Improvements in Hat Cases.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1892-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hat Cases.
I, NELLIE FRANCES HURDEL of 50, West 35th Street, in the City County
and State of New York, United States of America, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a hat case in which a number of hats
may be packed without liability to be injured and which may be quickly and easily
adjusted so as to receive hats of different sizes or so that it may be adapted for
either men's or women's hats. To this end my invention consists in a hat case, the
construction of which will be hereinafter described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to 'the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a broken vertical section of the hat case on line 1-1 Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan on line 2-2 Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail side elevation shewing the connection between the
inside frame and one of the hat supporting arms.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan on line 4-4 Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a broken vertical section of a modified means of securing one of the
arms in the inside frame.
Figure 6 is a sectional plan on line 6-6 Figure 5, and
Figure 7 is a perspective view of an attachment adapted to be secured to the hat-
supporting arms and enable them to carry a man's stiff hat.
Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
The case may be made of any suitable material and it is composed of two similar
parts 11 and 12 having flat bottoms and oval tops 11", 12", so that when closed
together the case will have a nearly half-round top upon which it cannot be con-
veniently stood and this will ensure its being always placed right side up. The
members of the case are hinged together, as shewn at 13, and they may be also
locked, as at 14, any suitable lock or catch being employed for the purpose. Within
the case is a two-part frame 15 which extends vertically through the central portion
of the case and fits snugly against the side, bottom and top walls, the frame serving
as a brace for the case and also as a support for the hat arms 16, which arms are
preferably bent as shewn in Figure i so as to extend downward from the sides of
the frame 15, as shewn at 17, thence upward, as shewn at 18, to the centre of the
case where they terminate in knobs 19 having annular grooves 20 extending
horizontally around them and having cushions 21 at the top. When women's hats
are packed in the case they are placed upon the knobs and are fastened to the
cushions by thrusting pins through both the hats and cushions. The hat-supporting
arms are arranged so that an arm which projects from one side of the case will
overlap an arm which projects from the other side of the case and a greater or less
number of the arms may be used according as the hats are smaller or larger. The
outer ends of the arms 16 project into holes in the frame 15 adapted to receive
them and the arms are provided near their outer ends and on the sides with notches
adapted to receive fastening bolts 22 which bolts are mounted transversely in the
sides of the frame 15 and have their outer ends provided with knobs 23 by means
of which the bolts may be withdrawn from the arms 16 when the latter are to be
removed. The bolts are held to move in recesses 24 and in each recess is a spiral
spring 25 which encircles the bolt and presses upon a collar 26 thereon, thus
ormally holding the bolt in engagement with the arm 16 and preventing the
accidental removal of the latter.
In Figures 5 and 6, I have shewn a modified means of supporting and adjusting

page_text: the arms 16. In this case a hollow frame 15 is used which is slotted vertically on
the inner side, as shewn at 27, and which is provided adjacent to the slot with ratchet
teeth 28 the teeth being produced on the inside of the frame. When used with this
sort of frame, the arms 16 have their inner ends formed into hollow heads 29 which
are adapted to slide within the frame 15" and mounted within each head is a ratchet
block 30 which is adapted to engage the teeth 28 and which is normally pressed
into engagement therewith by a spring 30° arranged within the head and behind
the ratchet block. A pin 31 extends outward from the ratchet block through the
slot 27 in the frame and the outer end of the pin terminates in a knob 32 which
sérves as a handle and by pressing inward upon the knob the ratchet block inay be
thrown out of engagement with the teeth so that the arm may be lowered, but the
arm may be raised without pressing the knob and the pressure of the spring 30" will
hold the ratchet block in engagement with the teeth and consequently hold the arm
at any desired height.
In Figure 7, I have shewn an attachment adapted to be applied to the knobs 19 when
men's hats such as derbys, or silk hats are to be carried in the case. This attach-
ment has a band 34 which fits within the groove 20 and may be fastened there by
any suitable means, and projecting from opposite sides of this band are arms 35 the
outer ends of which are doubled under to form hooks 36 which hooks are adapted
to receive the rim of a hat and permit the crown to hang down. These arms 35
are braced by a circular brace 37 to which the arms are fastened by doubling them
around it, as shewn at 38, although they may be secured in any other convenient
manner.
When hats are to be packed within the case, the arms 16 are adjusted in the
manner described so as to be at the right distance apart and the hats are suspended
upon them either by pinning them to the cushions as described, or by hanging them
upon the hooks if they are men's hats, and the case may then be closed and locked
and will afford a safe and convenient receptacle for carrying the hats about.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
A hat case, comprising two similar parts hinged together, a vertical frame
arranged within the case and extending around the walls thereof and a series of
vertically adjustable hat-supporting arms held one above the other and terminating
at their inner ends in hat hangers, substantially as described.
2. In a hat case, the combination, with the grooved knobs supported on arms
as described, of horizontally extending hat-hooks having their inner ends ter-
minating in a band adapted to be secured in the grooves of the knobs, substantially
ás described.
:
3. A hat case, provided with an internal frame and a series of vertically sliding
arms mounted adjustably on said frame and provided at their free ends with cushions
to which the hats may be pinned, substantially as set forth.
4. A vertically-divided hat case, provided on its inner side with a grooved
supporting frame and a series of vertically adjustable arms having a pawl and
ratchet connection at one end with said grooved frame, substantially as set forth.
5. A hat case having its several parts .constructed and arranged substantially as
shewn in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing Specification.
Dated this 26th day of July 1899
NELLIE FRANCES HURDEL,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.