IMPROVE- MENTS IN BONNETS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Johnston, of Paisley, in tlie County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BONNETS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD."
Sealed the 20th July 1858, and dated the 23rd January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Johnston at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
January 1858..
I, JAMES JOHNSTON, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BONNETS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," to be
as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the application and use of hair-cloth as the
material for the construction of foundations; "shapes," or crowns for bonnets,
caps, and other coverings for the head, instead of the fabrics or materials
hitherto employed for this purpose. The hair-cloth or fabric may either be
purely of hair or it may be woven as a composite fabric with other materials,
and it is blocked to form in the usual or in any other convenient way. The
hair bodies, shapes, or foundations made in this way are stout, substantial,.
cheap, and generally effective for their purpose, and they may be used under.
various forms in the production of coverings for the head.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Johnston, Her especial license that I, the said James
Johnston, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Johnston, my executors, administrators, or 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
BONNETS, CAPS, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Johnston, by an 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 Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Johnston, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to the application and use of hair-cloth as the
material for the construction of foundations, "shapes," or crowns for bonnets,
caps, and other coverings the head, instead of the fabrics or materials
hitherto employed for this purpose. The hair-cloth or fabric used for these
purposes may either be purely of hair or it may be woven as a composite
fabric with other materials, and it is blocked to form in the usual or in any
other convenient way. The hair bodies, shapes, or foundations made in this
way are stout, substantial, cheap, and generally effective for their purpose,
and they may be used under various forms in the production of coverings for
the head.
In carrying out this Invention in practice, the ordinary hair-cloth of com-
merce is found to answer the end very effectively, the hair itself being of
important service in enabling the operator to block or shape the fabric
accurately to form, and in insuring the permanently unchangeable shape to
which it is blocked. But almost any fabric of which hair forms an important
part answers the purpose, and hence hair fabrics, wherein the hair is woven
up with cotton, linen, or other threads or materials, are available for the
general purposes contemplated by this Invention. The principal details for

page_text: which the hair fabric is suitable are bonnet crowns, hat crowns, and bonnet
shapes, but it may be variously applied and used in the manufacture of other
coverings for the head, as it may be accurately blocked to whatever form may
be required. The head coverings produced in this way may be treated and
covered for use in the ordinary way. They are highly elastic and extremely
durable, as they possess that peculiar stout elasticity which enables them
instantly to recover their shape even when subjected to excessive distortive
pressure, such as would permanently distort bonnets or other head coverings
made of buckram, net, or other usual foundation material. They also admit
of free ventilation directly through them, and they sit upon or fit to the head
in a very superior way.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
First, the application or employment and use of hair-cloth or hair fabrics,
pure or composite, blocked to shape, in the manufacture or production of
bonnet crowns, hat crowns, bonnet shapes, and other coverings for the head,
as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of manufacturing or producing bonnet crowns,
hat crowns, bonnet shapes, or other coverings [for the head by blocking, to
form horsehair fabrics either pure or composite.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Johnston, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.