GB2363053A - Device for adjusting hat sizes - Google Patents

Abstract

The adjuster comprises a flexible strip 1 e.g plastics with a notch 5 cut out of one end, and the opposite end has a strip of tape 2 e.g elastic attached 3 to it. The tape 2 is pulled around the back of the strip 1 and the end 4 is passed through the notch 5 and tensioned to deform the strip to the desired arcuate shape and then secured to front of the strip 1. The hat is then secured to the remaining attachment area 6 exposed on the strip 1.

Description

2363053 DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING HAT SIZES This invention relates to a device

which may be inserted in the crown of a hat to reduce the hat size to suit the wearer.

One of the most common problems facing a potential hat purchaser is that the hat style which appeals to the purchaser is not available in a size which fits the purchaser's head. Having selected a desirable hat style, the purchaser is often unwilling to switch to a different style with a correct fitting, and the purchase may be 10 abandoned altogether.

There have been proposals for providing adjustable internal brims in intentionally oversized hats, for example, as disclosed in our UK Patent No. 2,274,972. However, such adjustable brims are inserted during the manufacture of the hat.

There remains a need for a simple device which can be easily inserted into the crown of a conventional fixed size hat at the time of purchase, or subsequent to the purchase of the hat. Devices currently available do no more than pad out the crown, so that the crown is in contact with the wearer's head at discrete points rather than around the 20 whole of the crown, resulting in some insecurity when the hat is being worn.

The pr esent invention overcomes this problem by providing an insert device which, after adjustment, maintains a continuous internal brim for contact with the wearer's head.

According to the present invention there is provided a size adjusting device for insertion in the crown of a hat, comprising:

flexible and resilient elongate strip member; flexible tape member, one end of which is secured to one end of the strip A 3 member; means for releasably securing the other end of the tape member at different locations on the strip member so that the tape member is under tension and bends the strip member into an arcuate shape; means for releasably securing the device within the crown of a hat. 5 In use in a hat, the bowed surface of the elongate strip grips the interior surface of the crown of the hat, while the strip provides a secondary rim surface bridging the outwardly bowed surface, and so reduces the circumference of the crown.

10 The strip member may be any thin, stiff but flexible strip material such as spring steel or more suitably senii-rigid plastics. The flexible tape member is suitably a fabric tape or ribbon and is Preferably, but not essentially, elasticated. It may also be possible to substitute a cord for the tape, depending on the choice of means for releasably securing the tape to the strip. This is most suitably achieved using pads of 15 hook and loop fasteners (for example, as sold under the name Velcrot) which are more suitably attached to tapes or ribbons. However, alternative fastening means such as hook and eye fasteners or press fasteners may be used if desired.

In use of the device, the relatively stilf strip is grasped and the free end of the flexible 20 tape is pulled to place the tape under tension, pulling the strip into an arc. The end of the tape is passed over the free end of the strip, and then secured to the outer surface or back of the strip to fix the arcuate shape. This attachment is most suitably achieved by securing a strip of hook or loop fastener material on the back surface of the elongate strip for connection with a complementary pad of hook or loop fastening 25 material positioned on the free end of the flexible tape. The whole device can then be inserted into the crown of a hat, where it is again preferably secured by cooperating pads or strips of hook and loop fastener material. The strip of fastener material on the back surface of the elongate strip may serve both for connection to the free end of the flexible tape and for connection to a corresponding fastener piece in the crown of the 30 hat. The flexible tape now provides a secondary partial rim inside the crown, reducing the nominal hat size. The position of attachment of the tape to the rear of the elongate strip can be adjusted as necessary to vary the hat size until the user is satisfied.

For ease of use of the device, the elongate strip preferably has a length less than half of the circumference of the crown of the hat, most suitably, about '/4 o f the circumference of the crown.

Preferably, the strip and the tape are encased in fabric with the free end of the flexible tape remaining outside the fabric casing so that it can be grasped and manipulated to 10 the rear of the elongate strip. When the strip is encased in this way, then the hook and loop fastening material, or other fastening device (used to secure the device to the hat), is positioned on the fabric casing rather than on the strip itself The construction and use of the device will now be described in more detA by 15 reference to the embodiments of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure I is a view from one side of a simple non-encased device comprising a elongate strip and elasticated tape; Figure 2 is a view of the same device from the opposite side; Figure 3 shows the same device after the tape has been tensioned and secured to the rear of the strip; Figure 4 is a plan view of the tension device shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a device of the invention encased in fabric; Figure 6 is a view of the same device from the other side, illustrating the attachment of the tape to the casing; Figure 7 is a cross-section through the encased device; Figure 8 is a schematic view of the device inserted in a hat.

