IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Blair, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Iat Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN HATS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD."
Scaled the 22nd June 1855, and dated the 29th March 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Blair at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th March
1855.
I, JOHN BLAIR, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Hat
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD" to be as follows,
that is to say-
This Invention relates to the construction of hat bodies in such a manner as to
form a thin space between the interior surface and the outside of the hat at the
part where the hats fits upon the head, such space communicating by perfora-
tions with the interior of the hat above or round the upper part of the head, so
as to provide for the ventilation of the hat. According to one modification
of the Invention, the cylindrical portion of the hat body is composed of plies
or layers of woven material, stiffened' by means of shellac or other suitable
preparation. These plies of material are formed into a single thickness for
rather more than half the length of the cylinder as measured from the crown

page_text: of the hat, and for the remainder of the length other plies of material are
inserted between the outer and inner plies in such a manner as to form two
thicknesses down to the brim of the hat. The brim of the hat is attached to the
outer thickness of the lower part of the hat. The inner thickness of the lower
part of the hat is slightly contracted, so as to leave a thin space between itself
and the outer part, but it gradually merges into the body of the hat higher up,
and it may be made flexible, so as to afford an easy and comfortable fit upon
the head of the wearer. The hat is fitted up exactly in the usual way, and
presents no difference in appearance from ordinary hats either externally or
internally, except as far as regards the narrow slit between the lining and the
outside. This slit or space being in the body of the hat itself, and constituting
a means of ventilating the hat through internal perforations communicating
with the interior of the hat above the level of the head, and acting in com-
bination with perforations in the crown or tip of the hat, it will be obvious to
the practical hatter that the same general form of hat body may be produced
in a variety of ways besides that especially described herein; but the Invention
consists in the formation of a thin space round the portion of the hat body
which fits the head of the wearer. The Invention is obviously applicable to
helmets and other head coverings, and in all cases of its application its use not
only induces a good system of ventilation, but also an easy and soft fitting to
the head.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Blair in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BLAIR, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Hat Manufac-
turer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Blair, Her special license that I, the said John Blair, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Blair, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND
OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," upon the condition (amongst others) that--I,
the said John Blair, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Blair, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to the construction of hat bodies in such a
manner as to form a thin space between the interior surface and the outside
of the hat at the part where the hat fits upon the head, such space communi-
cating by perforations with the interior of the hat above or round the upper
part of the head, so as to provide for the ventilation of the hat. According to
one modification of the Invention, the cylindrical portion of the hat body is
composed of plies or layers of woven material, stiffened by means of shellac
or other suitable preparation. These plies of material are formed into a single
thickness for rather more than half the length of the cylinder as measured
from the crown of the hat, and for the remainder of the length other plies of
material are inserted between the outer and inner plies in such a manner
as to form two thicknesses down to the brim of the hat. The brim of the
hat is attached to the outer thickness of the lower part of the hat. The inner
thickness of the lower part of the hat is slightly contracted, so as to leave a
thin space between itself and the outer part, but it is joined to the body of the
hat higher up, and it may be flexible, so as to afford an easy and comfortable
fit upon the head' of the wearer. The hat is fitted up exactly in the usual way;
and presents no difference in appearance from ordinary hats either externally
or internally, except as far as regards the narrow slit between the lining an.!
the outside; this slit or space being in the body of the bat itself, and con-
stituting a means of ventilating the hat through internal perforations commu-
nicating with the interior of the hat above the level of the head, and acting in
combination with perforations in the crown or top of the hat. The Invention
is obviously applicable to helmets and other head "coverings, and in all cases of
its application its use not only induces a good system of ventilation, but also
an easy and soft fitting to the head.

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the explanatory Figures on the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto attached.
Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is a vertical section of a hat as con-
structed according to my Invention; and Figure 2 is a plan of the hat as
looking into the inside thereof. The cylindrical portion A of the hat body is
composed of plies or layers of woven material, stiffened by means of shellac
or other suitable preparation. These plics are formed into a single thickness
from the crown of the hat B to the point C, rather more than half way down
the side of the hat. The lower part from C to D is formed into two thicknesses
in any convenient manner, as, for example, by inserting additional plies of
material between the inner and outermost plies of the body. The inner
thickness E thus formed is slightly contracted in circumference, so as to leave
a thin annular space between itself and the outer part, being joined to the
body at C. The brim F of the hat is attached at D to the bottom of the outer
thickness C, D, of the cylindrical portion of the hat body, whilst the usual
leather lining G is attached by its outer bottom edge to the inner thickness E.
By these means an annular passage or air space is formed between the lining
and the outside of the hat, and the inner thickness E being perforated at H
above the level of the head, whilst the crown of the hat is perforated at I, a
free passage is left for the air, so that the interior of the hat is kept constantly
well ventilated. It will be obvious to the practical hatter that the same
general form of hat body may be produced in a variety of ways besides that
especially described herein, but the essential feature of the Invention is the
formation of a thin or narrow air space round the portion of the hat body
which fits the head of the wearer, this space communicating with the interior
of the hat for the purpose of ventilating it.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the
principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of hats and other coverings
for the head, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of forming the bodies of hats and other
coverings for the head in such a manner as to leave a thin space between the

page_text: inner and outer sides thereof round the portion of the hat body which fits the
head of the wearer, as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of providing for the ventilation of hats and
other coverings for the head by forming a passage for the air into the interior
of the hat between the outer body of the hat, and an inner thickness formed
upon or joined to the latter, such inner thickness being perforated above the
level of the head of the wearer, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of making hats and other coverings for the
head so as to fit the head of the wearer with increased comfort and ease, by
forming the body with an inner flexible thickness, separated by a slight space
from the outer inflexible part of the body at the part fitting the head of the
wearer, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Blair, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
JOHN BLAIR. (L.B.).