July 27, 1937. C. W. WATKNS 2,088,183 SAFETY HEADGEAR Filed Sept. 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

July 27, 1937. C. W. WATKINs 2,088,183 SAFETY HEADGEAR Filed Sept. 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

S.

S. S.

NWNor Patented July 27, 1937 2,088,183

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,088,183 SAFETY HEADGEAR Charles Walter Watkins, Kingston, Pa., assignor to Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pitts burgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 1, 1934, Serial No. 744,345 Claims. (C. 2-3) This invention relates to safety headgear, and crown member adapted to be removably dis more particularly to headgear for miners and posed as a liner in the crown of substantially any others exposed to falling objects. hat or cap which it is desired to convert into a Safety headgear which is worn for the pur safety headgear, although shown in the drawings pose of protecting the head from blows or from as disposed in a miner's conventional fabric cap falling objects must be of strong rigid construc 2 indicated by broken lines. The crown member tion to withstand shocks and prevent them from is made of a blow-resistant rigid material, Such being transmitted directly to the head. As pre as fabric impregnated with a suitable Synthetic viously constructed, the crown portions of such resin, or, for example, shaped metal, fibre, or 10 headgear, both caps and hats, or helmets, have hardened asphaltic or rubber compositions, or 10 been made of conventional shape and throughout Other materials suited to this purpose. from these rigid materials. In consequence some The rear portion of the crown member prefer perSons experience discomfort when wearing such ably extends downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, in headgear because of the unyielding nature of the the usual manner for protecting the back of the 15 crown, especially when they are worn for extend head, but in accordance with this invention the 5 ed periods of time, as is the case with miners, for front portion of the crown member is cut away. example. This discomfiture may be, and com so that it will not cover the lower part of the monly is, due to the pressure of the rigid front of forehead. Thus, when the crown member is dis the headgear against the forehead, where it may posed in cap 2 or the like, the flexible front por press on certain nerves, it being necessary that tion 3 of the cap adjoining the visor 4 is free to 20 20. such hats be pressed down firmly on the head so engage the forehead for holding the cap on the that they will seat securely and be less likely to head, and, front portion 3 being a flexible fabric, fall or be knocked off the head. v. v. undesirable pressure is not exerted on the fore Furthermore, in the construction of safety head by the cap, although it rests securely and headgear, particularly those made from the syn comfortably on the head. 25 25 thetic resins, it has been necessary to make the In order to prevent the portion of the crown Crown rather high in order to provide the neces member which overlies and protects the forehead sary strength. For some purposes, as in low dig from causing discomfort, a cushioning pad 6, ad gings, high crowns are undesirable because they vantageously of fabric to provide resiliency, is 30 30 may require the wearer to stoop, or because they fastened inside the crown member against its may strike against the roof and be knocked out sides and back. The pad is in the general shape of place or completely of the head. of a horseshoe with its ends disposed at the sides It is among the objects of this invention to pro of the forehead, and, as shown in Fig. 1, is dis vide safety headgear which has a low but strong posed above the sweatband line; that is above the crown, which does not bind or press tightly area that the sweatband would occupy. This pad 35 against the forehead, and which is relatively, spaces the crown member from the head, but as light in Weight and comfortable to Wear. Other the pad does not extend entirely across the fore objects are to furnish headgear of the type re head, an open space is left between the forehead ferred to herein which seats firmly but lightly on and crown member whereby the latter exerts sub the head, which is relatively inexpensive to pro stantially no pressure on the forehead. Being 40 40 duce, and which can not injure the ears. A fur above the sweatband line, the pad cannot bind on ther object is to provide safety headgear which the head. Likewise due to the spacing of the can be removably disposed in various types of crown member from the head by horseshoe pad non-Safety hats and caps. 6, the likelihood of the wearer of this safety head The invention is illustrated in the accompany gear being stunned by