Improvements in Appliances for Securing Hats on the Head.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES SCOTT, of 1680, Hennepin Avenue,
Minneapolis, Hennepin County, State of Minnesota, United States of America,
Civil Engineer.]
Improvements in Appliances for Securing Hats on the Head.
I, WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E., of 62, Saint Vincent Street, in the City of
Glasgow, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 devices that may be permanently
attached to a woman's hat and may be used for securing the hat in position,
so that the hat may be readily and quickly fastened upon the head, or unfastened
for the purpose of removal.
The invention consists generally in a hat, having secured to the under surface
of the brim, at the inner edge thereof, two oppositely sliding curved pins, said
pins being preferably of curved form so as to slide over the top of the head of the
wearer and engage the hair.
The invention consists further in an adjustable holding device applied to each of
said pins.
The invention consists further in the constructions and combinations hereinafter
described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a hat having my improvements applied thereto,
the pins being drawn back in position for application of the device to the head.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the pins pushed inward, in position to engage
the hair of the wearer.
Fig. 3 is a detail looking towards the inside of the hat.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views of the holder.
Fig. 7 is a sectional view of one side of the hat showing the pin in position
therein and showing a modified means for supporting the holder.
Fig. 8 is a transverse section showing the device applied to a soft hat, the pins
in this view being shown drawn back in position for application of the hat to the
head of the wearer,
Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but with the pins pushed inward into position
to engage the hair of the wearer.
Fig. 10 is an underside view of the pins and the supporting frame shown in
Figs. 8 and 9.
Fig. 11 is a detail of the holder shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.
In the drawings, 2 represents a hat which may be of any ordinary or preferred
construction. The hat shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7 is a stiff hat while that shown
in Figs. 8 and 9 is a soft or felt hat. Arranged upon the underside of the hat

page_text: brim, at each side and preferably close to its inner edge, or where the under
surface of the brim joins the crown, and at a point preferably a little back of
the center, I arrange a guide 3. This guide is preferably formed of a piece of
elastic sewed to the surface of the hat at the inner edge of the brim and forming
two loops through which the legs of the pins pass. This guide may, however,
be formed of any suitable material, such as light wire, but I prefer to form it of
elastic cord, as with this there is a certain amount of friction upon the surface of
the pin which tends to hold it in position. The pins 7 are each substantially in
the form of an ordinary hair pin having two legs and a crown portion 9. Each of
these pins is preferably of curved form longitudinally, and the legs of the pins
pass through the loops in the guides 3. The pins also pass through eyes 11 in the
holders 13, which are secured to the inside of the hat at any desired height. In
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown these holders secured to the inner side of the
crown of the hat by means of elastic cords 15. The ends of the pins 7 are
preferably broad and of flattened form, as shown in Fig. 3, and said ends are
Hattened substantially in the plane of the two legs of the pin so that they will
easily pass into or out of the hair of the wearer. When the hat is to be put into
position the pins are drawn out and downward to the positions shown in Figs. 1
and 8. The hat is then placed on the head and the pins are pushed upward and
inward, being directed by the guides 3 and the holders 13 into substantially the
positions shown in Figs. 2 and 9. Both pins will, in this position, pass through
the hair of the wearer and the hat will be firmly held in position. The pins 7
may, if preferred, be provided at their crowns with suitable knobs or projections
to enable them to be more readily grasped.
The ends of the pins being flattened in the plane of the legs, they will slip
readily through the hair, either in pushing the pins in or pulling them out, and
they will not catch in the hair.
I also prefer to form the holders 13 in substantially the form shown in Figs. 4, 5
and 6. As here shown the holder is of substantially triangular form and is
provided with two vertically elongated holes or openings 17 through which the
pins 7 pass. The long diameter of each of the holes 17 is at right angles when
the pin is in position, to the flattened surfaces of the ends of the pins, as shown in
Fig. 3, so that the walls of said holes form stops for the ends of the pins and
prevent the pins being drawn through the holders. By this means, also, when the
pins are drawn out, to the position shown in Fig. 1 and 8, the holders will be
carried with them and will be drawn down close against the lower surface of the
inner side of the crown of the hat, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. The holder 13 is
also preferably provided with a loop 18 formed at its upper end with a turned-over
lip 19 which engages and holds the end of the elastic cord 15, as shown in Fig. 6.
This cord also passes through the loop 18, as shown in said figure.
With the construction shown, the holders will automatically adjust themselves
to the required position when the pins are pushed inward to engage the hair of
the wearer. The pins will slide through the holders and the holders will be held
down and the elastic cords will exert an upward pull or pressure at all times,
causing the pins to firmly engage the hair and thereby causing the hat to be
held firmly in position.
Instead of using the elastic automatically adjustable supports for the holders,
I may use a non-elastic adjustable support, such, for example, as that shown in
Fig. 7. As here shown, the holder 13 is secured to a non-elastic cord 21. This
cord passes through an eyelet or opening 22 near the top of the hat, and is provided
at its end with a hook 23. A series of eyelets 24 are formed in the side of the
crown of the hat and the hook 23 is adapted to engage in one of said eyelets.
With this construction the cord 21 is released by disengaging the hook 23 from
the eyelet in the side of the hat crown and the holder can then be drawn downward
with the pin, into the position shown in Fig. 1, when it is desired to put the
hat in place.
After the hat is put upon the head and the pins are pushed inward,

