Improvements in or relating to Hats, Caps, or other Head Coverings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Hats, Caps, or other Head Coverings.
A communication from abroad by CARL EUGEN HAEGE, of 164, Silberburgstrasse,
Stuttgart, in the Empire of Germany, Merchant.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a head covering, hat, cap or the like, the inside width
of which may be altered or reduced as required so that the same hat may be made
to fit heads of various breadths, as well as for holding the hat firmly on the head
under various circumstances, such for instance as strong winds, rapid movements,
running, etcetera. For this purpose a band of steel or other suitable material is
arranged inside the hat or cap, preferably beneath the sweat leather, which can
be adjusted by means of a ratchet device, lever slide or other suitable arrange-
as to become
ment through a knob or the like projecting to the outside, so
narrower or wider, whereby the hat or cap may be exactly fitted to the head.
The construction of this new adjusting device is shown in the accompanying
drawings:
A steel band c is adjustably arranged, under the sweat leather b of the hat a,
on each of the ends of which a strip or plate d is fastened which is provided with
longitudinal slots e having teeth on one side. Both the perforated toothed
plates lie one above the other in a flat box-like case f which is attached to
the side a of the hat at a suitable place by means of the lugs g. The plates
are inserted in such a way that the teeth d are respectively situated at the top
and the bottom, (Figure 3). The open side of the case turned towards the
side of the hat is covered by a cover plate inserted in the former, so that the
plates d and the whole actuating mechanism is enclosed between the two.
For receiving and holding the driving spindle i on which the spur-wheel k is
firmly attached, the case f and cover plate h are each provided with an opening,
corresponding to the thickness of the spindle.
The spur-wheel, situated in the centre of the openings in the plates, engages
above and below in the teeth d¹ of the plates d.
The extended driving spindle i passes through the side a of the hat a and is
provided at the outside with a screw thread I, on which a screw nut m is adjustably
placed, and at the end a knob n securely fixed on a square shank or in other
suitable manner.
The mode of action of the adjusting device is as follows:-
By turning the knob n to the right, the plates d and therewith the ends of the
steel band c secured thereon are pressed forwards against each other in consequence
of the engaging of the spur-wheel k in the teeth d', by which movement the band
is narrowed; if the knob n be turned to the left, the ends of the band are drawn
apart backwards and the band c is thereby enlarged.
The hat or cap may thus at pleasure be made narrower or wider and thus be adapted
for various sizes of heads, and whilst being worn may, by a suitable drawing up
of the band c by the turning of the knob.n, without being removed from the head,
be so fitted on to the latter that it cannot fall off.
In order to prevent any automatic displacement or extension of the band c after
it is once adjusted to a suitable width the screw-nut m is firmly screwed up against

page_text: the side a¹ of the hat or or the cover of the case, by which means the latter is
pressed against the plates d in such a way that they are firmly gripped between
the back of the case and the cover, and a displacement of the plates and widening
of the band is rendered impossible. When desired this may be brought about by
releasing the screw nut.
In place of the above described ratchet mechanism, any other suitable
mechanism for adjusting the ends of the band may be employed, the latter may
also itself be provided with suitable teeth etcetera, in which case separate plates
are not necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
A head covering whose width may be adjusted to the head, by inserting in the
interior of the same, preferably beneath the sweat leather, a flexible steel band,
the circumference of which may be altered at pleasure, by means of a ratchet
device, or other suitable mechanism, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.