US3130415A

US3130415A - Helmet assembly with face seal and adjustment means therefor

Info

Publication number: US3130415A
Application number: US104561A
Authority: US
Inventors: Russell S Colley
Original assignee: BF Goodrich Corp
Current assignee: Goodrich Corp
Priority date: 1961-04-21
Filing date: 1961-04-21
Publication date: 1964-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-28
Also published as: GB964608A; DE1435758A1

Description

April 23, 1964 R. s COLLEY 3,130,415

HELMET ASSEMBLY WITH FACE SEAL AND ADJUSTMENT MEANS THEREFOR Filed Aplil 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l 26 32 INVENTOR. F IG. 2 37 RUSSELL S.C0LL Y ATTZ April 1954 R. s. COLLEY 3,130,415

HELMET ASSEMBLY WITH FACE SEAL AND ADJUSTMENT MEANS THEREFOR Y Filed April 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3'3 10a 17a 23a 14' .10

r ll a2 15 JO/c mmvrm HUS-SELL S. CoLLEY ATTY.

United States Patent HELMET ASSEMBLY WITH FACE SEAL AND ADJUSTMENT lt IEANS 'Il IEREFOR Russell S. Colley, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 104,561

11 Claims. (Cl. 2-6) The invention relates to helmet assemblies having face seals and adjustment means therefor accommodating and protecting the heads of individuals such, for example, as aviators.

Heretofore, helmet assemblies for aviators and other individuals have generally been made with rigid shells in a considerable number of sizes and each assembly normally fitted only one or two sizes of heads. Prior helmet assemblies have been under internal air pressure when worn with inflatable flying suits, and have generally required the use of conventional oxygen face masks. Accordingly, the invention provides an improved helmet assembly with face seal means to facilitate the elimination of an oxygen face mask, which helmet assembly assures an effective face seal and also fits several sizes of heads by virtue of length adjustment of flexible tension means. Such adjustment of the tension means adjusts the face seal means so as to position the individuals face in adjacent spaced relation to the transparent portion of a rigid helmet shell, and position the rear of the individuals head spaced from the rear of the helmet shell.

The improved helmet assembly comprises a rigid shell adapted to receive the head of an individual and having a transparent portion positionable adjacent the face of the individual, face seal means secured to the interior of the shell adjacent the transparent portion, and flexible inextensible tension means interconnecting the face seal means and portions of the shell remote therefrom which tension means includes a portion positionable about the head of the individual for positioning his face against the said face seal means and the rear of his head spaced from the rear of the shell. The said hehnet assembly also has means on the interior of the shell for adjusting the length of the tension means, which adjusting means includes an operable portion extending externally of the shell.

The foregoing construction and arrangement makes feasible utilizing one size of helmet assembly to accommodate about 75 percent of the sizes of heads of individuals and makes feasible maintaining a positive fluid-tight seal about the periphery of the individuals face and positioning the face within predetermined limits in spaced relation to the transparent portion of the said rigid shell. At the same time, the rear of the head of the individual is normally disposed spaced from the rear of the rigid shell so that impacts against such shell are not transmitted directly to the wears head. Also, the length adjustment of the tension means is accomplished by operation from the exterior of the shell Without loss of pressure when the helmet assembly is under internal air pressure and mounted on an inflatable flying suit.

Objects of the invention are to provide a helmet assembly having limited adjustability of its face seal means; to provide for accommodating a range of sizes of heads of individuals; to provide a helmet assembly with an oralnasal-ocular cavity defined in part by face seal means which is slightly adjustable relative to the face opening in the rigid shell and relative to the transparent portion of such shell; to provide for limited forward and rearward adjustment or positioning of the face seal means by operation from the exterior of the shell; to provide for such adjustment by operation from the exterior of the shell without loss of pressure when the helmet is under internal air pressure; to provide for uniformity of adjustment and sealing contact of the face seal means against the wearers face by virtue of flexible inextensible tension means connected thereto at spaced locations on either side thereof and preferably adjacent the upper portion thereof and also adjacent the lower portion thereof; and to provide for simplicity of construction, convenience of manufacture and servicing, and for effectiveness of operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed throughout to designate like parts,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the helmet assembly constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, broken lines indicating the face and head of the individual,

