Improvements in Hat and Cap Fasteners or Grips.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Apr., 1895-Accepted, 24.h May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hat and Cap Fasteners or Grips.
I, WALTER MARTIN HARRIS of the Firm of D. B. Harris and Sons, of
Newhall Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to attachments, known as "grips," for hats, bonnets and
other head gear, principally worn by ladies, and has for its object, an attachment,
simple in construction, easily made, and efficient when in use or applied.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I make an attachment or hat grip
from wire, which is bent and fashioned into a curved comb-like and skeleton frame,
having a series of depending hook-shaped teeth proceeding from its underside,
raking inwardly and upwards, and being separated to any suitable extent and with
the said teeth or prong members radially disposed with respect to each other.
Thus, I take a length of wire, and fashion the same into a series of bridge-shaped
loops, with the legs of the same, which are formed by the folding of the wire upon
itself into curved hooks, raking inwards and upwards.
I propose that the terminal end portions of the wire of the frame, and also the
middles of the bridge or inverted U-shaped loops, should be formed into eyes for
the attachment of the same to the inside of a hat by stitching, eyeletting or
otherwise.
The curve of the comb-shaped frame is of the same contour as the inside of the
crown of the hat.
On a hat provided with my attachment being placed on the head by the wearer,
the curved toothed members of the frame glide downwards and enter the front or
other part of the hair, and on a hat being lifted by the wind, the teeth engage
under and is held by the hair, hence a self-fixing grip.
'
Instead of forming the wire into eyes or loops, I may flatten the same at parts,
which are pierced with holes, or portions of the wire may be formed into tongues
or ears, so that the attachment may be secured to a hat without sewing.
As a further form of my invention, the teeth or fingers may be made compound
or double order, with a flared clearance coming between each pair, into which
clearances or spaces, tufts of hair are gripped on being drawn to the tops of the
said clearances, which are made in shape alike unto a long V.
Or the fingers or teeth may be bulbous ended, or they may be corrugated or
undulated.
As a still further form of attachment, the fingers or teeth may be made in
adjacent pairs, and to spring or yield lengthwise, so that in forcing the teeth
through the hair, they slightly open out and then become held by the resilience of
the metal.
As another form of grip, I take a length of wire and coil the same npon a flat
mandril, forming a flat helix or hollow band. By pulling out the coils a series of
fingers are formed, which are then curved inwardly hook-shaped, with parts of the

page_text: wire either flattened and pierced, or formed into loops or eyes, for the attachment
of the grip to a hat.
Or the hollow band may be so constructed that when distended, parts of the
fingers or teeth open out, allowing hair to pass between them and be there gripped
by the contraction of the said parts on the same being released.
As still a further form of my invention, I may make the attachment in the form
of two approaching hooks or combs, which are drawn together by a coiled spring.
The shank parts of the members cross each other and terminate in grips which
may be made in the form of ornaments which come underneath the brim of a hat,
by the pressing of which, the comb or hook parts recede and on the grips being
released, the said combs or hooks again approach each other and embed themselves
into the hair from opposite sides and retain a hat upon the head of a person.
Instead of making the attachments from wire, they may be made from strip or
sheet metal or other suitable material, either cut out by a press, or moulded or
otherwise fashioned.
Dated this 20th day of July 1801
I, WALTER MARTIN HARRIS, of the Firm of D. B. Harris and Sons, of
Newhall Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention has relation principally to the manufacture of head gear securing
attachments or means, commonly known as "hat and cap grips," and of that type
in which a series of connected together teeth, forming a comb-like frame is
employed.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I make an attachment or hat grip as
aforesaid from a length of wire, which is bent and fashioned into a curved comb or
skeleton like frame having a series of depending and hook-shaped teeth raking
inwardly, and with their points upwardly, and with the said teeth or prong members
radially disposed and separated from each other by a considerable space.
Thus, I take a length of wire, and fashion the same into a series of bridge-shaped
loops, with the legs of the same, (which are formed by the folding of the wire
upon itself into curved hooks), raking inwards and upwards.
The terminal ends of the wire of the comb shaped frame, may be flattened out
and pierced so as to form eyes, for the attachment of the grip to a hat by sewing,.
although the said terminal ends may be turned up into eyed loops for the same
purpose.
The curve of the comb-shaped frame is preferably of the same contour as the
inside of the body of the hat.
On a bat provided with my attachment being placed on the head by the
wearer, the curved toothed members of the frame enter the hair hence the securing
of the same to the head.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in perspective, a ladies' hat,.
with the front inside part fitted with a hat grip made from wire, and according to
one form of my invention.
:
Figure 2 represents an underside plan of the said hat grip.
Figure 3 represents an end view of Figure 2.

