IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD, AND IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH ARTICLES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Rider, of 61, Red Cross Street, Boro',
in the County of Surrey, Leather Dresser and Hat Leather Manu-
facturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS, CAPS, AND OTHER
COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD, AND IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SUCH ARTICLES."
Sealed the 3rd June 1859, and dated the 15th March 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Rider at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
March 1859.
I, BENJAMIN RIDER, of 61, Red Cross St., Boro', in the County of Surrey,
Leather Dresser & Hat Leather Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS, CAPS, & OTHER COVERINGS
FOR THE HEAD, & IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH ARTICLES,"
to be as follows:-
My improvement consists, first; in preparing the bodies of hats of two
thicknesses of sheet cork, with a fabric of net or other suitable material
between, the whole adhering firmly together.
Secondly, in forming helmets or coverings of the head of two thicknesses of

page_text: felt, with an intervening space between them filled up with cork dust or
shavings in order to protect the head from heat.
Thirdly, in subjecting the crowns and brims of hats to a hotpressing
process by which these parts of hats are rendered stiff and of light appearance.
Fourthly, in perforating the linings of hat bodies in the form of lace or
ornamental patterns, either for ventilation or ornament.
Fifthly, in making cap peaks of thicknesses of fabrics caused to adhere by
suitable composition or cement, the whole being consolidated by hot pressure
froms a stiff foundation, which may be afterwards japanned and covered with
leather, cloth, or silk, and otherwise finished as for cap peaks.
Sixthly, in ironing up hat bodies with a mixture of gum dama with French
chalk or any other suitable chalk or earthy substance, as also the application
of chalk or earthy substances to the blocks on which the hat bodies are made
or manipulated to prevent their adhesion to the block.
Seventhly, in manipulating and stiffening the bodies of hats and other
coverings for the head by using adhesive matter formed of sachrine matter &
shellac or other substance, instead of using shellad and water as at present.
Eighthly, in coating the linings of hats with silk, cotton, willow, or other
fabric, or with ground cork, flock, or other pounded material, applying first a
grease-proof composition, which when dry is coated with adhesive matter, &
the cork or other material then applied.
Ninthly, in forming hat bodies of suitable fabric, and afterwards applying
a coating of powdered cork thereto, suitably cemented to give sufficient
substance.
Tenthly, with reference to the apparatus, my improvements consists in
bevelling the surface of the frames on which the fabrics are stretched and
treated with adhesive material, so that only a narrow edge is in contact with
such material, instead of the whole surface of the frame as usual.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Rider in the Great Seal Patent Office on the g
14th September 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
RIDER, of 61, Red Cross Street, Boro', in the County of Surrey, Leather
Dresser and Hat Leather Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 85
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Iler beirs and successors, give and grant unto.
me, the said Benjamin Rider, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin
Rider, iny executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Benjamin Rider, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HATS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD, & IN APPARATUS.
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Benjamin Rider, 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 bo
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 Benjamin Rider, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My improvements consist, first, in preparing the bodies of hats of two thick-
nesses of sheet cork, with a fabric of net or other suitable material between
the two, and the whole being caused to adhere firmly together by the cement
in ordinary use, or by using cement prepared according to another part of
this Invention.
Another of my improvements consists in forming belmets or coverings for
the head of two thicknesses of felt with an intervening space between them,
which I fill with cork dust or shavings, flock or wool dust, in order to protect
the head from heat, which the interposition of the dust or other matters
referred to effects.
Another improvement consists in subjecting the crowns and brims of hats
prepared of thicknesses of material adhering together to a hot or cold pressing
process, by which those parts of hats are rendered stiff and light in appearance.
This hotpressing process may either be performed by placing them between
thicknesses of metal, or other suitable hard material in alternate layers, and
subjecting the whole to heat and pressure in a hydraulic or other suitable
press; or, instead of so pressing the parts of hats and caps, the heat and

