IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Laidlaw at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th November 1859.
I, GEORGE LAIDLAW, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Hat Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the so arranging the internal details of hats and
other coverings for the head, that whilst a perfect fit of the lining is afforded
to heads of all forms and proportions, one hat will answer for two or more
differently-sized heads.
According to one modification of these improvements, the inner stiffened
lining piece of the hat is made somewhat smaller than the internal size of the
hat at the part where it fits the head, so as to leave a small annular space
between the two. This lining piece is suspended from or attached to the body
of the hat by flexible slips of any suitable connecting material, or it may be
attached in any other way, always, however, leaving the lining loose and free
as regards the solid hat body. This inner lining piece carries the usual
leather or other lining which fits to the head, and both linings are cut trans-
versely through at one or more parts, and a piece of india-rubber fabric or
[Price 8d.]

page_text: other elastic material is inserted to form the 'connection at each cut or division.
A hat fitted up in this way fits the head with great comfort, as the expansible
lining accommodates itself to the irregularities of the head, and, at the same
time, its power of expanding circumferentially enables different sized heads to
wear the same size of hat. In other words, the hatter in selecting a hat for
a customer can at once suit him as to size without necessitating numerous
trials of sizes. because a hat which will fit one size of head pleasantly will
also fit other sizes, either larger or smaller, within a moderate range.
According to another modification of these improvements, the loose hat
lining has placed behind it a lining of india-rubber, or other suitable clastic
material. to afford a peculiarly pleasant, soft, and yielding fit to the head,
such elastic lining being suspended from or attached to the other lining and
to the body of the hat in any convenient manner. In order to do away with
the unsightly appearance caused by the opening left between the outside of
the lining and the interior of the hat body, a perforated shield or cover piece
is fitted on, either to the lower edge of the lining, or to the angle of the hat
where the brim joins the main body. Or, instead of a solid shield, a con-
nection is formed between the edge of the lining and the hat, by inserting a
strip of gimp or other permeable elastic fabric, so as to cover up the opening,
and yet allow of a passage for air.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Laidlaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
LAIDLAW, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Hat
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Laidlaw, Her special license that I, the said George Laidlaw, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Laidlaw, my executors, administrators, or 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

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HATS AND OTHER
COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Laidlaw. by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 George Laidlaw. do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed. to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement. reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the so arranging the internal details of hais
and other coverings for the head, that whilst a perfect fit of the lining is afforded
to heads of all forms and proportions one hat will answer for two or more
differently sized heads.
According to one modification of these improvements, the inner stiffened
lining piece of the hat is made somewhat smaller than the internal size of the
hat at the part where it fits the head, so as to leave a small, annular space
between the two. This lining piece is suspended from or attached to the body
of the hat by flexible slips of any suitable connecting material, or it may be
attached in any other way, always however leaving the lining loose and free
as regards the solid hat body. This inner lining piece carries the usual leather
or other lining which fits to the head, and both linings are cut transversely
through at one or more parts, and a piece of india-rubber fabric or other elastic
material is inserted to form the connection at each cut or division. A hai
fitted up in this way fits the head with great comfort, as the expansible lining
accommodates itself to the irregularities of the head, and at the same time its
power of expanding circumferentially enables different sized heads to wear the
same size of hat; in other words the hatter in selecting a hat for a customer
can at once suit him as to size, without necessitating numerous trials of sizes
because a hat which will fit one size of head pleasantly will also fit other
sizes either larger or smaller within a moderate range.
According to another modification of these improvements, the loose hat
lining has placed behind it a lining of india-rubber, or other suitable clastic
material to afford a peculiarly pleasant, soft, and yielding fit to the head, such
elastic lining being suspended from or attached to the other lining and to the
body of the hat in any convenient manner. In order to do away with the
unsightly appearance caused by the opening left between the outside of the

