US2447708A

US2447708A - Bathing cap

Info

Publication number: US2447708A
Application number: US716328A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mccaffrey Evelyn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-12-14
Filing date: 1946-12-14
Publication date: 1948-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 1965-08-24

Description

R 1943- E. M CAFFREY 2,447,708

BATHINGCAP Filed Dec. 14, 1946 INVENTOR LYN Mc AFFREY RNEY Patented Aug. 24, 1948 StAtiUH hUUM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to bathing caps, and particularly to those customarily worn by girls and women for swimming and shower baths to protect their hair against wetting.

Such bathing caps are made of thin sheet rubber and are designed to hug the head closely, especially along the marginal periphery of the cap where a tight water-excluding fit is desired. Thus, it is necessary with a cap of proper size to stretch the material of the cap during placement on the head, while, at the same time, bunching the hair toward the back to insure its inclusion under the protective covering. This is often a difficult and annoying procedure, and many times results in the tearing of the cap because of efforts to stretch it too far for the purpose of encompassing stray bunches and wisps of hair at and near the back of the neck. Further, it is usually necessary to tuck stray wisps of hair under the cap after its final positioning on the head, an operation which is inconvenient and time consuming.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a bathing cap which may be positioned on the head relatively quickly and easily without danger of tearing the cap, and at the same time comprehending stray wisps of hair which in the use of conventional caps must be tucked under after placement of the cap on the head.

An object is to do this without disturbing the desired close fitting characteristics of the cap.

A further object is to accomplish the above inexpensively and with substantially no change in existing bathing cap styling or construction;

These objects I accomplish by a relatively minor structural addition to the conventional form of bathing cap.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred specific embodiment, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bathing cap embodying my improvement as it appears in use on the head of a wearer;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View, looking from the bottom, of the cap of Fig. 1 as it is during use, the head of the wearer being removed for purposes of illustrating the novel band of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a somewhat enlarged view of the cap prior to placement on the head of a user, a portion of the back of the cap proper being broken away to illustrate the novel band;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 1 but illustrating the cap in the process of being placed on the head of the wearer; and

Fig. 5 is a corresponding view of a somewhat different embodiment.

Referring now to the drawing: The numeral I0 indicates a bathing cap of conventional formation, preferably made of thin rubber in customary manner. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the bathing cap is in place on the head of a wearer, fitting her head snugly. especially adjacent the hair line, and protecting her hair from wetting during swimming, a shower bath, or the like.

Pursuant to the invention a band II of thin rubber, which may be similar to the material of the cap proper, is secured within the cap IIl so as to hang loosely at the back of the cap, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and be applicable to the bunched hair of the user just above the back of the neck prior to the complete placement of the cap proper I on the head, see Fig. 4.

The band I I comprehends only a portion of the complete periphery of the head-insertion opening of the cap, a portion which extends around the back or rear of the cap. It is disposed within the cap, and is secured at its ends intermediate the front and back of the cap, in any suitable manner, preferably and for example by means of vulcanizing to the material of the cap proper, as indicated at I2, Fig. 2. The points of securement are advantageously at opposite sides of the cap somewhat in advance of the ears of the wearer.

Thus, the band I I and the front peripheral margin of the cap proper II) make up, together, a completely circumferential arrangement which can be initially positioned on the head relatively easily and quickly. The band II is of sumcient width to comprehend and cover at least the greater part of the bunched hair at the back of the head above the neck line, see Fig. 4, thereby se curing such hair in place while the remainder, the back portion, of the cap proper I0 is pulled down in final position.

The cap proper I0, it will be noted, is subjected to a minimum of stretching and tugging during its positioning on the head under these circumstances. The band II prepares the way, and affords a smooth surface over which to slip the cap proper during the subsequent completion of its positioning on the head.

The band I I is illustrated as being so attached to the cap proper ID as to be in registry with the marginal edge thereof at the head-insertion opening. This may be varied within reasonable limits, so the band extends somewhat below the edge of the cap proper when in place on the head, or vice versa. Also, the width and effective length of the band I I may be varied to bring more or less of the hair within its coverage. Again, as illustrated in Fig. 5, where the cap is designated I4 andtge band IS, the band may be so arranged as to be" well within the cap proper and toward the rear of the crown of the head rather than lower down at the neck line, thereby enabling the hair of the wearer to be bunched somewhat higher on the head,

The material preferred for the cap proper and for the band-insert is rubber. However, it will be realized that any other elastic material may me employed so long as it effectuates the purposes of the invention.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect to preferred specific forms thereof it should be understood that various changes may be made therein and various other forms may be constructed on the basis of the teachings hereof without departing from the generic scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A bathing cap comprising a close-fitting cap proper, and a hair-retaining elastic band secured therewithin, said band being attached to opposite sides of the cap proper intermediate the front and the back thereof and extending freely backwardly within the cap proper so as to confine 4 masses of hair therebeneath to closely fit about the back of the head beneath the cap proper to enable said cap proper to be easily placed upon the head of the wearer.

2. A bathing cap comprising a close-fitting cap proper, and a hair-retaining elastic band secured therewithin, said band being attached to opposite sides of the cap proper intermediate the front and the back thereof, forwardly of the ear locations. and extending freely backwardly within the cap proper so as to confine masses of hair therebeneath to closely fit about the back of th head beneath the cap proper to enable said cap proper to be easily placed upon the head of the wearer.

EVELYN MCCAFFREY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,465,706 Auster et al Aug. 21, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 203,413 Switzerland June 1, 1939