IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO HATS, CAPS, HELMETS, MILITARY HEAD DRESSES, AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Joseph Nodder, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Hat Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO HATS, CAPS, HELMETS, MILITARY HEAD DRESSES, AND OTHER
LIKE COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD."
Scaled the 21st August 1863, and dated the 26th February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Joseph Nodder
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th February 1863.
I, RICHARD JOSEPH NODDER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Hat Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO HATS, CAPS, HELMETS, MILITARY HEAD DRESSES,
AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in the application of a peculiarly constructed zone,
band, or ribbon, connected by its lower edge to the lower edge of the interior
of hats, caps, helmets, bearskius, shakos, or other military head dresses, and
other like coverings for the head, for the purpose of giving ease and comfort
to the wearers thereof, by causing every part of the lining of the hat to
accommodate itself to the contour of the head of the wearer.
This improved band or ribbon of which the zone is formed much resembles
(in appearance) an ordinary gauze ribbon, but the upper portion of the warp of
the ribbon is formed of thin metallic wires, or other suitable material that is
non-elastic in its length, and having the lower edge or selvage warp formed of

page_text: silk, cotton, mohair, linen, or other suitable soft material, of which also the
weft of the band or ribbon is formed. This band is attached to the lower
edge of the interior of the hat or other covering for the head by its soft textile
selvage at the back of the leather or other lining. The metallic portion of the
ribbon is of a little less diameter than the internal circumference of the hat or
other covering for the head, and is attached together so as to form an elastic
circlet, which causes the leather or other lining to take the exact form of the
head of the wearer during the time it is on. In some cases it is preferred to
form the wire portion of the ribbon of two metals, (say, copper and zinc,)
for the purpose of obtaining a slight galvanic action. And for the purposes
of ventilation it is proposed to form a number of small holes at or near the
lower edge of the lining of the hat for the admission of air, which can readily
pass through the minute meshes of the zone. The peculiar band or zono
described will be found to protect the hat or other head covering from the
grease thrown off from the head of the wearer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Joseph Nodder in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
JOSEPH NODDER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Hat Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Joseph Nodder, Her special license that I, the said
Richard Joseph Nodder, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Richard Joseph Nodder, my executors, administrators,
and 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 vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO HATS, CAPS, HELMETS, MILITARY
HEAD DRESSES, AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Joseph Nodder, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one

page_text: of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Richard Joseph Nodder, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):--
This my said Invention consists in the application of a peculiarly constructed
zone, band, or ribbon, connected by its lower edge to the lower edge of the
interior of hats, caps, helmets, bearskins, shakos, or other military head
dresses, and other like coverings for the head, for the purpose of giving ease
and comfort to the wearers thereof, by causing every part of the lining of the
hat to accommodate itself to the cantour of the head of the wearer.
This my improved band or ribbon of which the zone is formed in appearance
much resembles an ordinary gauze ribbon, but the upper portion of the warp
of the ribbon is formed of thin metallic wires, or other suitable material that
is pliable but non-elastic in its length, and having the lower edge or selvage
warp formed of silk, cotton, mohair, linen, or other suitable soft material, of
which also the weft of the band or ribbon is formed. This my improved
band I attach to the lower edge of the interior of the hat or other covering
for the head by its soft textile selvage at the back of the leather or other
lining. The metallic portion of the ribbon is of a little less diameter than the
internal circumference of the hat or other covering for the head, and is
attached together, so as to form an elastic or pliable but not a stretching
circlet, which causes the leather or other lining to take the exact form of the
head of the wearer, and to so remain. In some cases I prefer to form the
wire portion of the ribbon of two metals, (say, copper and zinc,) for the
purpose of obtaining a slight galvanic action. And for the purposes of
ventilation I propose to form a number of small holes at or near the lower
edge of the lining of the hat for the admission of air, which can readily pass
through the minute meshes of. the zone, and escape by an apperture or
appertures formed in the body of the hat or other covering for the head. The
peculiar band or zone described will be found to protect the hat or other head
covering from the grease thrown off from the head of the wearer.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood,
I have hereunto annexed Drawings illustrating the mode of applying the
improvements to an ordinary hat, and which will be sufficient to enable any

page_text: hatter of ordinary intelligence to apply the Invention to coverings for the head
in general. Like letters marked thereon are used to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is the vertical section of an ordinary hat of a civilian; and
Figure 2 is an enlarged plan of a portion of my improved zone or band, which
is flexible, but not elongating in the part containing the metallic warp.
A is the body of the hat; B, the brim; C, the ordinary leather lining of
the hat; and D is my improved zone, which is pliable, and yielding latterally,
but not elongating in circumference at the portion containing the wire warp
under ordinary circumstances., The upper portion of this band I form with a
warp of metallic wire, or, when a galvanic action is desired, a combination of
wires formed from two metals, as is well understood. The lower portion of
the warp I form like the weft of silk, cotton, mohair, or other suitable testile
fabric, and which may be slightly elastic in the direction of its length.
Having now fully described the nature of this my said Invention, and how
I believe the same may be best carried into effect, I wish it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein-before described and
set forth, as it will be readily seen that the same may be considerably varied
without departing from the Invention; but what I claim is, the application to
hats and other coverings for the head, as herein-before described, of a zone or
band, having the upper portion formed with a warp of metallic wire, or other
material which is non-elastic in the direction of its length, and the lower edge
and lower portion and weft thereof of silk, cotton, mohair, or other suitable
textile material, in the herein-before described and set forth, or any mere
modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Joseph Nodder, have hereunto
set my hand and affixed my seal, this Twenty-fifth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand sight hundred
RICHARD JOSEPH (L.S.) NODDER.
Witness to the signature of Richard
Joseph Nodder,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street, Liverpool.