IMPROVED PADS FOR INSERTION UNDER THE LININGS OF HATS, AND FOR LINING SOCKS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Hobbs at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd August 1881.
JAMES HOBBS, of 62, North Street, Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Hat
Manufacturer. "IMPROVED PADS FOR INSERTION UNDER THE LININGS OF HATS,
AND FOR LINING SOCKS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
Many attempts have been made and many contrivances introduced to prevent
or lessen the penetration of grease from the head into and through the substance
of hats, but most of these have proceeded by substituting for the porous leather
lining a grease proof material, or by rendering the leathers themselves grease
proof, by which the perspiration is thrown back on the forehead, and such
contrivances have by reason either of their insuffiency or discomfort or otherwise
hitherto been only very partially successful.
Now the objects of iny Invention are, first, to provide a soft porous grease and
damp proof pad, which may be placed under the leather lining of any hat, and
which will not only not interfere with the absorbent properties of the leather,
but will supplement these, so as to increase the comfort of the bat, especially in
warm weather, and at the same time prevent the grease penetrating to the body
of the hat; and, second, to provide lining-socks for boots and shoes, which shall
both absorb the perspiration from the foot and exclude external dampness.
**
In making my porous grease proof pad I use a soft porous material, such as
blotting paper, cloth, or felt, and attach to one side thereof a backing of tin foil or
other grease proof material. I find thick blotting paper answers exceedingly well
for this purpose, and I attach the tin foil to it by means of an adhesive medium,
for which purpose I prefer to use the spirituous solution of shellac, known as
spirit varnish," ordinarily used by hatters. I unite the porous and the grease
proof material in sheets of convenient size, taking precaution to avoid saturating
the porous material with the adhesive medium; and after having pressed and
dried the said sheets I cut them into slips of suitable shape for insertion under
the leather lining bands of hats. They are to be inserted with the tinfoil surface
away from the head, and when so used they supplement the absorbent powers of
the leather, and enable a much larger quantity of perspiration to be absorbed than
when they are not used, thus tending to keep the forehead dry and comfortable;
and these pads have also the advantage over some other systems that they may be

page_text: removed when saturated or as often as desired, and replaced with very little
trouble, at the same time they prevent the penetration of the grease into the body
of the hat, so that the hat may be worn much longer without unsightly grease
stains appearing just above the brim.
In making lining-socks for boots and shoes I proceed in the same manner as
for pads for hats, except that I prefer to use felt as the absorbent material, and
the socks thus made I intend should be stuck into the boot or shoe with the tin-
foil downwards, in the same manner as the lining socks usually are, by means of
shoemakers' paste.