IMPROVE- MENTS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS, CAPS, AND BONNETS, OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert William Sievier, of Holloway, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS, CAPS, AND BONNETS,
OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD."
Sealed the 12th February 1858, and dated the 2nd November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert William
Sievier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd November 1852.
I, ROBERT WILLIAM SIEVIER, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
HATS, CAPS, AND BONNETS, OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in making hat bodies, or any other covering
for the head, of wire, or wire, or wire cloth, either alone or in combi-
nation with other materials. The intended shape may be made either
of woven, plaitted, or braided wire, or one or all these fabrics may be
combined in the same article. Hat bodies may be made simply of

page_text: woven wire cloth, and cut out, and as far as possible prossed into shape,
or pressed and partly joined by solder or otherwise, and combined, if
necessary, with other material to obtain the form required; they are
then to be covered or lined, or both, with any suitable material; by
this means hats and coverings for the head may be made perfectly ven-
tilating and light. Caps being more round they can be easily pressed
into the required form by dies. For soldiers' and policeman's hats or
caps certain parts thereof may be made of a stronger wire or fabric so
that they may resist a sabre cut. Ladies" bonnets may also be made
either braided, plaitted, or woven, with ornaments such as flowers or
figures, or by cross weaving, so as to render them elegant. I also pur-
pose, when required, to electrotype the wire or shapes in gold, silver, or
any other metal, or to color or varnish it or them in any way desired;
these shapes may then be lined, or only ornamented with flowers or
ribbons, as the wearer may desire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert William Sievier in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd May 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT WILLIAM SIEVIER, of Holloway, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert William Sievier, Her special
license that I, the said Robert William Sievier, iny executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert William
Sievier, 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

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS, CAPS, AND
BONNETS, OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert William Sievier, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar inonths next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert William Sievier, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say):
My Invention of improvements applicable to the manufacture of
hats, caps, and bonnets, or other coverings for the head, consists in the
employment of a novel material, tissue, or fabric for the manufacture of
such articles, and also in the application thereto of ribbons, flowers, or
other ornaments made of similar inaterials.
The novel material which I propose to employ for the above purposes
is made of wire, which is woven or otherwise made into cloth, tissue, or
fabric, and may be used either alone or in combination with other
materials.
In making the bodies of hats, caps, or bonnets, the intended shape is
first cut out of this cloth, fabric, or tissue, made either by weaving,
platting, or braiding wire by any of the known processes, or tissues
or fabrics made by two or more of these processes cau be com-
bined in the same article, if required. The bodies or foundations
of men's hats or soldiers' caps are made simply of plain woven wire
cloth, which, when cut out in the required form, must be as far as pos-
sible pressed into shape, the jointed parts being secured by solder or
other suitable means. These metallic bodies may be combined, if
necessary, with other materials, and fashioned into the form required;
and the bodies so made are then to be covered or lined, or both, with
any suitable material, according to the kind of article intended to be
produced; and by this means hats and coverings for the head can be

page_text: made perfectly ventilating and light, and at the same time very strong
and durable. Caps being more round, and having less abrupt corners
than hats or bonnets, can be easily pressed into the required form by
dies, and the several parts united together by solder or otherwise. For
soldiers and policeman's hats or caps certain parts thereof may, if
required, be made of a stronger wire or fabric, or some other material
introduced, so that they may resist a heavy blow or a sabre cut. Ladies'
caps or bonnets are to be made of a more ornamental fabric, such as is
produced either by braiding, platting, or plain or cross weaving, or
manufactured into a fabric in the same manner as pillow lace or bobbin
net. The ornaments to be applied to ladies' caps or bonnets, such as
flowers, braid, ribbons, or figured fabrics, are made either by cross
weaving, so as to render them elegant and fanciful, or the flowers may
be made of a plain wire fabric cut out in the form of leaves or other
pieces of suitable size and form, and assembled together as in the ordi-
nary manufacture of artificial flowers. The articles or ornaments so
made are to be electrotyped in gold, silver, or any other metal, or they
may be colored or varnished in any way desired, so as to give them a
varied and elegant appearance. The shapes for ladies' bonnets may be
Jined with ordinary materials, and decorated with flowers, ribbons, or
other ornaments, as the wearer may desire. For coiffures, or ladies'
head dresses, various kinds of fabrics or tissues made of wire as afore-
said may be combined, and flowers, braid, ribbons, or other ornaments
made of the same or similar materials may be applied thereto, or ordi-
nary flowers or ornaments may, if preferred, be employed. An infinite
variety of designs for fabrics suitable for ladies' bonnets, caps, or head
dresses may be made in ordinary lace machinery. For making ribbons
or braid the ordinary machines usually employed for these purposes is
also applicable, and very varied and pleasing effects may be produced
by employing wires of various colours in the same way that silk or other
threads of varied colours are now used.
Having now described my Invention, and the best means with which
I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I claim, in conclusion
making hats, caps, bonnets, or other coverings for the head, of fabric
or tissues made of wire by any of the usual or other suitable processes

page_text: of manufacturing such fabrics or tissues. I also claim the application
to hats, caps, bonnets, or other coverings for the head, of flowers,
ribbons, or other ornaments made of electrotyped or colored wire as
aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert William Sievier, havo
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fifth day of April,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Taken and acknowledged by the above-
named Robert William Sievier at
Paris, this Twenty-fifth day of April
1853,
Before me,
R. W. SIEVIER. (L.S.)
H. B. M. Consul at Paris,
(L.S.) THOMAS PICKFORD.