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the helmet assembly taken at its central vertical plane showing flexible tension means and means to adjust length thereof, parts being broken away,

FIG. 3 is a top sectional View of the helmet assembly taken at an approximately horizontal plane adjacent and above the tension means and length adjusting means, and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the means for adjusting the length of the tension means, parts being broken away.

The illustrative embodiment of the helmet assembly shown in the drawings includes a rigid shell 10 adapted to receive the head 11 of an individual. The rigid shell 16 may be of suitable epoxy resin and fiberglass reinforcement material having fire-resistant, impact-resistant characteristics and may be of generally hemispherical shape. These materials and this particular shape are suitable especially for an airmans use with inflatable flying suits which enclose his entire body. The rigid shell 10 has a circular attaching ring 12 of rigid metal such as aluminum alloy extending around the lower edge to permit the shells attachment to and detachment from the flying suit torso. However, the attaching ring 12 constitutes no part of the invention.

The rigid shell It) has a suitable face opening 13 at the front thereof to permit maximum range of view by the individual, which face opening is closed by a rigid transparent portion or visor 14. The transparent portion 14 of optical quality rigid plastic material is desirably pivotally mounted on aligned

bearings

15, 15 at opposite sides of the rigid shell to permit swinging the transparent portion to its upper position at the top of the rigid shell, when the airman is flying at a safe altitude of about ten thousand feet where supplemental oxygen is not required. An initially, flat inflatable tube 13a around the face opening 13 and adhered to the exterior of the shell 10, is used to seal the space between the transparent portion 14 and shell 10, means to inflate the tube 13a not being shown. A rubber tube 13b with peripherally spaced openings is adhered to the interior of the shell 10 and extends about the face opening 13 to conduct oxygen, means for supplying oxygen not being shown.

It is to be understood the transparent portion 14 may be made integral with the rigid shell 10 instead of being pivotally mounted, in which case the flat tube 13a for sealing is omitted. However, the transparent portion 14, whether pivotal or integral, is an important part of the rigid shell 11 and constitutes the protective outer wall of an oral-nasal-ocular cavity 16 in which is located the oxygen supply tube 13b thereby eliminating the need for a conventional oxygen face mask. Exhaled breadth is exhausted from the cavity 16 by suitable means (not shown) which is no part of the invention.

Face Seal Means Face seal means 17 within the rigid shell adjacent the face opening 13 and transparent portion 14 constitutes with the face of the individual the inner wall of the cavity 16. Face seal means 17 includes a flexible impervious diaphragm 18 extending about the face opening 13 and peripherally secured air-tight to the interior of the shell 16 adjacent the transparent portion 14 in the manner shown especially in FIGS. 2 and 3 for facilitating limited forward and rearward adjustment of position of the means 17. The flexible diaphragm 18 which defines 'a face seal opening 17a, is desirably made of a knitted or a woven nylon stretchable fabric treated on one or both sides with elastomeric material such, for example, as a resilient natural rubber composition to render the fabric impervious to air and oxygen.

The face seal means 17 includes a relatively wide and thin endless sealing band 19 of deformabie flexible elas-- tomeric material such as a foamed resilient natural rubber composition which has either an open or a closed cellstructurer The endless sealing band 19 extends en tirely about the face seal opening 17a in the diaphragm 18- and is engageable about the periphery of the individuals face in sealing and conforming relation thereto.

The face seal means 17 also includes a stiff inextensible member extending about the face seal opening 17a and disposed between the diaphragm 18 and the endless sealing band 19 in sealed united relation to both. An impervious woven fabric tape 18a of V-shape crosssection adhesively secures and hingedly connects the diaphragm 18 to the member 213. This inextensible member 20 is preferably made of a soft aluminum alloy sheet material which can be locally bent to conform approximately to the periphery of the individuals face.

