A Device for Fixing Hats and Bonnets in Hat and Bonnet Boxes, Trunks, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Device for Fixing Hats and Bonnets in Hat and Bonnet Boxes,
Trunks, and the like.
I, LIONEL SIMONS, of Holly Lodge, Bromley, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved device for fixing hats or bonnets in hat boxes,
bonnet boxes, trunks and the like, and has for its object to provide simple, cheap and
efficient means whereby one or more hats or bonnets can be quickly placed in position
in such a manner that they are securely held therein and protected from the shaking
and other rough handling met with during transport.
To this end I provide a device comprising a central boss from which radiate a
number of hollow arms into which telescope rods having contact pieces at their outer
ends, the hollow arins being provided with means such as set screws whereby the
telescoping rods can be fixed in any position therein. The central boss is also pro-
vided with an upright hollow arm adapted to receive a T-piece, the central arm of
which telescopes in the said upright arm and can be secured in any suitable position
therein by suitable means such as a set screw and the lateral horizontal branches of
which are made hollow so as to receive rods having contact pieces at their outer ends,
the said rods also being secured in position by set screws or the like.
To employ the device it is placed in the box or trunk in which the hat or bonnet
is to be carried and the rods sliding in the radial arms are adjusted so that their con-
tact pieces press against the sides of the said box or trunk after which the said rods
are secured in position by the set screws or the like so that the whole device is rigidly
held in position in the box or the like. The hat or bonnet is now passed over the
T-piece, the rods in the lateral branches of which are adjusted until they hold the
In order that
said lat or bonnet and then secured in position by the set screws.
bonnets which may not be stretched can be held in position I provide the contact
pieces with pads or I form them of pads or cushions so that the bonnets can be
pinned thereto.
It will be obvious, therefore, that with this arrangement the hat or bonnet is
rigidly held in position in the box or trunk in such a manner that it is out of contact
with the sides thereof so that danger of crushing during transport is avoided.
In conjunction with the above described device I may employ an additional set of
upright arms for carrying extra hats or bonnets. These arms are arranged to be
screwed or otherwise secured to the radial arms of the central boss and each is pro-
vided with an L-shaped arm sliding therein and adapted to be secured thereto by a
set screw or the like. The horizontal arm of the L-piece is made hollow to receive
the main branch of a T-piece which can be secured in position by a set screw or the
like, the said T-piece having its lateral branches made hollow to receive rods which
can be secured therein by set screws or the like and which are provided at their
outer ends with contact pieces of the kind above described. These T-pieces can be
arranged with their lateral branches vertical or horizontal or at any suitable angle.
The auxiliary supports may be also provided with a pivoted arm arranged to receive
a rod which can be secured in any position by a set screw or the like, the said rod

page_text: having a basal portion which can be placed upon the brim of the hat supported by
the central holder where this is necessary, for instance in the case of heavy
hats.
Dated this 11th day of December 1897.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
A Device for Fixing Hats and Bonnets in Hat and Bonnet Boxes,
Trunks, and the like.
I, LIONEL SIMONS, of Holly Lodge, Bromley, in the County of Kent, Gentleman,
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:-
This invention relates to an improved device for fixing hats or bonnets in hat
boxes, bonnet boxes, trunks and the like, and has for its object to provide simple,
cheap and efficient means whereby one or more hats or bonnets can be quickly placed
in position in such a manner that they are securely held therein and protected from
the shaking and other rough handling met with during transport.
To this end I provide a device comprising a central boss from which radiate a
number of hollow arms into which telescope rods having contact pieces at their outer
ends, the hollow arms being provided with means, such as set screws or ratchets and
pawls whereby the telescoping rods can be fixed in any position therein. The central
boss is also provided with an upright hollow arm adapted to receive a T-piece, the
central arm of which telescopes in the said upright arm and can be secured in any
suitable position therein by suitable means such as those above described and the
lateral horizontal branches of which are made hollow so as to receive rods having
contact pieces at their outer ends, the said rods also being secured in position by set
screws or the like.
In conjunction with the above described device I may employ an additional set of
upright arms for carrying extra hats or bonnets. These arms are arranged to be
screwed or otherwise secured to the radial arms of the central boss and each is
provided with an L-shaped arm sliding therein and adapted to be secured thereto by a set
screw or the like. The horizontal arm of the L-piece is made hollow to receive the
main branch of a T-piece which can be secured in position by a set screw or the
like, the said T-piece having its lateral branches made hollow to receive rods which
can be secured therein by set screws or the like and which are provided at their outer
ends with contact pieces of the kind above described. These T-pieces can be
arranged with their lateral branches vertical or horizontal or at any suitable
angle.
The auxiliary supports may be also provided with a pivoted arm arranged to
receive a rod which can be secured in any position by a set screw or the like, the said
rod having a basal portion which can be placed upon the brim of the hat supported
by the central holder where this is necessary, for instance in the case of heavy
hats.
In the accompanying drawing,-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a device made according to the invention; and
Figure 2 is a plan thereof.
o, is the central boss and b, bare the hollow arms (here shewn two in number) which
radiate from the said central boss a. c, c are the rods which telescope into the
hollow arms b, b, the said rods being provided at their outer ends with contact

