US2076326A - Adjustable wire formed hat holder - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1937. I s. THORNTON 2,076,326

ADJUSTABLE WIRE FORMED HAT HOLDER Filed April 22, 1956 a AP 5 i ri Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 22,

1936, Serial No. 75,880

In Australia April 23, 1935 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for insertion into the crown of a hat for the purpose of ensuring that the hat shall retain its shape while out of use. At present, to preserve a hat, the

crown is sometimes stuffed with paper but this invention provides a light and economically made device that is adapted to fit into the various sized hats and to be secured therein to protect the crown and rim while the hat is suspended from a hook or left supported on the device. Its service to headwear is therefore, in effect, similar to that of the boot-jack to footwear.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 shows the device in perspective view and extended, looking from below and Fig. 2 is a plan View of same, contracted, taken also from below.

The device comprises one or more circles of wire, the ends of which overlap and are loosely secured to each other. They are formed slightly elliptical and are substantially of equal diameters.

A third circle is of greater diameter and its ends also overlap while it is connected into the smaller system. A finger frame of wire or other convenient means such as a plate connects into or hooks over the over-lapping portions of the smaller forms of wire for the purpose of contracting the systems, as will be hereinafter explained.

A convenient mode of carrying the invention into eflect is by bending a wire 3 into circular form, but slightly elliptical, with the free ends considerably overlapping and loosely attached as at 4. Arranged immediately above the member 3 is another circular form of wire 5 with its ends over-lapping and attached loosely at 4. This part has the same dimensions as member 3 and is maintained in position over that member by means hereinafter described.

The third or larger member 6 is of the same material bent into circular form with the ends over-lapping and slidably attached as at 4. Inclining struts l are securely mounted at intervals on members 6 and 5, the end of each strut being loosely connected to a post 8 secured to and depending from the member 3. By means, therefore, of the struts and connections the parts 6, 5 and 3 can be maintained in proper positions and the whole conveniently supported. Furthermore, the posts 8 permit of the member 3 being moved away from 5, such as when the device is placed in the crown of a soft hat, to fill or occupy the crown. The outward ends of the struts may be continued beyond member 6 and formed into feet 9 upon which the device can stand and a loop in can be formed and loosely attached to 5 through which it can be hung upon a hook or peg while supporting a hat.

To facilitate the introduction of the device or 60 frame into hats of different sizes a finger frame H is made to engage between the overlapping parts of members 3 and 5 near the connections 4 and a thumb loop I2 is opposite on member 5. With the frame upside down and in the position shown in Fig. 1, the thumb is placed in i2 and the fingers over II when, by drawing the parts together part II will come against the connections 4 and members 3 and 5 will be caused to further overlap and will be thus contracted. At the same time the movements of 3 and 5 will be communi cated to member 6 through the posts 8 and struts l to cause 6 to follow the movements of 3 and 5, when the whole device will be contracted, as shown in Fig. 2. In this position it is placed in the crown of a hat and on releasing the part II the wire forms will react through their own resiliency and the crown of the hat will be engaged by 3 and 5, while 1 lies upon the hat rim. Thus,womens hats can be preserved in shape and from damage while not in use by the device and disposed of on hooks in an orderly manner until again required. The device will be found especially useful in schools, banks, factories and offices where hats are discarded during working hours.

It is mostly for use on soft hats but it may be employed in the preservation of headwear generally. It further may be possible to dispense with the member 3 and posts 8 and to rely upon members 5 and 6 with the attached struts and a plate in place of the part II that hooks over and into the over-lapping ends of member 5, for the purposes explained.

I claim:-

1. In a hat holder, a wire in circular form with the ends over-lapping and loosely secured, a larger member in same form, inclining struts connecting the two circular wires and a bar or frame loosely engaging the over-lapping ends of the smaller member.

2. In a hat holder, a wire in circular form with the ends over-lapping and loosely secured, a second wire of equal dimension and. form below the first, a third and larger member with over-lapping ends, inclining struts connecting the said third member with the others and a bar or frame loosely engaging the over-lapping ends of said smaller members.

3. In a hat holder, a wire in circular form with the ends over-lapping and loosely secured, a second wire of equal dimension and form below the first, a third and larger member with over-lapping ends, posts arranged at intervals depending from the first smaller member, inclining struts secured to the third and the second smaller member in slidable engagement with said posts and a bar or frame loosely engaging the overlapping ends of said smaller members.

SALLIE THORNTON.

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