US3593338A

US3593338A - Visor-latching construction in safety helmet

Info

Publication number: US3593338A
Application number: US809864A
Authority: US
Inventors: William H Penny
Original assignee: CAPTECH Inc
Current assignee: Scott Technologies Inc
Priority date: 1969-03-24
Filing date: 1969-03-24
Publication date: 1971-07-20
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-20
Also published as: DE1947919A1

Abstract

A device which is particularly adapted for holding a moveable visor on a headgear in a predetermined position which includes a tooth rack mounted on the headgear and a tooth clutch or latch jaw mounted on and movable with the visor, the clutch jaw being moveable between an engaged position where the teeth on the jaw intermesh with the teeth on the rack to a disengaged position where the teeth do not intermesh, the clutch jaw being moveable between these positions responsive to the movement of a lever which is readily accessible to the wearer of the headgear.

Description

United States Patent 3,593,338

[72] inventor William H. Penny 315,272 4/1967 Olt et al 2 X Arcadia. Calil. 3.400.407 9/1968 Ailen 2/6 5! 21 p gzm gi 1969 FORElGN PATENTS [2 l i e ar. Patented y 1971 95l 8l7 4/1964 Great Britain. 2/6 (73] Assignee Sierra Engineering Co. Primary Examiner-Alfred R Guest Sierra Madre, Calitn Anarney- Beehler & Arant [54] VISOR-LATCHING CONSTRUCTION IN SAFETY :Etrgg Drawin ABSTRACT: A device which is particularly adapted for holdg lgs. i mg a moveable visor on a headgear m a predetermined post- 1 Clw 2/ tion which includes a tooth rack mounted on the headgear and [51 1 lm- Cl A42! /00 a tooth clutch or latch jaw mounted on and movable with the [50} Field of Search H 2/6. 8, 3 visor, the clutch jaw being moveable between an engaged position where the teeth on the jaw intermesh with the teeth [56] References cued on the rack to a disengaged position where the teeth do not in- UNITED STATES PATENTS termesh, the clutch jaw being moveable between these posi- 3 1 10 034 11/1963 11 2 6 tions responsive to the movement of a lever which is readily 3,066,305 12/1962 Aileo 2/6 accessible I h wearer 0f the headgear.

PATENTEI] JUL 20 ISTI SHEET 1 [IF 2 [/vvE/vme WLL/QM P N v VISOR-LATCIIING CONSTRUCTION IN SAFETY HELMET The present invention provides a device which is particularly suitable for use with moveable visors on headgear pieces. The clutch or latch device of this invention is operable under adverse conditions. The ready accessibility of the lever to the wearer of the headgear permits this clutch to be operated by a heavily gloved hand with speed. and accuracy. When the clutch device is affixed to the moveable visor, it also serves as a handle to move the visor from one desired position to another. The arrangement of thelever is such that it operates when it is displaced in either direction about a pivot point. When the wearer of the headgear pushes on the lever in either direction, the lever moves to disengage the clutch and then serves as a handle by which to move the visor to the desired position. The result is that the wearer of the helmet only makes one motion in one direction to accomplish both the disengaging of the clutch and the movement of the visor.

The convenience" and the efficient utility of this clutch device are also very u'sefulin many other structures where two elements of the structure are moveable relative to one another but must be releasably held in fixed relationship to one another at various positions In the drawings there is illustrated:

' FIG. 1, a side elevation of a dual visor helmet with a clutch or latch device operatively associated with each visor;

FIG. 2, a broken side elevation partly in cross section of the dual visor portion of the helmet illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view,partially in cross section, of

the clutch device with the clutch shown in the engaged position;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the clutch device;

FIG. 6 is broken side elevation'similar to FIG. 4 showing the clutch in the disengaged position; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the clutch-device.

Referring particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a helmet 10, which is provided with a generally spherical curved crown l2 and curved lobes E4 depending from the lower edge of the crown at diametrically opposed sides thereof. When the helmet is placed on the head of a wearer, lobes 14 cover and protect the sides of the head and the ears of the wearer. The front opening of the helmet is defined between the forward downwardly presented edge 16 of crown 12 and the forwardly presented edges of the side lobes 14. The face of the wearer is exposed through the opening thus defined. In a typical helmet of the kind illustrated in the drawings, the forward edge of the crown 16 extends across the forehead of the wearer, approximately at the level of the eyebrows.

In the visor construction represented in the drawings a visor attachment 18 is secured to helmet 10. The visor construction includes a visor housing 20 which is curved in both the horizontal and vertical planes to embrace the forward portion of the helmet crown 12 in the region directly above the forward crown edge 16. The housing has a forwardly presented wall 22 along the upper edge of which is a rearwardly directed flange 24. Flange 24 seats against the outer surface of the helmet crown 12 to space the upper edge of the forwardly presented housing wall 22 from the crown.

