Improvements in Display-stand for Hats or Bonnets.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Display-stand for Hats or Bonnets.
We, EFFIE ACKLEY BAILEY, residing at 3 Pleasant Street, in the Town of
Winchester, County of Middlesex State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Milliner, and THOMAS JAMES MARBLE, residing on Central Street, in the City of
Newton, County of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
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 :-
Our invention consists in an improved stand for the support and display of
bonnets, hats, and the like, and intended for use specially in millinery stores, though
the stand may be used in any situation and for any purpose where it may be found
desirable.
The invention is embodied in a standard with a suitable base and a series of arms
arranged near the top of the standard, these arms being adapted to be distended or to
be folded to support or allow of the release or removal of the bonnet or hat.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the entire device, and
Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the upper part thereof.
The central standard is shown at A and is preferably made of a tube, though it
may be made solid and composed of any suitable material; this standard has a
weighted lower end, as shown at B, and from this weighted end extend feet or
supports a. The weight being arranged centrally of the standard and the feet
branching out from the weight gives stability to the device, and there is less liability
of the support being overturned.
Secured to the extreme upper end of the standard is a disk b, and projecting from
the periphery of this disk are a series of points or extensions c, which are turned over
to embrace the ends of a series of loops d, the other ends of these loops engaging
eyes e, which are formed by twisting the parallel branches of arms f, made of wire,
which are supported at their lower ends to a disk y, corresponding to the first disk
described and the lower ends of the arms are secured to the disk in the same manner
by bending over the extensions to engage the ends thereof. This disk is carried upon
a sleeve h, which slides upon the standard A and may be adjusted in any position
thereof by means of a thumbscrew i. A spring is interposed between the two disks
described, and the tendency of this spring is to contract the arms. The spring is not
absolutely essential, however, as the action may be positive in both directions, if
desired.
The wire arms f extend outwardly from the standard at an angle thereto when
distended, and they are provided upon their outer ends with a rubber buffer or
protector, as shown at 1, and this covers the ends of the arms and presents a soft
surface to engage the bonnet or hat, and prevent any abrasion thereof. Instead of
using rubber, the ends of the arms may be covered by felt or any soft material.
It will be noticed that the arms through the agency of the sleeve are adapted to
move simultaneously, and thus to expand or contract by diverging from or
approaching towards each other. By this means said arms are enabled to accom-
modate the varying sizes of any hat or bonnet to be supported, and they give a gentle
pressure on the inside of the crown of the hat to prevent displacement of the same.
To support crownless hats, the sleeve is pushed upwardly to the position shown in
Fig. 2, which gives a flat surface upon which the crownless hat can be displayed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. A display stand for hats, bonnets and the like- consisting of a central standard,
an adjustable sleeve carried thereby, the intermediatèly-doubled arms and the loops
connecting the branches of said arms to the standard, substantially as described.
2. A support for hats, bonnets and the like, consisting of a central standard, an
adjustable sleeve carried thereby, the intermediately-doubled arms, the loops
connecting each of the branches of said arms to the standard, and the buffer
connecting the ends of said branches, substantially as described.
3. A support for hats, bonnets or the like, consisting of a central standard, an
adjustable sleeve carried thereby, the arms intermediately doubled, the disk carried
by said sleeve, the extension of said disk bent around the doubled portion of said
arms, the eyes formed intermediately of each branch of said arms, the loop passing
through said eyes, the disk carried on the end of said standard, the extensions of said
disk bent around the ends of said loops and the buffers carried on the ends of the
branches of said arms, substantially as described.
4. A display stand for hats, bonnets and the like, comprising a central standard, a
sliding sleeve thereupon, a series of supporting arms secured at their lower ends to the
sleeve, interconnecting links from said arms to the top of the standard, and a buffer
carried upon the free extremity of each arm, said buffers acting conjointly and
expansively upon the inside of the crown, substantially as specified.
Dated this First day of July 1896.
EFFIE ACKLEY BAILEY.
THOMAS JAMES MARBLE.