US2131344A - Bathing cap - Google Patents

Description

' p 1938- c. J. CROWLEY 2,131,344

BATHING CAP Filed April 19, 1937 Patented Sept. 27, 1938 BATHING CAP Cornelius J. Crowley, New Haven, Conn, to The Seamless Rubber Company,

PATENT orrics assignor Incorporated, New Haven, 001111., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 19, 1937, Serial No. 137,841

'4 Claims.

This invention relates to rubber bathing caps. One of the objects of my invention is to enhance the water-excluding characteristics of the cap by means comprising relatively soft yieldingparts (preferably made integrally with the cap body) which do not detract from the comfort of the wearer, and which more particularly are characterized by the absence of relatively stifl or rigid elements, which, as in some prior caps, present edges pushing into the skin and causing considerable discomfort. By my improvements the cap is improved from a manufacturing standpoint in that it may be readily and inexpensively produced, while at the same time the construction is such as to act effectively in excluding water which might otherwise enter the cap at the edge portions. By my invention also I provide the cap with a water-excluding flange or like member which better conforms to the head and neck of the wearer, and by being self-conforming has a uniform-water-excluding action throughout the length of such flange or member.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through a bathing cap embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary inside view on a larger scale of the edge portion of the cap, which in this instance is provided with two water-excluding rubber flanges;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on lines 3-8 and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 51s a sectional view illustrating the position which the flanges may take when the cap is applied to the head.

In the drawing I have shown a rubber cap of the type known as full-fashioned or full-headshaped (of the molded variety), but it is to be understood that my invention may be applied to caps of other types. The body of the cap is shown at 8, and the same is provided with a portion i which comes down on the forehead, and portions 8 which cover the ears, and a portion 9 which extends across the back of the neck. In the form illustrated, two water-excluding flanges i8 and H are provided which are connected to the cap body (preferably integrally) along lines spaced slightly upwardly from the lower edge of the cap, and in general these flanges have a curvature conforming generally to that of the cap edge. The flanges do not extend across the forehead portion, as they are not necessary in that region, and they therefore terminate at the temple portions, as shown. Each flange preferably extends continuously from the temple portion at one side of the cap (or z-ssi around the edge portion of the cap to the other temple portion, but modification may be made in this respect if desired.

The flanges ill and II have thin bodies, and being made of elastic material are of a yielding nature, so that, while, when the cap is not in use, they project inwardly so as to be substantially normal to their supporting body (Fig. 3):

they are readily displaced when in contact with the head so as to take positions such as those shown, for example, in Fig. 5. The flanges, furthermore, instead of being straight-walled, as in some prior constructions, are deflected from a straight line so that, generally speaking, each presents a zigzag rim or wall extending along the body of the cap near the edge portion thereof. More specifically, each flange presents a series of relatively short interconnected curved portions, preferably of uniform length. Still more specifically, the preferred construction as exhibited in the drawing presents a thin yielding wall of scalloped formation presenting a series tremities. Also, in the particular form illustrated, it will be observed that these flanges, which are adjacent but spaced from and independent of each other, are provided with concave wall portions so arranged that each such portion of one flange faces a corresponding portion of the other flange.

' In the use of the cap, which is applied to the head in the customary manner, the yielding thin corrugated flanges, when the cap is in place, are flexed or displaced by contact with the head and neck of the wearer so that they no longer maintain their normal 'or perpendicular relation to the cap body, but have their parts'moved lateral- 1y so as to contact with their flat surfaces against the adjacent surfaces of the head and neck. In other words, these flanges, owing to their shape and the material of which they are composed, readily conform to the parts to which the marof segments of circles joined together at their exginal part of the cap is applied. Fig. 5 shows an example of positions which the flanges may assume at one point in the cap margin, but it is to be understood that in some places the flanges may conform more closely to the head or neck than in the case illustrated in Fig. 5, and in other places less closely. This feature is of some importance in that a flange of the character described, by the diversity of the possible positions of its parts at different points, when the cap is applied to the head, is enabled to conform to the head and neck parts more readily so as to repel incoming water more uniformly than hereu tofore at the difierent points in the length of the cap edge. In other words, the flange serves effectively to repel water in the places where there is usually a slight gap or space under the cap edge, as well as in those places where the cap edge has a tighter fit.

It will also be understood that the latitude in the direction of bending or flexing of the flange portions is a feature of importance. In the case illustrated in Fig. 5, parts of both flanges are flexed in an upward direction, but they will act with equal efliciency if fiexed'in a downward direction, for example, and they will act efiectively regardless of the direction in which they are flexed and without the necessity of exercising special care in adjusting the marginal portion of the cap on the head.

While I have shown a cap in which two flanges are employed, it will be understood that in some aspects of my invention the number of flanges is immaterial.

My improved cap is quite comfortable in that it is devoid of stiif or rigid ribs or edges pushing directly into the skin. In practice it provides a high degree of water exclusion, and yet the article can be inexpensively produced by methods such as customary in the manufacture of rubber articles, and more particularly molded and vulsaid wall being soft and yieldable, and following a zig-zag line made up of a multiplicity of short portions approaching toward and receding from the margin in a course generally parallel and close to the margin.

2. A rubber bathing cap having a water-excluding flange normally standing substantially perpendicularly to the cap body and provided with a free inner edge, said flange being within the cap margin and having portions leading alternately toward and away from the margin, said flange presenting a series of segments of small circles of substantially the same diameter joined at their extremities and free to flex in opposite directions into flatwise engagement with the head of the wearer.

3. A rubber bathing cap having on its inner surface and following sinuous lines adjacent its margin, thin elastic flange members well separated irom each other and normally standing substantially perpendicularly to the body of the cap. and havinginner edges which are free substantially throughout their length, said flange members presenting portions leading toward each other alternating with portions more remote from each other and being free to flex in opposite directions into flatwise engagement with the head of the wearer.

4. A rubber bathing cap having on its inner surface and following sinuous lines adjacent its margin, thin elastic flange members well separated from each other and normally standing substantially perpendicularly to the body of the cap, and having inner edges which are free substantially'throughout their length, each of said flange members having portions formed as segments of circles and presenting concavities facing those of the other flange member and being free to flex in opposite directions into flatwise engagement with the head of the wearer.

CORNELIUS J. CROWLEY.

Images