The hereinabove described construction and arrangement of the shell, transparent portion, flat sealing tube, oxygen'supply tube, and face seal means are described more fully and claimed in my copending application filed February 1, 1961, Serial No. 86,433, entitled Head Covering Assembly With Face and Visor Seals.

For purposes of this invention, the inextensible member 20, as shown especially in FIG. 2, is provided adjacent its upper portion and its lower portion with

outward projections

21, 22, respectively located on either side of the member 20. Each projection has an opening or slot 21a, 22a therethrough.

Tension Means The invention provides flexible inextensible tension means 23 interconnecting the face seal means 17 and portions of the rigid shell 10 at positions 16a, 10b, 10c thereon remote from the means 17 and including a flexible portion or part 23a extending away from the face seal means 17 and positionable about the head of the individual for maintaining his face against the face seal means 17 and the rear of his head spaced from the rear of the rigid shell, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Means 24'is mounted on the interior of the rigid shell 1%) for adjusting the length of the tension means23, the length adjusting means 24 including an operable portion 25 extending externally of the shell 10. The tension means 23 includes a flexible portion or part 23b thereof passing about a rotatable member 26 for winding thereon, the means 24 journaling the member 26 on the interior of the rigid shell 10 with an external operable portion 25 connected to the rotatable member 26 for turning the latter to thereby adjust the length of the tension means 23. Thus, the length adjustment of the tension means is accomplished by operation from the exterior of the shell, and this is particularly advantageous when the helmet assembly is under internal air pressure since loss of pressure is entirely avoided during the adjusting operation.

The particular construction of the flexible inextensible tension .means 23 shown in the drawings comprises a flexible cushion ng means or

assembly

27, 28 having a pair of spaced

cushioning pads

27, 27 of resilient foamed natural rubber or other elastomeric material with an open or closed cell structure. The cushioning pads are disposed within individual upper and lower open-end pockets of a substantially inextensible hollow cover 28 of straight-laid square-woven nylon fabric which cover is in predetermined spaced relation to the lower rear central wall portion of the rigid shell 10.

The flexible cushioning means or

assembly

27, 28 has sufiicient width and length to contact and support a substantial area of the lower rearward part of the individuals head, as shown especially in FIGS. 2 and 3. This arrangement of the flexible cushioning means or

assembly

27, 28 not only protects the head from impact shock due to a severe blow against the rigid shell lll, but distributes the tension force of the tension means 23 throughout a substantial area of the individuals head for increased comfort purposes.

Midway between its ends the cushioning assembly 27; 28 has at each upper and lower pocket thereof a peripherally continuous substantially inextensible retaining band 2?, 3% of square-woven nylon fabric. Each retaining band is secured as by sewing to the back of the fabric cover 23 and secured to the interior surface of the rigid shell 10 as by a metal plate 31 riveted to the shell in a manner to clamp the fabric retaining hand between the plate 31 and the shell 10. These

flexible retaining bands

29, 31 establish the maximum predetermined spacing between the cushioning assembly and the rear wall of the rigid shell 10 and support and laterally center the

cushioning assembly

27, 28 within the shell.

The flexible tension means 23 preferably includes a pair of separate tension elements of flexible inextensible material which may be suitable nylon cord but is preferably suitable woven nylon fabric tape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This pair of vertically spaced, separate tension elements or tapes together with the

cushioning assembly

27, 28 provide the

portions

23a and 23b, respectively, of the tension means 23. One of these tension elements is connected to the upper projections 21, 2 1 of the face seal inextensible member 2% adjacent the upper portion thereof, and the other of the said tension elements is connected to the

lower projections

22, 22 of the face seal inextensible member adjacent the lower portion thereof, as shown especially in FIG. 2. When viewed from a side of the shell 10, the tension elements extend in downwardly inclined approximately parallel relation toward the lower region of the shell 10 so as to pull the band 19 and member 20 toward the forehead and chin of the head 11.

