GB1583430A

GB1583430A - Bullet proof jacket

Info

Publication number: GB1583430A
Application number: GB2041578A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SAATI Sas
Current assignee: SAATI Sas
Priority date: 1977-05-12
Filing date: 1978-05-18
Publication date: 1981-01-28

Description

(54) BULLET PROOF JACKET (71) We, S.A.A.T.I. S.a.s. SOCIETA APPIANESE TESSUTI INDUSTRIALI DI ITALO OGLIARO & C. of Via Milano, 14 -- Appiano Gentile (Como) - Italy, a Company organised under the Laws of Italy do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be described in and by the following statement: Preferably the protecting strips or plates comprise high strength cloth layers impregnated and glued to one another by adhesive resins, according to the present invention.

More precisely the bulletproof jacket, the subject of the present invention, is formed by at least one layer including a plurality of high strength resin-treated cloth plates or strips, said strips being partially superimposed and located on several planes.

Preferably said plates are obtained from Kevlar (Registered Trade Mark) cloth pieces and located within a multitubular cloth effective also to resist particularly violent instantaneous stresses.

The arrangement of said plates on several planes allows aid plates to resist the impact of a bullet without perforating or deforming greatly while transmitting the impact to the adjacent or underlying plates.

A second layer consisting of a plurality of high strength cloth superimposed pieces is located behind said structure, the cloth of said superimposed pieces being prefer ably of the same type as the aforesaid cloth.

More specifically this cloth "sandwich" may be formed, depending on needs, either by several layers of cloth of the same type or by layers of cloth of different types.

Said sandwich may also be formed by a hard-surfaced triple cloth to the back of which a soft cloth for example satin is coupled effective to easily deform in order to help an offsetting, deflection or rejec tion of the bullet in the case of perforation of the front plates.

The present invention relates to a bullet proof jacket provided with a plurality of protecting strips consisting of high strength polyamidic fabric cloth layers impregnated and glued by suitable adhesive resins in such a way as to form strong and seminexible plates or strips.

At present there is a need to provide policemen, frequently concerned in incidents involving gunmen, with specific protecting means.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a passive defence means able to perform as a cuirass and protect the trunk from shots.

Another object of the invention is to provide a passive defence means having the aforesaid characteristics which is easy to put and and of light weight while allowing for freedom of movement in contrast to the conventional type of jackets which are exceedingly heavy.

According to the present invention there is provided a bulletproof jacket for protecting at least the torso, the jacket including a cloth casing containing flexible protecting strips or plates formed from a polyamide fibre cloth material, the plates being arranged in at least two layers disposed in echelon longitudinally of the casing with the end of one layer overlapping an end of an adjacent layer, each layer comprising two or more strips or plates with each strip or plate in one row at least partially overlapping two adjacent strips or plates of an adjoining row so that the strips or plates extend substantially at least two rows over the entire surface area of the casing.

The several pieces of this multilayered structure may be fixed to one another by means of a quilting operation carried out by the same yarn as the cloth.

The aforesaid type of stitching is effective to prevent said structure from losing its compactness, even if subjected to a substantially simultaneous impact by several bullets.

Behind said quilted structure another multilayered structure is located, this latter being formed by several cushioning soft layers made of expanded or foamed resin or high strength and resiliency cloth.

Therefore said structure is able to distribute evenly over a large area the impact transmitted by the intermediate multilayered element thereby providing a cushioning effect effective to attenuate possible causes of ematomas.

These and other characteristics of functional and constructional nature of the bulletproof jacket of the present invention will become more apparent from the several figures of the accompanying drawings, illustrating a typical and not limitative embodiment of said jacket, and where: FIGURE 1 is a front view of the jacket, as provided with a projection for protecting the lower part of the trunk; FIGURE 2 illustrates the rear portion of that same jacket; FIGURE 3 illustrates the front portion of said jacket; FIGURE 4 illustrates that same front portion, partially open, in order to better show the layers constituting said front portion.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the instant jacket; FIGURE 6 illustrates that same jacket worn by a person; FIGURE 7 illustrates the projection which may be applied to the jacket and effective to protect the lower part of the trunk; FIGURE 8 is a detail view of the multitubular layer including the several strips formed by layered and glued polyamidic resin cloth portions; FIGURE 9 is a partial view of the three superimposed layers forming the instant jacket.

