IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
Ross, of South Street, Southwark, in the County of Surrey, Hat Manufac-
turer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-seventh day of January, in the ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Daniel Ross, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Daniel
Ross, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Daniel
Ross, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein.
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso that I, the said Daniel Ross, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same.
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I have
ascertained and set forth the nature of my Invention, and the manner

page_text: of carrying the same into effect, in and by the following description thereof,
that is to say :-
"
My Invention consists in the forming of elastic materials the "brims" and
"head bands" of a certain description of hats, namely, those which are formed
upon calico or linen bodies, and the process of manufacture is conducted as
follows: A "body" of single calico, proofed and stretched in the manner
commonly used in making "gossamer" hats, is placed upon a block, and the
entire depth of the hat and the depth of the "head band." being settled, the
body is cut of such a depth as to allow a depth of about an inch for its
juncture with the head band. The material of which the "head band" and
'brim" are composed is a fabric, commonly known as "elastic web," in
which one set of threads is composed of linen or cotton yarn, and the cross set
of threads is composed of strands of caoutchouc; and in forming the head
bands and brims of this material, the fabric is so applied to the body that
the strands of caoutchouc lie horizontally, and the strands of linen or
cotton yarn stand vertically in the head band and in a radiating position in the
brim. This material is prepared for the purpose in strips of such width as to
form the brim and head band in one piece. The head band is next, attached
to the calico body by applying to the outside of the lower edge of the body a
layer of spirit varnish to the depth of about an inch, and then pressing the
head band to the calico by ironing it with a moderately heated iron. The
seam of the "head band" is then made by overlapping the two edges, and
securing them together by means of small tacks, and then varnishing and
ironing the seam. The block is then placed in the bottom or frame, and the
elastic web is stretched and nailed to the frame all round, so as to form the
brim of the hat, the seam being formed in the same way as the seam of the
head band. The surplus material is then cut away close to the frame, and
the body, head band, and brim are well coated with the ordinary waterproofing
composition, and set before the kiln to dry. The other calico covering or
coverings are then placed upon the body, but extend only from the "tip" or
upper edge of the body to the upper edge of the elastic material forming the
head band, and the lower edge of the calico is turned in to make it of the
same thickness, or nearly so, as the head band. The whole now receives a
coat of waterproofing, and when dry the nails are withdrawn, and the brim
ironed round, taking care to draw the nails only a few at a time, and then
passing the iron over the part from which they have been withdrawn. A flat
ring of calico is then placed upon the upper side of the brim (extending from
the external edge of the brim to within about a quarter of an inch from the
head band, and then receives a coating of the waterproof composition).

page_text: Another and wider ring of calico is then drawn down over the body, so as to
cover the entire brim and a portion of the head band, but not extending as
high as the lower edge of the calico body. The whole is then finished and
ironed in the usual way, and a coating of oil varnish (or any other varnish
which may be found suitable for the purpose) is then applied to the head band.
and brim, to restore to those parts the elasticity which had been diminished
by the effect of the waterproofing, and this completes the process, so far as
relates to my improvements.
I do not restrict myself to the minute details of the process which I have
described; but I claim, as constituting my Improvements in the Mauufacture
of Hats,-
First, the application of "brims and headbands," formed of "elastic web"
or other similar and suitablé material, to bodies of hats formed of linen or
calico.
And,
Second, the application of oil varnish or other suitable composition to the
brims and headbands of such hats, for the purpose of restoring the elasticity
which has been partially destroyed by the waterproofing.
In witness whereof, I; the said Daniel Ross, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.