US1660375A - Headgear - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1928.

F. DIETERLE HEADGEAR Filed Jan. l5. -1927 lll Patented Feb. 28, v192e.

1,660,375 UNITED STAT-'E5 PATENT OFFICE.;

FRANK nrnTnRLn,

7on PHrLAnELPr-ria, PENNSYLVANIA, AssrenonlTo GEORGE A. REACH, or PHILADELPHIA, zennnsYLvANIe y HEADGEAR.

` Application led january 15, 1927. Serial No. 161,325.

My present invention relates to Vfoot ball helmets of the type disclosed 1n Letters Patent No. 1,576,987, dated March 16, 1926.

rIhe invention aims to provide a construction in which the ear will'receive full and adequate protection and the same time be free from any projection of a character to' be lilrelyrto be knocked in scrimmages, whereby the helmet will be displaced on the head. e f

The invention further aims'to provide a helmet in which the ear and sides'of thehead will receive maximum 'protection with a minimum of interferencel with `sounds F transmitted to the ears of the` wearer.

Another object is to provide a helmet in which the back portion will iitgthe-headof the wearer snugly and be held in connection with the side guards by a novel manner-of connection. l

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention includes the novel lfeatures of construction hereinafter described, the nature and scope of my invention being'l dened by the claims appended hereto.

What I at present consider the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the helmet, and

2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring by reference characters to this drawing, the numeral l designates the usual hard leather crown or cap portion of a head gear or helmet formed of leather, reinforced by crossed strips la of leather stitched tothe outside of the underlying cap proper. 2, f2 designate the members for protecting the sides of the head, which members comprise outer' layers of leather and inner layers 3 of cushion material, preferably felt. Said side members are secured at their upper edges to thelower ends of the strips or straps 1?* which are projected below the cap portion for this purpose, as is customary.

The side members 2 are provided withsubstantially semi-circular projections 2a formed by molding or die shaping the leather, such projections conforming 'in shape to the helices of the ears and positioned to overlie the same. From an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be seen that the projections are inclined towards the front of the helmet and that they emerge into the surface of the side portions at the front of the ears, or in 'other words, disappearth'ereat.

This (5i-instruction "takes care of the helix of each ear, due to the inside space or channel `fornmdby the projection, while byY reason of the entire absence of any projection 1 at the front of the ear, "liability of disarrangement ofthe helmetduring scrimmages is materially reduced. p'

Furthermore, the aforesaid construction materially aids the hearing of the'wearer, as the convergingof thesides.4 towards the front enables. the orifices 2",2b tov face lpartly forward and thus pick up sound in a manner similar .to the lunexposed ear. e f The si-devmembers 2 are preferably formed l'of relatively'stiff leather, -butv to insure retention ofshape, I preferably.:provide them with I reinforcements 4 of vulcanized liber molded to similar shape, to wit, with rear semi-circular projections and flattened front portions, said reinforcements being stitched vto the side members around the edges of the ear openings, as shown. j

To better cushion the sides and protect theears. I prefer to place between the felt lining 3 and the reinforced side members, layers of sponge rubber, as indicated at 5.

The crown and'side members are provided with the usual Ventilating openings 6.

The side protecting members 2 are provided with `(preferably integral) extensions`v 7 which are united at the rearv as indicated at 7a to form the protector for the backpof the head, and said extensions are separated from 'the rear edges of the side members 2 by the vertical slits so that the vertical edges of the yrespective parts are juxtaposed for a considerable distance. The side members 2V are provided with slits 2c adjacent their rear. edges, which slits extend also through the lining, and the back extensions 7 are provided with similar slits 7c which do not extend through the lining 9.

An elastic tape l0 is threaded through one of the slits. 2c and'doubled upon itself and both layers passed through the adjacent slit 7 c, through the space between the extensions 7 and the lining'and lout through the other slit 7, where one of them' is threadedthrough the remaining slit 2c and the ends joined to form an endless elastic tape connection. Y i

` This provides a lyielding connection between the back and side portions and draws the former into snug Contact with the back of the head, rendering the use of a chin strap Vunnecessary This construction also holds the ear ro.tecting members in proper position at tie sides Vof the head.

By this arrangement also an elastic tape of material length is provided to give ample Vin position to thehelices of the ears, the outer surfaces of said projections inclining gradually forwardly and inwardly and merging completely in the face of said side protecting members in front of the ears, the outer inclined surface ofeach projection and that portion of the face of the corresponding side protecting member in front of the ears lying` substantially in a plane, a for- Wardly inclined perforation in each projection adapt-ed to communicate to the ear sounds comingfrom the front in a manner silnilarto the reception of such sounds by the Worn, it is easily 1 ear itself, said side members being formed of leather Iand each having therein an internal reinforcingmember of rigid material of a size and shape similar to the projections and positioned to overlie and protect the ear, eachof said reinforcing members having a perforation registering with the perforation in the projection, andcushioning means on the inside of thereinforcing members and remaining portions of the side protecting members. v

2. A foot ball helmet comprising a crown she-ll, side protecting members depending therefrom, a protecting portion for the rear of the head having free side edges abutting the rear' edges of the side protecting members, said .rear `protecting portion having a cushion lin-ing and slots, one adjacent each `side edgeof said rear portion," said slots forming `the terminals of an internal passageV extending `across and `Withinsaid rear protectingportion, and saidfside members having slots near their rear edges and an `endless elastic tape 1threaded:through all of said slots and lying in said passagein doubled form. i

In testimonyV whereof, Iafx my signature.

,FRANK DIETERLE.

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