page_text: Figure 4 represents a back elevation of the said hat securing device.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 4 of
the drawings.
a is the frame or backbone of the appliance, and a¹ are hanging hook-shaped
teeth or prongs raking forwardly and directed radially, and with the tips of the.
teeth or prongs rounded off, whereby scratching the head of a wearer is prevented..
The terminal ends a² are flattened out and pierced with holes a³, by means of
which the said device is secured to the inside of the body of a hat.
In making the said hat securing device a length of wire is taken alike unto.
Figure 5, and the same shaped about its middle by suitable tools into such a figure
as represented in that of Figure 6, again by a further bending process or processes.
the outer parts of the said wire Figure 6, are shaped into additional teeth or
prongs, alike unto the toothed and skeleton frame as shown in Figure 7, of which
Figure 8 is an underside plan, and Figure 9 a section on the dotted line x, of the
said figure.
This said toothed or skeleton shaped frame Figure 7, is then bent into the
finished grip shown at Figures 2, 3 and 4 and the toothed and other parts slightly
flattened, by dies and pressure.
The terminal ends of the wire, are also flattened and pierced, so as to form the
flattened and eyed ends a², a³.
As a still further form of attachment, the teeth, prongs or fingers of it, may be.
made in adjacent pairs, and so formed as to spring or yield laterally, so that on the
forcing of the teeth of the said attachment or grip through the hair, they slightly
yield or open out and nip the said hair between them.
Figure 10 represents such a form of hat grip as last described in which the
teeth or prongs, are made of a bifurcated or cleft construction.
a is the frame or backbone of the appliance, and a¹ are hanging hook-shaped
teeth, with bifurcated ends a, and with the terminal ends a³, flattened and pierced.
with holes a³.
The making of the said grip is performed by taking a length of wire, and
fashioning the same, by tools or by dies and pressure.
Figure 11 represents a further form of my invention. In this arrangement the.
terminations of the teeth are made circular, whilst the shanks or bodies of thein are
undulated or corrugated.
As another form of grip, I take a length of wire and coil the same upon a flat.
mandiil, forming a flat helix or hollow band.
By pulling out the coils a series of fingers are formed which are then curved
inwardly hook-shaped, with parts of the wire either flattened and pierced, or
formed into loops or eyes, for the attachment of the grip to a hat.
Or the hollow band may be so constructed that when distended, parts of the-
fingers or teeth open out, allowing hair to pass between them and be there gripped
by the contraction of the said parts on the same being released.
Figures 12 represents such a hat grip as last described.
Figure 13 represents how the wire is helically and closely wrapped upon a.
flat strip.
Figure 14 is a section on the dotted linex Figure 13. It is understood that the
frame Figure 12 is shaped or bent to the desired figure and the member or parts if
necessary flattened.
Figure 15 represents a like frame to form a grip as Figure 12, but with the
points of the teeth or fingers formed with circular shaped ends.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware
that it has been proposed to make hat and cap fasteners or grips of the type herein
represented from wire. I therefore make no claim for so making such fasteners or
grips except in the manner set forth below, but what I claim is:
First. In bat or cap fasteners or grips, making the teeth, prongs or fingers,.

page_text: bifurcated or cleft substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth
in Figure 10.
Secondly. In hat or cap fasteners or grips making the teeth prongs or fingers,
undulated or corrugated with or without circular ends as set forth in Figure 11.
Thirdly. In hat or cap fasteners or grips, making the same from wire or strip
metal, wrapped upon a flat strip or mandril, and then subsequently opened out,
shaped and finished, as set forth in Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Fourthly. The improvements in hat or cap fasteners or grips, as described and
set forth in Figures 1 to 15.
Dated this 20th day of April 1895.
°
WALTER MARTIN HARRIS,
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.

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