Groin protector

Application filed July 30, 1938. Serial No. 296,131.

My invention relates to groin protectors, and. falls into the class of devices which, have been developed as safe-guards for pugilistic bouts against the foul play of blows below the belt line. Various devices of this kind have been in use before, and are at times prescribed as a means of compulsory precaution. So, for instance, metallic .cups are used which are suspended from the belt and strapped in position. But such devices have various disadvantages. They do not offer the desired protection in the case of a very hard, blow, and they annoy the wearer in the crotch.

To overcome these disadvantages I have pursued the following objects in the development of my invention,—

First, to provide means for protection, which do not impede the freedom of movement of the pugilist,—second, _ to preserve the wearer’s comfort and to avoid bruises or cuts,—third, to offer full protection for the groin,·—fourth, to divert the force of foul blows over a large area of the abdomen and the legs. I attain these objects in the . device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,—

Figure 1 is a side view of the torso of a pugilist, wearing my groin protector.

Figure 2 is the front view of the lower part of my protector, with shields for the thighs.

Figure 3 shows the front view of my complete device, made up of the parts of Figure 2 over which a solid metal apron is assembled. '

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various views.

From the elastic belt 4, which is fastened to the body of the pugilist by means of the strap 5 on one end, and the buckle 6 on the side of the waist, the cloth 7 extends downwards. That cloth has a clearance 8 in the center, corresponding to the location of the pudenda of the wearer; below that point extend tlie two· flaps 9 and 10.

On. these two flaps are mounted the metallic shields 11 and 12, respectively. They are cylindrically curved to extend around approximately one third of the thighs, from the front of the legs, to a point between, them. The edges of the flaps overlap the beaded or seamed rims of the shields on all sides, so that no metal of the shields will touch the body of the pugilist. Adjoining the shields, on the inside of the flaps, are attached the straps 13, which serve to retain the flaps with tlie shields in the correct position oil the thighs, by being looped around the thighs and fastened in buckles 14 on the 60 outsides of the flaps. The pugilist may wear the shields On the thighs, either inside or outside the trunks, or directly attached to the trunks.

Onto the belt 4 or onto a separate belt, 65 is fastened the metallic apron 15. The left and right upper ends, 16 and 17 of that apron 15, extend .on and along the belt in the respective directions, whereas the body of the apron 15 is essentially of a width 70 corresponding to the distance between the centers of the thighs. The top edge of the apron is cleared in a downward curve between the ends 16 and 17, and the whole apron is convex, conforming generally to 75 the shape of that portion of the body which it overlays.

The bottom edge and the lower side edges 18 of the apron are flared upward or heavily beaded .to a corresponding shape, so that so these edges will never lock in or wedge between the shields, or between the legs of the pugilist when they are spread apart but so that they will always slide freely on top of the shields 11 and 12. Therefore, the shields ⁸⁵extend a substantial length below tlie lower edge of the apron when the pugilist stands up, whereas the apron slides down, close to the lower end of those shields, when the body is bent at the hips. Since the upper 90 ends 16 and 17 of the apron follow the belt around the body for a certain distance, the apron is always tensioned to lie against the body, and it will therefore not swing up and down as the pugilist walks or sprints 95 in sparring.

Approximately in the center of the apron, there is a hub-like protrusion 19, corresponding to the location of the pudenda behind it. It protrudes so far that, under no 100 circumstances, any blow upon the apron can touch the groin directly, the force of the blow being diverted along the upper edge of the apron onto the abdomen, and also along the bottom edge, onto the shields on the ¹⁰⁵thighs. That protrusion may be made in a variety of shapes; it may be so large that it gives a· convex appearance to the whole apron.

The apron does not have to be fully rigid; ¹¹⁰it may be an assembly of links which allow it to bend in one direction, but so that the,

1,720/139 hub is always retained above the pudenda.

I choose to make the lower edge of my apron- substantially straight, so that it offers a. full rest on the two shields on the । 5 two thighs. These two shields may of I course take various shapes. They may coni' sist of. a series of longitudinal reinforcements in the flaps, or, instead of being constructed fully rigid, they may be made in a 10 stiff fabric, or leather. The shields do not have to be supported in the particular way shown, but of course various methods of retaining them in position suggest themselves. The protection required on the 15 thighs may be reduced to a minimum, by curving the lower edge of the apron so as to glide smoothly and freely, with a broad abutting area on the thighs, and by assuring a light tensioning of the apron against the 20 thighs of the pugilist in all positions of the body. In such a case the shields may be incorporated in the trunks, or may be omitted the trunks being the only protection provided on the thighs.

The belt or girdle is made of such width and of such stiffness as to offer convenient support for the apron and shields, as to give the apron the proper tension against‘ the thighs, and as to distribute the force of any 30 blow which is propagated to it by a blow upon the apron.

Instead, of having the apron simply extending down from the belt, I may provide additional tensional means to retain the lower edge of the apron in abutment against the 35 shields on the thighs; under these circumstances, the extensions 16 and 17 on the apron may be correspondingly reduced in size.