Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1898-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1898
GEORGE LEONARD LAVINGTON, 19, St. George's Road, Forest Gate, London, E.,
Manufacturer, EDWIN ALFRED WRIGHT, 144, St. George's Road, Forest Gate, Lon-
don, E., Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved safety hat box wherein a gentleman's silk
hat can be kept without the possibility of the silk or pile being ruffled. The box
is made of either thin sheet metal, leather or wood. The shape of box is almost
rectangular with the exception that the lid is slightly arched from front to back
for the purpose of increasing the height of box in the centre.
Within the box, across the right hand side, an upholstered or cushioned wire
frame is adjusted, so that, when placing the silk hat in the box, the brim of the
hat is made to slide down in the upholstered frame until one of the points or ends
of the brim rests on the bottom.
In this manner, the silk hat is held securely in a horizontal position, with the
crown of the hat directing to the left, a clear space being left between the hat and
each of the sides of the box.
Should it be found unnecessary to have the upholstered frame extending right
round the brim of the hat, our intention is to adjust to the side of the box, only
those portions of the frame which are necessary to securely hold the brim of the
hat. When only portions of the frame are used, one of the said portions is ad-
justed in the right hand top back corner, a second in the right hand top front
corner and the third at the bottom of the right hand side in the centre; the third
being for the purpose of forming a cushion for the point or end of brim to rest
upon.
The rim of the lid slopes from the hinge downwards to the front of the box, so
that the rim on the front of the lid forms about one third of the front of the box
when closed, and, when opened shows, from a front view about a half of the hat
in a horizontal position, with the sides of the box sloping upwards.
On the front and back of box, two or more loops or runners are made, through
which a strap passes, such strap reaching round the box. On the lid are fixed two
shoulders, causing the strap to lie close to the lid of the box and to rise suffi-
ciently, in the centre, to be held as a handle. The strap is of such suitable length
and is so adjusted that the buckle and the end of same meet in the front of box
as a substitute for a hasp.
To prevent the strap from drawing out of the loops or runners, when unbuckled,
a small stop-piece is fixed through the front of the rim of the box, which acts in a
small slot cut in the strap.
With reference to the cushioned or padded frame parts, described above, in
which the brim of the hat slides, the same are made to act by means of coiled wire
springs, by which they are adjusted to the sides of the box, so that they open and
close to the breadth of any sized hat.
These said frame parts are suitably padded, so that, when the underneath part of
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page_text: the brim slides upon them, the hat is caused to slightly incline inwards towards
the opposite side of the box. In this manner, the hat is kept clear of the rim
of the lid of the box, when being closed.
14th day of August 1897
Improved Gentleman's Silk-hat Box.
GEORGE LEONARD LAVINGTON, Manufacturer, 19, St. George's Road, Forest Gate,
E., EDWIN ALFRED WRIGHT, Builder, "Norwood," Shrewsbury Road, East Ham,
E., late of 144, St. George's Road, Forest Gate, E., 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:—
Our invention relates to an improved safety hat box wherein a gentleman's silk
hat can be kept without the possibility of the silk being ruffled. The box is of a
rectangular shape with perpendicular sides and a lid arched from front to back for
the purpose of increasing the height of the box in the middle. The box is made
of either sheet-metal, wood, or leather. The box is constructed so as to allow the
hat to be placed in a horizontal position, the crown of the hat directed towards the
left (A) the end or point of the rim resting on the bottom of the box, the rim on
each side of the hat being received and held by two upholstered wired frames (B)
the said frames being secured in the right-hand corners of the box, oné in the front
corner, and the other in the rear corner, about midway between the top of the lid
when closed and the bottom of the box. The bottom edge (C) of the sides of the
lid slope from the hinged back (D) to the front, (E) so that the rim of the lid in
the front (F) constitutes about one-third of the total height of the box. The body
of the box is deeper at the back than at the front, the top edges of the two sides
sloping towards the front of the box, at an angle corresponding with the angle at
which the edges of the rim of the lid slope. On the front and back of the box two
or more loops or runners (G) are made, through which a strap passes round the box.
On the lid are fixed two wedge-shaped shoulders (H) causing the strap (P) when
passed through them to lie close to the lid of the box, and to rise sufficiently between
the shoulders to form a handle (J). The strap is of such suitable length and is so
adjusted that the buckle and the end of the same meet in the front of the box for
the purpose of being used as a hasp. To prevent the strap from drawing out from
the loops or runners, when unbuckled, a small stop piece (K) is fixed through the
rim of the lid in the front, which acts in a slot cut in the strap. The aforesaid
padded frame parts (B) are made to act by means of coiled wire springs (B₂) by
the straightened ends of which (C2) they are secured to the sides of the box, so that
they open or close to the breadth of any sized hat. These said parts are suitably 4
padded so that when the underneath part of the brim of the hat slides upon them,
the hat is slightly inclined inwards towards the left-hand side (A) of the box.
this manner the hat is kept clear of the lid of the box when being closed. The box
can be constructed to hold two hats by making each side alike so that the hats
come crown to crown without touching each other.
In
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
4
(1) An improved gentleman's silk-hat box of a rectangular shape, with perpendi-
cular sides. For the purpose of holding the hat so that the silk is not ruffled and 5

page_text: also so that the hat shall be in a horizontal position with the crown towards the
left, there are secured on the right-hand side two upholstered wired frames, one in
each corner, which receive and clasp the rim of the hat.
(2) In a hat box the use of padded frames acting by means of coiled wire,
springs, so that they open to any-sized hat.
(3) Two or more runners to hold the strap which passes over and under the box.
Two shoulders on the lid to keep the said strap close to the top of the box,
the portion of the strap between them forming a handle.
(5) A small stop piece in the lid, acting in a slot in the strap to prevent the
same from being drawn out of the runners.
(6) A box intended for two hats, made twice the width from left to right with
an additional pair of frames in the left hand corners, the hats thus being held
crown towards crown.
°
ALFRED G. V. TILLY,
Agent.