US3353188A

US3353188A - Collapsible safety helmet

Info

Publication number: US3353188A
Application number: US511934A
Authority: US
Inventors: Crincic Laddie John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-12-06
Filing date: 1965-12-06
Publication date: 1967-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-21

Description

I INVENTOR.

zAoa/fJo/wm/A/a/c Nov. 21, 1967 L. .1. CRINCIC COLLAPSIBLE SAFETY HELMET Filed Dec. 6, 1965 United States Patent 3,353,188 COLLAPSIBLE SAFETY HELMET Laddie John Crincic, 314 Fayette Ave., Belle Vernon, Pa. 15012 Filed Dec. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 511,934 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-3) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible safety helmet is formed from a plurality of superimposed horizontal sections that are detachably connected together so that they can be separated from one another. Each section is smaller than the section below it so that the separated sections can be nested to form a compact unit for carrying or storage.

In most construction work, especially in steel con-- struction, the workers are required to wear safety helmets to protect their heads against accidental injuries. They are generally issued such helmets as part of their safety equipment. Other employees and personnel visiting the jobs likewise are required to wear safety helmets while they are in the construction areas. Some carry their own helmets, but they are rather bulky and awkward to carry around from one location to another when not being worn. Others rely upon helmets issued by the employers, but that often results in delays, embarrassment and even a sanitary problem because safety codes generally require that all safety headgear be sterilized before being worn by another person.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a safety helmet, which gives as much protection as the conventional type, but which can be collapsed to form a compact unit thatcan readily be carried around by the owner when he is not wearing the helmet.

in accordance with this invention the helmet has a hard convex shell adapted to fit over the head and pro vided inside with the usual hammock or suspension unit, by which the shell is supported on the head. The shell is formed from a plurality of independent, substantially rigid sections that normally are mounted on top of each other. Means are provided for detachably connecting the sections together. The major portion of any section is smaller than the inside diameter of the section supporting it, so that when the sections are disconnected from each other they can be nested to form a compact unit that will fit in a relatively thin case. For best results, the shell is formed from three superimposed sections, which are normally held together by interengaging projections and recesses associated with inwardly offset members joined to the upper part of a section and engaging the inner surface of the section above.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of my helmet;

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the line IV1V of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section showing in detail how the sections of the helmet are connected; and

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section showing the helmet collapsed.

Referring to the drawings, the helmet has a conventional appearance, the main body being a hard convex shell 1, generally molded from a plastic which may be reinforced with layers of fabric embedded in it. The shell resembles an inverted bowl that will receive the head without touchin it. The bottom of the shell turns outwardly and may have an encircling brim, or it may be provided at the front with a visor, more like a cap.

It is a feature of this invention that the helmet shell is formed from a plurality of independent sections mounted on top of each other and detachably connected together so that they can be separated when desired. There can be two or more sections. Three sections 2, 3 and 4 are preferred, because tWo sections leave the helmet, when collapsed, still rather thick, while more than three sections appear to be unnecessary. Sections 2 and 3 are annular and section 4 has a dome-like shape. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a conventional suspension unit 5 is detachably connected in any suitable manner to anchors 6 inside the lower section 2 and extends up into the shell, where it will fit over the head and space it from the top of the shell.

For connecting the three shell sections together, it is preferred to provide the upper parts of the bottom and middle sections with inwardly

offset members

8 and 9, respectively, that extend a short distance up into the sections above them in engagement with the inner surfaces of those sections as shown in FIG. 4. There may be several independent offset members joined to each shell section, but it is better to have only one such member for each section and to make it in the form of a narrow flange extending entirely around the inside of the shell, with which it is integral. It will be seen that the lower flange 8 telescopes into the bottom of the middle shell 3, and the upper flange 9 telescopes into the bottom of the top shell 4. Consequently, the two flanges prevent lateral movement of the sections relative to one another and thereby keep them in proper alignment so that the outside of the shell will be smooth at the joints.

In order to lock the shell sections together so that in use they will not separate vertically, the outer surface of each upwardly projecting flange and the inner surface of the surrounding section are provided with interengagin-g projections and recesses. In order not to weaken the shell, it is preferred that the recesses 11 (FIG. 5), which are small depressions, be formed in the flanges at laterally spaced points around them. The projections 12 then are joined to the surrounding inner surfaces of the shell sections and fit into the recesses. To facilitate molding of the shell sections, it is preferred that the projections be formed as the inner heads of rivets 13 extending through the sections. Wear on the rivet heads, due to snapping into and out of the recesses, can be reduced by using metal rivets. There is no danger of metal rivets conducting electricity to the head of the wearer in case they come in contact with live wires, because the rivets are spaced by the

plastic flanges

8 and 9 from the head.

The shape of the shell must be such that the major portions of its middle and top sections are smaller than the inside diameters of its bottom and middle sections, respectively, so that the three sections can be nested as will be explained presently. This, of course, requires that the shell taper upwardly. However, in order for the rivet heads and recesses to perform their locking function, the amount of taper of the shell at the levels of the recesses must not be so great that the rivets will seat in the recesses by merely dropping the shell sections in place. Rather, the taper must be steep enough to require the sections to be telescoped with some force in order to cause their lower portions to yield or spring out slight- .ly so that the rivets can slide down the outer surfaces of the two flanges and snap into the recesses. That will lock the three sections together.

