US2699553A - Novelty hat - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 18, 1955 J H. BYERS ETAL 2,699,553

NOVELTY HAT Filed Dec. 22, 1952 NOVELTY HAT J. Harold Byers, Washington, D. C., and Raymond R. Colton, New York, N. Y.

Application December 22, 1952, Serial No. 327,343

2 Claims. (Cl. 2 -175) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in wearing apparel, and particularly to a new and useful improvement in the field of novelty. hats. In: its structural aspects this invention relates to construction enabling the user to mount visible symbols or insignia in a manner facilitating interchange thereof.

This invention has for its objects: the provision of a novel item of apparel serving purposes of amusement or entertainment, and suitable for wearing by young and old when the occasion demands; the provision of a hat of unusual design having means whereby the wearer may at will readily create a display which he desires to exhibit; the provision of means whereby the display may be changed by replacing the characters or symbols thereof; the provision of means whereby symbols or insignia such as letters or numerals can be mounted for wearing in the conventional material of apparel; and to so construct such displays as to render possible their illumination, as by an artificial source of light, in order to enhance and render the displays more elfective.

Novelty hats enjoy current widespread popularity. The vogue for unusual and unique designs has reached marked proportions among the younger generation. The interest in this type of wear however is'not confined to the very young, nor to any particular historical period or geographical area.

nited States Patent 0 Although a considerable number of designs for novelty hats have appeared on the market, the majority of these are characterized by relatively unimpressive accessories and designs which have little or no special function. The user of a hat of current availability is provided with no incentive or opportunity to participate in modifying its characteristics. Moreover, the field of novelty hats has been singularly barren of any provision whereby the wearer could, through selection and arrangement of display devices, convey intelligence making known to others the tenor of his sentiments in matters of mutual interest and common concern.

Proceeding in accordance with our invention we have discovered that it is possible to provide wearers with a hat of unusual, unique, and novel characteristics, and one, moreover, which can be modified at the will of the owner to conform to and announce brief names, slogans, or other selected displays. Further, in accordance with our invention, an attention attracting display is afforded whereby the wearer may announce by means of illuminated symbols, words or numbers, or combinations thereof, a name, event, time, locality, or other matter which the wearer desires to advocate or approve, or for any reason make manifest.

Proceeding in accordance with our invention, the difficulties in developing a hat that could carry illuminated symbols, which could be worn with comfort, and which would provide means for replacing the symbols, were overcome in an unusual manner as will hereinafter be described by example.

For purposes of illustration reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein certain embodiments of our invention are set forth in full detail:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a hat made in accordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 represents a section of the hat shown in Fig. l, with the symbols and the strip that attaches the symbols to the material of the hat removed in order to show one mode of construction.

Fig. 3 is a section along line 33 of Fig. 1 the structure whereof corresponds to that of Fig. 2.

wire conduits attached to the source,

Fig. 4 shows a portion of a hat having the design of Fig. 1, the symbols removed, the strip in place, but having a construction in certain respects different from that of Fig. 2 as. will hereinafter become apparent.

Fig. 5 shows in elevation a portion of the strip whereon is mounted the letter B.

Fig. 6 shows a sectional view taken along line 6 6 of Fig. 5, displaying in detail the manner of mounting of the letter on the strip.

Fig. 7 shows the strip that holds the symbols in place.

These drawings taken in conjunction with the ensuing description constitute a full disclosure of a preferred embodiment of our invention, and in general comprise, as can readily be ascertained, a hat having a body portion formed of any desired material, a slotted zone extending at least partially around the circumference of the hat crown, a strip removably insertable by means of said slits and adaptable to receive slides or clasps bearing alphabetical symbols, the entire display being iiluminated, if desired, by means of an incandescent electric lamp, deriving its current from a conventional source through electric the latter being not shown.

In detail, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 show a hat the body whereof is designated as 10, having a zonal portion 11, wherein are positioned slots 12 constituted by vertical cuts or narrow openings adapted to receive strip 13. This zonal portion may be provided with openings or windows 14, as particularly shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, or these may be omitted as shown in Fig. 4. The letters: A, B, C, and D shown in Fig. 1 may be mounted on strip 13 by provision of slides 15, constituted from a single piece of material of relatively rigid character having bent over end portions 16 which engage the edges of the strip 13 while permitting free horizontal sliding movement along the length of the strip.

In the form shown the hat is provided with an internally located source of illumination derived from an incandescent electric lamp 17, mounted. in a socket 13 attached in any suitable manner to the body of the hat, as by adhesive, rivets, pins, thread, or auxiliary supporting means. Flexible Wire shown by 19 and 20 connects the lamp with a source of electric current. The latter may be supplied from any suitable or conventional supply such for example as a small battery composed of flashlight cells, and the lamp if desired may be intermittently lighted by means. of a switch or relay manually or automatically operated. While not illustrated in the drawings, we contemplate providing a small, lightweight battery with hand operated switch that can be carried in the pocket of the wearer where it will be accessible for manual operation.

