Improvements in and connected with Appliances or Devices for use in Widening and Narrowing Hats.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Appliances or Devices for use
in Widening and Narrowing Hats.
A communication by PETER NOE, of Mosbach, in the Grand Duchy of Baden,
Hat Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool & 6 Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, & 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to appliances or devices which may be employed either for
enlarging or for reducing the size of hats.
In all such appliances or devices at present in use, there is the objection that
they only act on certain portions of the interior of the hat, and the hat, therefore,
cannot be evenly extended.
Now one of the principal requirements for producing a thoroughly handsome hat
and, at the same time, one having a durable shape is that, when enlarging or
extending it, the work should be evenly done. In this invention, this requirement
is carried out to the fullest extent, and the apparatus or device in question has the
further advantage that it not only serves for extending the hat but, in combination
with a suitable mechanism, can also be used for reducing the size of the same.
In carrying out this invention, there is provided a cylindrical body, having on
its surface a considerable number of vertical slots, through which a corresponding
number of plates passes, sloped off towards the inside, but at their outer surfaces
they have small plates.
Each plate is of such a size and the little plates of such a kind, and are arranged
in such a number, that the periphery formed by the small plates, which adjoin one
another, forms a complete hat shape without any objectionable interstices, when
the extending appliance or device is adjusted to the greatest possible size of hat.
In the middle of the cylindrical body, a screw thread bolt is inserted. A cone is
placed over this, which rests on the inclined surfaces of the aforesaid plates. On
this cone, a wing nut is placed, which is shaped like a handle and screwed into the
thread of the bolt. It will be seen that, on screwing down the handle, the plates
are pushed outwards evenly as, by such movement, the small plates are separate
from one another. In order to avoid any objection there may be to the very narrow
openings between the small plates, a band of elastic material is placed round their
periphery, which suitably fills out the interstices between them, and causes the
pressure of the extension apparatus or device to be distributed equally over the
inner surface of the hat.
Ł
It is only by this equal pressure on the various parts of the inside of a hat that
a correct extension of it can be ensured.
Such a pressure has not, however, been hitherto attained in any extending
appliance or device for hats; for the most complete appliance or device of this
kind only possesses, it is believed, four plates between which, when it is adjusted
for the greatest sizes of hats, such considerable interstices exist that neither a
complete shape of hat nor an even extension of its whole circumference can be
produced.
In order, on the screwing back of the nut, to bring the plates automatically into
their original position, a strong spiral spring is arranged, which passes through
openings in the small plates. This spring draws back all the plates simultaneously..
The plates are also provided, on their upper surface, with suitable slots which, on
the separating of the plates, appear one after the other beneath: a covering plate

page_text: and allow the corresponding number of the width of the hat to be immediately
For instance, if twenty plates are employed, the numbers 52 to 62 and the
half fractions may be given.
seen.
In order that this extending apparatus may also be seen when a hat is being
reduced, the following supplemental part is einployed, that is, a band composed of
several strong spiral springs. When the extending apparatus has been placed in
its proper position in the hat, the band is laid around the outside, the hat is drawn
tightly, and then its two ends are hooked together. That part of the hat is then
warmed, and the winged nut is screwed back to the desired point, whereupon the
band presses the hat in as far as the little plates are drawn back. When the hat is
cooled, the band is removed therefrom, and the hat will then have the desired
reduced shape. In order to protect the hat, a strip of cloth or its equivalent is
laid under the metallic band. If the hat is not to be reduced at all places alike,
suitable strips of cloth or similar material are laid at the points in question between
the inside of the hat and the elastic edge of the extending apparatus.
This extending and reducing appliance or device for hats fulfils all requirements
which may occur in hat-making, forms an indispensable apparatus, and, owing to
its utility and great simplicity, along with the ease with which it can be
manipulated, it will be found suitable to completely supply a want which has
hitherto been universal in hat-making.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Appliances or Devices for use
in Widening and Narrowing Hats.
A communication by PETER NOË, of Mosbach, in the Grand Duchy of Baden,
Hat Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to appliances or devices which may be employed either for
enlarging or for reducing the size of hats.
In all such appliances or devices at present in use, there is the objection that
they only act on certain portions of the interior of the hat, and the hat, therefore,
cannot be evenly extended.
Now one of the principal requirements for producing a thoroughly handsome hat
and, at the same time, one having a durable shape is that, when enlarging or
extending it, the work should be evenly done. In this invention, this requirement
is carried out to the fullest extent, and the apparatus or device in question has the
further advantage that it not only serves for extending the hat but, in combination
with a suitable mechanism, can also be used for reducing the size of the same.
On the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a plan view of the widening device;
Figure 2, a vertical section of the same;
Figure 3, a plan view of a part of the reducing device;
Figure 4, a side view of the same.
In carrying out this invention, there is provided a cylindrical body A, having on
its surface a considerable number of vertical slots a, through which a corresponding
number of plates B pass, sloped off towards the inside, but, at their outer surfaces,
they have small plates C.

