IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING HATS, CAPS, AND BONNETS FROM BEING LOST BY THE EFFECT OF WIND, OR OTHER CAUSES
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BIGGS, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventh day of October last, in the fifth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said.
Thomas Biggs, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Thomas Biggs, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Thomas Biggs, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING HATS, CAPS, AND BONNETS FROM
BEING LOST BY THE EFFECT OF WIND, OR OTHER CAUSES;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Thomas Biggs, shall cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Biggs, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say-
My Invention relates to the application of elastic strings, bands, or straps,
made partly of india-rubber, to hats, caps, and bonnets, whereby I am enabled
to fasten hats, caps, or bonnets to the heads of persons in such manner as to
ensure the hats, caps, and bonnets from being lost in case of wind, and from
being blown off when riding, and by such use and application of elastic strings,
bands, or straps, made partly of india-rubber, they may, when not required for
use, and as they will, under such circumstances, be in the contracted state,
be out of the way within the hats, caps, or bonnets, or in other convenient
position; the object of the Invention being to obtain the advantages of the
elasticity of india-rubber fabrics (made in narrow widths or in cords) for
fastening hats, caps, and bonnets.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood and readily
connied into
T
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, 1, the said
Thomas Biggs, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say-
.
My Invention relates to the application of elastic strings, bands, or straps,
made partly of india-rubber, to hats, caps, and bonnets, whereby I am enabled
to fasten hats, caps, or bonnets to the heads of persons in such manner as to
ensure the hats, caps, and bonnets from being lost in case of wind, and from
being blown off when riding, and by such use and application of elastic strings,
bands, or straps, made partly of india-rubber, they may, when not required for
use, and as they will, under such circumstances, be in the contracted state,
be out of the way within the hats, caps, or bonnets, or in other convenient
position; the object of the Invention being to obtain the advantages of the
elasticity of india-rubber fabrics (made in narrow widths or in cords) for
fastening hats, caps, and bonnets.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood and readily
Learried into effect, I will pressed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figures 1 and 2 represent sections of a bat having an elastic band, string,
or strap applied; a, a, being the elastic band, string, or strap; and I may
remark that I prefer that class of elastic bands or tapes or webs which are
produced by braiding over threads or strands of india-rubber, as they offer
a greater extent of elasticity than the other elastic webs or tapes made partly
of india-rubber, but manufactured by other means, though such other elastic
fabrics, partly of india-rubber, may be used. The elastic bands may be applied
or fastened to hats, bonnets, and caps in various ways; I do not, therefore,
confine myself to the precise means shown in the Drawings, as many variations
may be made; the only care to be observed in fixing elastic bands, strings,
or straps being that they should be of such length that they will allow of being
drawn out to an extent equal to pass under the chin of the persons when
putting the hat, cap, or bonnet on to the head, and that without prejudice to
extent of elasticity of the rubber.
In Figures 1 and 2 there are two small metal holders b, b, affixed within
the hat, through which the band or strap a passes, and the two ends are

page_text: connected by means of a buckle c, or are sewed or otherwise fastened together,
as is shown in Figures 1 and 2, and more clearly at Figure 3, where the parts
are shown full size.
י יי
Figure 4 shows a "bonnet with an elastic band, string, or strap a applied
thereto, the two ends being affixed by sewing within the head of the bonnet,
and the string or strap a is shewn to be stretched, as if under the chin of the
person, but when not so extended it would contract and lie within the head of
the bonnet; this strap is also shewn to have a buckle, but that may be
dispensed with, and the band, strap, or string a be in one piece.
Figure 5 shows a hat having an elastic string, strap, or band a, the two ends
being fastened within the head of the hat, the strap being shown in the
extended state.
Figure 6 shows a cap having an elastic strap, string, or band, the two ends
being fastened within the cap, and the strap is shown in the extended state,
and it will be understood that when released it will be within the cap out of
the way; or in place of having the strap a within the cap, the ends may be
fastened at the two sides of the cap, and be round the front of the cap, in a
similar manner to the leather strap now used, and when the elastic strap is
required to be brought under the chin, the strap a will be extended for that
purpose.
From the above description, aided by the Drawing, it will readily be seen
that the mode of fixing bands, straps, or strings, made partly of india-rubber,
may be varied, so long as the elasticity is brought into action for allowing the
strings, straps, or bands to be stretched in order to pass them under the chin,
and by their elasticity to hold on the hats, caps, or bonnets, and when not
required for such use, they will contact and lie out of the way. I wish it,
therefore, to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise forms
shown, but what I do claim as the Invention is the mode of securing hats,
caps, and bonnets by the application of elastic bands, straps, or strings, made
partly of india-rubber, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Biggs, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, and in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
35 Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Biggs, in the
presence of
SAMUEL STONE.
THOMAS (L.S.) BIGGS.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid Thomas Biggs came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written: And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-one..