Adjustable head piece

Aug. 7, 1962 r. malcom, jr 3,047,876

ADJUSTABLE HEAD PIECE

<img file="US3047876A_D0001.tif" />

Aug. 7, 1962

3,047,876

R. MALCOM, JR

ADJUSTABLE HEAD PIECE

<img file="US3047876A_D0002.tif" />

United States Patent Office _Patenled

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating one kind of protective face piece or the like which supported by the adjustable head piece.

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, one form of the 5 adjustable head piece of this invention is generally designated at 10. It includes an elongated molded synthetic plastic strip 11 which is preferably injection molded from a high impact synthetic plastic material, such as high tensile strength nylon or modified polyethylene or the like. 10 As shown more clearly in FIG. 8, the synthetic plastic strip 11 includes an elongated and upwardly curved central section 12 and elongated and downwardly curved end sections 15, the end sections 15 being downwardly offset from the central section 12 as illustrated at 16. This 15 elongated strip 11 is bent into a substantially circular head band with ithe downwardly offset sections 15 overlapping. The central section 12 of the strip forms a front portions 13 and side portions 14 of the head band. The overlapping end sections 15 of the strip form a downwardly off20 set rear portion of the head band. Because the central section 13 of the strip is upwardly curved, the front portion 13 of the head band slants rearwardly to fit against the forehead of the wearer when the strip is bent into the circular head band. This rearward slanting of the 25 front portion of the head band causes the head band to fit flat against the forehead of the wearer, thereby providing maximum contact area and maximum comfort to the wearer. Because the end sections 15 of the strip are curved downwardly, they also slant rearwardly when 30 they are overlapped to form the rear portion of the head band. They also fit flat against the lower rear of the head of the wearer to provide maximum comfort. Because the overlapping end sections of the strip are offset downwardly with respect to the central section of the strip they ³⁵ lie below the usual bump on the rear of the head of the wearer and this also adds greatly to the comfort afforded by the adjustable head piece. By reason of the upward and downward curvatures in the molded strip and the downward offsetting of the overlapping end sections a ⁴⁰ good and comfortable fit to the head of the wearer is at all times assured.

The overlapping end sections 15 of the head band are each provided with a slot 17. One of the slots 17 naving teeth 18 extending upwardly from the bottom edge there⁴⁵ of and the other slot 17 having teeth 18 extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof. The teeth 18 in the slots 17 are preferably of the rounded type. The overlapping ends 15 of the strip are received in a molded synthetic plastic sleeve 20, this sleeve preferably being molded ⁵⁰ from nylon, modified polyethylene or the like. The sleeve 20 is rectangular in cross sectional configuration and internally is somewhat wider than the width of the overlapping end sections 15 of the strip as is illustrated more clearly in FIGS. 3 to 6. The sleeve 20 is prefer⁵⁵ ably curved so as to conform to the shape of the lower rear of the head of the wearer.

The front wall of the sleeve 20 is centrally provided with a square hole 21 and the rear wall thereof is centrally provided with a round hole 22. A rivet 23 extends ⁶⁰ through the sleeve 20 and it is provided with a square head 24 which is 'arranged in the square hole 21 in the sleeve. The other end of the rivet 23 extends outwardly through the round hole 22. A washer 25 is earned by the rivet 23 and it is arranged between the front wall of the sleeve 20 and the overlapping ends 15 of strip. A knob member 26 is also carried by the rivet 23 and it comprises a knob portion 27, which is arranged rearwardly from the sleeve 20, and a gear 28 which extends through the round hole 22 and into the slots 17 in the overlapping ends 15 of the ⁷θ strip. The knob member is also molded from a suitable high impact synthetic plastic material. The inner end of the gear 28 lies adjacent to the washer 25 and it is held

3,047,876 ADJUSTABLE HEAD PIECE

Robert Malcom, Jr., Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Eye Shield Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois

Filed Dec. 8,1958, Ser. No. 778,968

Claims. (Cl. 2—9)

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved head piece for supporting a protective face piece or the like on the head of the wearer, wherein the head band thereof is a molded synthetic plastic strip which is contoured to conform to the shape of the head of the wearer and which is adjustable to fit the head of the wearer, wherein adjustment of the head band to fit the head of the wearer is readily and simply accomplished, wherein too tight adjustment of the head band and breakage of the adjusting means is prevented, wherein a synthetic plastic cross band is adjustably pivotally secured to the side portions of the head band to conform to the head of the wearer, wherein the molded synthetic plastic head band has means integrally molded thereon for so adjustably pivotally receiving the cross band, wherein the cross band has a relatively large area engaging the top of the head of the wearer for comfort purposes, and wherein means are also integrally molded on the head band for detachably supporting the protective face piece.

Further objects of this invention reside in the details of construction of the adjustable head piece and in the cooperative relationships between the component parts thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of one form of the adjustable head piece of this invention as applied to the head of a wearer.

FIG. 2 is also a perspective view of the adjustable head piece.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the rear portion of the head band of the head piece illustrating the manner of adjusting the head band.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 4—4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of various parts included in the adjusting means illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6—6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another form of cross band for the adjustable head piece as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the elongated molded synthetic plastic strip which is utilized in forming the head band of the head piece illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing the manner of adjustably pivotally securing the cross band to the side portions of the head band and also showing one form of the means for supporting the protective face piece on the adjustable head piece.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 10—10 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another form of the means for supporting the protective face piece on the adjustable head piece.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view similar to FIG. 9 but illustrating still another means for detachably supporting the protective face piece on the adjustable head piece.

