GB2209820A

GB2209820A - Body-protection shield

Info

Publication number: GB2209820A
Application number: GB8821411A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Terence Arthur Medwell; Steven Jenkins; Robert Turner
Original assignee: Courtaulds PLC
Current assignee: Akzo Nobel UK PLC
Priority date: 1987-09-14
Filing date: 1988-09-13
Publication date: 1989-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 2008-09-13
Also published as: GB8721592D0; GB2209820B; GB8821411D0

Abstract

A combination shield (1) for protecting a user against impact by projectiles, eg. for use in riot control has a relatively large main shield (2) and a relatively small auxiliary shield (3) removably secured thereto. The main shield can be of transparent plastics material and the auxiliary shield can be made from a bullet-proof material to act as a ballistic shield. Quick- release couplings (6, 7, 11, 14) are provided, and handles (8, 9) are formed as part of the auxiliary shield (3) which can be used attached to the main shield (2) or separately when needed in a confined space. <IMAGE>

Description

Improved Shield This invention relates to an improved body-protection shield for protecting a user against impact by projectiles.

The invention is expected to be of particular use to riot control forces, police authorities or the like.

According to the invention a combination shield which can be carried for use in personal body protection against projectiles comprises a relatively-larger main shield giving more general protection and a relatively~smaller auxiliary shield being releasably securable to the main shield.

The main shield is preferably of a size which is capable of giving directional protection against thrown missiles to a person in a standing or partially crouched position behind it. For an adult person, a generally rectangular main shield of a length of 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.9 metres) and a width of about 2 to 3 feet (O.6 to 0.9 metres) is suitable in this regard.

The material from which the main shield is constructed needs to be strong enough to withstand thrown missiles such as stones. Transparent polycarbonate sheet such as is used for current Home Office/Police approved riot shields has the required impact resistance and is a convenient material to use.

The relatively-smaller auxiliary shield is preferably of a size capable of giving directional protection against projectiles to a specific region of a person behind the shield when the auxiliary shield is secured to the main shield. For example, chest protection is desirable, the head usually being protected separately by a helmet and visor arrangement.

On the other hand, the auxiliary shield can be used as a separate shield when released from the main shield and its smaller size makes it convenient for use in confined spaces. For this purpose, it may be of a size capable of giving directional protection against projectiles to a person who is crouching or recumbent behind it.

A suitable size of auxiliary shield for both purposes is in the region of 2 feet (0.6 cms) square or approximately 2 feet in diameter.

The auxiliary shield is preferably a ballistic shield. It may be made from composite materials having bullet-stopping properties including fibre and/or fabric reinforced resins such as epoxy, polyester and phenolic resins. The fibre and/or fabric reinforcement may be of polyamide material particularly aramid materials having shock-absorbing properties such as "Kevlar" (Registered Trade Mark).

It is preferred that the auxiliary shield is releasably secured to the main shield on that side of the main shield which is to face the person being protected by the shield. Desirably, it is releasably secured to a central region of the main shield.

Any convenient releasable mechanism can be provided to link the main and auxiliary shields together, but a preferred arrangement provides quick release for example by actuating a single release control member. A single release lever on the auxiliary shield that simultaneously decouples a plurality of spaced-apart sprung shield catches is particularly convenient.

The auxiliary shield can provide the carrying handle(s) for the combination shield, but one or more separate carrying handles can be provided on the main shield and this/these may be located below and/or above the auxiliary shield on the side of the main shield facing the user when the two shields are connected together.

Alternatively, the auxiliary shield can be provided with a recess to accommodate or provide access to a handle attached to the main shield.

One embodiment of combination shield in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the shield facing away from the user (i.e. the front side), Figure 2 is a view of the opposite side (i.e. the rear side) of the shield showing the auxiliary shield separated from the main shield, Figure 3 is a partial view of the release mechanism used to secure the two shields together, and Figure 4 is a sectional scrap view of part of the mechanism of Figure 3 on an enlarged scale.