page_text: pieces c¹, c¹ and being fixed in any desired position in the hollow arms b by means of
the ratchet and spring pawl arrangement shewn at or by means of a set-screw as
shewn at e.
f is the upright hollow arm with which the central boss a is provided and g is the
T-piece the stem of which slides in the said hollow arm f and is tightened therein
by means of a set-screw g¹ adapted to be turned by means of the arm g² which is
actuated by the rod g³ connected to a sleeve g' which is fitted on, and can be slid
upon, one of the arms b so as to tighten and loosen the aforesaid set-screw g¹.
h, h are the rods which slide in the horizontal branches of the T-piece g and
are fixed in any desired position therein by the ratchet and spring pawl
arrangements d, d, as shewn, or by set-screws or by other suitable means.
2,2 are
the pads or contact pieces with which the outer ends of the rods h, h are provided for
receiving a hat.
j is one of an additional set of upright arms which I may employ for carrying extra
hats or bonnets. The said arm which is hollow, is screwed or otherwise detachably
fixed to one of the horizontal rods c. is the hollow L-piece which slides in the
tube; and is secured in any suitable position therein by a ratchet and spring pawl
device d of the kind above described, and is the T-piece the stem of which slides
in the horizontal arm of the L-piece and is secured in any suitable position therein
by a ratchet and spring pawl device d or the like as above described. m, m are the
rods which slide in the lateral branches of the hollow T-piece l, the said rods being
adapted to be secured in any desired position in the said branches by ratchet and
spring pawl devices d of the kind above described or by any suitable means and being
provided at their outer ends with pads or contact pieces n, n.
Although I have shewn the T-piece with its branches vertical it will be obvious
that they can be horizontal or at any other suitable angle.
To employ the device it it placed in the box or trunk in which the hat or bonnet
is to be carried and the rods c, c sliding in the radial arms b, b are adjusted so that
their contact pieces c¹, c¹ press against the sides of the said box or trunk, the said
rods c, c being secured in position by the ratchet and pawl arrangements d or by the
set-screws e so that the whole device is rigidly held in position in the box or the like.
The hat or bonnet is now passed over the central T-piece g, (which has been detached
for this purpose) the rods h in the lateral branches of which are adjusted until they
hold the said hat or bonnet, the said rods being secured in the position to which they
are adjusted by the ratchet and pawl devices d. The said T-piece g is then secured
in position, the guide f¹ serving to guide the stem of the T-piece into the hollow
arın f. In order that hats or bonnets which may not be stretched can be held in
position they are secured by pins passed through the pads or cushions i, i.
It will be obvious, therefore, that with this arrangement the hat or bonnet is
rigidly held in position in the box or trunk in such a manner that it is out of
contact with the sides thereof so that danger of crushing during transport is
avoided.
The T-pieces l, I can also receive further hats or bonnets, if desired and when the
device is only required to hold a single hat or bonnet the auxiliary support j can be
removed.
My device is especially applicable for metal and other similar boxes to which the
ordinary pads or cushions cannot be affixed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
a
1. A device for fixing hats and bonnets in boxes, trunks and the like, comprising a
central boss having hollow radial arms in which telescope rods provided with contact
pieces on their ends, and an upright hollow arm in which telescopes
T-piece the lateral branches of which are hollow and are adapted to receive arms
having contact pieces, pads or the like at their outer ends, means, such as ratchets
and pawls or set-screws, being also provided whereby the telescopic rods can be

page_text: secured in any position in which they may be adjusted in the hollow arms, substantially
as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
2. The combination with apparatus of the kind described in Claim 1, of one or
more auxiliary supports each comprising a hollow arm adapted to be secured to one of
the main sliding rods and to receive an L-piece the horizontal hollow arm of which is
arranged to receive the stem of a hollow T-piece of the kind described in Claim 1,
substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved device for fixing
hats and bonnets in boxes, trunks and the like, herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.