The upper tension element has one end thereof connected adjustably to the back of the fabric cover 28- of the cushioning assembly by means of a buckle 33 secured to one end of the cover 28. Such tension element extends as portion 23a forwardly from the cushioning assembly to the upper projection .21 at one side of the face seal member 20 and passes through the slot 21a therein. It

then extends as portion 23b rearwardly to the rotatable member 26 where it extends through diametrically opposite slots in preferably a tubular upper part of the rotatable member 26 for winding about the latter.

This portion 23b of the said tension element then passes at positions 10a, 10b, through peripherally spacedapart upper guides 3-2, 32 on the interior of the rigid shell 16 to the other upper projection 21 at the other side of the face seal member 20, as shown especially in FIG. 3, so that the portion 23b of this tension element is maintained between [the rigid shell 10 and the cushioning

assembly

27, 28. The upper tension element next passes through the slot 21a and then extends as portion 23a rear- 33 secured to the back of the fabric cover 28.

The two buckles 33, 33 permit initial adjustment of the- However, final ad-' length of the upper tension element. justment to effect the face seal is accomplished by rotating the rotatable member 26 in either direction. This rotation causes the upper tension element to be wound on the said rotatable member 26 and thus tensioned to thereby flex and press the cushioning

assembly

27, 28 firmly against the back of the head of the individual, coincidental with drawing the stiff member and resilient sealing band 19 of the face seal means 17 rearWardl-y to a limited extent into eflective sealing contact with the face of the individual. The primary seal is efiected by the forward part of the endless sealing band 19 bounding the face seal opening 17a, said forward part immediately underlying the inextensible member 26 and extending about the periphery of the individuals face, as shown especially in PEG. 2.

The other or lower tension element is snnilarly constructed and arranged, but passes through the slots 22a, 22a in the

lower projections

22, 22 on either side of the inextensible member 20 and through diametrically opposed slots in a tubular lower part of the rotatable member 26 and through a set of

lower guides

32, 32 parallel to and spaced from the upper set of guides. This lower tension element is likewise adjustably connected through

buckles

33, 33 to either end of the cushioning

assembly

27, 28 for initial length adjustment.

The hereinabove described construction and arrangement of the upper and lower tension elements and the

cushionnig assembly

27, 28 provides, when such elements and assembly are connected as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of separate, endless, flexible, inextensible parts of the tension means 23 each including a portion 23b interconnecting the face seal means 17 on either side thereof and portions of the shell 19 remote therefrom and passing about the rotatable member 26, and each including a portion 23a extending away from the face seal means 17 and about the head of the individual.

Tension Element Length Adjusting Means The means 24 for adjusting the length of the flexible inextensible tension means 23 including its upper and lower tension elements comprises a hollow housing 34 of suitable metal such, for example, as aluminum alloy. The housing is mounted on the interior of the rigid shell 19 desirably at one side (right hand side) thereof and at a position adjacent but spaced from the lower edge of the shell and spaced rearwardly from one of the bearings 15. A thin resilient rubber sealing gasket 35 is positioned between the housing 34 and the shell 19 to prevent air leakage and loss of pressure where a tubular extension 36 projects through an aperture in the shell 10.

Screw fasteners

37, 37 extending through the wall of the shell 10 and threadedly engaging the housing 34 including its end plate 38, secure the housing to the shell, as shown especially in FIG. 4.

A horizontal integral drive shaft and worm 39 arranged transversely within the hollow housing 34, extends through the bore in the tubular extension 36 to the exterior of the shell 1%, where the external means or operable portion in the form of a spoked knob is mounted on the shaft 39. A removable locking pin 49 extends through aligned apertures in the knob 25 and the shaft 39 to hold the knob so it can rotate for manual turning of the worm drive shaft 39. A resilient rubber O-ring sealing member 36a seated in annular recess in the bore of the extension 36 contacts the worm drive shaft 39 to prevent air leakage and loss of pressure within the shell 1%.

