IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER SIMILAR HEAD COVERINGS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lever, of the Firm of Kellow, Lever, and
Company, of Union Hall, Union Street, in the Borough of South-
wark, Hat Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER SIMILAR HEAD COVERINGS."
Sealed the 6th August 1869, and dated the 10th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lever at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th February 1869.
I, WILLIAM LEVER, of the Firm of Kellow, Lever, and Company, of
Union Hall, Union Street, in the Borough of Southwark, Hat Manu.
facturers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER SIMILAR HEAD
COVERINGS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new or improved manufacture of the bodies
of hats and other similar head coverings, which bodies are intended to
be covered with plush, pull-over, or other ordinary covering material,
and it has for its object the production of the bodies in such manner as

page_text: to render the hat or head covering more light and elastic than at present,
and to protect the same from damage by the passage of the internal
perspiration.
The Invention consists in manufacturing the body of a combination of
materials not hitherto used for the purpose. For this object a sheet,
layer, or picce of thin caoutchouc or gutta percha, or waterproof material
whereof caoutchouc or gutta percha is the essential or main constituent,
is placed or interposed between two pieces, layers, or thicknesses of
cotton or other textile, woven, or knitted fabric. The three thicknesses,
layers, or pieces are then all cemented or caused to adhere together
firmly and substantially by the employment of shellac or other gummy,
gum resinous, resinous, or adhesive substance, which also imparts stiff-
ness to the compound material. The compounded or combined material
thus obtained is then shaped so as to form the body of the hat or head
covering in the manner and by the means adopted for bodies made of
ordinary materials, and it is afterwards covered with plush, pull-over, or
other covering material, and the hat or head covering is finished off in
the usual manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Lever in the Great Seal Patent Office'
on the 10th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LEVER, of the Firm of Kellow, Lever, and Company, of Union Hall,
Union Street, in the Borough of Southwark, Hat Manufacturers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Lever, Her
special licence that I, the said William Lever, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Lever,
my exccutors, 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,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS AND OTHER SIMILAR HEAD
COVERINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Lever, 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 William Lever, 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, that is to say:-
The Invention relates to a new or improved manufacture of the bodies
of hats and other similar head coverings, which bodies are intended to
be covered with plush, pull-overs, or other ordinary covering material,
and it has for its object the production of the bodies in such manner as
to render the hat or head covering more light and elastic than at present;
and to protect the same from being damaged by the passage of the
internal perspiration.
The Invention consists in manufacturing the body of a certain com-
bination of materials (herein-after described) not hitherto used for the
purpose. For this object sheet, layer, or piece of thin caoutchouc or
gutta percha, or of waterproof material whereof caoutchouc or gutta
percha is an essential or main constituent, is placed or interposed
between two pieces, layers, or thicknesses of cotton or other textile,
woven, or knitted fabric. The three thicknesses, layers, or pieces are
then all cemented or caused to adhere together firmly and sub-
stantially by the employment of shellac or other gummy, gum resinous,
resinous, or ordinary adhesive substance, which also imparts considerable
stiffness to the compound material. The compounded or combined
material thus obtained is then shaped so as to form the body of the hat
or head covering in the manner and by the means adopted for bodies
made of ordinary materials, and it is afterwards covered with plush,
pull-over, or other covering material, and the hat or head covering is
finished off in the usual manner. Caoutchouc and gutta percha may

page_text: be combined for the production of the interposed or waterproof
material.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim as of my
Invention, manufacturing the body of hats of a combination of materials
not hitherto used for that purpose, such combination of materials
consisting of thin caoutchouc or gutta percha, or of waterproof material
whereof caoutchouc or gutta percha is a main ingredient, interposed
between and cemented or attached to textile, woven, or knitted fabric,
substantially as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lever, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
M. HENRY,
68, Fleet Street,
London.
WILLIAM LEVER. (L.S.)