US3663960A - Boxing glove - Google Patents

Abstract

A boxing glove in which the movement of the thumb enclosing section away from the mitt section of the glove is resiliently restrained by an elastic band which connects the thumb enclosing secton directly to the outer side of the glove; the elastic band being leather covered. Another band connects the opposite side of the thumb enclosing section to the opposite side of the glove.

Description

United States Patent Kennedy [15] 3,663,960 51 May 23, 1972 41 BOXING GLOVE [72] Inventor: Bert Kennedy, PO. Box 58, Caroga Lake,

[22] Filed: Apr. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.: 133,231

[52] U.S. Cl "2/18 [51] .....A41d 13/10 [58] Field ofSearch ..2/18, 158, 159

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,056,326 10/1936 Orsini ..2/18

671,296 4/1901 Rowand ..2/l58X 1,534,906 4/1925 Bridgewater ..2/l8

Primary Examiner-James R. Boler AttomeyVictor M. Helfand [57] ABSTRACT A boxing glove in which the movement of the thumb enclosing section away from the mitt section of the glove is resiliently restrained by an elastic band which connects the thumb enclosing secton directly to the outer side of the glove; the elastic band being leather covered. Another band connects the opposite side of the thumb enclosing section to the 0pposite side of the glove.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing figures Patented May 23,1972 3,663,960

INVENTOR BERT KENNEDY ATTORNEY BOXING GLOVE The present invention relates to a boxing glove and has for its general object to provide a boxing glove that will be safer for use than the conventional boxing gloves now in use.

In standard boxing gloves, such as currently used in professional and amateur boxing contests, the thumb section of the glove presents a source of danger to both contestants. Because the thumb may be moved to stand away from the mitt section of the glove, there is a risk of dislocation or more serious injury to the thumb of the wearers hand by snagging or striking it against an opponent's body while in such spaced away position. Also, the separated glove thumb permits a boxer to avail himself of an unfair and illegal opportunity of thumbgouging an opponent's eye or slapping an opponent with a flat open glove by completely moving the thumb away from in front of the glove.

It is a primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a boxing glove in which both of the foregoing dangers and shortcomings are reduced to a minimum, if not entirely eliminated, to thereby enhance the safety of both contestants in a boxing match.

Generally stated, the invention consists in providing boxing gloves with means for inhibiting movement of the thumb away and its spacing from the mitt part of the glove, without, nevertheless, depriving the thumb of adequate room to permit its flexing in a mannerthat it will not interfere with the flexing of the other fingers of the hand within the glove, as in fist formation, and permit the flexing of such other fingers over the thumb.

It is an object of the present invention to provide gloves of the character described which will also present a substantially smooth and continuous outer surface, so as to avoid the snagging or scraping of any part of the glove surface against an opponents bodyor injure the opponent by reason of any projection or rough surface portions on the glove.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide boxing gloves of the character described which will not detract from the utility of the glove or interfere with the conventional manner of its use, nor materially alter the weight or cost of convenience thereof.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the boxing gloves of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of a boxing glove of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a more or less diagrammatic, sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1; with padding and lining omitted for ease of illustration.

Referring now in greater detail to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the boxing glove, generally designated as 10, comprises the palm section 12 and the back section 14, both of substantially conventional construction, including longitudinal slit 14 in the palm section of the glove and the lacing 16, for tieing the glove on the hand. Back section 14, projects above palm section 12 and includes conventional padding, which it is not thought necessary to specifically illustrate. The palm section 12 of the glove may also have, adjacent its upper end, the transverse padded stiffening portion 20. Sections 12 and 14 may be secured to one another by a seam 22, extending around the periphery of palm section 12.

The glove also includes a padded thumb section generally designated as 24, which may be of conventional construction including inner and outer plies 26 and 28 connected by a peripheral seam 30; the thumb section 24 including conventional lining and padding, also not thought necessary to be specifically illustrated.

Thumb section 24 is set into the palm section 12 of the glove in conventional position; namely, in an opening, 32, cut out in palm section 12 at its junction with adjacent edge of back section 14, so that thumb section 24 overlies palm section 12 with its inner ply 26 facing the same.

