IMPROVEMENTS IN HAIR-PINS.
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred George Brookes of N° 59 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents. for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN HAIR-PINS. communicated from abroad by
Henry Graham Thompson of Milford in the County of New Haven in the
State of Connecticut one of the United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred George Brookes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th December 1883.
ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of N° 59 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents IMPROVEMENTS IN HAIR-PINS (commu-
nicated to me from Abroad by Henry Graham Thompson of Milford in the
County of New Haven in the State of Connecticut one of the United States of
America)
The object of the invention herein to be described is the production of a novel
hair pin which may be inserted into the hair readily, but which when inserted will
not drop out, and the invention consists in a hair pin twisted to form a long
spiral. At the central part of the pin and preferable fully to the head end of the
pin, the points of the legs being either bent to a curve greater than that given to
the spirally twisted legs at or near the central part of the pin, such construction
preventing the too great accumulation of hair between the legs of the pin, or else
being nearly parallel for a short distance to enable them to be entered into and
grasp a certain quantity of hair before the pin is rotated.
The hair pin the subject of this invention is composed of wire bent centrally to
form a head and two legs having each a long spiral twist in the same direction
preferably from the head of the pin along its central portion to its point the said
legs near the point of the pin, if the latter is to receive but a small bight of the
bair between its legs, being given a sharper or more abrupt bend
It is sometimes desirable that the legs of the pin be well inserted in the hair
before the spirally twisted parts thereof begin to cause the pin to be rotated by

page_text: reason of pressure of the finger against its head, and in such case the points of the
legs are left substantially parallel for a short distance.
The pin herein described may be inserted by pressure upon its head, as when
using an ordinary straight hair pin, and because of the pitch of the long spiral
twist, the pin, by reason of such pressure upon its head end, will rotate as it enters
the hair, and thereby hold the same firm in its place, but to remove the pin from
the hair with any degree of comfort and still have it retain its original form it
must be turned or rotated in a direction opposite the movement imparted to it by
the twist in its legs while being inserted.
Hair pins have been made wherein the legs of the pin commencing some distance
from the head have been twisted completely to the points of the legs, but such a
pin is not herein claimed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred George Brookes in the Patent Office on the 20th June
1884.
"
ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of 59 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAIR PINS
(a communication to me from abroad by Henry Graham Thompson of Milford
in the County of Newhaven in the State of Connecticut one of the United States
of America)
The object of the invention herein to be described is the production of a novel
hair pin which may be inserted into the hair readily, but which when inserted
will not drop out, and the invention consists in a hair pin twisted to form a long
spiral at the central part of the pin and preferable fully to the head end of the
pin, the points of the legs being either bent to a curve greater than that given to
the spirally twisted legs at or near the central part of the pin, such construction
preventing the too great accumlation of hair between the legs of the pin, or else
being nearly parallel for a short distance as shown to enable them to be entered
into and grasp a certain quantity of hair before the pin is rotated.
Figure 1, represents a hair pin such as claimed in this specification, and
Figure 2, a modification thereof.
The hair pin the subject of this invention is composed of wire bent centrally to
form a head a, and two legs b, 6 having each a long spiral twist in the same
direction preferably from the head of the pin along its central portion to its point,
the said legs near the point of the pin, if the latter is to receive but a small bight
of the hair between its legs, being given a sharper or more abrupt bend as shown
at d Figure 1.
It is sometimes desirable that the legs of the pin be well inserted in the hair
before the spirally twisted parts thereof begin to cause the pin to be rotated by
reason of pressure of the finger against its head, and in such case the points of the
legs are left substantially parallel for a short distance as shown in Figure 2
The pin herein described may be inserted by pressure upon its head, as when
using an ordinary straight hair pin, and because of the pitch of the long spiral
twist, the pin, by reason of such pressure upon its head end, will rotate as it enters
the hair, and thereby hold the same firm in its place, but to remove the pin from
the hair with any degree of comfort and still have it retain its original form, it
must be turned or rotated in a direction opposite the movement imparted to it by
the twist in its legs, while being inserted.
Hair pins have been made wherein the legs of the pin commencing some distance
from the head have been twisted completely to the points of the legs, but such a
pin is not herein claimed.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and means adapted for
carrying the same into practical effect I would have it understood that what I
claim is:-
1. A hair pin having two spirally twisted legs or prongs the points of which are
bent to a steeper pitch than the remainder of the legs, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth,
2. As an improved article of manufacture, a hair pin having its legs twisted at

page_text: or near the centre of the length of the pin and having its legs substantially parallel
for a short distance from the points of the pin backward to the twisted central
portion thereof, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred George Brookes have hereunto my band
and seal this twentieth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
ALFRED G BROOKES (L.S.)