Improvements in Hats, Helmets, and other Head Coverings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hats, Helmets, and other Head Coverings.
We, WILLIAM VERO Junior, and EDMUND BESLEY, both of 94 and 105 Union
Street, Borough, in the County of Surrey, Hat and Helmet Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object improvements upon an invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to us numbered 9515 of the year 1889, and relates,
firstly, to means whereby the head fittings or linings are more readily connected
and disconnected with the crown or body of the head covering and, secondly, to a
novel construction of brow band and corrugated ventilating band.
In carrying the first part of our invention into effect, we fix near the edge of
the crown or body of the hat, helmet, or other head covering, any desired number
of readily attachable and detachable fastenings, (preferably four,) consisting of a
foundation plate or base fastened to the body of the head covering by stitching,
rivets, prongs, or other suitable means, and a spring jaw or clip attached to such
foundation plate or base. When the head fittings or linings are provided with a
corrugated ventilating band, we employ, according to one part of our invention,
this latter as the means of attachment of the head lining with the crown or body
of the hat, and as a distance piece between such parts. In this case we place one
of the corrugations between the base or foundation and the spring jaw or clip of
each fastening, having previously opened out the said spring jaws or clips, and we
then close these latter down so that they shall firmly hold the said corrugated
band and its attached head fitting in position. Thus, by having different size head
linings or fittings and corrugated bands attached thereto of different depths of
corrugation, a single crown or body can be readily fitted with a head lining of any
desired size within certain limits.
Instead however of employing the corrugated ventilating band as above described,
we may employ blocks or distance pieces made of metal or other suitable material
and formed on one side with a loop or eye, such blocks or distance pieces being
fixed to the brow band with the loop or eye projecting outward therefrom, and we
place such loops or eyes within the spring fastenings before described.
Where ventilation is not required, we employ head linings of different thicknesses
to obtain various fittings, and we pass the brow band between the spring jaws and
foundation plates of the fastenings, but in this case the spring jaws or clips of the
fastenings are preferably formed at their free ends with a small catch, nose, or pin,
projecting towards the base or foundation plate, so as to catch into or over the edge
of the brow band. In some cases this principle will be employed where ventilation
is required.
The base or foundation of the fastener may be either on the inside or outside of
the crown or body of the head covering, or may be embedded within the thickness
thereof.
The corrugated ventilation and the brow bands above referred to, may be formed
of the materials ordinarily used, but, according to our invention, we form them of
sheet metal, celluloid and such like materials, artificial horn, vulcanite, or other
like material or composition, whereby we obtain greater cleanliness, strength, and
durability, than when using the materials hitherto employed, whilst they can be
wiped or brushed clean when required. When using metal for such purposes, it
may be lacquered, japanned, enamelled, or otherwise protected and ornamented.
The metal brow bands may be of any desired width or strength to afford protec-
tion to the wearer, and they may have perforated holes near top edge to which the
head leather is attached by stitching, rivets, etc., if desired.

page_text: They are covered with soft felt or other suitable material on their inner sides to
obtain comfort; they may be very light in weight so as to avoid taking up
unnecessary space in the interior of the head covering.
Dated this 8th day of Fahm 1905
WILLIAM VERO, JUNIOR,
EDMUND BESLEY,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hats, Helmets, and other Head Coverings.
We, WILLIAM VERO, Junior, and EDMUND BESLEY, both of 94 and 105 Union
Street, Borough, in the County of Surrey, Hat and Helmet Manufacturers, 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 improvements in hats, helmets, and other head-coverings,
which constitute improvements upon an invention described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to us and dated 8th June, 1889, No. 9515.
The object of our present invention is to provide novel constructions of brow-
band and ventilating band for hats, helmets and other head-coverings.
According to our invention we form a combined brow-band and ventilating-band
in one piece, and of any suitable material, such as celluloid, vulcanite, artificial
horn, xylonite, metal, pith or pulp, or of any other material or composition which
may be pressed in dies or otherwise formed of the required shape and size. The
said combined brow-bands and ventilating-bands can be faced with leather, felt,
cork, or other suitable material, so as to be comfortable to the head of the wearer.
They can be lacquered, japanned, enamelled or otherwise protected or ornamented
and are preferably so made that they can be removed from the hat at any time,
washed, or otherwise cleaned, and then replaced. When formed of metal or other
sufficiently strong material they can be made of sufficient depth to form a very
efficient adjunct to military head-gear, as a protection against sword cuts, for
instance. In such instances they may be so deepened that their opposite upper
edges will almost meet, centrally, over the top of the head, so as to constitute a
protective cap.
In order that our said invention may be clearly understood we will now proceed
to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan of one form of combined brow-band and ventilating-band con-
structed according to our invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, in place in a helmet, which latter is
shown in section.
Figure 3 is a plan of an alternative form of combined brow-band and ventilating-
band.
Figure 4 is a section on the line xx of Figure 3, showing the said alternative form
of combined brow-band and ventilating-band in place in a hat, the hat being in
section.
With reference first to Figures 1 and 2, A is the portion of the combined article
which forms the brow-band, B B are corrugations formed thereon and constituting
the ventilating-band. The upper edge of the portion A may be provided with a
series of small perforations C, to enable a cork, leather, or other facing to be
sewn, riveted, or otherwise attached to the brow-band, to bear against the brow of
the wearer of the head-dress.
The spaces D on the inside and outside of the corrugations form ventilating-
passages, when the brow-band and ventilating-band are in place within the hat or
helmet. We may obviously form ribs, projections, or distance-pieces of any suitable

page_text: shape upon the brow-band to take the place of the corrugations, the said ribs or
projections being arranged so that spaces are left between them on the outside of
the band to form ventilation spaces.
Such a combined article can be formed by pressing, stamping, or moulding.
For example, a blank of suitable form is placed in a mould and a die is caused
to act thereon to force the material of the blank into the interstices of the said
mould and at the same time to form, by means of punches, the aforesaid spaces
inside the corrugations.
Or a suitable mould may have fluid or semi-fluid material poured thereinto,
which may either be compressed therein, or simply allowed to set, and which may
be afterwards subjected to such further treatment as may be necessary.
The said spaces inside the corrugations may be formed by punching or drilling,
after the corrugations have been made.
With reference now to Figures 3 and 4, E is a band of inverted U-section, the
outer portion E of which fits the interior of the hat, and the interior portion E
of which fits the wearer's head. The intermediate space F forms an air space
which communicates with the interior of the hat, by the openings F'.
The said combined brow and ventilating bands are preferably retained in place
in the hat or the like by means such as those described in the Specification of our
said prior Letters Patent, and we form in or upon the said brow and ventilating
bands, where desirable, such projections, openings, or loops as may be convenient
for use in attaching the said bands to the hat or other head-dress.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A combined brow-band and corrugated ventilating-band formed of one piece
of material, substantially as hereinbefore described for the purpose specified.
2. A brow-band and distance-pieces formed of one piece of material, substan-
tially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with a hat or other head covering of a metal brow-band
substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.