IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hart, of No. 6, Chapel Street West,.
May Fair, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS."
Sealed. the 10th February 1860, and dated the 19th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hart at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th October 1859:
I, GEORGE HART, of No. 6, Chapel Street West, May Fair, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS," to be as follows:-
In order to give perfect elasticity to that part of the hat technically termd
the band, I join the crown of the hat to the brim by. vulcanizd india-rubber-
or any other elastic material.. The joint is made at that part of the hat known.
as the band or angle of the crown and brim, and will allow that part of the
crown of the hat (that comes in contact withe head). that freedom of action
which is never attaind in hats made up in the ordinary way...

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Hart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HART, of No. 6 Chapel Street West, May Fair, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in. the
year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Hart, Her special licence that I, the said George Hart, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Hart, 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 IN
THE MANU-
"FACTURE OF HATS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Hart, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 George Hart, 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 Invention consists in giving a certain degree of elasticity to that part
of hats technically termed the "band" or that part which comes into the
closest contact with the head; and is as follows:-I join the crown of the hat
to the brim by means of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic
material. The joint being made at the "band" or angle of the crown and
brim, allows that part of the crown which is in contact with the head such
freedom of action and ease to the wearer that it will easily adjust itself to any
inequality or unevenness which is so common to the human head.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now

page_text: proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, as follows:-
.
To attain the desired objects of this Invention, I employ a soft elastic
yielding material such as felt, caoutchouc, or other suitable flexible material,
such material being less rigid than that of which the crown and brim are
usually made. The crown of the hat being made in the ordinary manner, I
take two pieces of the stiffened material that are to form the brim and cut out
the centres to admit the head, but forming the oval centre spaces about three-
sixteenths of an inch larger all round than the size of the head; I then take
a strip (of suitable width) of the flexible material which is to connect the
crown and brim, and join one edge of the flexible material to the inner
edge of the brim pieces or lay about three-sixteenths of an inch of it down,
all round the inner edge of one of the brim pieces, and fasten them together
with a hot iron, varnish, cement, or other suitable adhesive substance. I then
lay the other brim piece over the first, and fasten them both together, forming
thereby a stiff solid brim, and thus securing the flexible material between or
at the edge of the two brim pieces. The brim with the flexible joining piece
is now ready to be affixed to the crown, which is to be done by causing the
upper or remaining part of the aforesaid flexible joining piece to adhere to
the crown either on the outside or inside, or it may be let in between
the stiff material which forms the crown, and secured thereto by varnish,
cement, or any other convenient method. The part thus left uncovered
between the bottom edge of the crown and the inner edge of the brim
(which is about three-sixteenths of an inch in width) forms the junction and
allows the band of the crown to work freely and yield to any irregular shape
of the head, such not being the case with hats of the ordinary construction.
When the flexible joining piece is firmly secured to the crown and brim in
the manner before-mentioned the body is ready to be covered in the usual way.
Having now fully described the nature and object of my said Invention of
"Improvements in the Manufacture of Hats," together with the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion, that I do
not confine or restrict myself to the precise details herein-contained as many
slight modifications may be made therein without in any way departing from
the principle of my Invention, neither do I confine myself to the materials
used to effect my object, many well known flexible and adhesive substances
being equally, and as successfully applicable; but what I claim as my Invention
intended to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, is,
the forming of hats in such a manner that the "band" or that part which

page_text: is in the closest proximity to the head shall be to a certain degree flexible for
the purpose of adjusting itself to the irregular shape of the head, and giving
greater case and comfort to the wearer in the manner herein described and
.set forth.
In witness whereof; I, the said George Hart, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
GEORGE HART. (L.S.)
Witness,
S. J. WETHERELL,
Clerk to Messrs. Prince & Co.,
Patent Agents,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.