Referring particularly to the numeral references of the several figures of the accompanying drawings, the bulletproof jacket is formed by a front portion 1 and a back portion 2, said portions being suitably shaped according to the trunk of a person.

More precisely, the portions 1, 2 each comprise a casing element provided with shoulder straps 3 on which strips of adhesive material 4 are applied at corresponding positions to enable portions 1 and 2 to be connected together at the neck end of the jacket.

Within said casings 1, 2, are located a plurality of suitably structured protecting layers.

Each layer 5 comprises a multitubular structure having pockets in which a plurality of protecting strips 6 are inserted, the strips 6 being of suitable length and formed of polyamidic fibre cloth portions 19 both impregnated with and glued to one another with adhesive resin layers 20 so as to form flexible elements.

The structure 5 is formed of cloth and defines two rows of flanked pockets 7 these latter being located in two different planes and at offset and overlapping positions.

After inserting the strips or plates 6 into the multitubular structure the structure is stitched by a yarn fabricated from the cloth from which the structure is made in a direction transverse of the structure so that the longitudinal ends of the plates or strips 6 overlap as shown in Figure 9.

The plates therefore substantially extend in two layers over the entire surface of the casings 1 and 2 with each plate being enclosed within a pocket and overlapping edgewise plates in adjacent rows as well as one end of the plates located forwardly or rearwardly.

Due to this approach, the entire structure 5 thus obtained is able to be articulated and to provide a cushioning to the impact of bullets.

During impact any impacted front plate is not perforated due to its flexibility and ability to articulate and therefore absorbs the impact and transfers it to adjacent and rear plates.

A second multilayered structure 8 is located behind structure 5, structure 8 being formed by a plurality of superimposed pieces of a resilient cloth.

These cloth pieces are secured to one another by diagonal stitches 9 of a yarn material identical to that from which the cloth pieces are made.

The structure 8 is stitched in the pattern of a rhombodial quilt so as to prevent structure 8 from deforming to any great extent or from tearing apart in the case of where a front layer is perforated.

Behind said quilted structure, a third layer 10 is located, the third layer acting as a cushion effective to absorb the localized pressures transmitted by the qualited structure 8.

The aforesaid cushioning layer 10 is formed by a plurality of soft material sheets, obtained by means of foamed resins or formed by a high strength and resiliency cloth or non-woven cloth structure.

The front portion is further provided, at the lower portion thereof, with at least two strips or bands 11 which extend parallel to each other transversely of the portion 1 and are provided with a series of popper type buttons 12. These buttons 12 enable a casing element 14 carrying corresponding popper buttons 13 to be connected to the portion 1, the element 14 forming a cloth casing containing a suitable thickness plate 15, formed by a plurality of polyamidic fibre cloth pieces suitably layered and impregnated and glued by adhesive resins.

The two front and back portions 1 and 2 are connected to each other by means of belts 16, each of which have end portions 17 with suitable corresponding adhesive portions.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A bulletproof jacket for protecting at least the torso, the jacket including a cloth

