A New or Improved Fastening for Ladies' Hats.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Fastening for Ladies' Hats.
I EDWARD HENRY ANDREWS of 5 Broadlees Terrace, Dover, Electrician, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved fastener for ladies bats, and has for its
object to provide a simple and inexpensive device which can be easily manipulated,
and will not have any dangerous projecting points as is the case with the ordinary
hat pin.
The device consists of a piece of stout wire bent into a spiral form, the end
being free.
The spiral may consist of one or more turns, about one and a half complete turns
being preferred.
The upper end of the wire is vertical, and forms a shank passing through a plate
or plates, and attached in such a manner that it can turn freely, but prevented
from becoming disengaged.
A convenient arrangement is to employ two plates fixed together, between which
a collar on the shank is retained.
To fix the device to the hat the shank is passed through the material, and the
plate is stitched or otherwise fixed inside the hat, the spiral also projecting inside.
A small button or washer may then be placed on the shank, and a split ring or
other simple device attached by which the fastener may be manipulated.
To fasten the hat in place on the head, the spiral is turned from the top causing
it to engage with the hair, and thus retain the hat securely in place. It can be
immediately disengaged by turning the spiral in the opposite direction, withdrawing
it from the hair without in any way ruffling or disturbing the latter.
This device does not cut or injure the hair in any way, and will not scratch the
head as pins are liable to do. It will also act as a spring so that in the case of a
strong gust of wind the force tending to remove the hat will be reduced.
Dated this 20th day of September 1894.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Fastening for Ladies' Hats.
I EDWARD HENRY ANDREWS of 5 Broadlees Terrace, Dover, Electrician, 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 to an improved fastener for ladies hats, and has for its
object to provide a simple and inexpensive device which can be easily manipulated,
and will not have any dangerous projecting points as is the case with the ordinary
hat pin.
The device consists of a piece of stout wire bent into a spiral form the end being
free. The spiral may consist of one or more turns, about one and a half complete
turns being preferred. The upper end of the wire is vertical, and forms a shank
D

page_text: passing through a plate or plates, and attached in such a manner that it can turn
freely, but prevented from becoming disengaged.
A slightly modified form consists in bending the wire into quadrant shape
eccentric to the pivot, the curve being in one plane, instead of being directed
downwards as in the forms above described. A convenient arrangement is to fit a
plate on the underside of the hat with a central hole, the edges of which are bent
down to form a bearing for the shank. The wire is pushed through the top of the
hat and through the hole, being screwed into place.
In a modification I employ two plates fixed together, between which a collar on
the shank is retained.
To fix the device to the hat the shank is passed through the material, and the
plate is stitched or otherwise fixed inside the hat, the spiral also projecting inside.
A small washer may then be placed on the shank, and a cap or other simple device
attached by which the fastener may be manipulated.
To fasten the hat in place on the head, the spiral is turned from the top causing
it to engage with the hair, and thus retain the hat securely in place. It can be
immediately disengaged by turning the spiral in the opposite direction, withdrawing
it from the hair without in any way ruffling or disturbing the latter.
This device does not cut or injure the hair in any way, and will not scratch the
head as pins are liable to do. It will also act as a spring so that in the case of a
strong gust of wind, the force tending to remove the hat will be reduced.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 show one arrangement
respectively in sectional elevation and in plan, Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of a
slightly modified form, and Figs. 5 to 8 show two further modifications. The wire
of which the main portion of the device is formed is bent into a spiral shape A,
the outer portion of which is on a slightly lower plane than the central part. The
upper end B is vertical and projects through the material of the hat C shown in
Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 7 in section, this vertical portion forming a pivot for the spiral.
The ordinary hat pin may be utilised in forming this device, being simply bent into
the required shape.
According to Figs. 1 and 2 a plate D is stitched to the hat with a perforation at
the centre, the edges of which are bent down to form a bearing for the shank B.
In this form the wire is screwed through the material of the hat and the perforation
of the plate.
The holes d are used to stitch the plate to the hat.
According to Figs. 3 and 4 the device is fitted to the hat by means of the plate D¹
attached to the under side of the hat as above mentioned.
Between the two plates a collar or disc fitted on the shank B of the fastener,
is placed, the arrangement permitting the shank to turn freely along with the spiral
without allowing it to become loose. A small washer E may be placed on the
shank on the upper side of the hat to protect the hat when the article is being
manipulated. To operate the device a small button F is fitted to the top of the
shank after the latter has been passed through the hat. This button is fixed in any
simple and well known manner, but any other form of projection may be used
which can be held by the fingers. This button is preferably of ornamental form
and can be made into a suitable decoration according to the style of the hat.
According to Figs. 5 and 6 the general construction of the arrangement is some-
what similar to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a single plate D2 being employed and
instead of using a separate collar B the wire itself may be bent round into a loop b¹
to serve the same purpose, effectually retaining the fastener in position, but
permitting it to turn easily. This collar or loop is held between the plate D² and
the hat, instead of between the two plates shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the wire instead of being bent into
the spiral form shown in the other figs. is bent into a quadrant shape A', starting at
a short distance from the centre and widening outwards as shown clearly in Fig. 6.
This curve is preferably in one plane instead of curving downwards as is the case

page_text: in the other arrangements. The end of the wire however may be turned slightly
upwards to prevent any scratching of the head. Instead of having a separate
button or cap
F the end of the wire can be bent round at F¹ to form a finger piece.
This form of the wire will prevent it being removed from the hat accidentally.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) An improved fastening for ladies hats, formed from a single length of wire,
one end of which is vertical, forming a shank, and the main part is bent into a
curve or spiral form adapted to engage with the hair, and a plate fixed on the under
side of the hat formed with a hole through which the shank passes and serving to
carry the fastener, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
(2.) In an improved fastening for ladies hats, the combination with a plate
stitched on the under side of the hat, having a perforation, of a single length of
wire bent to form a vertical shank passing through the said plate and hat material,
and a spiral at the lower side extending slightly downwards from the centre and
adapted to engage with the hair, and a collar on the side of the shank retained by
the plate, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
(3.) In an improved fastening for ladies hats, the combination with a single
length of wire bent into a vertical shank, forming a pivot and a spiral at the lower
side, and a finger piece and collar on the said shank, of two plates stitched to the
under side of the hat retaining the collar between them substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
Dated thin 7th dot of November 1894
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.