Improved Devices for Supporting and Holding Hats.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Devices for Supporting and Holding Hats.
I, DRUSILLIA MARION FULLER, of 104, Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, in the County
of Kings and State of New York, 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 :-
My Invention relates to an improvement in devices for supporting and holding
head-gear, especially gentlemen's high hats, and has for its object to provide a means
whereby the hat may be firmly held and supported without danger of crushing or of
injuring the same, whether such article is placed in a trunk or box, and exposed to
the dangers of transportation, or placed in a show-window, or upon a counter, for
exhibition. A further object of the invention is to provide a device simple and
durable in construction and which may be expeditiously and conveniently applied
to any receptacle and also one which is capable of adaptation to various positions
and adjustment to hats of different sizes.
'
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specifica-
tion, in which figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, secured in a compartment,
illustrating a hat in position thereon, drawn in dotted lines; Figure 2 is a partial side
elevation and vertical section of a slightly modified form of the devico; Figures 3, 4,
and 5, are side elevations of further modifications; and figure 6 also illustrates a
further modification. Similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
The body of the device consists of a pedestal A which pedestal usually consists of a
shank 10, preferably circular in cross-section and enlarged at the base, and a cap 11
attached to the upper end of the pedestal, which cap is preferably constructed in the
form of a disc and covered with any soft material, such as velvet, felt, or the like.
In the enlarged or lower end of the shank 10 of the pedestal a pin. or bolt 12 is
introduced and securely fastened, which pin or bolt projects some distance beyond
the shank and is preferably adapted to receive a nut 13 and washer 14.
In the form of device illustrated in figure 1, a piece of spring wire 15 is passed
through the shank 10 of the pedestal at or near the under side of the cap 11 thereof
and the said wire is bent downward and outward in opposite directions, to form
substantially the letter A, the extremities of the wire being bent upward and slightly
inward upon themselves in the direction of the pedestal. Upon the extremities of the
spring arms thus formed by bending the wire 15, an elongated pad. 16 is attached,
which pad may be formed by continuing the bend of the wire. After being carried
upward laterally in opposite directions, to an essentially diamond shape and covering
the said wire with plush, velvet, or like material, but the said pad may be made
independent of the spring arms and attached thereto. In any event, spring material
is made to enter into the construction of the body. The formation of the letter A of
the spring arms is completed by coiling a second piece of wire 17 loosely around
the shank of the pedestal and attaching the extremities of the said wire 17
in any suitable or approved manner to the downwardly-extending members of
the spring 15.
In the form of device illustrated in figure 2, the spring arm consists of a piece of
wire passed through the shank of the pedestal near its lower end, the extremities of
which wire are bent upwards and inwards in the direction of the pedestal, as
lewn at 18, forming hook like ends to the wire, to which ends the pads 16
are attached.
The construction shewn in figure 3 is substantially the same as that illustrated in
figure 2, the difference consisting only in the fact that the spring arms are provided
at their centre with a nut 19, and the shank 10 of the pedestal is threaded to receive

page_text: said nut, whereby the spring arms inay be adjusted vertically upon the pedestal to
accomodate a high hat, a "Derby," or a hat of any desired height.
In figure 4, I have illustrated the "pedestal as being attached to the bottom wall of
the receptacle and the spring arms carrying the pads 16 as being separated from
the pedestal and attached to the sides of the compartiment in which the pedestal
is placed.
It will be observed that these arins may be secured to either the bottom or to the
sides of the receptacle-they are illustrated as attached to the sides in positive lines
and as secured to the bottom in dotted lines. The spring arms in this event consist
of a hook-like structure, the shank of the hook being inclined in the direction of the
pedestal and from the bow portion of the hook the supporting bar is projected, adapted
for attachment to the walls of the receptacle.
In figure 5 the spring arms are adjustable. The construction here shewn differs
from that illustrated in figure 3 only in that a collar 20 is substituted for the nut 19
which collar is provided with a set screw and the shank of the pedestal is smooth, the
arms being held at any desired height upon the pedestal by the contact of the set
screw with the shank of the pedestal.
In use, the hat is placed upon the pedestal in such manner that the disc thereof will
contact with the inner face of the crown of the hat at its top and the spring arms are
so adjusted that the curved portions 18. thereof will project upwards from beneath
and over the brim at the curled portion thereof, the pads 16 engaging with said brim
at that point.
In the form of the device illustrated in figure 6, the spring is attached at its centre
to the bottom of a receptacle of any approved form but instead of wire a flat spring
is employed, the ends of the spring, however, are curved upwards and inwards and
provided with attached pads, as in the other forms of the device heretofore described.
In connection with this form of spring I employ two preferably bifurcated standards b
which at their lower extremities span the spring one at each side of its centre and are
also attached to the bottom of the compartment and upon these standards a spring
pad 62 is secured, which pad is adapted to act in the nature of a clamp and contact
with the sweat-band of the hat when the brim thereof is held in the upturned
extremities of the spring.
Instead of the pad illustrated being employed, the standards may be made of spring
metal and carried upwards to have a bearing against the sweat-band, and the said band
on the upper portion of the standards is preferably given a slight inward inclination.
If a pad is employed it is preferably made of a length corresponding to the width
of the sweat-band and the upper clamping surface of the standards; if the pad is
dispensed with, is of the same length. It will be readily observed, that, by reason of
this modification, the pedestal may be dispensed with and the hat firmly held to
place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is ;-
1. In a device for supporting and holding head gear, a spring arm having upturned
and inwardly-bent extremities and pads secured to the said extremities substantially as,
and for the purpose specified.
2. In a device for supporting and holding head gear, the combination, with the
pedestal, of clamping arms arranged at the sides of the same, substantially as
described.
3. In a device for supporting and holding head gear; the combination with the
pedestal, of spring clamping arms arranged at the sides of the same and pads carried
by said arms, substantially as specified.
4. In a device for supporting and holding head-gear; the combination, with a
pedestal comprising a shank and a disc, of spring arms secured to the shank and a
spring pad secured to each of said arms, substantially, as shewn and described.
5. In a device for supporting and holding head gear, the combination, with a

page_text: pedestal comprising a shank and attached disc, of arms adjustably attached to the
shank of the pedestal and pads carried by said arms, substantially as specified.
6. In a device for supporting and holding head gear, the combination, with a
pedestal comprising a shank and an attached disc, of spring arms curved inwards in
the direction of the shank between its lower end and the disc and pads attached to the
said curved arms, substantially as specified.
7. In a device for supporting and holding head gear, the combination, with a
spring provided with upturned and inwardly bent extremities and pads secured to the
said extremities, of standards located at each side of the centre of the spring and
provided with attached or integral clamping surfaces, substantially as shewn and
described, the clamping surfaces of the standard being adapted for contact with the
inner surface of the hat to be supported and the pads of the spring with the brim of
the said hat, as specified.
Dated this 29th day of April 1890.