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 13—13 of FIG. 12.

3,047,876 facing diverging legs are adapted to receive a diverging and opposed inwardly facing legs SO on a clip 49 which in turn is provided with a When the legs SO of the clip are re10 in place by peening over the rear end of the rivet 23 as illustrated at 34. The gear 28 is provided with rounded teeth 29 which 29 which mesh with the rounded teeth 18 in the slots 17 of the overlapping sections 14 of the strip 11.

Interposed between the rear wall of the sleeve 20 and the knob 27 is a spring detent member 30. This spring detent member 30 is provided with a pair of projections 31 which are received in holes in the rear wall of the sleeve 20, the projections 31 and the holes preventing rotation of the spring detent member 30 with respect to the sleeve 20. The spring detent member 30 is also provided with detent projections 32 which are selectively received in detent notches 33 in the knob 27. The detent projections 32 and the detent notches 33 operate to maintain the knob member 26 in whatever positions to which the knob member is adjusted.

By rotating the knob 27, the gear 28 is rotated and the teeth 29 thereof cooperate with the teeth 18 in the overlapping ends 15 to adjust the circumference of the head band so as to fit the same to the head of the wearer. When the head band is adjusted to the desired position, it is maintained in that position by the detent means 30 cooperating with the knob 27. When the head band is tightened to a predetermined extent about the head of the wearer, the rounded teeth 29 on the gear 28 cooperate with the rounded teeth 18 in the slots 17 to expand the slots 17 so as to allow the teeth 28 to slip with respect to the teeth 18. As a result the head band cannot be tightened too tightly and stripping of the gear teeth 29 30 and 18 is entirely prevented. By reason of this construction, the gear teeth 29 and 18 not only operate as an adjusting means for the head band but also operate as a clutch means to prevent tightening the band too much and to prevent stripping of the gear teeth.

In the molding of the synthetic plastic strip 11, the side portions 14 of the head band are thickened as indicated at 35 and are provided with upwardly and forwardly facing pockets 36, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 9 to 12. The outer edges of the pockets 36 are provided with up- 40 wardly extending tabs 37 and the outer walls of the pockets 36 have rivets 38 secured therein adjacent the tabs 37. A second synthetic plastic strip 39 has its ends received within the pockets 36, this strip 39 forming a cross oand for the adjustable head piece. TL_V J the strip 39 are provided with a plurality of spaced apart holes 48 which are adapted to selectively receive the pins 38. The pins 38 cooperate with the holes 40 in the cross band 39 for pivotally securing the cross band 39 at desired depths within the pockets 36. By manipulating the tabs 37, the insertion of the pins 38 in the selected holes 40 is greatly facilitated. The pockets 36, in addition to receiving and concealing the ends of the cross band 39, also operate to limit the extent of pivotal movement of the cross band 39 and preferably the, pivotal movement is limited between a forward position as illustrated in FIG. 1 and a substantially vertical position as illustrated in FIG. 2. This limiting of the.position of the cross band between these positions also adds greatly to «is: - Aw? * jw?* wider at its center than at its ends, as illustrated at 41, so as to provide a large area for contact with the top of the head. This adds still further to the comfort of the adjustable head piece when worn.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 9 to 14, supporting means for supporting a protective face piece are also integrally molded on the side portions 14 of the head band, one form of such supporting means beine illustrated band. This member 45 includes a pair of outwardly facing diverging legs 46 and also a cam projection 47 arranged therebetween and therebelow.

wardly pair of formed cam recess 51. When the legs SO of the clip are removably received over the legs 46 on the member 45, the cam recess 51 engages over the cam projection 47 for maintaining the clip 49 on the member 45, the resiliency of the thermoplastic member 45 permitting this operation. The clip 49 may be carried by any suitable protective face piece and in this connection the clip may be pivotally secured at 55 to a bracket 56 carrying the protective face piece or the like, such as a face shield having a brow portion 57 and a shield portion 58 as illustrated in FIG. 14. Other types of protective face pieces may be so supported, such as welding shields, goggles or the like.

. in FIG. 11 the clip 49 with its legs 50 is secured by rivets 52 to a bracket 53, the rivets also securing in place a spring cam 54 on the clip 49. When the legs 5*3 of the clip 49 are removably received over the legs 46 of the member 45, a cam recess on the spring cam 54 engages over the cam projection 47 for maintaining the clip 49 on the member 45. Here, the bracket 53 connects the clip 49 to any suitable protective face piece, as in FIGS. 10 and 14.

Another type of supporting means is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. Here a member 60 is integrally molded on the thickened portion of the side portions 14 of the head band, the member 6® providing an upwardly facing slot 61. A clip 62 is removably received in the slot 61 and is provided with a pair of ribs 63 engageable on each edge of the slot 61 for releasably retaining the clip 62 in the slot 61. The clip 62 may also support a protective face piece in the same manner as discussed above in connection with FIGS. 9 and 10.

_ While for purposes of illustration several forms of this invention have been disclosed,, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure and, therefore, this invention should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.