page_text: lining and the interior of the hat body, a perforated shield or cover piece is
fitted on either to the lower edge of the lining or to the angle of the hat where
the brim joins the main body; or instead of a solid shield a connection is
formed between the edge of the lining and the hat by inserting a strip of gimp
or other permeable elastic fabric, so as to cover up the opening and yet allow
of a passage for air.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in hats and other
coverings for the head may be properly understood. I shall now proceed to
describe the several illustrative Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings
which I have hereunto appended, for the purpose of showing certain modifi-
cations under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in
practice, that is to say:-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional elevation of
a hat made and fitted according to one modification of my improvements:
Figure 2 is a plan corresponding, looking upon the interior of the hat:
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a felt helmet showing another modifi-
cation of the internal arrangement. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying Drawings, the body A of the dress hat is made in the usual
manner, and in this respect does not differ from those at present in ordinary
1se. To the inner margin of the brim B of the hat, generally termed the
inner band. is sewn or otherwise attached a strip of narrow gimp C. This
gimp is woven of an open pattern and extends completely round the head or
inner portion of the hat, and it is by preference about from one-eighth to one
quarter of an inch wide. The ordinary leather or other head lining D. which is
fitted to the hat, is made smaller than the hat itself; that is to say, its lower
edge or margin is attached by sewing to the free edge of the gimp C. In this
way the head lining D stands in from the body of the hat a distance equal to
the width of the gimp C. But to admit of the expansion of the head lining to
the full size of the hat, a piece of thin sheet india-rubber or other similar
elastic material E is inserted at the back of the head lining.
At the upper
edge of the head lining where the elastic material is in this case inserted, the
usual silk cord for drawing in the head lining is fitted.
With this arrange-
ment and an ordinary enamelled or other moderately stiff head lining which
will need no other attachment than that herein-before described, the lining will
readily expand, so that the hat will fit several sized heads with accuracy and
elegance. In those hats which are fitted with a soft leather or other head
lining, it is preferred to use behind the head lining D a band of stiffened
cloth F, which may be attached to the head lining or to the hat body. If the
latter plan is adopted, it is preferred to make the attachment by means of

page_text: simple strips of stiffened cloth G, which are fastened to the under edge of the
band F and to the lower part of the hat body, so as to leave the head lining
free to expand or contract upon the hat being placed upon a person's head.
The stiffening band F, as well as the strips G, are non-elastic, being similar to
those ordinarily used in the hat-making trade, and composed of cloth or calico
stiffened with a solution of shellac. For it may be here observed that all the
necessary amount of expansion and contraction is provided for in the arrange-
ment of the head lining apart from any supplementary fitting that may be used
between it and the hat body.
This arrangement of the head lining also provides in a very efficient manner
for the ventilation of the interior of the hat. as the air has free passage
between the head lining and the hat body. The passage of a current of cool
air to the interior of the hat may be further provided for by arranging india-
rubber tubes or curved slips of the same material between the head lining and
the hat body as herein-after described in referring to Figure 3 on the accom-
panying Drawings. The external air as it passes into the upper part of the hat
above the wearer's head displaces the heated air, which passes off through the
wire ganze ventilator H. It will be evident from the foregoing description, that
hats arranged and made according to this system are adapted for fitting
different sized heads, so that a dealer in these articles with a comparatively
small assortment, is enabled to suit his customer with a rapidity and accuracy,
utterly unattainable with the ordinary hard and inelastic hats. In lieu of the
foregoing arrangement of the head lining, two or more pieces of india-rubber
or other suitable elastic material may be introduced or inserted in the bead
lining, or the head lining may be entirely composed of clastic material so as to
admit of the full amount of expansion. In the arrangement of the felt cap
or helmet delineated in Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings. the helmet A
is of the ordinary kind, to the brim B is attached the gimp C. to the inner selvage
of which the lower edge of the head lining D is sewn. The head lining is
fitted with the elastic material at E, to admit of the expansion of the lining to
the full size of the helmet body if required. Between the head lining and the
helmet body A are arranged short pieces of vulcanized india-rubber tubing I,
which are fastened by means of shellac, varnish, sewing, or other mode of
attachment to the body of the helmet and the head lining. These tubes are
arranged equidistantly round the helmet body, they are made of thin india-
rubber, so as to yield readily to internal pressure, and they are, by preference,
of about one-eighth of an inch internal diameter. In lieu of this arrange-
ment, strips of thin vulcanized india-rubber may be used; these are fastened
to the body of the helmet or other head covering in a curved or bulging

page_text: figure, so as to extend inwards to the head lining, and yet readily yield to the
pressure of the head. This arrangement of tubes or their equivalent provides
for the due and continuous admission of the external air to the interior of the
helmet or other head covering, the heated air escaping by the double wire
gauze ventilator H in the crown of the helmet. These improvements are also
well adapted for military helmets and shakos, as they obviously ensure to the
wearer a much greater degree of comfort in the fitting of the head covering.
as well as obtaining a beneficial circulation of air around the head.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the system or mode of arranging and making hats and other coverings
for the head with soft and readily yielding head linings, which are attached to
the hats in such manner as to admit of their fitting with ease and accuracy
different sizes of heads, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of arranging and making hats or other
coverings for the head, in which the admission of air to the interior of the hat
is obtained by means of tubes or strips of an elastic material used in con-
junction with the expansible head linings, herein-before described and shown
in the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the system or mode of arranging and constructing and fitting hats
and other coverings for the head, wherein the linings are either made elastic
throughout, or partially so, for the purpose of obtaining the advantages
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Laidlaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.
GEORGE LAIDLAW. (L.S.)