The worm of the drive shaft 39 meshes with a worm gear 41 secured to a driven shaft 42 which extends generally vertically above and below the housing 34. The tubular upper and lower parts of the member .26 are telescopically mounted on and secured to the upper and lower extensions of the shaft 4-2, whereby these upper and lower parts of a rotatable member 26 are turned simultaneously clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on the direction of rotation of the

shafts

39, 42 resulting from manually turm'ng the means or knob 25.

Operation of Helmet Assembly In the operation of the helmet assembly, the upper and lower flexible inextensible tension elements 23a, 2312, when in a non-tensioned condition, are initially adjusted by the

buckles

33,33 to a slightly tensioned condition so that the head of the individual is pressed lightly against the cushioning

assembly

27,28 While the face seal means 17 is pressed lightly against the face of the individual in partial sealing relation thereto. This positions the face in approximately the desired spaced relation to the transparent portion 14 for facilitating best vision by the individual. After this initial adjustment of the upper and lower tension elements is accomplished, subsequent additional tensioning of said elements by operation from the exterior of the shell 19 by means 24 turning rotatable member 26, causes each said element to exert substantially equal rearward pull on the stiff inextensible member 20 of the face seal means 17. This assures eflective uniformity of sealing contact of the face seal means 17 about the periphery of the face, and also assures the desired spaced relationship of the face and the transparent portion 14 for purposes of good vision.

Assuming the individual has donned the helmet assembly with the tension means 23 having said initial adjustment, the external knob 25 of means 24 is manually rotated thereby positively turning the rotatable member 26 which winds the portions 23b of the upper and lower tension elements simultaneously upon the upper and lower tubular parts, respectively, of the said member 26. This shortens the length of each of the tension elements, hence increases the tension stresses in the upper and lower tension elements, whereby the latter exert increased pulling force on the face seal means 17 and the cushioning assembly 2'7, 28.

Under the influence of the increased tension and pull, the cushioning assembly 27, 2S conforms to and firmly fits against the rear or back of the head as well as maintaining the latter in predetermined spaced relation to the rear of the shell 15. At the same time, the position of the face seal means 17 is adjusted to a limited extent in the direction toward the rear of the shell 11 so that the resilient endless sealing band 19 is firmly seated about the periphery of the face in effective sealing relation, thereby not only closing the face seal opening 17a but positioning the face and eyes in the desired spaced relation to the transparent portion 14 to permit good vision through the latter portion.

Thus, the oral-nasal-ocular cavity 16 is completely closed when the transparent portion 14 is in the position shown in FIG. 2 and the inflatable tube 13a is inflated so as to seal against the transparent portion and the shell. Oxygen is conducted to the closed cavity 16 through the tube only when the individual inhales, but is shut-off while the exhaled breath is exhausted to the space rearwardly of the diaphragm 18 by suitable valve or other means (not shown) which constitutes no part of the invention.

The construction and arrangement of the face seal means 17 and the flexible inextensible tension means 23 and means 24 for adjusting the length thereof makes feasible accommodating a range of sizes of heads of the individuals, yet positioning the face of the individual relative to the transparent portion within predetermined limits to provide the best possible vision for the individual. Also, the length adjustment of the tension means is ac complished by operation from the exterior of the shell without loss of pressure when the helmet assembly is under internal air pressure.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A helmet assembly comprising a rigid shell adapted to receive the head of an individual and having a transparent portion on one side of said shell, face seal means secured to the interior of the shell adjacent said transparent portion and including a part engageable about the periphery of the individuals face, flexible inextensible tension means interconnecting said face seal means and portions of said shell remote therefrom and said tension means including a portion thereof extending away from said face seal means and positionable about the head of the individual for positioning his face against said face seal means and the rear of his head spaced from the rear of said shell, and means on the interior of said shell for adjusting the length of said tension means and including an operable portion extending externally of the shell.

