DEVICE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE EYES AND FACE
United States Patent 3837005
A device for the protection of the eyes and face when driving a vehicle or welding or the like having a shield member integral with or attached to a protective helmet and an adjustable sight plate connected to the shield member so as to be placed in an extended operative position or a retracted folded position.
US Patent References:
Eye protector
Simkos - September 1939 - 2172296
Eye shield supporting and detent means for helmet
Aileo - December 1962 - 3066305
Eye protector
Simkos - September 1939 - 2172296
Eye shield supporting and detent means for helmet
Aileo - December 1962 - 3066305
Application Number:
05/322989
Publication Date:
09/24/1974
Filing Date:
01/12/1973
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Export Citation:
Primary Class:
International Classes:
A61F9/02; A61F9/04
Field of Search:
2/10,9,14XS,199
Primary Examiner:
Boler, James R.
Assistant Examiner:
Nerbun, Peter
Claims:
I claim
1. A protective device for the face comprising a peaklike shield member having downwardly extending side edges and capable of being affixed to a protective helmet, the side edges of said shield member being provided with elongated slots extending longitudinally of the side edges, each slot having at least one recess spaced from the inner end thereof, a sight plate having on either side projecting coplanar ears wider than the width of said slots and engagable therewith, and a pair of elastic means each being affixed at one end to the rear of said shield member and at the other end to said sight plate adjacent to and forward of the coplanar ears, said sight plate being raised to the longitudinal plane of the slots and retracted by said elastic means with said ears sliding inwardly in said slots and said sight plate being extended and lowered into an operative tilted position with said ears engaging the at least one recess in each slot in said tilted position, said sight plate being resiliently retained in the lowered position by said elastic means.
2. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slots in the side edges of said shield member are each provided with two spaced recesses for multiple adjustment of said sight plate with respect to said shield member.
3. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sight plate is further provided with a tab projecting centrally from the front of said sight plate for manipulating said sight plate into the desired position.
1. A protective device for the face comprising a peaklike shield member having downwardly extending side edges and capable of being affixed to a protective helmet, the side edges of said shield member being provided with elongated slots extending longitudinally of the side edges, each slot having at least one recess spaced from the inner end thereof, a sight plate having on either side projecting coplanar ears wider than the width of said slots and engagable therewith, and a pair of elastic means each being affixed at one end to the rear of said shield member and at the other end to said sight plate adjacent to and forward of the coplanar ears, said sight plate being raised to the longitudinal plane of the slots and retracted by said elastic means with said ears sliding inwardly in said slots and said sight plate being extended and lowered into an operative tilted position with said ears engaging the at least one recess in each slot in said tilted position, said sight plate being resiliently retained in the lowered position by said elastic means.
2. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slots in the side edges of said shield member are each provided with two spaced recesses for multiple adjustment of said sight plate with respect to said shield member.
3. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sight plate is further provided with a tab projecting centrally from the front of said sight plate for manipulating said sight plate into the desired position.
Description:
The present invention relates to a device for protection of the face while driving a vehicle or when welding or the like. The device includes a shield member which may be made of plastic or similar material and which is provided with an adjustable sight plate means consisting of transparent plastic or similar material. The shield may be attached to or moulded in one piece with a conventional protective helmet of known design or may be attached to the helmet by means of tape around portions of the crown thereof.
Prior devices for the protection of the face have been in the form of glasses set into a cap peak, e.g. burning glasses for use while welding and the like. These protective devices have however, a restricted field of sight and when strong winds occur the transparent part of the shield cannot be kept in the proper position and sometimes may be pressed against the face by reason of its relative flexibility. Such prior devices can also be relatively difficult to place in position and by reason of the need to work quickly, are very often avoided by the users thus causing frequent injuries to eyes and face.
The device according to the present invention avoids these disadvantages and is characterized in that an adjustable sight plate is supported by a shield member by means of two ears on the sight plate engaging two slots provided in the outer edges of the shield member so that the sight plate may be adjusted to one of several positions with respect to the shield member so that the sight plate may be placed in an extended position in front of the face or in a retracted inoperative position. An elastic means, such as a spring, may be attached to the shield and the sight plate on either side thereof to resiliently lock the sight plate in the desired position.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of the shield member with the sight plate in its extended operative position,
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device with the sight plate in its retracted position and
FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 1 in which the sight plate is in its retracted position.