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. transmitted by the intermediate multilayered element thereby providing a cushioning effect effective to attenuate possible causes of ematomas. These and other characteristics of functional and constructional nature of the bulletproof jacket of the present invention will become more apparent from the several figures of the accompanying drawings, illustrating a typical and not limitative embodiment of said jacket, and where: FIGURE 1 is a front view of the jacket, as provided with a projection for protecting the lower part of the trunk; FIGURE 2 illustrates the rear portion of that same jacket; FIGURE 3 illustrates the front portion of said jacket; FIGURE 4 illustrates that same front portion, partially open, in order to better show the layers constituting said front portion. FIGURE 5 is a side view of the instant jacket; FIGURE 6 illustrates that same jacket worn by a person; FIGURE 7 illustrates the projection which may be applied to the jacket and effective to protect the lower part of the trunk; FIGURE 8 is a detail view of the multitubular layer including the several strips formed by layered and glued polyamidic resin cloth portions; FIGURE 9 is a partial view of the three superimposed layers forming the instant jacket. Referring particularly to the numeral references of the several figures of the accompanying drawings, the bulletproof jacket is formed by a front portion 1 and a back portion 2, said portions being suitably shaped according to the trunk of a person. More precisely, the portions 1, 2 each comprise a casing element provided with shoulder straps 3 on which strips of adhesive material 4 are applied at corresponding positions to enable portions 1 and 2 to be connected together at the neck end of the jacket. Within said casings 1, 2, are located a plurality of suitably structured protecting layers. Each layer 5 comprises a multitubular structure having pockets in which a plurality of protecting strips 6 are inserted, the strips 6 being of suitable length and formed of polyamidic fibre cloth portions 19 both impregnated with and glued to one another with adhesive resin layers 20 so as to form flexible elements. The structure 5 is formed of cloth and defines two rows of flanked pockets 7 these latter being located in two different planes and at offset and overlapping positions. After inserting the strips or plates 6 into the multitubular structure the structure is stitched by a yarn fabricated from the cloth from which the structure is made in a direction transverse of the structure so that the longitudinal ends of the plates or strips 6 overlap as shown in Figure 9. The plates therefore substantially extend in two layers over the entire surface of the casings 1 and 2 with each plate being enclosed within a pocket and overlapping edgewise plates in adjacent rows as well as one end of the plates located forwardly or rearwardly. Due to this approach, the entire structure 5 thus obtained is able to be articulated and to provide a cushioning to the impact of bullets. During impact any impacted front plate is not perforated due to its flexibility and ability to articulate and therefore absorbs the impact and transfers it to adjacent and rear plates. A second multilayered structure 8 is located behind structure 5, structure 8 being formed by a plurality of superimposed pieces of a resilient cloth. These cloth pieces are secured to one another by diagonal stitches 9 of a yarn material identical to that from which the cloth pieces are made. The structure 8 is stitched in the pattern of a rhombodial quilt so as to prevent structure 8 from deforming to any great extent or from tearing apart in the case of where a front layer is perforated. Behind said quilted structure, a third layer 10 is located, the third layer acting as a cushion effective to absorb the localized pressures transmitted by the qualited structure 8. The aforesaid cushioning layer 10 is formed by a plurality of soft material sheets, obtained by means of foamed resins or formed by a high strength and resiliency cloth or non-woven cloth structure. The front portion is further provided, at the lower portion thereof, with at least two strips or bands 11 which extend parallel to each other transversely of the portion 1 and are provided with a series of popper type buttons 12. These buttons 12 enable a casing element 14 carrying corresponding popper buttons 13 to be connected to the portion 1, the element 14 forming a cloth casing containing a suitable thickness plate 15, formed by a plurality of polyamidic fibre cloth pieces suitably layered and impregnated and glued by adhesive resins. The two front and back portions 1 and 2 are connected to each other by means of belts 16, each of which have end portions 17 with suitable corresponding adhesive portions. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A bulletproof jacket for protecting at least the torso, the jacket including a cloth

casing containing flexible protecting strips or plates formed from a polyamide fibre cloth material, the plates being arranged in at least two layers disposed in echelon longitudinally of the casing with the end of one layer overlapping an end of an adjacent layer, each layer comprising two or more rows of strips or plates with each strip or plate in one row at least partially overlapping two adjacent strips or plates of an adjoining row so that the strips or plates extend substantially at least two rows over the entire surface area of the casing.

2. A bulletproof jacket as claimed in claim 1 in which the plates or strips are each retained in pockets in cloth structures forming the layers.

3. A bulletproof jacket as claimed in claim 2 in which a resilient quilted cloth structure is secured to the layer which is to form the rear layer.

4. A bulletproof jacket as claimed in claim 3 in which a cushioning material is secured to the quilted cloth structure.

5. A bulletproof jacket as claimed in claim 4 in which the cushioning material is a foamed resin cloth.

6. A bulletproof jacket as claimed in claim 5 in which the cloth is non-woven.

7. A bulletproof jacket in which the casing comprises two portions to form a front and back to the jacket, the portions including means to enable the portions to be releasably connected to each other.

8. A bulletproof jacket as claimed in claim 7 in which the portions each comprise shoulder straps, the straps of one portion being releasably secureable to the straps of the other portion.

9. A bulletproof jacket as claimed in either of claims 7 or 8 in which the jacket includes a further portion for protecting the frontal nether regions, the further portion comprising a cloth casing containing a flexible plate or plates of a polyamidic fibre cloth material, the casings of the further portion and the front portion having means to enable the further portion to be releasably connected to the front portion.

10. A bulletproof jacket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the polyamidic fibre cloth material comprises portions ahered together with and impregnated with an adhesive resin.

11. A bulletproof jacket for protecting at least the torso substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.