Improvements in Hat or similar Receptacles or Racks.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Mar.. 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hat or similar Receptacles or Racks.
I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN CHILDRESS, of Dublin, Virginia, United States of America,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :--
This invention relates to hat or similar receptacles or racks two special features
being employed in it; first, a device by which the hat when in position is secured
there, and cannot, be removed without the consent of the owner, and second, an
advertising arrangement which necessarily comes prominently before the person
using the instrument, as well as other persons.
In carrying out the invention I employ a suitable framework or closed box if
preferred, which may be secured to any fixed portion of the room or building, or
may even be portable if preferred. For such places as hotels, restaurants and the
like I prefer to arrange these in long skeleton racks so that the contents of each
division may be visible, but the top may with advantage be closed in so as to serve
as a shelf or for other purposes.
The hat being placed in the receptacle is prevented from being withdrawn by an
unauthorised person by means of a folding or sliding frame or equivalent, which turns
or slides into such a position that the hat cannot be removed until the frame is
returned to its position out of the way. In connection with this I have a spring
lock, latch or equivalent, preferably a lock, with the key so arranged that when the
frame, which I will call a cover, is pulled down, it cannot be returned without the
use of the key which the proprietor of the hat can draw out of the lock and take
away with him, thus rendering his hat perfectly secure. Conveniently the cover is
pivotted and has a disc at one end which normally retains the bolt of the lock in the
lock itself, but when the cover is closed an opening in the disc is presented
to the bolt which enters it, thus preventing the cover from being
returned. Another feature in connection with this arrangement is that when the
lock is turned by the key and the cover returns to its normnal position and the hat
can be removed, the disc prevents the bolt from being, shot and the key is
consequently prevented from being removed from the lock until the cover is again
drawn down, so that the key is not likely to be lost when not in use.
In connection with the cover or folding part thereof I have a piece of leather or
other flexible material connected at one part to the frame of the cover, and at the
other part to a roller, like a roller blind having a spring which when the cover is
released rolls it up, drawing the frame with it so that to release the hat it is
only necessary to return the key and the cover moves automatically out of the
way.
Upon this cover the advertisement may be printed or disposed in any convenient
manner, and other portions of the apparatus may be used for advertising purposes.
The frame may be made of a piece of curved wire, but. if desired at the part which
is grasped by the hand a piece of tube free to turn may be placed upon it. It will
be readily appreciated that considerable modifications may be made in the details
without departing from the spirit of this invention; therefore I do not bind myself
to the special features that I have above described.

page_text: The invention may be used for securing other articles or goods besides hats-
walking sticks or umbrellas for example-and may be modified as necessary for such
purposes.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
.
Improvements in Hat or similar Receptacles or Kacks.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN CHILDRESS, of Dublin, Virginia, United States of America,
Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates generally to hat racks, and more particularly to an improved
construction of hat racks, intended for hotels, dining rooms and the like.
The object of this invention is to provide a hat rack in which the hat can be so
secured that it will be impossible for any person other than the owner of the hat to
remove it from the rack, either by mistake or purpose.
- Another object of this invention is to provide a hat rack embodying a locking
mechanism capable of preventing the hat from being withdrawn, said locking
mechanism being automatic so far as its locking operation is concerned, each lock
being opened only by its own special key, which key cannot be withdrawn from the
lock except after the securing bar has been locked in place.
Another object of the invention is to provide an advertising device in connection
with the securing device, which advertising device is brought into operation when the
securing bar is operated.
With these various objects in view, my invention consists essentially of a hat rack
comprising a series of separate compartiments, which compartments have means at the
back to prevent the hat being pushed too far inward, and a pivoted locking or
securing bail at the front capable of being turned down across the front of the said
compartment and locked, whereby it will be impossible to withdraw the hat without
first unlocking the bail; and the invention consists also in connecting the spring
actuated curtain to the locking bail, which curtain has advertising matter printed
thereon, and will be unrolled when the locking bail is thrown, down to secure
the hat.
My invention consists also in certain details of construction and novelties of
combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the
claims.
In the drawings forming a part of this Specification,
Figure 1, is a view showing any invention in use in the lobby of a hotel or dining
rooni.
Figure 2, is an enlarged detail view of two compartments showing a hat secured in
one, the other compartment being left open.
Figure 3, is a detail sectional view taken on the lines 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4, is a detail of locking bail.
Figure 5, is a detail of lock.
In the practical embodiment of my invention, I employ an end standard, A,
between which the rack proper is supported. This rack consists of a series of
compartments, B, and in constructing a hat rack of this description, I prefer to
employ light strips of wood, but it will of course be understood that any other
material can be used if desired.

