IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS,. CAPS, AND BONNETS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Babh, of Gray's Inn Road, Parish
of St. Pancras, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Sealed the 23rd November 1853, and dated the 25th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Babb at.
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, ou
the 25th May 1853.
I, WILLIAM BABB, of Gray's Inn Road, Parish of St. Pancras, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS,.
CAPS, AND BONNETS," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to the employment of hair cloth or hair-
trimmings in the manufacture of hats, caps, and bonuets.
And for the better understanding of my said Invention, and the more
effectually carrying the same into effect, I shall now proceed to describe,
the several modes following:

page_text: I sometimes employ the plain hair cloth in common use for covering
chairs and couches, which I generally prefer to steep in a waterproofing
mixture. In forming hats therewith I cause the edges or joinings of
the hair cloth to adhere by means of marine glue or any suitable
stiffening, and the whole is kept in shape by wire, whalebone, cane, or
other convenient framework; and I proceed in the same manner for
caps or bonnets. Or I sometimes cut such hair cloth into suitable strips,
bending the edges inwards, with suitable stiffening between, and press-
ing them together, imitative of trimmings, in which state they may be
stitched together as practiced in stitching straw plait. But I prefer in
the manufacture of such articles to use hair trimming, varying from a
quarter to nine inches in width or thereabouts, and which I recom-
mend to be stitched or sewn together with waterproof or other thread,
after the manner customary in the manufacture of straw hats, caps, or
bonnets. I
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I do not confine myself. to. any particular dimensions or forms of
these articles, nor do I here. claim.any of the materials seperately, but
I declare that what I do claim as my Invention is,
The employment of hair cloth and hair, trimmings, in the manufac
turing of hats, caps, and bonnets, as described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Babb in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 25th November 1853.
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TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
VILLIAN BABB, Gray's Inn Road, Parish of St. Pancras, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
"A
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WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Babb, Her special licence
that I, the said William Babb, my executors, administrators, and as-

page_text: signs, or such others as I, the said William Babb, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others
from time to time and
e 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 Manan Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF HATS, CAPS, AND BONNETS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that 14the said William Babbaby dfi 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 Patentina od
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NOW KNOW YEsthat the said William Babb, 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:
"My said improvements relate to the employment of hair cloth or
hair trimmings in the manufacture of hats, caps, and bonnets.
0812.
And for the better understanding of my said-Invention, and the more
efficiently working out the same, I shall now proceed to describe several
modes of operating.
I sometimes employ the plain hair cloth in common use for covering
couches and chairs, which I generally prefer being first steeped in a
suitable waterproofing mixture, to act on the thread used in manufac-
turing such hair cloth. In forming hats therewith, the edges or
joinings of the hair cloth are to be wholly or partly sewn, or otherwise
made to adhere by means of any suitable stiffening; or the hair cloth
may be stitched or sewn, and then cut into strips or trimmings, and
sewn together into the required shapes; and articles so manufactured
may be kept in shape by wire, whalebone, cane, or other convenient
framework. Or I sometimes cut the hair cloth into strips, stiffening
the edges, and then press them together, or not, in imitation of trim-
mings, in which state they are suitable for being stitched together for
fabricating hats, caps, or bonnets. But I prefer in the manufacture of

page_text: men's hats to use my improved hair trimmings, varying from one quarter
to nine inches or thereabouts in width, with a plain close surface, and of
a black colour, and which I recommend to be stitched or sewn together
with waterproof or other thread, after the manner customary in stitching
straw plait.
I would here observe, that I do not confine myself to any particular
dimensions, colours, or forms of the articles described, nor do I here
claim any of the materials separately; but I declare that what I do
claim as my Invention is, namely:-
The employment of hair cloth trimmings in the manufacture of hats,
caps, and bonnets, and of hair cloth and my improved hair trimmings
in the manufacture of men's hats.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Babb, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day November, in the
year of our Lord 1853.
תו
WILLIAM BABB. (..)