US690140A - Body-protector for base-ball players. - Google Patents

Description

No. 690,!40. Patented Dec. 3|, I90l. J. GAMBLE.

BODY PROTECTOR FDR BASE BALL PLAYERS.

(Application filed Jun 29, 1901.\ (No Model.)

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JOHN GAMBLE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE A. REACH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BODY-PROTECTOR FOR BASE-BALL PLAYERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,140, dated December 31, 1901.

Application filed June 29, 1901. Serial No. 66,452. (No model.)

To (oZZ ZU/LO'II'I/ it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN GAMBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of'Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Body-Protectors for Base-l3all Players; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as \villenable others skilled in the art to whichitappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to shields for protecting the body against a blow from a missile, and more particularly to shields for protecting the body of those engaged in the game of base-ball or similar games.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and effective shield that will operate to so distribute the force or impact of a blow, as from a ball, as to render it scarcely perceptible to the wearer; and a further object is to provide means whereby the tension of the shield for the purpose of flexing and regulating its capacity for resisting shocks can be adjusted.

Other objects and advantages resulting from the peculiar construction of the device will become apparent in the course of the following description.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the several parts of the device hereinafter described,

illustrated in the drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front 0 elevation of the shield. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line m a Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 5 indicates a shield of any suitable or desired shape, but preferably the shape shown in the drawings, to readily conform to the shape of the body of the wearer. In constructing the shield I preferably provide two layers of suitable fabric stitched together at intervals, as

indicated by the numeral 2, to form pockets 3 for the reception of any suitable packing material 4 and pockets 5 for the reception of flexible ribs 6, preferably semicircular in cross-section, as shown, increasing in length from the top rib to the one about central of the shield and then diminishing toward the bottom. If desired, the two layers of fabric may have interposed therebetween a packing' layer, the three being stitched together, as above stated with reference to the two layers. The upper portion of the shield is cut away, as indicated by the numeral 7, forming two tongues 8, to which are stitched or otherwise secured the ends of a suitable strap 9 for the purpose of suspending the shield from the neck of the wearer.

The numeral 10 indicates a tab provided with pockets to receive packing and pockets for the reception of suitable stays. This tab depends from the main body of the shield, and the material enveloping its packing and stays may be apart of the fabric of the main body, or it may be stitched to said material if so desired.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, it will be seen that there is provided a layer of soft packing material between the ribs and the inner layer of fabric, so as to present a soft surface to the body of the wearer in the event that the shield should not be sufficiently flexed to keep said shieldout of contact with the body. The edge of the shield isprotected by asuitable binding 12.

The numerals 11 11 indicate two flaps stitched or otherwise secu red to the side edges of the shield, the combined width of which is considerably less than the width of the shield and are for a purpose hereinafter stated. The adjacent edges of these flaps are pro- 0 vided with eyelet-openings 13, through which are passed suitable lacings 14, which are for the purpose of drawing toward each other the adjacent edges of the flaps 11, and thereby flexing the ribs 6 to curve the surface of the 93 shield, as shown in. Fig. 4, which tends not only to deflect the missile or ball, but to distribute the shock of the blow. It will be noticed that when the surface of the shield is flexed there will be a space between the [00 flaps, which rest against the body of the wearer and the body of the shield, whereby the shield is held away from the body of the wearer and the impact from a blow on the surface of the shield is deadened. indicates a strap for holding said shield to the body of the wearer.

It will be understood that I do not confine myself to the construction herein set forth, as various modifications may be devised without departing from the spirit of my-invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A base-ball shield comprising a body port-ion, having transverse flexible stiffening means, and means secured to the side edges of said body portion whereby said shield may be transversely flexed to cushion or Ward off a blow.

2. A base-ball shield comprising a series of transversely-arranged flexible ribs suitably held in position, means secured at the ends of said ribs for tensioning the same, the said tensioning means adapted to rest against the body of the wearer and cushion the shock or blow received on the face of the shield.

3. A base-ball shield comprising a plurality of transversely-arranged flexible ribs suitably held together, a flap attached to each side edge of said shield, and means for tensioning said flap and thereby the ribs, whereby a shock received on the face of the shield is cushioned.

4. A shield comprising a plurality of flexible transversely-arranged ribs suitably held together, flaps attached adjacent to the ends of said ribs, a lacing-stringjoining the flaps for the purpose of drawing the same together and regulating the fiexure of the shield.

5. A shield of the character described comprising a transversely-flexible body, a tab at

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