page_text: In forming the series of compartments, I employ a series of horizontal strips, C,
extending from one side standard to the other, said strips being preferably arranged
in horizontal series, three in each series, thereby virtually providing a series of
horizontal shelves upon which the hats are adapted to rest.
Intersecting the horizontal strips, C, are the series of vertical strips D, also arranged
in series of three, and extending from the top shelf to the bottom shelf, connecting
each of the horizontal strips where they meet the vertical strips are the cross strips D¹,
thereby subdividing the shelves or providing the series of compartments B.
A wire or rod E, is arranged at the back of each shelf and extends along the entire
length thereof to prevent the hat being pushed too far inward, and also prevents the
hat from being withdrawn from the rack at the rear.
It will be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to a rod or wire as it is
obvious that the back of the compartment could be closed by employing thin lumber
or if desired, wire gauze fabric may be employed, and furthermore, it will be
understood that instead of using the thin strips, C, D, and D¹, I may employ thin
boards of sufficient width to produce the compartment.
Pivoted between the front and side strips of each compartment is a locking bail G,
essentially rectangular in shape, and having its ends G¹, bent downwardly at right
angles to provide pivots upon which the bail turns.
A locking disk H, is rigidly mounted upon one end of the bail and has a hole or
socket H', near its periphery, which is adapted to receive the locking bolt I, when the
bail is turned down to retain the hat in the compartment, as shown in Figure 2, said
bolt being projected into the hole or socket, by the force of a spring contained within
the locking case preferably arranged upon the rear face of the front strip, the key hole
of said lock however, being arranged upon the front face of the strip.
I do not wish to limit myself to any special construction of lock but may employ
any construction of spring lock, by means of which the bolt will be projected into the.
hole or socket of the locking disk when the said disk is brought around opposite to
said locking bolt, and as the disk rests close to the inner face of the strip, and flat
face thereof will bear constantly upon the end of the bolt and thereby hold such bolt.
in such position that the key cannot be withdrawn from the lock. After the bolt has
been turned, however, to lock the bail, the key can be readily removed.
The bail is preferably provided with a surrounding sleeve L, for the purpose of
affording a convenient hand grip but it will of course be understood that this.
construction is not at all necessary, and parallel to the front member of the bail is a
cross bar, M, to which is attached the lower end of a curtain, N, the upper end of said
curtain being attached to a spring roller 0, journalled between the side strips of the
compartment.
Upon the front face of this curtain is printed any desired advertising matter, and
this advertising matter besides serving its legitimate purpose as an advertisement,
also aids the owner of the hat in identifying his compartment as he will bear in mind
that his hat is locked in a compartment bearing the advertisement of a particular firm
or institution.
It will thus be seen that in order to lock a hat in this rack it is only necessary to
pull down the bail in front of the compartment and the spring bolt will engage
the disk and lock the bail.
The bolt in springing to a locked position moves the bit of the key to such a
position that it can be withdrawn, and such key will then of course be removed
and carried in the pocket of the owner of the hat.
Each compartment is numbered and its respective key bears the same number.
It will also be noticed that in pulling down the bail to secure the hat, the
advertising card is brought into view, and when it is desired to remove the hat,
the key is inserted and the bolt thrown back, thus releasing the locking disk and the
spring roller of the curtain immediately causes said curtain to be rolled up, by which
rolling action immediately elevates the locking bail and opens the entrance to the
compartment.
It will be borne in mind, however, that the key cannot be removed from the lock

page_text: until after the locking bail has been thrown down so as to bring the disk into
engagement with the locking bolt.
It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedingly cheap and simple device which
can be arranged in a series of any desired number, and in the most convenient form
for hotels, dining rooms and the like.
It will also be noticed that it will be impossible to withdraw the hat from the rack
after the locking bolt has been set in place, and it will also be noticed that at the
same time the hat is secured, the advertising card immediately is brought
into view, which advertising card being spring actuated, will open, unlocking the
disk and serving to elevate the locking bail and thereby open the entrance to the
compartment.
Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is :-
1. An improved hat rack comprising a compartment adapted to receive a hat, a
locking bail hinged to the front of the compartment adapted to be turned down
across the front of said compartment and engage a locking device and the spring
actuated curtain for normally holding the locking bail in an elevated position,
substantially as shown and described.
2: In a hat rack, the combination with a compartment of a locking bail pivoted
in the front thereof, the locking disk having a hole or socket, the spring actuated
locking bolt and the spring actuated curtain for returning the bail to its normal
position, substantially as shown and described.
3. In a hat rack, the combination with the compartment of a locking bail pivoted in
the front thereof, and means for securing the said bail in a lowered position, a display
curtain attached to the said bail and the spring actuated roller to which the said
curtain is attached, substantially as shown and described.
4. In a hat rack, the combination with a compartment, of a locking bail pivoted in the
front of said compartment and provided with a display curtain adapted to be exposed
when the bail is locked and concealed from view when the bail is unlocked,
substantially as shown and described.
5. In a hat rack, the kind described, the combination with a compartment of the
locking bail pivoted in the front thereof, the locking disk having a socket or hole,
the spring actuated locking bolt, the display curtain attached at its outer end to the
bail, and the spring roller to which the inner end of said curtain is attached,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1897.
ARTHUR J. CLEVELAND,
Attorney for B. F. Childress.