page_text: the cords 21 may be drawn through the eyelets 22 and tightened and the hooks 23
engaged with the proper eyelets in the side of the hat crown.
In Figs. 8, 9 and 10, I have shown a construction adapted to be applied to a soft
hat. As here shown, a plate 25 is arranged at each side of the hat, preferably
inside of the sweat band and extending upward towards the top of the crown.
The lower end of this plate is provided with openings which take the place of the
loops formed by the guide 3 in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and
the elastic cords supporting the holders 13 are preferably connected to the upper
A wire 26, of substantially
ends of the plates 25, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.
S form connects the upper ends of the two plates 25. This wire may be bent
by increasing or decreasing the curves of the S portion so as to bring the upper
ends of the plates 25 nearer to or farther from each other, and the wire may be
bent upward or downward, as may be required to suit the convenience of the
wearer. In other respects the construction shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, is sub-
stantially the same as that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In Fig. 11 I
have shown the holder 13 provided with a loop 18 at its upper end and with
a loop 27 at its lower end, in place of the loop 19, shown in Figs. 5 and 6. With
this construction the cord 15 may be used double, as shown in Fig. 11, being
carried through the loops 18 and 27.
I do not limit myself to the details of the construction shown and described,
as the form of the pins and of the holders, and the means for supporting the
holders may obviously all be varied in many particulars without departing from
my invention. I may also employ a pin with a single leg instead of the pin with
the two legs, if considered preferable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination, with a suitable hat, of a guide secured to its under surface
at or near the junction of the brim and the crown, a pin passing through said
guide and adapted to slide therein, a holder arranged within the hat and engaging
the free end of the pin, and through which said pin slides, and means for supporting
said holder, for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination, with a suitable hat, of a guide secured to its under surface
at or near the junction of the brim and the crown, a pin passing through said
guide and adapted to slide therein, a holder arranged within the hat and engaging
the free end of the pin, and an adjustable support for said holder, for the purpose
set forth.
3. The combination, with a suitable hat, of a guide secured to its under surface
at or near the junction of the brim and the crown, a pin passing through said
guide and adapted to slide therein, a holder arranged within the hat and engaging
the free end of the pin, and an automatically adjustable support for said holder,
for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination, with a suitable hat, of a guide secured to its under surface
at or near the junction of the brim and the crown, a pin passing through said
guide and adapted to slide therein, a holder arranged within the hat and engaging
the free end of the pin, and an elastic support for said holder, for the purpose
set forth.
5. The combination, with a suitable hat, of the guide 3 formed of elastic material
secured to the under surface of the hat at or near the junction of the brim and
the crown and forming a loop, a pin passing through the loop of said guide and
adapted to slide therein, a holder arranged within the hat and engaging the free
end of the pin, and means for supporting said holder, for the purpose set forth.
6. The combination, with a suitable hat, of a guide secured to its under surface
at or near the junction of the brim and the crown, a pin passing through said
guide and adapted to slide therein. said pin being provided with a flattened end,

page_text: a holder 13 arranged within the hat and provided with elongated openings 17
through which said pin passes, the longer diameter of said openings being arranged
substantially at right angles to the flat surfaces of the ends of the pin, and means
for supporting said holder, for the purpose set forth.
7. The combination, with a suitable hat, of guides arranged upon its under
surface at or near the junction of the brim and the crown, pins passing through
said guides and adapted to slide therein, holders arranged within the hat and
engaging the free ends of the pins, plates 25 upon which said holders are supported,
and the adjustable wire connecting said plates, for the purpose set forth.
8. The combination, with a suitable hat, of the plates 25 secured to the inner
surface of the sides of the hat, guides arranged at the lower ends of said plates,
pins passing through said guides, holders arranged within the hat through which
the free ends of the pins pass, said holders being supported upon said plates, and
an adjustable connection between the upper ends of said plates, for the purpose
set forth.
9. The combination, with a suitable hat pin 7 having flattened ends and a
loop guide 3 through which the legs of said pins pass, a holder 13 provided with
openings through which the legs of the pins pass, and a cord connected to said
holder, said cord and said guide being adapted for attachment to a hat, for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 14th day of March 1898
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER.