Improvements in Hat Stands, particularly intended for Display Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hat Stands, particularly intended for Display
Purposes.
I, EDWIN BELMONT MAGILL, of Chicago, County of Cook and State of Illinois,
United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what maner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to hat stands and relates particularly to hat stands
designed and adapted for display purposes.
Among the objects of my invention are to provide a hat stand adapted to engage
the hat inside and to support it in any desired position and which admits of the hat
being thoroughly examined without handling it.
In the preferable form thereof known to me, a hat stand, embodying my
invention, comprises a rod, arms an end of each of which is pivoted to said rod, a
spring or springs for maintaining said arms normally extended, means connecting
said arms to cause simultaneous movement thereof, a lever pivoted between its
ends to said rod, and a link connecting one end of said lever with an arm between
the pivoted and free ends of the latter.
The invention also consists of the various other features, combinations of features
and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings a hat stand of my invention is fully illustrated.
Figure 1, is a side view of a hat stand, embodying my invention, showing the
supporting arms in their normal extended position, in full lines, and showing a hat
supported on said stand, in dotted lines.
Figure 2, is a top plan view of my improved hat stand.
Figure 3, is an enlarged side view of the supporting arms and adjunctive
parts, said arms being in extended position and one thereof being shown in
section; and
Figures 4, 5 and 6, are enlarged details.
Referring now to the drawings, A designates arms, the corresponding ends of
all of which are pivoted to a head A¹ formed on or rigidly secured to the upper
end of a rod A. The outer or free ends of the arms A are designed to bear directly
against the sides of the hat and are preferably outwardly curved or bent to form
rings, thus insuring against the formation of exposed sharp points, which would
be liable to catch in said hat. Preferably, also the portions of said arms, which
come into contact with the hat are provided with a covering a, of rubber, or the
like, which will materially increase the frictional engagement between said arms
and the sides of the hat.
To provide for moving the arms A pivotally to cause the outer or free ends
thereof to approach each other, so that they may be inserted into a hat, means are
provided as follows:-Pivoted to the arms A, between the pivoted and free ends of
the latter, are links a', the opposite ends of all of which are connected to a
sleeve A³, which is longitudinally movable on the rod A2. It is thus obvious that
pivotal movement of one of said arms will impart a corresponding movement to
All of the others

page_text: Pivoted between its ends to the rod A2, below the sleeve A³, is a lever A',
one end of which is connected by a link a2 with one of the arms A, between the
pivoted and free ends of the latter.
The end of the lever A+, opposite to that to which the link a³, is attached, is
downwardly bent or deflected so that both said downwardly bent portion of said
lever A and the rod A may be conveniently grasped with one hand, thus affording
a purchase for operating said lever.
Inserted between the head A' and the sleeve A³ and about the rod A³, as a
guide, is a coiled spring A5. Said spring A5, is normally longer than the maximum
distance between said head A' and said ring or sleeve A³, and will thus operate
to maintain said ring or sleeve normally depressed and, through the links a¹ the
arms A normally extended.
The lever A is preferably so located that it will form a stop to limit the
movement of the sleeve A under the influence of the spring A5 and thus operate
to determine the normal extended position of the arms A.
The standard of my improved stand may, obviously, be formed by an extension
of the rod A2, the end of which is secured to any desired base or support and
which may be either straight or bent to form a bracket.
Preferably, however, the rod A2 is made relatively short and is fitted to the
tubular end of a separate rod As, the opposite end of which is secured in a
suitable support. Provision is thus made for conveniently turning a hat, supported
upon the arms A, so that it may be viewed on all sides." A further advantage of
this construction is that a removable frame or holder, consisting of the rod A³,
the arms A and adjunctive parts, is provided by means of which a hat may be picked
up for examination and inspection without handling the same directly, thus
insuring against soiling or disarrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is: _
1. In a hat stand the combination of a rod, arms, an end of each of which is
pivoted to said rod, a spring or springs for maintaining said arms normally
extended, means connecting said arms to cause simultaneous movement thereof,
a lever pivoted between its ends to said rod and a link connecting one end of the
lever with an arm between the free and pivoted end of the latter, substantially as
described.
2. In a hat stand, the combination of a rod, arms pivoted at one end to said rod,
a sleeve longitudinally movable on the rod, links connected at one end to the
sleeve and at their other ends to the arms at points between their pivoted and
free ends, a spring normally maintaining the sleeve distant from said arms and
the arms extended, a lever pivoted between its ends to said rod and a link
connecting one end of the lever to an arm between the pivoted and free ends of the
latter, substantially as described.
3. In a hat stand, the combination of a rod, arms pivoted thereto, a spring or
springs applied to said arms adapted to maintain the same normally extended, a
sleeve longitudinally movable on said rod, links which connect said sleeve with said
pivoted arms at points a distance from their points of pivotal attachment to said
rod, a lever pivoted to said rod in position to arrest the movement of said sleeve
and the outward pivotal movement of the pivoted arms under the influence of the
spring or springs applied thereto, and a link which connects said lever to an arm,
substantially as described.