page_text: hardens, and stiffens them as desired.
Another improvement consists in perforating the leather or other linings of
hat bodies in the form of lace and other ornamental patterns, either for
ventilation or ornament; and also the application of ornamental lace as linings
for the bodies of hats.
Another improvement consists in making cap peaks of thicknesses of fabrics.
caused to adhere together by suitable composition or cement, and consolidating
them by hot pressure to form a stiff foundation, which may be afterwards
japanned, or covered with leather, cloth, or silk, or otherwise finished, as
suitable for hat or cap peaks.
Another part of my Invention consists in ironing up hat bodies with a
mixture of gum dama with French chalk, or any other suitable chalk or
earthy substance, as also the application of chalk or earthy substance to the
blocks, or wool coverings of the blocks, on which the hat bodies are made or
manufactured, and ironed up to prevent their adhesion thereto. For this
purpose I prepare the gum dama and French chalk or other earthy matters
in powder, and place it in a pounce box, or other suitable receptacle, for
dusting it on to the surface to be ironed or smoothed up. To prevent the
adhesion of hat bodies to blocks, I pound the chalk or earthy substance, and
dust and rub it on the block and wool shell before the application of the.
articles thereto; or the chalk or other matters may be rubbed on without
powdering.
Another improvement in manufacturing and stiffening the bodies of hats
and other coverings of the head consists in using adhesive matter formed of.
saccharine matter and shellac or other substance, instead of shellac and water
as at present used. For this I use milk, wine lees, or malt liquor brewed.
with about ten or twelve gallons of water to the bushel of malt. I mix such
or other similar matter containing saccharine with the shellac used as the
adhesive substance, which is dissolved therein in the same manner as water is
now used; this mixture is very tenacious, and imparts great stiffness to the
bodies prepared therewith; it is used precisely as the shellac dissolved in
water is now used in the manufacture of hats.
Another of my improvements consists in coating the leather linings of hats,
&c., either separately or in the skin, with silk, cotton, willow, or other fabric,
or with ground cork, flock, or other pounded material, applying first a grease--
proof composition, which, when dry, is coated with adhesivé matter, and the
cork or other material then applied thereto. The grease-proof composition
consists of flour or starch made into a paste with wine lees, malt liquor, or

page_text: other suitable saccharine matter or water, and then combined with half its
bulk (more or less) of gutta percha or india-rubber when dissolved. After
being dissolved in its usual solvents, I mix and stir the gutta percha or india-
rubber intimately with the starch or other fecula, adding at same time a
little wax or boiled linseed oil, the starch or farinaceous matter being at
the time in a heated state. I apply this composition to the leather linings or
skins with a brush, either individually or while in the whole skin. After the
application of this composition it is allowed to dry thoroughly, I then apply a
coating of gold size or other adhesive varnish, and while this is newly applied
I dust the powdered cork or other powder of wool or flock until a sufficient
thickness of coating adheres thereto of that material, which is allowed to dry;
the whole forms a grease or prespiration-proof substance, and prevents it
passing from the head of the wearer to the silk covering of the hat, and also
imparts an agreeable softness to the leather lining.
The grease-proof
composition may be used without the further application of the powdered cork
or flock, if desired.
Another improvement consists in forming hat bodies of suitable fabric, and
afterwards applying a coat of powdered cork, flock, wool, or other suitable
material thereto, or one or more coatings alternated with thicknesses of fabric
suitably cemented to give sufficient substance. I apply the shellac or other
adhesive material to the fabric body while it is on the block, and afterwards
apply the powdered cork or dust of wool or flock, sprinkling it uniformly
thereon, and of sufficient thickness to give sufficient firmness and solidity to
the bodies of hats, &c.
My last improvement refers to the apparatus for stretching fabrics while
being treated or prepared in the manufacture of hats, caps, and peaks, and
consists in bevilling the surface of the frames on which the fabrics are
stretched and treated with adhesive material, so that only a narrow edge
is in contact with such material, instead of the whole surface of the frame
as usual.
Fig. 1 of the annexed Drawings represent a plan of this frame; and Fig. 2,
a transverse vertical section of the same; the improvement consists simply in
forming the surface a, a, bevilled, instead of flat as usual, which prevents the
materials stretched thercon and treated with adhesive matter from adhering to
the surface of those frames. Fig. 3 represents a section of a frame bevilled
on both sides, if it is desired to stretch the fabric or other material on both
sides.
Having described the nature of my Invention & the manner of performing

page_text: herein-before in part recited. Letters Patent is, the several improvements
herein-before described in the manufacture of hats, caps, and other coverings
for the head, and the apparatus used in that manufacture, herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjanin Rider, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
BENJAMIN RIDER. (L.s.)