Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 24th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 25th Oct., 1887
A communication from abroad by THOMAS W. BRACHRR, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer.
1, THOMAS WEBB, of Stockport, in the County of Chester, Hat Trimmings
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
The object of this invention is to increase the durability of the curl or edge of a
bat, to produce more uniform results in regard to shape, improve the contour, lessen
the cost, and to make the curl or edge stronger and stiffer than the rest of the hat.
Hats as heretofore made, speaking more particularly of the semi-stiff felt hats, aro
either constructed with the crown, brim and curl in one piece, which is an expensive
procedure, and leaves the curl as flexible as the balance of the hat, or the curls have
been made of separate material.
This invention consists principally in supplying the curl or edge of a hat, no matter
of what material the same be made, with a circumferential compressed binding spring
by means of which the flexible curl or edge is rendered stiff and durable. It also
consists in a particular construction of curl, which is combined on its inner edge with
the above mentioned, or a suitable, circumferential spring all as hereinafter more fully
described.
The inner edge of this curl is clasped by a metallic spring, which is U-shaped in
cross section. This circumferential spring when properly attached to the edge of the
brim or curl will embrace the same, being compressed thereon so as to stiffen the
same, and will thereby permit the remaining parts of the hat to be made of lighter
material than if this stiff spring were only placed in a tubular pocket as heretofore.
Where the U-shaped spring is used, its ends, where they meet, arc by preference
joined together by a clasp. This clasp is preferably made of a blank, and is bent into
U-shaped cross section, the serrated or flat edge being turned, and then pressed into
the body of the brim or curl. By means of this clasp the spring will be firmly held
in position, one object of this invention being to secure the spring to the hat so that
it shall be immovable thereon.

page_text: The employment of this stiff spring enables one to utilize for the brims of different
varieties of felt hats, "the roundings," that is, the waste oval rings which result from
the trimming of hat bodies, and which at present are thrown away because if they were
stitched as curls to a hat they would be without sufficient body or resisting power
to permit their employment. When, however, such oval ring of felt, which otherwise
would be waste is bound on the inner edge with the compressed metallic spring, or
with a spring incorporated into its edge, it receives the necessary rigidity to permit
its use on the hat, in which case the outer edge of this ring, after having been trimmed
to correspond with the edge of the brim, is stitched to the latter or fastened thereto in
other suitable manner.
Dated this 24th day of December 1886
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Hats.
A communication from abroad by THOMAS W. BRACHER, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, THOMAS WEBB, of Stockport, in the County of Chester, Hat Trimmings
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to increase the durability of the curl or edge of a hat,
to produce more uniform results in regard to shape, improve the contour, lessen the
cost, and to make the curl or edge stronger and stiffer than the rest of the hat.
Hats as heretofore made, speaking more particularly of the semi-stiff felt hats, are
either constructed with the crown, brim and curl in one piece, which is an expensive
procedure and leaves the curl as flexible as. the balance of the hat, or the curls have
been made of separate material.
This invention consists principally in supplying the curl or edge of a hat, no matter
of what material the same he made, with a circumferential compressed binding spring
by means of which the flexible curl or edge is rendered stiff and durable. It also
consists in a particular construction of curl, which is combined on its inner edge
with the above mentioned, or a suitable, circumferential spring, all as hereinafter more
fully described.
Referring to the drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hat with the improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 plan view of curl of such hat.
Figures 3, 4 and 5, sections of different forms of hats with the invention applied
thereto.
Figures 6 and 7 plans of blanks for clasps, and
Figures 8 and 9 enlarged sectional views of curl or bending strip with clasp.
In these A represents a felt hat, or one made of any other suitable material; a is its
brim, and 6 its curl, which is usually turned inwards on the brim. The inner edge of
this curl is clasped by a metallic spring B, which is U-shaped in cross section, as in
Figure 4 of the drawing. This circumferential spring when properly attached to the
edge of the brim or curl will embrace the same, being compressed thereon so as to
stiffen the same, and will thereby permit the remaining parts of the hat to be made of
lighter material than if this stiff spring were only placed in a tubular pocket as
heretofore.
Figure 3 shows the stiff spring B applied to the edge of the brim of a hat which
bas no special curl. Where the U-shaped spring is used (that represented in
figures 4, 8 and 9) its ends, where they meet, are by preference joined together by a
clasp C. This clasp is preferably made of a blank of the form shown in Figure 6, or

page_text: that shown in Figure 7, and is bent into U-shaped cross section, the serrated or flat
edge being turned as in Figure 8, and then pressed into the body of the brim or curl,
as in Figure 9. By means of this clasp C the spring will be firmly held in position,
one object of this invention being to secure the spring B to the hat so that it shall be
immovable thereon.
The employment of this stiff spring B enables one to utilize for the brims of felt
hats of the kind shown in Figure 1, "the roundings," that is the waste oval rings
which result from the triming of hat bodies, and which at present are thrown away
because if they were stitched as curls to a hat they would be without sufficient body
or resisting power to permit their employment. When, however, such oval ring d of
felt (as set forth in Figure 2 of the drawing) which otherwise would be waste is bound
on the inner edge with the compressed metallic spring B, or with a spring incorporated
into its edge, as in Figure 5, it receives the necessary rigidity to permit its use on the
hat, in which caso the outer edge of this ring d, after having been trimmed to correspond
with the edge of the brim, is stitched to the latter or fastened thereto in other suitable
manner.
The spring shown in Figure 5 can be fastoned by stitches or clasps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is:
1st. The improvement in hats which consists in a continuous circumferential
spring covering the periphery and a margin of each face of the brim, substantially as
described.
2nd. The combination of the brim or curl of a hat with a spring bent round the
edge of the same and compressed upon opposite sides thereof so as to form both a
stiffener and a binder, substantially as shown and described.
3rd. The detached curl formed of fabric which has its edge provided with a
circunferential spring, stiffening the same substantially as described, whereby the
roundings now usually thrown away can be utilized by being made into the curl, and
stitched to the body of the hat.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1887.