Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1896-Accepted. 15th Aug.,
1896
I, CLARA ELIZABETH LIVESEY, of 105 Iffley Road, Oxford, in the County of
Oxford, Spinster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to he as
follows:
This invention relates to hat-boxes for receiving ladies' hats the object being to
conveniently protect one or more hats without damage to their trimmings; the
device may be employed either for carrying the hats about when travelling or for
simply storing them. Modifications in structural details may be made without
departing from the spirit of the invention, but the general scope of the invention
will be understood from the following description. The shape, size materials and
construction of the box or case may vary according to circumstances.
I will describe the invention as of cylindrical form and adapted to receive two or
more hats according to the height of the box or case. In the bottom of the box
is provided a standard or support adapted to fit inside the lowest hat; over this
at a suitable distance is placed a cross bar or equivalent of any desired construction
carrying a screw device which serves two purposes, the first of these being to screw
a clamp or holding device on top of the hat below so that it may be nipped between
the standard and the clamp. The record function of this screw device is to
provide a standard for the next hat. Above this are placed other cross bars and
screw devices according to the number of hats for which the box is constructed.
The screw device may conveniently consist of the clamp with a spindle
squared or otherwise arranged so that it cannot rotate, but can merely travel
up and down through the cross bar or equivalent; beyond the square the spindle
is round and formed into a screw. Upon this screw fits a long nut carrying
upon its upper end a crown or support upon which the hat next above it is
to be placed the whole screw device forming as before mentioned the standard
for this hat. The nut is carried in any suitable casing or equivalent and is so
arranged that while it can rotate it cannot reciprocate axially. The consequence
of this is that when the crown is rotated the nut is turned upon the screw
which latter as it cannot rotate is caused to travel axially carrying with it the
clamp of the hat below so that the clamp can be adjusted in position as
required. The clamp and crown may he of any suitable shape or construction
and particularly the clamp may if desired be provided with spring or other fingers
or equivalent so as to press upon the hat while passing between the trimmings
so as not to spoil them. Or a plain clamp may be employed and in order that
both crown and clamp may be soft and yielding I may use any desired sort of
padding or the like-cork for example-preferably covered with material of an
ornamental nature, velvet for example. If desired an air or pneumatic cushion or
equivalent may be fitted upon either or both the clamp or the crown.
The cross bar may be a simple bar of wood, a tube of metal or other material or
may take some other convenient form and is adapted to be readily placed in
position or removed and may fit into any convenient form of socket, one with a
bayonet joint for example and a spring to prevent it from slipping out.
The top screw may be arranged in any convenient manner either purely as a
clamp for the hat below or it may serve as the standard to take a hat which may

page_text: be held upon it by the top or lid of the box which for this purpose may be recessed
or provided with a spring or other clamp so as to hold the top hat.
Dated this 10th day of October 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Hat Boxes.
1. CLARA ELIZABETH LIVESEY of 105 Iffley Road, Oxford in the County of
Oxford, Spinster, 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 hat-boxes for receiving ladies' hats the object being to
conveniently protect one or more hats without damage to their trimmings; the
device may be em; loyed either for carrying the hats about when travelling or for
simply storing them. Modifications in structural details may be made "without
departing from the spirit of the invention, but the general scope of the invention
will be understood from the following description. The shape, size, materials and
construction of the box or case may vary according to circumstances.
I will describe the invention as applied to a box and adapted to receive try or
more hats, according to the height of the box or case. In the bottom of the box
is provided a standard or support adapted to fit inside the lowest hat; over this at
a suitable distance is placed a cross bar or equivalent of any desired construction
carrying a screw device which serves two purposes, the first of these being to screw
a clamp or holding device on top of the hat below so that it may be nipped
between the standard and the clamp. The second function of this screw device is
to provide a standard for the next hat. Above this are placed other cross bars
and screw devices according to the number of hats for which the box is
constructed.
The clamp and crown or clamp-head may be of any suitable shape or
construction and particularly the clamp may if desired be provided with spring
or other fingers or equivalent so as to press upon the hat while passing between
the trimmings so as not to spoil them. Or a plain clamp may be employed and in
order that both crown and clamp may be soft and yielding
may use any desired
sort of padding or the like-cork for example-preferably covered with material
of an ornamental nature, velvet for example. If desired an air or pneumatic
cushion or equivalent may be fitted upon either or both the clamp or the crown.
The cross bar may be a simple har of sood, a tube of metal or other material
or may take some other convenient form and is adapted to be readily placed in
position or removed and may fit into any convenient form of socket, one with a
bayo. ct joint for example and a spring to prevent it from slipping out.
The top screw may be arranged in any convenient manner either purely as a
clamp for the hat below or it may serve as the standard to take a hat which may
be held upon it by the top or lid of the box which for this purpose may be recessed
or provided with a spring or other clamp so as to hold the top hat.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure is an elevation showing my improved hat box with the front broken
away, and with two hats in position.
Figure 2 is a vertical central section through the bars and supports.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The hat box A is constructed of suitable shape, preferably square, and of
sufficient height to take one or more hats as desired. That illustrated in the
accompanying drawings is constructed for two hats. To two opposite sides of the

page_text: inside of the box are attached brackets B in which rest the ends of cross bars C
which can be secured when in position by pins C1 or other suitable devices. A
fixed support D is placed in the centre of the bottom of the box, the height of this
support being in accordance with the nature of the hats intended to be placed in
the box, though if desired the supports may be made adjustable in height. The
top of the support carries a suitable pad D1 in which a hat may rest. The lowest
pair of brackets B are so placed with regard to the height of the support D that
the cross bar to rest in them may be a suitable distance above the top of the
support. A vertical screwed rod E passes through the centre of this cross bar
carrying, swivelled to its lower end, a pad E1 while its upper end E 2 is enlarged
and padded to form a support for the upper hat. After a hat has been placed
upon the pedestal D the cross bar C is put in position in the brackets B and the
pin C 1 inserted and the screw E adjusted until the pad El rests on the crown of
the hat holding it firmly against the pad on the support D. The rod E preferably
only carries a screw thread for part of its length the upper part being smooth and
sliding in a sleeve C 2 which serves to steady it. The upper cross bar is similarly
provided with vertical screwed rod F pussing through its centre and provided at
its lower end with a swivelled pad Fi, the upper end however instead of being
formed as a pad is shaped into a suitable head to enable the screw to be readily
turned by hand. The second hat is placed on the pad E2 and the upper cross bar
inserted and secured when the screw F is adjustable as in the case of the screw E
until the second hat is firmly held between the pads E2 and F1.
The
standards on which the hats are placed are preferably made with removable heads
so as to be adapted to the varying styles and sizes of crowns.
It is obvious that the hat box may be constructed to contain more than two hats
if desired, and also the cross bars, screws, brackets and other fittings may if desired
be made of metal though they are preferably constructed of wood for the sake of
lightness.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what i
claim is :-
1. Securing a hat against damage whilst in transit by gripping the crown
substantially as described.
2. In a box for carrying hats the combination of two gripping-devices
adjustable in relation to each other, and adapted to grip the hat between them.
3. In a box for carrying hats securing the hats therein by gripping them
between two holders or supports substantially as described.
4. In a box for carrying hats, the combination with a support for a hat of
a movable cross bar carrying an adjustable holding device substantially as
described.
5. In a box for carrying hats the combination with a support for a hat of
removable cross bars such as C carrying adjustable holding devices such as E and F
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
6. The complete hat box substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of July 1896.
CLARA ELIZABETH LIVESEY.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.