Improvements in Hat-suspenders.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 17th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 20th Jan., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hat-suspenders.
I, JAMES REID, of 103 West Main Street, Darvel, Ayrshire, Tapestry Chenille
and Madras Worker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises new hat-suspenders, so attached to
and fitted within the hats, that when required for use they can be folded or otherwise
drawn out sufficiently to suspend the hats to any narrow projection, such as to the
lining round the walls of public halls, meeting-houses, theatres, and other places,
also to the backs of the seats and book, writing, or music desks and other such like
objects which improvements will provide a public convenience much required, and
utilise objects and spaces for the purpose not heretofore effected.
The nature and novelty of my invention consists in forming each hat-suspender in
two main parts, the one a fixed part, secured to the inside of the hat, while the other
would be so fitted or mounted by hinges or slides on the fixed part as to be easily
moved out sufficiently beyond the brim of the hat as to form a suspender for it.
According to one simple construction, (which is susceptible of considerable modi-
fication) the fixed part of this hat suspender, is formed of a narrow thin plate of hard
spring brass or other sheet metal, a very little longer than the width of the head
band inside; this plate piece would be formed with 2, 3, or more sharp prongs near
its outer end, and being inserted between the head band and the body of the hat
would have these prongs passed through the latter and clenched just under and so as
to be covered by the outer ribbon band near the brim. The inner end of this plate, a
ittle beyond the head band, would have a hinge joint formned on it, with a split-up
ongue part in the centre and projecting a little between the hinges, to act as a spring,
or a corresponding heel part formed on the coupling hinge end of the movable part
r arm thus jointed to the hinge of the fixed part. This movable arm is also made of
thin plate, preferably tapered for lightness towards its free end, which would be of
Price 8d 1

page_text: such a length as to extend, when folded out on its said joint hinge, an inch-and-halt
or so beyond the brim of the hat; and this projecting end would be slightly curved
and have a small palin or band of india-rubber on it, so that it would catch the ledge
or other projection like a finger, the weight of the hat enabling it to hold; while
the lower brim would be steadied by resting against the wall or other support. The
spring of the joint part retains the movable arm both in its folded-out and folded-in
positions.
The details of this hat suspender might be varied,-as, by making the movable
arm to slide out and in on guides on the inner end of the fixed plate, and the outer end of
the arm or paw might be made thin to enter a crevice, such as the crevices along the
wall rods for carrying pictures, or in some cases sharp points may be fitted on the
palm beside the rubber for use when suitable.

page_text: Improvements in Hat Suspenders.
I, JAMES REID, of 103 West Main Street, Darvel, Ayrshire, Tapestry, Chenille
and Madras Worker do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention has reference to and comprises new hat-suspenders, so attached
to and fitted within the hats, that when required for use they can be folded or other-
wise drawn out sufficiently to suspend the hats to any narrow projection, such as to
the lining round the walls of public halls, meeting-houses, theatres, and other places,
also to the backs of the seats and book, writing, or music desks or shelves, and other
such like objects; which improvements will provide a public convenience much
required, and utilise objects and spaces for the purpose not heretofore effected.
The nature and novelty of my invention consist in forming each hat suspender in
two main parts, the one a fixed part, secured to the inside of the hat, while the other
would be so fitted or mounted by hinges or slides on the fixed part as to be easily
moved out sufficiently heyond the brim of the hat as to form a suspender for it.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice, may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing my new hat-suspender A, A' as fitted to
a tall form of gentleman's silk hat B and resting against the ledge of a wall, and
shown dotted-in in its folded position within the hat to form no obstruction to the
hat in wearing. Figure 2 is an edge and side view of the suspender A, A', shown in
Figure 1 and Figure 3 shows similar views of the suspender A, A', made of plate
metal and with a telescopic or lengthening and shortening joint at a³. Figure 4
is a sectional elevation showing a slightly different modification of suspender from
that shown in Figures 1 to 3, as applied to a felt or low hat. Figure 5 shows edge
and side views of the suspender A, A', shown in Figure 4, the movable part A being
made of elastic wire instead of plate metal as in Figures 1 to 3, but the fixed
part A' is slightly modified from that shown in these Figures. Figure 6 represents
edge and side views of a suspender similar to that shown in Figure 5, with the
moving part A made of elastic wire, except that the securing plate part A' is slightly
modified. Figure 7 shows similar views of the suspender, the movable part A being
made of elastic wire with a telescopic or lengthening and shortening joint, and the
fixed part A of plate metal analogous to Figure 6.
Referring to these Drawings:-The fixed part A' of this hat suspender is preferably
formed of a narrow thin plate of hard spring brass or other sheet metal, a very little
longer than the width of the head band B₁ inside the hat B; this plate piece A' is
formed with two, three, or more sharp prongs a near its outer end or punched out of
the body of the metal itself as seen in Figures 6 and 7 and being inserted between

page_text: the head band B' and the body B of the hat would have these prongs passed through
the latter and clenched just under and so as to be covered by the outer ribbon
band B² near the brim; or the plate piece A¹ may be formed as in Figures 4 and 5,
and be secured to the side of the hat by rivets or eyelets. The inner end of this
plate A', a little beyond the head band B, has a hinge or movable joint formed on it
at A2, with a split up tongue part a' in the centre and projecting a little between the
hinges A, to act as a spring, for a corresponding heel part a formed on the coupling
binge end of the movable part or arm A thus jointed to the hinge of the fixed part,
all as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The movable part or arm A is also made of a thin
plate, preferably tapered for lightness towards its free end, as shown in Figures 1
and 2, which would be of such a length as to extend, when folded out on its said
joint hinge A, an inch and a half or so beyond the brim of the hat B; and this
projecting end is slightly curved and has a small palm or band of india-rubber b
secured on it, to enable it to catch the ledge or other projection like a finger, the
weight of the hat enabling it to hold and hang without over-balancing or falling,
The spring a' of the joint part A retains the movable arm A, both in its folded-out
and folded-in positions. The movable arm A may be made of wire, as shown in
Figures 4 to 7, in which case the ends of the wire would be inserted at A* on each
side into the hinge part on the fixed plato A', and the ends of the bingo would be so
cut or notched at all that the spring wire limbs of the arm A in turning it to the out
and in positions would act to retain and hold it in these positions in an equivalent
manner to the spring and tongue a', a" as in Figures 1 to 3. As shown in Figures 3
and 7 the movable part A of the suspender can be made in two parts whether mado
of plate metal or wire, and be lengthened or shortened by means of a telescopic or
sliding joint at a³, so as to be drawn out to fix the hat in any desired position, and be
shortened to slide within the hat for being placed on the head of the wearer.
The details of this hat suspender A A' might be varied,-as by making the
movable arm A to slide out and in on guides on the inner end of the fixed plate A',
and the outer end of the arm or paw A might be made thin to enter a crevice, such
as the crevices along the wall rods for carrying pictures, or in some cases sharp points
may be fitted on the palm beside the rubber b for use when suitable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner of performing the same, I declare that what I claim is,-
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination, of the parts of hat-
suspenders, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the several
modifications on the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The forming of hat suspenders with a movable holding part A, for folding
or sliding out beyond the brim of the hat, and a fixed part A secured to the hat,
substantially as and for the purposes berein described in reference to and shown in
the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The forming of hat suspenders A A¹, so as to have a spring action at their
hinge or joint part A, substantially as and for the advantages herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The forming of the movable parts A of hat suspenders with rubber or
equivalent tips or frictional parts at their ends to form a gripping surface on the
objects to which they are suspended, substantially as herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.