IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING HATS AND CAPS, AND IN THE PREPARATION OR MANUFACTURE OF THE MATERIAL OF WHICH THOSE ARTICLES ARE MADE
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Rider, of 61, Red Cross Street, Boro', in
the County of Surrey, Leather Dresser and Hat Leather Manufacturer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING HATS AND CAPS, AND
IN THE PREPARATION OR MANUFACTURE OF THE MATERIAL OF WHICH THOSE
ARTICLES ARE MADE."
Scaled the 25th January 1859, and dated the 18th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Rider at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
November 1858.
I, BENJAMIN RIDER, of 61, Red Cross Street, Boro', in the County of
Surrey, Leather Dresser and Hat Leather Manufacturer, do hereby declare.
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING HATS
AND CAPS, AND IN THE PREPARATION OR MANUFACTURE OF THE MATERIAL OF WHICH
THOSE ARTICLES ARE MADE," to be as follows:-
The first part of my improvements relates to the ventilation of hats and
caps, and consists in perforating the bodies of those articles either in the flat,
or it may be after they are formed, but before the application of the silk or other

page_text: covering to the body, which hides the perforations, but permits passage of
the air.
The second part of my improvements relates to the manufacture or pre-
paration of material for the bodies and other parts of hats and caps. It
consists in the manufacture of paper, in which I combine, while in a state of
pulp, long fibres of any fibrous material, or of fibres or threads of cork pre-
pared for the purpose, which imparts tightness & stiffness to the body when
made. Instead of introducing fibrous material, I sometimes form a stringy
fibrous-like structure in the body of the paper by introducing old ale or other
malt liquor with the pulp mixed with a little oil; this malt- liquor and
oil combines with the size in the paper, and forms a fibrous or web-like
structure in the paper. It may be necessary to add additional size for the
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Rider in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th May 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
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant untome, the
said Benjamin Rider, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin Rider,
my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VENTILATING HATS AND CAPS, AND IN THE PREPARATION OR MANUFACTURE OF THE
MATERIAL OF WHICH THOSE ARTICLES ARE MADE," 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

page_text: Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be 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 fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The first part of my Invention relates to the ventilation of hats and caps,
and consists in perforating the bodies of those articles, either in the flat, or it
may be after they are formed, but before the application of the silk or other
covering to the body which hides the perforations, but permits passage of
air.
The second part of my improvements relates to the manufacture or pre-
paration of material for the bodies and other parts of hats and caps. It
consists in the manufacture of paper, in which I combine, while in a state of
pulp, long fibres of any fibrous material, or fibres or threads of cork, or cork
pulverized, prepared for the purpose, which imparts lightness and stiffness to
hat and other bodies or other parts of hats or caps when made. Instead of
introducing fibrous material, I sometimes form a stringy 'fibrous-like structure
in the body of the paper by introducing ale or other malt liquor with the pulp,
mixed with a little oil; this malt liquor and oil combines with the size in the
paper, and forms a fibrous and web-like structure. It may be necessary to
add additional size for the purpose.
The first of my improvements relating to the ventilation of hats and caps,.
consisting in perforating the bodies of those articles, either in the flat,
or it may be after they are formed, but before the application of the silk or
other covering to the body which hides the perforations but permits passage
of the air, as illustrated in the Sheet of Drawings annexed, which represents
the body of a hat according to my Invention. I make the hat body in the
ordinary manner of making hat bodies, or with the addition and with the
materials herein-before specified; I then perforate it at intervals as shown,
by means of a stamping press, cutting a row of holes (more or less) at each
time; the body being so perforated, is then covered with the silk or outer
covering, which is pervious and does not much obstruct the passage of the air.
I take care in lining these hats to use a net or other open work or pervious
material, so as not to obstruct the passage of the air, or it may be an orna-
mental lining such as lace patterns of woven fabric. Instead of punching the.

page_text: perforations after the hat bodies are made, the material may be perforated
previously, but I prefer the former mode of proceeding.
The second part of my Invention relates to the manufacture or preparation.
of material for the bodies or other parts of hats and caps. It consists in the
manufacture of paper, in which I combine, while in a state of pulp, long fibres
of any fibrous material, or fibres of hair or threads, or it may be ground cork,
flock, or wool prepared for the purpose, which imparts lightness and stiffness
to hat and other bodies or other parts when made. For this purpose I select
or prepare fibrous material of a suitable length of staple, and when the pulp
is spread out into sheets, and when just formed, I sprinkle or otherwise
distribute the fibrous material before mentioned upon the pulp, which fibres are
compressed into the pulp and rolled with the sheet of paper, to which they firmly
adhere by reason of the adhesive matter in the paper. Instead of applying.
the material to the sheet paper, I sometimes mix ground flock, wool, or cork
with the pulp, and then manufacture the sheet of paper in the ordinary manner,
from which the parts of hats, &c. are to be made. From this sheet material
the formation or bodies and other parts of hats and caps may be made, as in
the ordinary manufacture from this material, either alone or in combination
with a suitable fabric caused to adhere thereto; or I form the hat bodies or
foundations in one or more pieces by casting them in moulds from the pulp.
Instead of introducing fibrous materials, I sometimes form a stringy fibrous-like
structure in the body of the paper by introducing malt liquor, wine lees, or other
saccherine matter with the pulp mixed with a little oil; this malt liquor and oil
combines with the size in the paper, and forms a fibrous and web-like structure.
In order to effect this I prepare the pulp in the ordinary way of pulp for paper,
after which I dry or express the whole or greater part of the moisture from
the pulp. I then mix with this dried or partially dried pulp, milk, malt
liquor, or any other fluid having a suitable proportion of saccherine matter,
introducing sufficient of the pulp to reduce the pulp to the necessary con-
sistence for being made into paper, which is performed in the ordinary
manner, and from which paper the bodies and other parts of hats and caps
are made, as well understood.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, perforating the bodies of hats to afford free ventilation, and so that
no substance less pervious than the silk shall obstruct the passage of the air, as
docaribed

page_text: Secondly, I claim combining fibres, hair, ground cork, flock, wool or wool
with paper pulp in the manufacture of paper, to be used for the manufacture of
bodies and other parts of hats and caps, as herein-before described; and further,
I claim the formation of a stringy or fibrous or other web-like structure in
paper, to be used in the manufacture of hats and caps by introducing ale, beer,
wine lees, or other suitable saccharine matter, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Rider, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
BENJAMIN RIDER. (L.S.)