When the helmet is not in use, it can be collapsed into a compact unit by first removing the suspension unit and then striking the top section of the shell from the inside with the fist to cause it, and possibly the middle section,

to separate from the remainder of the shell as shown in FIG. 5. The middle sectionthen can be pulled away from either the top section or the bottom section, depending upon which one it remained with. With the bottom section of the helmet shell inverted as shown in FIG. 6, the middle section is dropped into it and then the top section is dropped into the middle section to form a nest of three shell sections. The flexible suspension 5 can be laid in this nest. It will be seen that instead of having a complete safety helmet with a high crown, one now has a compact unit, perhaps only a couple of inches thick. This unit can be slipped into a bag, a special thin carrying case, or even into a brief case for storage and carrying around. To assemble the helmet, the upper section is telescoped over flange 9, and the middle section is telescoped over flange 8. The three sections are pushed together until they seat, with projections 12 disposed in recesses 11. The suspension 5 then can be installed and the unitary helmet is ready for use.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A collapsible safety helmet comprising a hard con vex shell adapted to fit over the head and formed from three independent substantially rigid sections normally mounted on top of one another, said sections including a dome-like top section and two annular sections beneath it with the lower edge of the top section seating on the exterior upper portion of the middle section and with the lower edge of the middle section seating on the exterior upper portion of the bottom section to form a smooth outer surface for the shell, the middle and top sections being smaller than the inside diameters of the tom and middle sections being provided with upwardly projecting inwardly offset flanges engaging the lower part of the inner surface of the sections resting on 'said bottom and middle sections to prevent relative lateral movement of the different sections, the outer surface of each. flange being provided with a plurality of laterally spaced recesses, and the inner surface of each section adjacent each recess being provided with projections normally seated in the recesses in that flange to lock the sections together, and said sections having just enough resiliency to permit said projections to snap vertically out of said recesses when the sections are manually pulled apart vertically to separate them, whereupon the middle section can be nested in the bottom section and the top section can be nested in the middle section to form a collapsible compact unit.

2. A collapsible safety helmet according to claim 1, in which said projections are formed by the heads of rivets mounted in said sections.

3. A collapsible safety helmet according to claim 2, including a suspension unit removably mounted in said bottom section.

References Cited UNITED" STATES PATENTS 563,175 6/1896 Hirschberg 2 171.6 1,035,209 8/1912 Matson 2 171.1 2,397,722 4/1946 Bowers 2-8 2,855,604 10/1958 Austin 2 ,3 3,030,632 4/1962 Shelton 2-2093 3,176,314 4/1965 Perry 2-3 3,295,536 1/1967 Shaw et al. 2 171.1 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,053,195 3/1959 Germany.

10,531 1/1900 Sweden.

HERBERT F. ROSS, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A COLLAPSIBLE SAFETY HELMET COMPRISING A HARD CONVEX SHELL ADAPTED TO FIT OVER THE HEAD AND FORMED FROM THREE INDEPENDENT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID SECTIONS NORMALLY MOUNTED ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER, SAID SECTIONS INCLUDING A DOME-LIKE TOP SECTION AND TWO ANNULAR SECTIONS BENEATH IT WITH THE LOWER EDGE OF THE TOP SECTION SEATING ON THE EXTERIOR UPPER PORTION OF THE MIDDLE SECTION AND WITH THE LOWER EDGE OF THE MIDDLE SECTION SEATING ON THE EXTERIOR UPPER PORTION OF THE BOTTOM SECTION TO FORM A SMOOTH OUTER SURFACE FOR THE SHELL, THE MIDDLE AND TOP SECTIONS BEING SMALLER THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETERS OF THE SECTIONS SUPPORTING THEM, THE UPPER PARTS OF THE BOTTOM AND MIDDLE SECTIONS BEING PROVIDED WITH UPWARDLY PROJECTING INWARDLY OFFSET FLANGES ENGAGING THE LOWER PART OF THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SECTIONS RESTING ON SAID BOTTOM AND MIDDLE SECTIONS TO PREVENT RELATIVE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS, THE OUTER SURFACE OF EACH FLANGE BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY LATERALLY SPACED RECESSES, AND THE INNER SURFACE OF EACH SECTION ADJACENT EACH RECESS BEING PROVIDED WITH PROJECTIONS NORMALLY SEATED IN THE RECESSES IN THAT FLANGE TO LOCK THE SECTIONS TOGETHER, AND SAID SECTIONS HAVING JUST ENOUGH RESILIENCY TO PERMIT SAID PROJECTIONS TO SNAP VERTICALLY OUT OF SAID RECESSES WHEN THE SECTIONS ARE MANUALLY PULLED APART VERTICALLY TO SEPARATE THEM, WHEREUPON THE MIDDLE SECTION CAN BE NESTED IN THE BOTTOM SECTION AND THE TOP SECTION CAN BE NESTED IN THE MIDDLE SECTION TO FORM A COLLAPSIBLE COMPACT UNIT.