shocks received by the 45 ing drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a crown member is diminished. safety headgear; Fig. 2 a bottom plan view there Safety crown members of this type can be used of; Fig. 3 a side view of a modified form of safe with substantially any head-gear for rendering ty headgear; Fig. 4 a bottom plan view thereof; it resistant to the blows of falling objects, and, Fig. 5 a front view of the headgear shown in Fig. if damaged, can be readily discarded and re 50 3; and Fig. 6 an enlarged view taken on the line placed at little cost. It is especially advantageous VI-VI of Fig. 3 showing the material of the head for use with miner's fabric caps which are inex gear in section. pensive, but which, by means of this safety crown Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the member, can be converted into safety headgear embodiment shown is in the form of a shallow at small additional expense. 55 2 2,088,183 Another embodiment of the invention is illus leg of hook 32 in front of support 26 prevents the trated in Figs. 3 to 6. This is similar to that possibility of the hook injuring the head in case just described, except that the blow-resistant it should be forced down by a falling object. rigid crown member , instead of being an in Safety headgear produced in accordance with sert or liner for complete hats or caps, actually this invention is relatively light in weight and in forms the crown portion of a cap. This crown expensive, but satisfactory for the purposes for member may be the same as crown member , which it is intended. It is comfortable to wear Figs. 1 and 2, but is shown as having a depend because it does not bind on the head, particularly ing portion O at the extreme back for protect On the forehead where pressure often causes 10 ing the back of the head, while the sides do not headache; however, it seats securely on the head 10 extend down as far as the back, and the front and fits closely enough thereto to avoid being portion is cut so high that it does not overlie knocked out of place by overhead objects. Fur the forehead. thermore, With flexible fabric between the rigid As indicated above and as shown in the draw crown member and the visor, if the crown mem ings, this embodiment is in the form of a miner's ber is suddenly forced down on the head, eye cap comprising the rigid crown member , a glasses or goggles are not knocked off or broken, visor f4 of leather or the like, and an intermediate and more protection is thereby given to the eyes connecting portion 3 of fabric stitched or other and face. Wise attached to the lower edge of the crown According to the provisions of the patent stat 20 member. Described in another manner, it is a utes, I have explained the principle of my inven 20 miner's fabric cap with rigid crown member tion and have illustrated and described what I substituted for the fabric Crown of the cap. now consider to represent its best embodiment. Fig. 6 is a greatly enlarged sectional view of However, I desire to have it understood that, - a portion of the safety cap showing fabric 3 at within the scope of the appended claims, the in 25 tached to crown member which is illustrated vention may be practiced otherwise than as spe 25 as being formed of two layers of fabric T, such cifically illustrated and described. as, for example, duck, impregnated With Syn I claim: thetic resin 8, for example of the phenol-form 1. In combination with a headgear, a safety aldehyde type, to make it strong and rigid. The crown member comprising a shallow member dis 30 fabric portion f3 of the cap beneath the rigid posed in said head-gear and formed from blow 3. crown member insures the cap fitting securely resistant rigid material, and Cushioning means but comfortably on the head without undue pres associated with the inside lower portion thereof sure on the forehead. Although the rigid crown for engagement with the sides and back of the member does not overlie the forehead, it is still head, the portion of said crown member ad 35 desirable to provide it with a horseshoe pad 6 jacent the forehead being free of said cushioning 35 for spacing it from the head. As shown in Fig. 3, means and out of contact with the forehead, this pad is secured to the rigid crown above the whereby said crown member exerts substantially Sweatband line of the cap where it cannot bind no pressure against the forehead. on the head and where it aids in spacing the top 2. A safety headgear comprising a Shallow 40 of the crown from the head to prevent the wearer crown member formed from blow-resistant rigid 40 from being stunned if the crown is struck a hard material, a visor member, and a relatively flex- . blow. - ible intermediate portion connecting the crown The headgear can be still further improved member to