IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick John Upton, of 138, Long Lane,
Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey, Hat Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS FOR
THE HEAD."
Scaled the 9th August 1870, and dated the 29th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick John Upton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th March 1870.
I, FREDERICK JOHN UPTON, of 138, Long Lane, Bermondsey, in the
County of Surrey, Hat Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS FOR
THE HEAD," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in rendering bats or other coverings for the
head thoroughly ventilating, and at the same time more easily adaptable
to the peculiarities in contour or shape of the head, making them pliable
and soft, and therefore more easy and comfortable in wear, especially in
India and other hot climates. These improvements are effected by

page_text: forming a band of the ordinary shape or configuration for fitting on
the head, its depth being about one and a half inches, and so manu-
factured or blocked in shape that the upper portion is larger in diameter
than the lower, a small ledge or projection being formed (the difference
between the two diameters) at about half its depth. In this ledge or pro-
jection, so formed, a series of perforations or holos are made which has
the effect of allowing the air to pass freely between the upper and lower
portions of the band, or in other words, between the portion of the band
immediately encircling the head and the upper portion which is attached
to the hat, thereby thoroughly ventilating the interior of the hat, helmet,
or other covering, and at the same time rendering the hat soft and
yielding to the head. This band may be attached by sewing or other
suitable means. It can be manufactured in the following:-Gossamer,
felt, straw, leather, or other suitable material, and is alike applicable to
silk hats, helmets of all kinds, hard or soft felts, leather, merino, tweed,
straw, or cork lined hats.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick John Upton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
JOHN UPTON, of 138, Long Lane, Bermondsey, in the County of Surrey,
Hat Manufacturer, send grecting.
WHEREAS IIer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Frederick John Upton, Her special
licence that I, the said Frederick John Upton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick John
Upton, my executors, administrators, and 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER LIKE COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick John Upton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same 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 Frederick John Upton, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :-
This Invention consists in certain improved uncans of rendering hats
and other like coverings for the head thoroughly ventilating, and at the
same time more readily adaptable to the peculiarities of the contour or
shape of the head, while also rendering the surface next the head suffi-
cicutly pliable and soft, and therefore more easy and comfortable to the
wearer, especially when the hat or other head covering is worn in India
and other hot climates. These my improvements consist of a band of
proper shape or configuration for fitting on or around a wearer's head,
and so blocked, manufactured, or shaped that the upper portion of such
band shall be of larger diameter than the lower portion, a small ledge,
projection, or shelf, being formed by the difference between the two
diameters at about half the depth of the band. In this ledge or shelf,
so formed, a number of perforations or holes are made, which allow air to
pass freely between the upper and lower portions of the band, or in
other words, between the outer part of the lower portion of the band
immediately encircling the head and the inner part of the upper portion
of the band which is attached to the hat or other head covering to which
the band is applied, thereby thoroughly ventilating the interior of the
hat, helmet, or other head covering, and at the same time rendering the
hat or other head covering soft and yielding to the head.
This band may
be attached to the hat or other head covering by sewing or other ordinary
fastening means. It can be manufactured of gossamer, felt, straw plait,
leather, cork, or other like light flexible material, and it is alike appli-
cable to silk hats, to helmets, and to hats or like head coverings of

page_text: hard or soft felt, or of leather, merino, tweed, or straw, and to cork mea
hats and to other similar hats and head coverings.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate the mode in which my Inven-
tion is carried into practical effect.
Figure 1 is a plan of an improved band constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section, and Figure 3 a side elevation
of the same.
A, A*, a, is a band or annular piece of gossamer, felt, straw plait,
leather, or other light flexible material or fabric. It consists of a strip
or narrow piece folded, blocked, or formed stepwise, as shown in Figure 2,
and bent, blocked, or formed into an oval or rounded shape to correspond
with or accommodate itself at the upper part to the general form of the
interior of the hat or head covering to which it is applied, and at the
lower part to the contour of a wearer's head. When it has been brought
into an oval, rounded, or annular form, the ends are sewn, cemented, or
The
otherwise attached together so that it forms an annular band.
band being made stepwise presents two circumferences of different
diameters, the upper circumference or rim A being of longer diameter
or radius (or horizontal axis) than the lower circumference or rim A*, so
that in effect the band has an upper portion A of greater circumference
than its lower portion A*, and between them and uniting them is the
mid portion a of the band, which forms a step, ledge, shelf, or neck, and
which projects inward as shown. In this ledge, step, or shelf a arc
formed a number of orifices or perforations b, b, at regular intervals of
distance. These orifices pass through the said ledge or shelf a, and are
intended for the passage of air. The band is applied and attached to the
hat or other head covering so as to have its smaller circumference or rim
A downward; this lower portion A* is so placed that it encircles or sur-
rounds the wearer's head. The upper portion A of the band is attached to
the inner wall of the hat or other head covering by sewing or otherwise,
and the lower part stands off therefrom and encircles the wearer's head.
The band having been thus placed air will pass through the orifices b, that
is to say, from the outside of the portion A* of the band immediately sur-
rounding the wearer's head, and the inside of the upper portion A which is
attached to the hat, helmet, or other head covering, and vice versa, thereby
thoroughly ventilating the interior of such hat or other head covering,
while at the same time rendering it at the part which encircles the
wearer's head soft, yielding, and sufficiently pliable. Instead of forming

page_text: the band A, A*, a, of one piece it may be formed of two or more pieces
connected together into the form and arrangement above described in
reference to the Drawings.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim as my
improvements in hats and other like coverings for the head the manu-
facture and employment of a band which at its upper part is of greater
circumference or diameter than at its lower part, and which is provided
with orifices in a ledge, step, or shelf between such parts, substantially
in the manner and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick John Upton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Far
Witness,
Filon Alpoken
RICHARD MADDOX BOTHELL,
Clerk,
51, Stanley Street,
Pimlico
(L.S.)