In the Figures, a shield member 1 which may be attached to a protective helmet or may be made integral therewith, is shown with elongated slots 4 extending along the side edges of the shield member, which side edges extend downwardly. The slots 4 are provided with at least one recess 7 or a pair of opposed recesses, as shown, for receiving a cooperating portion of the sight plate as will be described hereinafter. The slots 4 extend inwardly from the recess 7 so that each recess is spaced from the end of the slot. If desired the slots may be provided with several recesses such as recesses 7a at spaced positions along the slot to permit the sight plate to be placed in different adjustable positions. The sight plate 2 of transparent material is shaped to conform generally with the shape of the shield member and is provided along its side edges with projecting ears 3 which are adapted to slide in the slots 4 and thus support the sight plate. The width of the ears 3, longitudinally of the slots, is substantially wider than the width of the slots 4 so that when the sight plate is in its retracted position as shown in FIG. 3 it will be supported by the ears in the slots and thus prevent the sight plate from falling down. When the sight plate is pulled forward the ears 3 can engage the recesses 7 or 7a and can be tilted downwardly to its operative position and the ears will lock the sight plate in this position by engaging the recesses as shown in FIG. 1.
The sight plate 2 may be provided with a projecting tab 5 at its forward central portion to enable the plate to be grasped and adjusted with ease.
In order to prevent accidental displacement of the sight plate after placing it in the desired position, an elastic means 6, such as a spring or even an elastic band, may be provided as shown. One end of the elastic means 6 is fixed to a rearward portion of the shield member 1 and the other end is affixed to a portion of the sight plate 2 forward of the projecting ears 3 preferably adjacent the projecting ears. The force of the elastic means holds the sight plate in position when in its extended position by preventing accidental dislodgement of the ears 3 from the recesses 7 or 7a.
The device according to this invention is, however, not restricted to the specific embodiment as shown and described but can, of course, be varied within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the shield member can be moulded in one piece with a protective helmet or if made separately the shield member can be affixed to the protective helmet by means of suitable tape around the crown of the helmet.
Prior devices for the protection of the face have been in the form of glasses set into a cap peak, e.g. burning glasses for use while welding and the like. These protective devices have however, a restricted field of sight and when strong winds occur the transparent part of the shield cannot be kept in the proper position and sometimes may be pressed against the face by reason of its relative flexibility. Such prior devices can also be relatively difficult to place in position and by reason of the need to work quickly, are very often avoided by the users thus causing frequent injuries to eyes and face.
The device according to the present invention avoids these disadvantages and is characterized in that an adjustable sight plate is supported by a shield member by means of two ears on the sight plate engaging two slots provided in the outer edges of the shield member so that the sight plate may be adjusted to one of several positions with respect to the shield member so that the sight plate may be placed in an extended position in front of the face or in a retracted inoperative position. An elastic means, such as a spring, may be attached to the shield and the sight plate on either side thereof to resiliently lock the sight plate in the desired position.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of the shield member with the sight plate in its extended operative position,
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device with the sight plate in its retracted position and
FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 1 in which the sight plate is in its retracted position.
In the Figures, a shield member 1 which may be attached to a protective helmet or may be made integral therewith, is shown with elongated slots 4 extending along the side edges of the shield member, which side edges extend downwardly. The slots 4 are provided with at least one recess 7 or a pair of opposed recesses, as shown, for receiving a cooperating portion of the sight plate as will be described hereinafter. The slots 4 extend inwardly from the recess 7 so that each recess is spaced from the end of the slot. If desired the slots may be provided with several recesses such as recesses 7a at spaced positions along the slot to permit the sight plate to be placed in different adjustable positions. The sight plate 2 of transparent material is shaped to conform generally with the shape of the shield member and is provided along its side edges with projecting ears 3 which are adapted to slide in the slots 4 and thus support the sight plate. The width of the ears 3, longitudinally of the slots, is substantially wider than the width of the slots 4 so that when the sight plate is in its retracted position as shown in FIG. 3 it will be supported by the ears in the slots and thus prevent the sight plate from falling down. When the sight plate is pulled forward the ears 3 can engage the recesses 7 or 7a and can be tilted downwardly to its operative position and the ears will lock the sight plate in this position by engaging the recesses as shown in FIG. 1.
The sight plate 2 may be provided with a projecting tab 5 at its forward central portion to enable the plate to be grasped and adjusted with ease.
In order to prevent accidental displacement of the sight plate after placing it in the desired position, an elastic means 6, such as a spring or even an elastic band, may be provided as shown. One end of the elastic means 6 is fixed to a rearward portion of the shield member 1 and the other end is affixed to a portion of the sight plate 2 forward of the projecting ears 3 preferably adjacent the projecting ears. The force of the elastic means holds the sight plate in position when in its extended position by preventing accidental dislodgement of the ears 3 from the recesses 7 or 7a.
The device according to this invention is, however, not restricted to the specific embodiment as shown and described but can, of course, be varied within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the shield member can be moulded in one piece with a protective helmet or if made separately the shield member can be affixed to the protective helmet by means of suitable tape around the crown of the helmet.