2. A helmet assembly comprising a rigid shell adapted to receive the head of an individual and having a transparent portion on one side of said shell, face seal means secured to the interior of the shell adjacent said transparent portion and including a stiff inextensible member associated witha part engageable about the periphery of the individuals face, flexible inextensible tension means connected to said stiff member at locations on either side thereof and extending therefrom for disposition about the head of the individual so as to position the rear of the head spaced from the rear of said shell and position the face against saidface seal means, said tension means interconnecting said stiff member of the face seal means and portions of said shell remote therefrom, a rotatable member to which a portion of said tension means is trained for winding thereon, means journaling said rotatable member on the interior of said shell, and means external of said shell operably connected to said rotatable member for turning the latter to thereby adjust the length of said tension means.

3. A helmet assembly comprising a rigid shell adapted to receive the head of an individual and having a transparent portion on one side of said shell, face seal means including a flexible impervious diaphragm secured to the interior of the shell adjacent said transparent portion and including a stiff inextensible member united with said diaphragm and a part engageable about the periphery of the individuals face, flexible inextensible tension means connected to said stiif member at a plurality of spaced locations on either side thereof and including a first part extending from said sides of said member for disposition about the head of the individual so as to position the rear of the head spaced from the rear of said shell and position the face against the face seal means and including a second part extending from said sides of said stiif member, guides within and secured to said shell remote from said face seal means through which guides a portion of said second part of said tension means extends, a rotatable member to which said second part is trained for winding thereon, tmeans journaling said rotatable member on the interior of said shell, and means external of said shell operably connected to said rotatable member for turning the latter to thereby adjust the length of said tension means.

4'. A helmet assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said tension means comprises a pair of separate tension elements of flexible inextensible material with one of said elements connected to the said stiff member'of the face seal means adjacent the upper portion thereof and the other of said elements connected to said stiff member adjacent the lower portion thereof, and said rotatable member includes separate portions engaged by thetsaid tension elements respectively for separate winding there- 5. A helmet assembly as defined in claim 3 in which the first said part of said tension means engages flexible cushioning means which is normally positionable spaced from the rear of said shell and positionable against the rear of the head of the individual, and flexible retaining means secured to said shell and said cushioning means 8) for positioning the latter in the shell and for establishing predetermined maximum spaced relation of the latter to the rear of said shell.

6. A helmet assembly as defined in claim 3 in which said tension means includes means connecting adjacent portions of one of said parts thereof for adjusting initially the length of the tension means to accommodate a particular size head of the individual, the last said means being in addition to said rotatable member and said means for turning the rotatable member.

7. A helmet assembly as defined in claim 3 in which said tension means includes a cushioning assembly comprising elastomeric material disposed within a flexible hollow inextensible fabric cover which is of suflicient length and width to contact a substantial area of the rear of the head of the individual, and said tension means comprises a pair of separate flexible tension elements of inextensible material secured at spaced locations to the respective ends of said cushioning assembly, one of said tension elements being connected to the said stiff member of the face seal means adjacent the upper portion thereof and the other of said tension elements being connected to said stiff member adjacent the lower portion thereof, and said rotatable member includes separate tubular portions engaged by said tension elements respectively for separate winding thereon.

8. A helmet assembly comprising a rigid shell adapted to receive the head of an individual and having a face opening at the front thereof, face seal means comprising a flexible impervious diaphragm peripherally secured to the interior of the shell adjacent said face opening and defining a face seal opening, a stiff inextensible member around said face seal opening secured to said diaphragm, and an endless sealingband of elastomeric material around said face seal opening secured to said diaphragm and said member and engageable about the periphery of the individuals face, flexible inextensible tension means interconnecting said member and portions of said shell remote therefrom and including a portion extending away from said member and positionable about the head of the individual for positioning his face against said sealing band and positioning the rear of his head spaced from the rear of the shell, and means on the interior of said shell for adjusting the length of said tension means and including an operable portion extending externally of the shell.