It will be understood that the owner is able to select letters of his choice. He may thus display the name of an admired actor, athlete, canditate, or he may show the name of his school, team, or locality, or he may exhibit a slogan. In any event he may change the letters or num bers to suit any desired purpose or occasion, and the change can be eflected quickly and without difiiculty. In mounting the letters, the strip is woven alternately through the slots in the material and the slides 15, thus bringing the slides in contact with the outward exposed portions of the strip, in manner readily ascertainable from the drawings. In the case of the modification used as shown in Fig. 2, the slides are in register with windows 14, and in the case of the modification used as shown in Fig. 4, the slides are in register with a portion of the body of the hat, the material of which thereby forms a background.

Embodiments according to our invention admit of a considerable range of variations. Preferably the strip 13 shown in the drawings is formed of a plastic material that has the property of transmitting light. The slides 15 are likewise formed from light transmitting material, and

the letters may be formed of any suitable material, but in general these may be formed from plastic, of which there are a number of types available. We have found that exceptionally good results may be had if the strip and the slides are made from light transmitting plastic, and if the letters are formed from fluorescent plastic. Suitable 0 for this purpose are the plastics known as acrylic plastics.

Except as otherwise designated, by the term material .as used herein, and in thev subjoined claims, we contem- 'thetic fiber, or non-woven material such as felt, leather,

rubber, plastic, whether soft and pliable or stiffened by sizing agents or by manner of construction or both, and

in general we refer to that class of material well understood by those engaged in the commercial and mercantile arts relating to wearing apparel.

Except as may otherwise be designated, by the term light transmitting we refer to the properties of certain plastics whereby they transmit light, either by virtue of transparency, translucence, or by the property whereby certain plastics are known as apparently conducting light around non-linear paths, a well known phenomenon, use

'ful in the premises, a description of which is not necessary to an understanding of our invention, since it will be understood the light from the lamp will be effective regardless of whether the light reaches the'field to be illuminated by transparence or by conduction. We do not exclude the phenomena whereby certain plastic substances, now available, display fluorescent properties, and for achieving novel effects, we prefer to use, at least for the letters or symbols themselves, such fluorescent plastics.

We have found that when the symbols, slides and strip are set up as described in the foregoing paragraph, light from the incandescent lamp illuminates the exposed portions of the slides and strip, and this is transmitted to the letters or symbols. We have found that in the modification shown in Fig. 4, light falling on the strip from within, is transmitted through the plastic thereof to the letters or symbols externally.

Suitable modifications of our device within the ambit of our invention may be advantageously employed. The electric lamp may be mounted in any suitable location of lamps may be employed. If desired a reflector of conventional or any suitable design may be provided in order to bring the light into better distribution on the illuminated area. The wires leading from the light to the battery and switch or relay preferably are light and flexible.

If desired the battery may be mounted in or on the hat although we' do not prefer this construction.

A desirable variation may be introduced by following the illustrations in Figs. 2 and 5 respectively, and where the width of the distance between the slots has been exwhether centrally or peripherally, and one or a plurality combined with fluorescent display would enhance the effect in certain cases. While in order to produce intermittent illumination an ordinary push button switch can be provided and carried where it will be accessible to the user, as for example in the coat pocket with the battery, resort may be had to any conventional or suitable flasher of automatic design, such as that by which the current can be broken by heat operated bimetallic make-and-break contact.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of our invention, further constructional details within the scope of the invention may be apparent or developed. We have described examples by way of illustration and not of limitation, and what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A novelty hat having interchangeable symbols removably mounted on the crown thereof, said crown being provided with a series of slits of substantially parallel alignment and substantially uniform length, said crown being provided with cut-away portions between said slits, a strip of light transmitting material threaded through said slits and covering said cut-away portions, whereby light transmitting windows are formed, said strip being provided with slides formed from light transmitting material, said slides being removably attached to said strip by means of end portions engaging the edges of said strip, and being aligned in juxtaposition to said cut-away portions, said slides bearing selected symbols, and illuminating means carried by said crown in relatively fixed position thereto, whereby said symbols may be illuminated.

2. A novelty head covering having interchangeable symbols removably mounted thereon, said head covering being provided with a series of spaced apart slits of substantially parallel alignment and substantially uniform length, a strip of material threaded through said slits, said strip being provided with slides positioned between said slits, said slides being removably attached to said strip by means of end portions engaging the edges of said strip, and being provided with selected symbols.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Feb. 28, 1908

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