This series explores crazy wacky hat inventions past and present?
Some of them will seem strange and even very amusing. Here is one patent 893,548 from July 14, 1908. Essentially it is a folding retracting visor system – Folding Visor for caps and hats, invented by I Rosenfeld.
Here is a copy of the diagram that was filed in the patent approval.
You may have to right click on this to view the full diagram.
Essentially we have a regular sailor cap with two retractable fans each side. When opened the fans were to join in the middle to provide extra shade, they sit on the visor.
I do not know if this invention was commercialized. There is a great program on Canadian TV called the Re-Inventors where they actually rebuild these old inventions. Some of them are really crazy Stay tuned for more wacky hat inventions.
If you are interested in patent protection you should visit the US Patent Office site. I did not research the patent laws as they applied in 1908. The bottom line is that provided you comply with certain conditions such as continuous filing with prescribed fees, under current laws you are protected for 10 years (twenty years prior to 1989). I am NOT a lawyer and I am definitely not giving you any legal advice. It’s complicated and before you assume you are in the clear you need to research similar patents that might be in force that “improve”on an earlier patent that may not be in force, such as the one in this post. In addition these patent and indeed, copyright (a different thing) laws are different even among the developed nations. So take care!
I am presenting this stuff for amusement and education only.
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