Today in 1876, US Patent 184317 A was issued, an invention of Elijah Avey, for his “Improvement in Mustache-Guards.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention has relation to mustache guards; and the nature of my invention consists in a mustache-guard, which is provided with clasps on its ends, in combination with a loop adapted to receive a napkin, and also to afford an outside bearing against the cup, as will be hereinafter explained.

Even though this invention is 140 years old, it seems like with today’s hipsters and the rise of unruly beards, that this could actually be still relevant today.