IMPROVEMENTS IN REEDS AND HAT SWEATS OF WHICH THEY FORM A PART
Year: 1884

page_text: J, GEORGE STEPHEN BRACHER, of 19 Leroy Street, New York, County and
State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REEDS AND HAT SWEATS OF
WHICH THEY FORM A PART," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My Invention consists of a new method of preparing reeds, whereby they are
adapted to be used as stiffeners for the edges of hat sweats, and other purposes;
and it also consists of a hat sweat, of which reeds prepared according to my
Invention form a part.
These reeds, as now found in the market, have been prepared usually from
rattan, by splitting and rough shaving, usually into round rods of about one
thirty-second of an inch in diameter. In that condition they have been generally
used, and consequently, in all fine work they had to be covered, particularly when
placed in such exposed positions as on the edges of hat sweats.
I take the reeds in that rough condition, and dye them to any desired color,
then treat them with any ordinary wood filling mixture, to which, when greater
flexibility of the reed is desired, I add a small percentage of glycerine.
The reed is next passed through a polishing draw-plate, or rollers, or draw plate
and rollers combined, preferably heated, and, when dry, it receives a light finish of
japan or other suitable varnish, or of oil, either lustrous or otherwise, as desired,
and when again dried, the reed is ready for use.
A good filling mixture can be made of glue and whiting or lamp-black, and
should be used when quite warm; other earthy matters may be substituted for
the whiting or used with it, or with the lamp-black, and additional coloring
matters may be added to the mixture, or used in place of the lamp-black, according
to the color it is desired to impart to the finished reed.
The drawing process forces part of the filling mixture between the fibres of the
wood, and imparts to its surface a smooth hard finish, and the subsequent surface
dressing leaves this surface more or less lustrous according to the characteristics of
the liquid applied, the whole, when a black pigment is used in the dyeing and
filling processes, imparting to the reed all the apparent firmness and fineness and
beauty of appearance of the expensive finished and polished whalebone, for which
it becomes an inexpensive substitute, adapted to a variety of uses where beauty
of finish, as well as cheapness, is an essential element.

page_text: "
Heretofore hat sweats have been provided along one edge with a stiffener,
technically known as a reed," and consisting of a cord, wire, or vegetable splint,
usually of rattan. As a means of attachment and, for asthetic reasons the reed
is enclosed in a covering strip of some suitable fabric, which has necessarily to be
of fine quality, and is frequently of silk, oiled or plain. Besides the expense
involved by the use of this covering material, more elaborate machinery is required
to place and hold it properly while being sewed.
To obviate the trouble and expense of covering the reed, as well as to improve
the article, intrinsically and in appearance, I employ a reed prepared as before
set-forth, and attach the same without covering to the edge of the sweat by any
approved method.
I have found it desirable in some cases to apply a strip of some suitable fabric
behind the reed, but concealed by it, and united to the sweat by some suitable
means, whereby is formed an edge groove on the sweat, wherein the reed may lie
and be more firmly held in position. Said back strip can also be used as a means
for securing the sweat to the hat body.
But to describe my Invention more particularly I will now refer to the
accompanying Drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a part of a hat sweat made according to my
Invention, in its simplest form.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged view of a part of the face side of the same.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section.
-Fig. 4, is a perspective view of a part of a hat sweat provided with a back strip.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same enlarged.
Figs. 6, 7, and 8, illustrate different kinds of stitches by which the reed can be
secured to the body of the sweat; and:
Fig. 9 represent a portion of a hat with my improved hat sweat applied thereto.
The reeds a, shown in all the views are made of any suitable material having the
requisite qualities of lightness and stiffness, but I prefer to make them of rattan,
split and formed into tho desired shape and size, dyed, filled, and polished, as
before described.
The reed a, as shown at Figs. 1. 2, and 3, is secured to the body of the
hat sweat, at its edge, by means of the over-edge locked stitches b; the edge of
tho sweat being beveled from its front side c, towards its rear side d, as clearly
shown at Fig. 3, so as to form a better base for the reed a, and to cause the
exposed side of the edge of the sweat body to lie closer to it. Any suitable kind
of stitch may be used to secure the reed to the sweat body, as for instance, a
single thread over-edge band stitch e, may be employed, as shown at Fig. 6; this
is the form of stitch it is generally desired to imitate in this class of work. The
double thread of the lock-stitch b, employed in Figs. 1. 2, and 3, may be twisted
where it overlays the reed, as shown at Fig. 7, or this part of the stitch may be
separated and spread out, to imitate the herring bone stitch, see Fig. 8.
A folded strip of muslin f, or other suitable material, is in Figs. 4 and 5, placed
behind the upper edge of the sweat body; it may be pasted to the back d, before
the reed a, is secured on the edge, or it may be cimply held in place and secured
to the body by the same stitches which secure the reed thereto.
It is well in all cases to bevel the edge of the body proper, so as to leave its
face edge more or less of an acute angle, that the joint between that face edge and
the reed may be closer. The folded edge of the strip f, under the tension of the
stitching, which passes just below its fold, will have a tendency to cause that fold
to diverge a little from the body and so form a trough or groove, into which the
reed a, will be drawn by the stitches, thereby seating it more firmly on the edge
of the sweat.
When the strip f, is not used, the edge of the body may be grooved or split to
a slight degree, to give the reed a, a firm seat, but in practico I find the stitches
hold the reed sufficiently firmly without any such aid.

page_text: I do not limit myself to the use of the particular stitches shown, as any kind
of stitch may be used, whether made by hand or machine, by which the thread is
carried through the body and strip (when the strip is used) and around the reed to
hold it in its place.
I have beretofore described my improved reed as applied to hat sweats; it is
evident that it is well adapted to be used for wicker-work and for various purposes,
and for furniture &c, and that the various views of the Drawings and the
description thereof, and of the method of preparing and applying the reed, answers
also for the applications of it to all other uses, so any further description of its
applications is here unnecessary.
My improved hat sweat is shown applied to a hat, at Fig. 9, h, represents a
portion of a hat, the reference letters of the sweat being the same as before set-
forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
First. As a new article of manufacture, a reed of rattan, or analogous material,
impregnated with a filling material, and surface hardened by compression
and friction, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. A method of treating reeds to improve their qualities and appearance
for hat sweats and other uses, consisting in coloring, filling, compressing
and surface finishing, substantially as set-forth.
Third. A hat sweat provided with a reed, dressed and finished with a coating of
varnish, and attached to the edge of said hat sweat without a covering,
substantially as set-forth.
Fourth. A hat sweat provided with a reed, dressed and finished with a coating of
varnish, without covering except the enclosing stitches, whereby it is united
to the sweat, substantially as set-forth.
Fifth. A hat sweat provided with a dressed and finished reed a, without
covering, and the backing strip f, united to said sweat but concealed behind
the reed, substantially as set-forth.
Dated this 21* day of March A.D. 1884.