Referring to Figures 1-4 of the accompanying drawings, in its simplest form the device of the present invention comprises an elongate strip (1) of flexible but resilient 30 plastics materia4 for example, cut from a semi-rigid sheet of polypropylene, and an elasticated fabric tape (2) of length slightly longer than the strip (1). One end of the elasticated tape (2) is secured, for example, by stitching (3), to one end of the strip (1).

The free end (4) of the elasticated tape (2) carries a pad of hook or loop fastener material (4). When the elasticated tape (2) is positioned to he across one surface of the strip (1), and the strip (1) is grasped by the user, then tensioning the tape (2) will cause the strip (1) to bend into a bow shape. The free end of the tape (2) may then be 5 passed over the free end of the strip (1), suitably through a guide notch (5), and pulled round to the outer surface of the now bow-shaped strip (1) where the hook or fastener pad (4) may be secured to a complementary strip of hook or fastener material (6) secured to the outer surface of the strip (1).

10 The bowed strip (1) is secured into the crown of a hat (7) as shown in Figure 8, by pressing the hook or fastener strip (6) against a complementary strip (8) attached to the crown of the hat (7). (The strip (6) conveniently serves both as an attachment point for the fastener pad (4) and a means of securing the whole device into the hat (7)). The crown of the hat (7) conforms to the shape of the bow shaped strip (1), 15 while the tape (2), stretched across the bow shape like the chord of an arc, provides a secondary rim surface which reduces the overall circumference of the internal rim of the crown. The device may be removed from the crown of the hat and the position of pad (4) adjusted to increase or decrease the bowing of the strip (1) until the internal rim is of a suitable size which suits the intended wearer of the hat.

Preferably the elasticated tape (2) is secured to the opposite surface of the strip (1) as shown in Figures 1-4, since this makes it more convenient to encase the device in fabric as disclosed below. However, in a non-encased device, as shown in Figures I 4, a suitable bowing effect could be achieved by securing the free end of a shortened 25 tape (2) to the surface of the strip (1) facing the tape (2).

Conveniently the free end of the ribbon (2) is provided with a finiher pad (9) of hook or loop fastener material on the opposite surface to the pad (4) to provide an additional point for securing the device to the crown of the hat, since part of the fastening elements of the strip (6) will be obscured by the overlying tape (2).

In another embodiment of the device of this invention, the strip (1) and ribbon (2) are encased in fabric as shown in Figures 5-7. The strip (1) and ribbon (2) are preferably isolated in separate compartments (10, 11) within the fabric casing as shown in Figure 7, where the fabric envelope is divided into compartments (10, 11) by stitching (12).

5 While the casing compartment (10) is stitched at each end of the strip so that the strip is wholly enclosed, the compartment (11) containing the elasticated tape (2) is open at one end so that the free end of the elastic tape can be grasped. Also, the casing is preferably stitched so that the elasticated tape (2) lies in a web (11) of material which is substantially at right angles to the encased strip (1,10).

As, in the embodiment shown in Figures 1-4, the free end of the ribbon (2) has opposed fastener pads (4) and (9). The fastener pad (4) may be secured to a strip of fastening material (6) which is now secured to the outer surface of the fiLbric casing of the compartment (10) for strip (1), rather than onto strip (1) itself The encased device may be secured into the crown of a hat and adjusted as previously described. The fabric casing gives the advantage of a more finished appearance to the inside of the crown of the hat.

20 For ease and flexibility of adjustment, fastening materials of the hook and loop type are greatly preferred, but other fastening materials may be substituted if desired.

The device of the invention provides an easily adjustable device which may easily be inserted into and removed from the crown of a hat. The device provides a continuous 25 surface within the crown'contributing to the comfort of the user and a more pleasing look to the finished product. that is provided by conventional padding materials.

Claims (4)

1. A size adjusting device for insertion in the crown of a hat, comprising a flexible and resilient elongate strip member, a flexible tape member, one end of which is secured to one end of the strip member, means for securing the other end of the tape member at different locations along the length of the strip member so as to bend the strip into an arcuate shape, and 10 means for securing the strip member within the crown of a hat.

2. A size adjusting device for insertion in the crown of a hat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible tape member is passed over a guide surface formed in the other 15 end of the strip member.

3. A size adjusting device for insertion in the crown of a hat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the guide surface is a notch or groove and is secured to the rear surface of the strip.

4. A size adjusting device for insertion in the crown of a hat substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.