AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine François Mennons, of the British
and Foreign Patent Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the
Empire of France, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF
COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD."-A communication from Gustave Victor
Roger, a person resident at Crouy-sur-Ourcq, Dept. de Seine et Marne,
Francel
Sealed the 7th May 1861, and dated the 13th November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 18th November 1860.
I, MARC ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent
Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE
OF COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists, firstly, in the preparation of a plastic composition
intended to imitate and replace straw, chip, cane, whalebone, and other
analogous matters generally employed in the manufacture of coverings for
the head.
And, secondly, in the processes and appliances, by means of which the said
composition is brought to the form, design, and consistency required. To

page_text: a quantity of semi-fluid collodion, formed by the solution of fulminating cotton
in sulphuric ether, is added a bulk of pulverised cotton (dyed to the required
shade) sufficient to form a thin pasty mass, with which is incorporated a
proportion of castor oil, varying according to the suppleness desired in the
product, say, in ordinary cases from one to three per cent. of the weight.
The mould in which this composition is reduced to shape is obtained by
the deposit of copper on the outer surface of a chip, straw, or other hat or cover-
ing effected by the ordinary electrotype process. The mould or "cliche" thus
prepared is surrounded by a strong casing of wrought iron, and the whole
is consolidated by running into the free spaces. a quantity of melted zinc,
brass, or other suitable metal. The carcase of the hat or bonnet, formed in
the ordinary way of any convenient tissue, is coated on all sides with the
plastic composition above described, and left to dry; after which it is placed
in the electrotype mould, and carried to a powerful hydraulic press. The
inside of the hat is then filled with discs of vulcanised caoutchouc of corre-
sponding diameter, and in sufficient number to pass by a short distance, the
upper edge of the mould, a sheet of caoutchouc large enough to cover the
brim being laid over all. The platform of the press or the mould itself
being heated to, say, from 75° to 80° (centigrade), the whole is submitted
to a pressure of from one hundred and fifty to three hundred atmospheres.
Under this pressure the caoutchouc forms, as it were, an elastic piston, and
orcing the plastic matter into all the interstices of the mould, produces an
exact copy of the model, from which the latter had been electrotyped.
The operation being completed the hat is removed carefully from the mould,
and is finished off in the ordinary way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marc Antoine François Mennons in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 39,
Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, Her special licence that I, the

page_text: said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my executors,; administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my
executors, 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, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,. the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE.OF
COVERINGS FOR THE HEAD," a. communication fron Gustave Victor Roger,
a person resident at Crouy-sur-Ourcq, Dept. de Seine et Marne, France,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons, 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 Marc Antoine François Mennons,, 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, that is to say :-
The Invention communicated to me consists, firstly, in the preparation
of a plastic composition intended to imitate and replace straw, chip, cane,
whalebone, and other analogous matters generally employed in the manu-
facture of coverings for the head.
And, secondly, in the processes and appliances by means of which the
said composition is brought to the form, design, and consistency required.
To a quantity of semi-fluid collodion, formed by the solution of fulminating
cotton in sulphuric ether, is added a bulk of pulverised cotton, dyed to the.
required shade, sufficient to form a thin pasty mass, with which is incorporated
a proportion of castor oil, varying according to the suppleness desired in the
product, say, in ordinary cases from one to three per cent of the weight.
The mould in which this composition is reduced to shape is obtained by
the deposit of copper on the outer surface of a chip, straw, or other hat or
covering, effected by the ordinary electrotype process. The mould or
"cliché" thus prepared is surrounded by a strong casing of wrought iron,
and the whole is consolidated by running into the free spaces a quantity
of melted zinc, brass, or other suitable metal. The carcase of the hat or
bonnet, formed in the ordinary way of any convenient tissue, is coated on
all sides with the plastic composition above described, and left to dry; after

page_text: which it is placed in the electrotyped mould, and carried to a powerful
hydraulic press.
The inside of the hat is then filled with discs of
vulcanised caoutchouc of corresponding diameter, and in sufficient number
to pass by a short distance the upper edge of the mould, a sheet of caoutchouc
large enough to cover the brim being laid over all. The platform of the
press, or the mould itself, being heated to, say, from 75° to 80° (centigrade),
the whole is submitted to a pressure of from one hundred and fifty to three
hundred atmospheres. Under this pressure the caoutchouc forms, as it
were, an elastic piston, and forcing the plastic matter into all the interstices
of the mould, produces an exact copy of the model from which the latter
had been electrotyped. The operation being completed, the hat or bonnet
is removed carefully from the mould, and is finished off in the ordinary way.
It is needless to observe that the above manipulations differ more or less
according to the form of the object to be produced.
Having now described the nature of the said manufacture and the manner
of carrying it out, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details above laid down, so long as the principles or main
features of the Invention be retained; but what I claim and desire to protect
by Letters Patent is, the production, substantially as described, of coverings
for the head, imitating straw, chip, cane, whalebone, and other analogous
matters, by the powerful compression in electrotyped moulds, of a plastic
composition prepared and applied as above.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.