9. A helmet assembly comprising a rigid shell adapted to receive the head of an individual and having a face opening at the front thereof, face seal means comprising a flexible impervious diaphragm peripherally secured to the interior of the shell adjacent said face opening to permit limited adjustability of the face seal means and defining a face seal opening, a stiff inextensible member around said face seal opening secured to said diaphragm, and an endless sealing band of elastomeric material around said face seal opening secured to said diaphragm and said member and engageable about the periphery of the individuals face, flexible inextensible tension means connected to said stiff member adjacent the upper portion thereof and adjacent the lower portion thereof at either side thereof and including a first part extending from said sides of said stiff member for disposition about the head of the individual so as to position his face against the sealing band and the rear of his head spaced from said shell and including a second part extending from said sides of said member, guides within and secured to said shell remote from said face seal means through which a portion of said second part of said tension means extends, a rotatable member to which said second part is trained for winding thereon, means journaling said rotatable member on the interior of said shell at a position spaced from said face seal means at one side of said shell, and means external of said shell operably connected to said rotatable member for turning the latter to thereby adjust the length of said tension means.

10. A helmet assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said tension means comprises a pair of spaced separate tension elements of inextensible fabric tape material with one element connected to said stiff member of the face seal means at said upper portion thereof and the other element connected to said stiif member at said lower portion thereof, each of said tension elements including buckle means connecting adjacent portions thereof for initially adjusting the length of the element, and said rotatable member includes spaced separate portions engaged by said tension elements respectively for separate Winding thereon.

11. A helmet assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said tension means includes a cushioning assembly comprising elastomeric material disposed within a flexible hollow inextensible fabric cover which is of sufiicient length and Width to contact a substantial area of the rear of the head of the individual, flexible means secured to said cushioning assembly and the rear of said shell to position said cushioning assembly in said shell and to establish a predetermined mam'mum spaced relation of such cushioning assembly to said shell, and said tension means comprises a pair of spaced separate tension elements of inextensible fabric tape material secured at spaced locations to the respective ends of said cushioning assembly, one of said tension elements being connected to said stifl' member of the face seal means at said upper portion thereof and the other of said tension elements being connected to said stifi member at said loWer por tion thereof, buckle means connecting said tension elements to said cushioning assembly for initially adjusting the length of each tension element, and said rotatable member includes spaced separate tubular portions engaged by said tension elements respectively for separate Winding thereon to effect final adjustment of the length of said tension elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France May 31, 1960

Claims

1. A HELMET ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A RIGID SHELL ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE HEAD OF AN INDIVIDUAL AND HAVING A TRANSPARENT PORTION ON ONE SIDE OF SAID SHELL, FACE SEAL MEANS SECURED TO THE INTERIOR OF THE SHELL ADJACENT SAID TRANSPARENT PORTION AND INCLUDING A PART ENGAGEABLE ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF THE INDIVIDUAL''S FACE, FLEXIBLE INEXTENSIBLE TENSION MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID FACE SEAL MEANS AND PORTIONS OF SAID SHELL REMOTE THEREFROM AND SAID TENSION MEANS INCLUDING A PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID FACE SEAL MEANS AND POSITIONABLE ABOUT THE HEAD OF THE INDIVIDUAL FOR POSITIONING HIS FACE AGAINST SAID FACE SEAL MEANS AND THE REAR OF HIS HEAD SPACED FROM THE REAR OF SAID SHELL, AND MEANS ON THE INTERIOR OF SAID SHELL FOR ADJUSTING THE LENGTH OF SAID TENSION MEANS AND INCLUDING AN OPERABLE PORTION EXTENDING EXTERNALLY OF THE SHELL.