without departing from the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we consider novel and desire to claim is:-
1. An appliance for retaining ladies' and children's hats on the wearers heads
consisting of a frame made with two side pieces and a central movable tongue

page_text: so arranged that it can be readily fixed in the hair and the hat thereafter attached
to its ends by means of catches or equivalent devices, substantially as set forth.
2. The construction or arrangement and combination of parts of the appliance
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown, with modifications, on the
5 drawings annexed.