IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Wotherspoon, of Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Hat Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD."
Sealed the 8th July 1856, and dated the 10th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Wotherspoon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th May 1856.
I, ROBERT WOTHERSPOON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Hat Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of "double-
bodied "hats, for the purpose of securing proper fitting to the head, and due
ventilation, to insure comfort for the wearer. The main body or shell of the
hat is made in the usual way, but an inner and separate body or internal shell
piece is attached to it at the crown inside.
This inner piece carries the usual fitting band at its lower loose edge, and
when the hat is on the head a clear cool air space is left all round the head,
between the inside of the hat and the outside of the inner shell, all the way

page_text: from the brim up to the crown: The loose sliell is perforated both at the top
and bottom by a ring of holes; and a small air passage is formed in the centre
of the crown, so that free Ventilation is fully secured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Wotherspoon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th November 1856..
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TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WOTHERSPOON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Hat
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign; did,
for. Herself, Hér heirs and; successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Wotherspoon, Her; special license that I, the said Robert Wother-
spoon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I, the said
Robert Wotherspoon, 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, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS
"AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Robert Wotherspoon, 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
samé 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 Robert. Wotherspoon, 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
stateinent in writing, reference being. had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
-
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of "double-
bodied hats, for the purpose of securing proper fitting, to the head, and due
ventilation, to insure comfort for the wearer: The main body or shell of the
hat is made in the usual way, but an inner and separate body or interna! shell

page_text: piece is attached to it at the crown inside. This inner piece carries the usual
fitting band at its lower loose edge, and when the hat is on the head a.clear
cool air space is; left all round the head, between the inside of the hat and the
outside of the inner shell; all the way from the brim up to the crown. The
loose, shell is perforated both at the top and bottom .by.aring of. holes.
otherwise, and a small air passage is, formed in tho centre of the crown, so
that free ventilation is fully secured: Other-head coverings, such as helmets
and caps, may be similarly formed with good effect...
or
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I:bave
hereunto attached, and shall now proceed to describe, a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings; Figure 1 on the said Sheet of Drawings being a vertical section,
and Figure 2 a plan or under side view, of a hat constructed according to my
improved system. The hat is made in the usual way, as far as regards the
main body or external shell A. The part which fits upon the head, however,
is an inner shell B, between which and the external shell A there is a thin air
space all round, and from the bottom to the crown C of the hat. This internal
shell B is attached to the body of the hat at the crown C, being wholly
detached from the body A at the part adjoining the brim D, except in some
cases, wlien the hat may be additionally supported by connecting pieces placed
at intervals round the hat, and attached to the lower edge of the shell A at
one end, and at the other end to the shell B at a distance of two or three
inches from the bottom or outer edge. The usual fitting band E is attached
to the inner shell B, and this shell is perforated to admit into the interior of
the hat the air which rises between the outer and inner shells, as indicated by
the arrows; or the inner shell may be made wholly partially of a suitable
permeable material, as shown in the Drawing, such material consisting, for
example, of a coarse net fabric, stiffened by means of gum, shellac, or other
suitable composition. The heated air passes off from the internal space above
the head through a perforation in the crown at F.
or
This improved mode of construction is obviously applicable to other cover-
ings for the head besides the common hat, the essential feature of the Invention
being the use of an internal perforated shell, formed so as to leave an air space
between itself and the outer shell, in the manner herein-before described.
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

page_text: 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 system or mode of constructing hats and other coverings for the
head with an internal perforated shell to carry the band which fits upon the
head, and to form a space or passage for the ingress of air into the internal
space above the head, such inner shell extending the entire depth of the hat
or other head covering, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of forming the internal shell of double-bodied
ventilating hats of a suitable permeable material, such as coarse net, stiffened
by means of gum, shellac, or other suitable material, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Wotherspoon, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
ROBERT WOTHERSPOON. (L.S.)
ROBERT WOTHERSPOON. (L.S.)