the visor, said crown member being by securing inside of the crown member a ham provided interiorly of the back and sides and ad 45 mock or cradle adapted to rest on the head for jacent its lower portion with a resilient cushion 45 distributing thereover shocks imparted to the ing pad for engagement with the sides and back Crown member. The cradle comprises an annu of the head, the portion of said crown member lar band 2 of cloth or other material which is adjacent the forehead being free of said cushion bent under horseshoe pad f6 and fastened to ing means and out of contact with the forehead, 50 crown member preferably by the same means whereby said crown member exerts Substantially used to fasten the pad thereto. The upper por no pressure against the forehead. tion of the band is provided with a plurality of 3. A safety headgear comprising a shallow flaps 22 which are adjustably gathered at the crown member formed from blow-resistant rigid top by a lace 23 for limiting the distance the head material, a visor member, a relatively flexible in 55 can extend up into the cap. termediate portion connecting the crown mem The cap may also be provided with other ac ber to the visor, and a horseshoe shaped pad Se cessories such as a lamp holder, and while con cured inside of the lower portion of the Crown ventional forms of holders may be used the inven member with its ends disposed at the sides of the tion provides a form particularly suitable for Sup forehead, said pad being adapted to engage the 60 porting carbide lamps. The holder shown com sides and back of the head and to hold the front 60 prises a support 26, preferably of fibre material, portion of the crown member out of contact with riveted at its ends or otherwise attached to the the forehead, whereby said crown member exerts' front of crown member and to visor f4, and substantially no pressure against the forehead. a metal bracket 27 attached in any suitable man 4. In a safety headgear, a crown member 65 ner to the front face of the upper portion of formed from Substantially rigid material, and a this support. This bracket preferably is formed horseshoe shaped pad connected inside of the with upper and lower forwardly looped portions lower portion of the crown member with its ends 28 and 29, respectively, which are provided with disposed at the sides of the forehead, said pad vertically aligned holes 3 for receiving the rear being adapted to engage the Sides and back of 70 leg of a hook 32 by which a carbide lamp 33 is the head at a point spaced upwardly from the Supported. The forward edge of upper looped lower head-engaging edge of the gear to hold portion 28 is provided with a recess 34 directly in the front portion of the crown member out of front of holes 3 for receiving the front leg of contact with the forehead without binding on the hook 32 to prevent the lamp from turning rela head. 75 tive to the holder and cap. Placing of the rear. 5. In a Safety headgear, a crown member 2,088,188 3 formed from substantially rigid material, a horse gear and disposed to engage the sides and back shoe shaped pad connected inside of the lower of the head only whereby the portion of the portion of the Crown member with its ends dis crown member adjacent the forehead is so sup posed at the sides of the forehead, said pad being ported as to exert substantially no pressure 5 adapted to engage the sides and back of the head against the forehead. at a point spaced upwardly from the lower head 7. A safety head-gear comprising a shallow engaging edge of the gear to SO Support the crown member formed from blow-resistant rigid - crown member as to hold the front portion of material, a visor member, and an intermediate the Crown member out of contact with the fore flexible body portion of fabric for encircling the 10 head without binding on the head, and a cradle head and connecting the visor to the Crown connected in the crown member to said pad for member, the upper edge portion only of said fab engaging the top of the head and distributing ric engaging the crown member at its lower edge thereover shocks received by said crown member. portion only, means for connecting the upper 6. For use in a safety headgear, a crown mem edge of the fabric to the lower edge of the crown 15 ber formed from substantially rigid blow-re member, and means Secured to the crown mem sistant material to fit Over the top and a portion ber above said fabric for spacing the front por of the sides of the head, and resilient cushioning tion of the crown member from the forehead, means arranged within Said crown member above whereby the rigid crown member exerts substan the lower edge thereof and at a point Spaced up tially no pressure against the forehead. 20 wardly from the lower head-engaging edge of the CHARLES WALTER WATKINS. 20