Improvements in Binding the Brims of Hats.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Binding the Brims of Hats.
We, GEORGE WORSLEY and JOSEPH BRELSFORD, of the Firm of Worsley & Brels-
ford, Manufacturers, ALBERT ERNEST WORSLEY, Commercial Traveller, all of Cross
Gate Works, Audenshaw, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and
FRANCIS CREE, Junior, Machinist, of Broom-Stair House, Haughton, Denton, in
the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
The object of these improvements is to bind the edge of the brim of a hat or
other similar covering for the head, with "galloon" or other suitable binding,
without sewing the same thereonto as at present practised.
For this purpose we take a piece of "galloon or other suitable binding of the
requisite length and width, and we sew or join the ends together preferably with
a slightly bevelled joint.
We then take an endless wire or cane or other suitable material (but preferably
the spring endless wire now used under the curl to support the brim) and make it
of such a size and so formed as to follow the curve of the cut edge of the brim
round the front and back and the two side curls thereof, and thus when in position
adding strength to the side curls, and still giving equal strength and elasticity
to the whole brim as before.
We then take this endless wire and sew or whip one edge of the galloon or binding
to it by means of a suitable sewing machine.
We also "whip" over the other edge of the "galloon" or binding with an elastic
stitch but with a thread only, without the wire, so as to give it a certain amount
of "spring" or elasticity.
48
We then lay the wire over the edge of the brim at front and back, bringing it
under the edge of the curls at the sides, and we then take the unwired edge of the
galloon" and draw it over the wire and curl and under the edge of the brim at
the front and back, and over the curls at the sides, the elasticity given to the unwired
edge of the "galloon" by "whipping" it over with a thread, allowing the same
to be pulled over the edge of the brim, and then drawing it back tightly so as to
cause it to cling closely to the brim without being sewn thereto, the binding at the
front and back showing underneath a regularly graduated edge.
If preferred however in some cases we may further secure the edge of the binding
at the side curls by a stitch or two at intervals or by small pins, clips, or other analo-
gous fastenings, or by an adhesive substance, but in most cases we find the elas-
ticity imparted to the "galloon" sufficient to keep the outer edge in place.
"
As an alternative to whipping the endless wire on to the edge of the "galloon
with a thread we sometimes use a finely barbed wire, and we attach the wire to

page_text: the edge of the "galloon" by passing the barbs through the fabric at or near the
edge.
Dated thin 14 do 1007
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicants, 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Binding the Brims of Hats.
We, GEORGE WORSLEY, and JOSEPH BRELSFORD, of the Firm of Worsley & Brels-
ford, Manufacturers, ALBERT ERNEST WORSLEY, Commercial Traveller, all of Cross
Gate Works, Audenshaw, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and
FRANCIS CREE, Junior, Machinist, of Broom-Stair House, Haughton, Denton, in
the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:—
: The object of these improvements is to bind the edge of the brim of a hat or
other similar covering for the head; having a stiff or stiffened brim with "galloon"
or other suitable binding, without sewing the same thereunto as at present prac-
tised.
For this purpose we take a piece of "galloon" or other suitable binding of the
requisite length and width, and we sew or join the ends together, if necessary
with a slightly bevelled joint.
We then take an endless wire or cane or other suitable material (but preferably
wire such as and in place of the spring endless' wire now used under the curl to
support the brim) and make it of such a size and so formed as to follow the curve
of the cut edge of the brim round the front and back and the two side curls thereof,
and thus when in position adding strength to the side curls, and still giving equal
strength and elasticity to the whole brim as before.
We then take this endless wire and sew or whip one edge of the "galloon" or
binding to it by means of a suitable sewing machine.
66
وو
We also whip" over the other edge of the "galloon" or binding with an
elastic stitch but with thread only, without the wire, so as to give it a certain
amount of "spring" or elasticity.
