AN IMPROVED HAT COVER
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Emile Dutasta at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st February
1870.
I, EMILE DUTASTA, of No. 8, Rue de Berry, Bordeaux, and No. 37,
Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, in the Empire of France, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED HAT COVER,"
to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is,-
1º. To surround an ordinary 'hat by a sort of tent formed by the body
of a hat cover, which drawn tight by an elastic cord leaves between
the cover and the hat a circular space as broad at its base as the brim
of the hat, and ventilated if desired by holes made for that purpose, but
which shall in every case considerably exceed the effects of a simple
covering placed on the hat without being kept away from any part
of it.
2º. To develop, starting from the point where the brim of an ordinary
hat terminates, light and supple brims, which may take any shape and
preserve any position which may be given to them.

page_text: 3º. To preserve the hat from the destructive action of the sun, dust,
or even of rain, according to the nature of the material of which the
cover is made,
4°. To conceal a dilapidated hat or head gear.
5°. To place at the disposal of pedestrians, sportsmen, tourists, and |
others two hats, one of which, the ordinary hat, alone remains always
on the head, while the other is left in the pocket, and only brought forth
when it is desired to protect the first or to preserve the head, face,
and shoulders of the wearer from the sun or inclement weather.
6°. To provide a hat cover capable of assuming a variety of forms:
which by their elegance and originality may render it a fancy head
gear as well as a protecting and economical covering,
Fig. A. of the accompanying Sheet of Drawing is an inside view of
my improved hat cover, seen through its principal opening.
1, body of the cover; 2, brims; 3, small band formed by an extension
of the body of the cover. This band has at the edge an elastic cord,
the use of which is herein-after explained. 4, opening at the top of
the cover. This opening is edged by a hem in which runs a cord
intended to bring the upper end of the cover more or less towards the
centre as may be required by the hat that it covers,
Fig, B. represents the hat cover placed on an ordinary hat and seen
from the front. In this Figure the band 3 and the opening 4 of Fig. A.
are no longer visible, but the holes 5 are seen pierced at the bottom of
the body of the cover, 6 indicates a circular space left around the
body of the hat between it and the cover,
To use the hat cover the body of the ordinary hat is passed through
its main opening, then by drawing the brims of the cover below the brim
of the hat the band 3 and the clastic cord at its edge are compelled to
admit the hat brim, which is thus placed between the bottom of the body
of the cover and the band 3. This done the cord tightens of itself,
drawing with it the band 3 and coming close against the brim of the hat
compels it to remain even with the cover. The upper opening 4 is then
closed according to the size of the hat by means of the hem or loop and
of the cord above mentioned. The whole of the hat cover is made of
a light and usually light colored fabric either single or double. The
brims are of the same stuff as the body, but the under side may be of
a deeper colour to relieve the sight, they encloso a horsehair or other

page_text: fabric sufficiently flexible and at the same time stiff enough to retain
any position given to it. The outer edge of the brims having a hem
in which runs a cord, they may be narrowed at pleasure as at Fig. E.,
be left in a horizontal position as at Fig. D., or be drawn against the side
5 of the hat cover as at Fig. F. Fig. C. shews the hat indicated by dotted
lines at Figs D. E. and F.
This hat cover is in fact only a systematic and well considered
covering of the ordinary hat, a second hat covering the first to multiply
its advantages or increase those which it already possesses. Extremely
pliable and of small bulk it may be carried in the pocket without
inconvenience, and be placed on and removed from the hat with the
greatest facility.