"Anyone who has ever tried to buy a new, stiff hat, be it of silk or felt, knows that even if the exact size has been established it is necessary to try on at least a dozen hats before one which fits pleasantly and comfortably is found. And even that is not always possible, so that one has no alternative but to buy a hat which pinches in some places, and augurs of future headaches. To do away with such problems, a Frenchman, Allie of Paris, has now constructed a hat-conformator. Assembled from no fewer than 610 components, the apparatus is placed on the head like a hat and completely adapts itself to the shape of the skull. The astonished client hears a soft click over his head, and a moment later the hatter opens a cover in the device and takes out a diagram pricked on a piece of paper. This diagram and the apparatus can be used to give the hat the ideal shape to suit the customer." Scientific American March 9, 1879.