SUSPENDERS FOR HATS OR THE LIKE
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Porter at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st September 1883.
JOHN PORTER of Coalville in the County of Leicester
SUSPENDERS FOR HATS OR THE LIKE
"
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My object in this invention is to provide a convenient suspender which may be
placed under the seats of churches and other public places so as to hold the hats
out of harms way.
The invention consists essentially of a frame of suitable material and of the
proper shape and size to accomodate the hat or equivalent to be placed in it this
frame is provided with a brim corresponding to the brim of the hat and this may
be padded. The top is semi-circular in shape and may be formed of cross-straps
of tin or the like secured by a pin at the centre to a plate which is secured to the
underside of the seat. If desired the cover may be arranged to revolve upon the
pin and a leather wrapper or equivalent may be used to deaden the sound so that
the suspender may be turned to the front or back of the pew or seat so that the
hat can be inserted from either the pew to which the suspender is secured on the
one behind if the formation thereof permits to this.
It will be readily understood that the precise form and materials may be varied
to suit circumstances thus the suspender may be made of sheet tin and entirely
enclosed or of wirework and quite open. It may also be made telescopic or the
like so as to be put out of the way during clearing of the building &c
If desired the protector or frame which surrounds the body of the hat may be
dispensed with, the upper portion and brim being retained and being sufficient to
support the hat though not to protect it

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Porter in the Patent Office on the 20th March 1884.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
JOHN PORTER of Coalville in the County of Leicester
SUSPENDERS FOR HATS OR THE LIKE"
The object of this invention is to provide a convenient and safe place in which
to put one's hat in churches, theatres, and other places of public resort; the
suspender is secured to the underside of the seat or in some equivalent position
This invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which like letters of reference represent like parts.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the suspender showing a hat in dotted lines.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same: Figure 3 is a plan of the suspender
shewn in Figure 1.-Figure 4 is a plan of a suspender specially suitable for large
round hats, such as soft felt hats, straw. hats or the like Figure 5 is a plan of the
telescopic guard. Figure 6 is a side elevation with hat in place and Figure 7 a
plan without the hat of a skeleton suspender
The invention consists of a frame A made preferably of tin and wire, or other
convenient, light and sufficiently strong materials, which is either firmly secured
to the plate B which is screwed into the under side of the seat or other convenient
support, or it may be made so as to turn on the central pin C (a leather, rubber,
or equivalent washer G being placed round the pin and between the moving
surfaces when desired to prevent noise) so that while the plate B is firmly fixed,
the suspender itself can be turned as required, and particularly may be turned
round so as to serve either for the hat of the person to whose seat it is fixed or
for that of a person in the seat behind
In figure 1 the framework descends partly down the hat so as to protect it,
but the portion below the bottom bar of A is unprotected. To cover this a
sliding or telescopic frame D is provided which can be shut up when not in
use and thus leave more room for brushing and cleaning under the seats of the
building
In figure
the telescopic arrangement is dispensed with, the main frame A being
made long enough to cover the whole of the hat.
The suspender may however be made without any protection for the hat being
then merely the suspender as shown in Figure 4. but without any lower frame
this form would be cheaper than the other
By referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that the face or platform E upon which
the brim of the hat rests is so arranged as to slope downwards towards the back
and thus give a tendency to the hat to remain in the suspender This face E may
be padded; as also may the rest of the framework if required
Figures 6 and 7 show a cheap form of the suspender It consists of the semi-
circular wires H and I and three bent plates K. K and L: the suspender is secured
to the seat by the ears or extensions K' and L' and the hat is placed as shewn in
figure 6-The plates K. K and L serve instead of the complete platform E
The shape and size of the suspender can of course be varied to suit circumstances,
and so also may the materials of which it is made.
Having now described my invention I claim
1. The combination with a pew or seat of a hat suspender secured to its underside
substantially as described and shown.
2 A hat suspender composed of a framework A and having a face or platform E
to support the hat brim upon and pivotted to a plate B so as to be reversible
substantially as described and illustrated

page_text: 3. The combination with the hat suspender A of the telescopic addition D
substantially as set forth and illustrated and for the purpose specified
4. The combination with plate B, pin C and frame A of a washer G whereby the
suspender may be silently turned or reversed during service substantially as set
forth.
5 The Skeleton suspender substantially as described and shown in Figures 6 and 7
of the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Porter have hereunto set my hand and
seal this nineteenth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four
(*) ΟΙ ΠΟΙ