The combination shield shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a transparent main shield 2 releasably secured to a smaller auxiliary shield 3. The main shield 2 is a moulded sheet of polycarbonate resin provided with upper and lower attachment bars 4, 5 on its rear side. In the illustrated case, the bars 4 and 5 are of metal but they could be of plastics material and could be moulded integrally with the rest of the main shield 2. The attachment bars 4, 5 provide a plurality (in the present case three) of spaced-apart grooved locking pins 6 with which pin-locators 7 on the auxiliary shield 3 engage to secure shield 3 to a central region of the shield 2.

The auxiliary shield 3 is made from a bullet-proof material and provides a ballistic entry shield of appropriate dimensions when separated from the main shield 2.

A variety of different levels of ballistic protection can be provided by known ballistic composite materials and it will be appreciated that a range of identically sized auxiliary shields 3 can be provided, having different levels of ballistic protection so that the appropriate auxiliary shield 3 can be chosen for any given situation.

As shown, the auxiliary shield 3 is provided with two upper handles 8 and a lower handle 9, but other hand/arm support arrangements are clearly possible.

The securement of the auxiliary shield 3 to the main shield 2 results from the engagement of one end 10 of a respective connecting strip 11 in a groove 12 of each pin 6 when the latter is located in the pin-locator 7 (see Figure 4). The other ends 13 of each strip 11 are turnably connected to a release lever 14 rotatably mounted on the auxiliary shield 3 whereby rotation of the lever 14 acts to simultaneously withdraw the ends 10 from the grooves 12 and release the auxiliary shield 3 for separate use. Springs 15 (see Figure 3) can be associated with each pin 6 to urge the shields apart when the release mechanism is actuated.

Relocking of the shields 2 and 3 together, with the mechanism illustrated, involves pressing the shields together to overcome the urging of the springs 15 and then returning the lever 14 to its original position to move the ends 10 back into the grooves 12. Clearly other mechanisms can be used to releasably secure the shields together and mechanisms that snap-lock to re-establish securement of the shields together after they have been separated may be preferred.

With the design illustrated, there is no carrying handle for the main shield 2 other than that provided by the handles 8 and 9 of the auxiliary shield 3. If desired separate handles can be provided on the main shield 2 and these can be removable handles (e.g. coupled to the part 2 via the pins 6), handles provided above and/or below the auxiliary shield 3 or handles accommodated in one or more recesses formed in the auxiliary shield 3.

Among the advantages provided by a combination shield according to the invention may be mentioned: 1. The two shields 2, 3 of the combination shield can be stacked separately in a transit van (thus allowing more shields to be transported per unit), 2. The auxiliary shield 3 is available for protection of the chest region of the user against bullets when attached to the main shield, and 3. On being released and separated from the main shield, the auxiliary shield enables the user to have ballistic protection of the small size needed for operation in confined spaces.

Claims

1. A combination shield which can be carried for use in personal body protection against projectiles comprising a relatively-larger main shield giving more general protection and a relatively smaller auxiliary shield giving more specific protection, the auxiliary shield being releasably securable to the main shield.

2. A combination shield as claimed in claim 1 in which the relatively-larger main shield is of a size capable of giving directional protection against thrown missiles to a person in a standing or partially crouched position behind it.

3. A combination shield as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the auxiliary shield is of a size capable of giving directional protection against projectiles to a specific region of a person behind the shield when the auxiliary shield is secured to the main shield.

4. A combination shield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the auxiliary shield is of a size capable of giving directional protection against projectiles to a person who is crouching or recumbent behind it when the auxiliary shield is separated from the main shield.

5. A combination shield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the auxiliary shield is releasably securable to the main shield on that side of the main shield which is to face the person being protected by the shield.

6. A combination shield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the auxiliary shield is a ballistic shield.

7. A combination shield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 in which the auxiliary shield is releasably securable to a central region of the main shield.

8. A combination shield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 in which carrying handles are provided on the auxiliary shield and/or the main shield.

9. A combination shield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 in which the auxiliary shield is releasable from the main shield by a quick-release mechanism.

10. A combination shield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 in which the main shield is made of a transparent resin.

11. A combination shield substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.