page_text: Plates B with their plates C are arranged in such a manner that the periphery
formed by the small plates C, which adjoin one another, forms a complete hat shape
without any objectionable interstices, when the extending appliance or device is
adjusted to the greatest possible size of hat. In the centre of the cylindrical
body A, a screw thread bolt D is inserted. A cone E is placed over this, which
rests on the inclined surfaces of the aforesaid plates B. On this cone, a wing nut F
is placed, which is shaped like a handle and screwed onto the thread of the bolt D.
It will be seen that, on screwing down the handle F, the plates B are pushed out-
wards evenly, and, by such movement, the small plates are separate from one
another. In order to avoid any objection there may be to the very narrow openings
between the small plates, a band G of elastic material is placed round their
periphery, which suitably fills out the interstices between them and causes the
pressure of the extension apparatus or device to be distributed equally over the
inner surface of the hat.
It is only by this equal pressure on the various parts of the inside of a hat that
a correct extension of it can be ensured.
Such a pressure has not, however, been hitherto attained in any extending
appliance or device for hats; for the most complete appliance or device of this
kind only possesses, it is believed, four plates between which, when it is adjusted
for the greatest sizes of hats, such considerable interstices exist that neither a
complete shape of hat nor an even extension of its whole circumference can be
produced.
In order, on the screwing back of the nut F, to bring the plates B automatically
into their original position, a strong spiral spring L is arranged, which passes
through openings in the plates B. This spring draws back all the plates simul-
taneously. The plates B are also provided, on their upper surface, with suitable
slots which, on the separating of the plates, appear one after the other from beneath
a covering plate H and allow the corresponding number of the width of the hat to
be immediately seen. For instance, if twenty plates are employed, the numbers 52
to 62 and the fractions may be given.
In order that this extending apparatus may also be used when a hat is being
reduced, the following supplemental part is employed, that is, a band K composed
of several strong spiral springs J. When the extending apparatus has been placed
in its proper position in the hat, the band K is laid around the outside, the hat is
drawn tightly, and then the two ends of said bands are hooked together. That
part of the hat is then warmed, and the winged nut F is screwed back to the desired
point, whereupon the band presses the hat in as far as the small plates are drawn
back. When the hat is cooled, the band is removed therefrom, and the hat will
then have the desired reduced shape. In order to protect the hat, a strip of cloth
or its equivalent is laid under the metallic band. If the hat is not to be reduced
at all places alike, suitable strips of cloth or similar material are laid at the points
in question between the inside of the hat and the elastic edge of the extending
apparatus.
This extending and reducing appliance or device for hats fulfils all requirements
which may occur in hat-making, forms an indispensable apparatus, and, owing to its
utility and great simplicity, along with the ease with which it can be manipulated,
it will be found suitable to completely supply a want which has hitherto been
universal in hat-making.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved appliance or device for enlarging the size of hats, consisting of
plates such as B and C working in vertical slits in a cylindrical body A, said plates,
surrounded by an elastic band, being forced outwardly by means of a cone (E)
provided with a nut and spindle, whereby the interior of the hat is pressed and

page_text: extended, also a spring L for returning the plates B and C to their normal position
after raising the cone, all substantially as described.
2. In combination with the device of the kind described in Claim 1, a band K
composed of spiral springs J placed on the outside of the hat and by means of
which the said hat can be reduced in size, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The particular construction of hat widening appliance or device as shown and
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
4. The arrangement of division marks or notches on the plates B, by means of
which (when the hat is to be enlarged or reduced in size) the said plates can be
brought into position corresponding to the width of hat desired, substantially as
described.
Dated this 4th day of Tule 1009
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.