We then lay the wire over the edge of the brim at the front and back bringing
it under the edge of the curls at the sides, and we then take the unwired edge of
the "galloon" and draw it over the wire and curl and under the edge of the brim
at the front and back, and over the curls at the sides, the additional elasticity,
given to the unwired edge of the “galloon” by "whipping" it over with thread,
allowing the same to be pulled over the edge of the brim, and then drawing it
back tightly so as to cause it to cling closely to the brim without being sewn thereto,
the wire being entirely concealed and the binding at the front and back showing
underneath a regularly graduated edge.
'
It may be found however necessary to secure the edge of the binding at the side
curls by a stitch or two at intervals, or by small pins clips or other analogous
fastenings, or by a suitable adhesive material not deleteriously acted on by wet.
or heat; but in most cases we find the elasticity imparted to the "galloon" by the
stitching sufficient to keep the outer edge in place.
"
As an alternative to whipping the endless wire on to the edge of the "galloon'
with a thread we sometimes use a finely barbed wire and we attach the wire to the
edge of the "galloon" by passing the barbs through the fabric at or near the edge.
On the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 shews a side view of a galloon ready for attachment.

page_text: g. shows a pian view or an ordinary stiffened felt hat, the dotted line indi-
cating the position of the wire under and at the edge of the curl.
Fig. 4 is a section through the curl or side of the brim shewing how the galloon
5 is forced from the position shewn by full lines; the dotted curved line shewing
approximately the path of the outer or elastic stitched edge of the galloon.
Fig. 5 is a similar section through the front of the brim.
Fig. 6 is an underneath plan of the hat shewing the graduation of the elastio
edge of the galloon at the front and back after application according to our invention.
a is the galloon, a' the elastic stitched edge, and a³ the wire applied to the inner
edge a³ (Fig. 2) shews the ends of the galloon when connected together, these ends
may be cut slightly on the bevel (see dotted lines) before joining them to shorten
the edge a¹.
6 is the hat, b¹ the front and back part of the brim, and 6 the sides of the brim
or curl.
We would remark in conclusion that the exact method of carrying our invention
into practice may be varied so long as the principle is adhered to, namely to make
the inner edge of the galloon attachable by the wire or its equivalent and to make
the other edge of the galloon so elastic as to clip tightly round the edge or curl
of the brim of the hat when applied thereto, as above described.
The elastic stitching herein before described does not make a thick or bulky
edge to the binding but merely imitates the ordinary hand whipping now applied
at front and back of the edge of the binding. It strengthens the edge all round
the binding and thus is equally strong all round even at the joint of the binding.
The thread will not deteriorate, and the binding is the ordinary galloon as at
present manufactured, which can be stitched at the edge by any suitable means; the
stitching being such as to allow of the stretching of the edge of the galloon when
turning the latter over as above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our - said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. Fastening a galloon to the edge of a stiff or stiffened hat brim by attaching
one edge thereof to an endless wire or spring so made as to fit inside and close
to the cut edge or curl of the brim and be concealed by the galloon the wired
edge of which is thus fixed in place without stitching and the other edge of which
then turned over and sprung around the edge or curl of the brim, this
outer edge of the galloon being made elastic by. stitching for that purpose, and
when requisite fastened by suitable means on or to the hat, substantially as herein-
before described.
2. Attaching to the edge of the galloon for binding a hat having a stiff or
stiffened brim an endless wire such as that now used under the curl to support the
brim but so formed that when the galloon is fixed in position on the edge or curl
of the hat, the wire (or its equivalent) will follow and support the cut edge of the
side curls thus adding strength thereto, and dispensing with the usual wire
aforesaid, substantially as herein before described.
3. A galloon to be fastened to the edge of a stiff or stiffened hat brim having at
one edge thereof means for making it fit inside and close to the cut edge or curl
of the brim and the other or outer edge of the galloon being made elastic by stitching
for the purpose herein before described.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicants; 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.