Indicated at 30 and 32 in FIGS. 2 and 3 are a pair of transparent visors or lenses moveably mounted in spaced apart superimposed relationship. Each

transparent visor lens

30 and 32 is curved horizontally and vertically to match the curvature of visor housing 20. The visor housing wall 22 and the

visor lenses

30 and 32 are circularly curved, in each vertical plane parallel to the fore-and-aft plane of the symmetry of the helmet 10, about a common axis extending normally to said planes. The two end edges of each

visor

30 and 32 are also circularly curved about a common axis.

Track members

27 and 29 are secured to the outer surface of helmet at about the respective temples of the helmet 10 above and forwardly of lobes The

visor lenses

30 and 32 are mounted at their downwardly'and rearwardly extending edge ends on

visor lens runners

34 and 36, respectively.

Visor lens runners

34 and 36, see FIG. 3, are received in respective visor tracks 28 and 26. The respective visor tracks 26 and 28 are provided in the forwardly presented sides of

track members

27 and 29. The arcuate rearwardly presented

sidesof track members

27 and 29 are provided-with

toothed tracks

38 and 40, respectively. Track member 27 is affixed to the exterior temple area of the right side of helmet 10. Track member 29 is mounted to the interior temple area of visor housing 20 on the left side of helmet l0. Clutch or

latch devices

42 and 44 are mounted on and moveable with

respective visor lenses

30 and 32. Clutch or

latch devices

42 and 44 comprise respectively clutch jaw guides 46 and 48, which are adapted to slidably receive and guide toothed or latch

jaws

50 and 52, respectively.

Clutch jaws

50 and 52 are normally biased forwardly toward the respective

toothed racks

38 and 40 by means of respective clutch latch springs 54 and 56.

Levers

58 and 60 cooperate through cam means to move

clutch jaws

50 and 52, respectively, out of engagement with

respective racks

38 and 40.

Levers

58 and 60 are pivotally mounted to respective clutch jaw guides 46 and 48 by means pivot pins 62 and 64, respectively.

Levers

58 and 60 are shaped so that their lateral sides enclose the open lateral sides of respective clutch jaw guides 46 and 48 and thus serve to confine and guide

clutch jaws

50 and 52 slidably along a channel in operative relationship to

racks

38 and 40. The upper and lower sides of the

levers

58 and 60 overlap and enclose the upper and lower sides of clutch jaw guides 46 and 48, respectively, so as to provide a convenient surface against which the operator of the clutch may push to disengage

clutch jaws

50 and 52 and move the structure to which the clutch device is attached.

Slots

66 and 68 are provided in respective clutch jaws 50 and S2.

Slots

66 and 68 have a generally V-shaped configuration with the apex pointed rearwardly away from the respective toothed racks. Slot-engaging

pins

70 and 72 are positioned in

respective slots

66 and 68. The surfaces of

slots

66 and 68 act as cam surfaces, and the respective slot-engaging

pins

70 and 72 act as cam followers. The slot-engaging

pins

70 and 72 are mounted on and carried by

levers

58 and 60, respectively.

The

levers

58 and 60 are pivotally mounted on about the longitudinal axis of the respective clutch jaw guides 46 and 48. The

levers

58 and 60 are bidirectional in their actions so that pivotal movement of a lever in either direction causes the disengagement of the clutch jaw from the rack. Placing the pivot pin, slot-engaging pin, and the apex of a V-shaped slot on about the center line of the clutch jaw guide permits the bidirectional operation of the lever. The c ntinued application of a force, applied in the same manner and direction as that required to disengage the clutch, will cause the disengaged clutch device and the structure to which it is attached to move under the urgings of the applied force. When the force is removed from the lever, the spring urges the clutch jaw outwardly into engagement with the rack. When it is desired to disengage the clutch and move it in the opposite direction, a force applied'to the lever in the opposite direction will first result in the disengagement of the clutch and then the movement of the disengaged clutch device and associated structure in the opposite direction. Thus, to accomplish the dual operations of first disengaging the clutch and second moving the clutch device and the attached structure the operator need only push on the lever in the direction in which he wishes to move the structure.

The slots in which the slot-engaging pins move need only have one cam surface extending at an acute angle to the path through which the clutch jaw slidably moves in order to accomplish disengagement of the clutch. However, where it is desired to have a bidirectional operation of the lever, it is necessary to have two such cam surfaces extending at different angles so that the slots become the legs of a generally V- shaped compound slot. The clutch springs are of sufficient strength to cause the clutch jaw to return to the engaged position with the slot engaging pin in the neutral position at the apex of the V-shaped slot when pressure is released from the lever.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, there is illustrated the attachment of the clutch devices to the

moveable visor lens

30 and 32. The outer visor lense 30 is provided with a clutch device 42 on the right side of the headgear at the temple, and the inner visor lense 32 is provided with a clutch device 44 on the left side ofthe headgear at the temple.

The two

transparent visor lenses

30 and 32 are provided with different light transmission characteristics so that by alternately extending and retracting one or both of the visors a wide variety of ambient light conditions may be compensated for. The visor housing 20 provides a durable housing into which the

visor lenses

30 and 32 may be retracted when the helmet is not in use so as to protect the transparent visors from scratches and other damage.