In order to confine the end of the thumb 24 into close proximity to palm section 12 of the glove, and to inhibit the movement of the thumb away from the glove to a position where it projects outwardly and becomes unsafe both for the wearer of the glove as well as for the opponent and, at the same time, allow limited movement of the thumb for the convenience of the wearer, the inner edge of the thumb section 24 is connected to the remote edge of the glove 10 by an elastic band, generallydesignated as 34, one end of which may be engaged in the inner portion of the thumb seam 30, preferably above the center of the thumb, and the other end of the band 34 engaged in the mitt seam 22, preferably at a level above the point of engagement of its other end to the thumb 24.

The outer edge of the thumb 24 is connected by a band, 36, to the adjacent edge of glove 10 by having its end edges engaged in the outer portions of thumb and mitt seams 30 and 22. Band 36 may be either elastic or non-elastic and may, if desired, be formed of two sections sewed together by a seam 38 for ease of glove assembly; one portion of band 36 being secured in seam 22 and the other in seam 30 and being connected to one another by seam 38 after the glove is assembled.

Elastic band 34 may be of any suitable type. Preferably, however, such band may comprise an inner elastic fabric band, 40, surrounded by a shirred sleeve, 42, which may be formed of smooth, soft leather that may or may not be stitched to the band 40 and will stretch with it.

While the boxing glove of the invention has been illustrated and described as having its thumb 24 confined by connecting its inner and outer edges by separate bands which connect such edges, each to an adjacent edge of the palm of the glove, it may here be stated, and it will be readily understood, that the same effect may be attained by means of a single elastic band which passes through the wall of the thumb, as through suitable openings formed herein, whose ends are secured to the edges of the palm section 12 in opposed portions of seam 22.

This completes the description of the boxing glove of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that such glove will be effective to confine the thumb elastically against the palm of the glove but will permit limited lateral movement for the comfort and convenience of the wearer. It will also be apparent that the thumb confining means of the invention require no material alteration in the glove structure and that such confining means may be simply, easily and economically provided on the glove.

It will be further apparent that numerous variations and modifications may be made in the boxing glove of the present invention by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity.

I claim:

1. In a boxing glove, including a palm section and a back section, means securing said sections to one another to form seams along their edges, a thumb section, an opening in said palm section adjacent a portion of an edge thereof, means securing one end of said thumb section to said palm section around the periphery of said opening in position to overlie said palm section, said thumb section having its other end movable toward and away from said palm section, means inhibiting the movement of said other end of said thumb section away from said palm section including an elastic band extending transversely of said palm section, means connecting one end of said band to a portion of the side of said thumb section nearest the center of said palm section and the other end of said band to a portion of the seam connecting said palm section and said back section remote from said thumb section.

2. The boxing glove of claim 1, wherein said elastic band is enclosed within a shirred sheath.

with said thumb section.

5. The boxing glove of claim 4 wherein said thumb section comprises a first portion facing said palm section and a second, outwardly facing portion, said thumb section portions connected to one another by a seam, said bands each secured by one of its ends within said seam.

6. The boxing glove of claim 4, wherein said band sections are integrally formed.

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Claims (6)

1. In a boxing glove, including a palm section and a back section, means securing said sections to one another to form seams along their edges, a thumb section, an opening in said palm section adjacent a portion of an edge thereof, means securing one end of said thumb section to said palm section around the periphery of said opening in position to overlie said palm section, said thumb section having its other end movable toward and away from said palm section, means inhibiting the movement of said other end of said thumb section away from said palm section including an elastic band extending transversely of said palm section, means connecting one end of said band to a portion of the side of said thumb section nearest the center of said palm section and the other end of said band to a portion of the seam connecting said palm section and said back section remote from said thumb section.

2. The boxing glove of claim 1, wherein said elastic band is enclosed within a shirred sheath.

3. The boxing glove of claim 1, wherein said elastic band is connected to said thumb section at a point intermediate its center and its free end.

4. The boxing glove of claim 9, including a second band section, means securing one end of said second band section to opposite side of said thumb section from the location where said elastic band section is attached to said thumb section, and the other end of said second band section being caught in an adjacent portion of the seam connecting said palm section with said thumb section.

5. The boxing glove of claim 4 wherein said thumb section comprises a first portion facing said palm section and a second, outwardly facing portion, said thumb section portions connected to one another by a seam, said bands each secured by one of its ends within said seam.

6. The boxing glove of claim 4, wherein said band sections are integrally formed.

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