What has been described are preferred embodiments in which modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe accompanying claims.

lclaim:

l. A visored helmet having an open front and closed sides adapted to be worn by a person, said helmet comprising:

a moveable visor lens;

visor lens runners mounted on opposed lateral edges of said visor lens;

visor tracks mounted on the sides of said helmet and slidably receiving said lens runners;

a toothed rack mounted on said helmet adjacent and parallel to a said visor track;

a latch means including a latch jaw guide mounted on a lateral edge of said visor lens adjacent said toothed rack;

a toothed latch jaw slidably mounted on said latch jaw guide, said latch jaw being moveable between an engaged position where the teeth on said jaw intermesh with the teeth on said rack and a disengaged position where said teeth do not intermesh;

a lever moveably mounted on said latch jaw guide; and

a cam means including a cam surface and a cam pin means operatively associated with said latch jaw and moveable responsive to the movement of said lever whereby the movement of said lever moves said latch jaw between said engaged and disengaged positions and said visor is adapted to be held by said latch at various positions relative to the open front of said helmet.

2. The visored helmet of claim 1 wherein said helmet is provided with two visor lenses slidably mounted in superimposed relationship to one another, a toothed rack on each side of said helmet adjacent and parallel to respective visor tracks, and a latch operatively associated with each of said lenses, said respective latches being disposed on opposite sides of said helmet adjacent the said respective toothed racks.

3. A visor construction for mounting on headgear wherein said visor construction includes a transparent visor moveably mounted on said headgear for movement between an extended position in the line of sight of the wearer of said headgear and a retracted position out of said line of sight, said visor construction comprising:

a visor track;

a visor lens runner slidably mounted on said track and carrying said visor;

a toothed rack mounted on said headgear;

latch means mounted on said visor positioned in engageable relationship with said rack, said latch means including;

a toothed latch jaw moveably mounted in a latch jaw guide for movement between an engaged position where the teeth on said jaw intermesh with the teeth on said rack and a disengaged position where said teeth do not intermesh;

lever actuated cam means operatively associated with said latch jaw and adapted to move said latch jaw between said positions, said lever actuated cam means including; a lever moveably mounted on said latch aw guide ad acent said latch jaw;

a cam surface on said latch jaw; and

a cam pin means moveable with said lever and operatively associated with said cam surface whereby said latch jaw moves from one said position to the other said position responsive to the movement ofsaid lever.

4. The visor construction of claim 3 wherein said cam means includes a V-shaped cam slot in said latch jaw and a slot engaging pin carried by said lever whereby the movement of said pin from the apex to either leg of said V-shaped slot moves said latchjaw positions.

Claims

1. A visored helmet having an open front and closed sides adapted to be worn by a person, said helmet comprising: a moveable visor lens; visor lens runners mounted on opposed lateral edges of said visor lens; visor tracks mounted on the sides of said helmet and slidably receiving said lens runners; a toothed rack mounted on said helmet adjacent and parallel to a said visor track; a latch means including a latch jaw guide mounted on a lateral edge of said visor lens adjacent said toothed rack; a toothed latch jaw slidably mounted on said latch jaw guide, said latch jaw being moveable between an engaged position where the teeth on said jaw intermesh with the teeth on said rack and a disengaged position where said teeth do not intermesh; a lever moveably mounted on said latch jaw guide; and a cam means including a cam surface and a cam pin means operatively associated with said latch jaw and moveable responsive to the movement of said lever whereby the movement of said lever moves said latch jaw between said engaged and disengaged positions and said visor is adapted to be held by said latch at various positions relative to the open front of said helmet.

3. A visor construction for mounting on headgear wherein said visor construction includes a transparent visor moveably mounted on said headgear for movement between an extended position in the line of sight of the wearer of said headgear and a retracted position out of said line of sight, said visor construction comprising: a visor track; a visor lens runner slidably mounted on said track and carrying said visor; a toothed rack mounted on said headgear; latch means mounted on said visor positioned in engageable relationship with said rack, said latch means including; a toothed latch jaw moveably mounted in a latch jaw guide for movement between an engaged position where the teeth on said jaw intermesh with the teeth on said rack and a disengaged position where said teeth do not intermesh; lever actuated cam means operatively associated with said latch jaw and adapted to move said latch jaw between said positions, said lever actuated cam means including; a lever moveably mounted on said latch jaw guide adjacent said latch jaw; a cam surface on said latch jaw; and a cam pin means moveable with said lever and operatively associated with said cam surface whereby said latch jaw moves from one said position to the other said position responsive to the movement of said lever.

4. The visor construction of claim 3 wherein said cam means includes a V-shaped cam slot in said latch jaw and a slot engaging pin carried by said lever whereby the movement of said pin from the apex to either leg of said V-shaped slot moves said latch jaw positions.