US1665386A - Face guard or mask - Google Patents

Description

April 10, 1928. 1,665,386

I. G. WALMER ET AL FACE GUARD OR MASK Filed Feb. 21, 1924 2a 'i'j' 7 INVENTORS 27 Mfl '&lf% 4w 1 y Meir attorngv.

Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

- insane IRVING G. WALMER AND JOHN A. SAWYER, 0F ALBANY, NEVT-YORK.

FACE GUARD QR MASK.

Application filed February 21,1924. Serial No. 694,383.

Like figures of reference refer to like parts. I j

This invention relatesto face guards or masks for football and other players One of the objects of this inventlon 15 to provide a light, strong and tough face guard, one which will be of simple construction, covering only such portions of theface, as is necessaryfor the purposes of guarding the same from blows.

Another object is to provide a sheet metal guard, preferably of one piece of metal, to avoid projections of rivet heads and edges of lapped pieces, which would make the surfaces of the guard uneven, when covered with a thickness of leather or cloth.

Another object is to provide a sheet metal face guard having guard arms receding from above and below the nose guard portion, having the arms bendable at their junction with the nose portion, so as to be conformed to variousshaped faces and heads, and thus reduce the number of sizes required to supply the need of players, and at the same'time giving the player an opportunity of ad usting the guard to the shape of hls own face, both for comfort and protection in dlstrlbuting a blow over a greater area of contact on the head.

A further object is to provide with a face guard, an elastic band for retaining the lower part of the guard in position, having the band engage the back of the neck and by its elasticity, yield to the movements of the head, while holding the guard against the face.

With these and other objects, our invention resides in certain construction, one embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings, its formation and use are hereinafter described and what we claim is set forth.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a face guard embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical mid-sectional elevation of the guard shown in Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, showing the formation of the nose portion of the guard.

Figure 4 is a section of a lower arm of the guard taken on the line 44 of Figure 2 Figure 5 is a section taken on the llne 55 of Figure 2.

In the figures, the nose guard portion 6 is shown to merge into a forehead guard length by means of a buckle 14. A strap 15,

adapted to pass over the top of the head, to

engage the strapfl13, and support the guard, has a loop 16'through which the strap 13 passes,- and hasfanother loop 17 engaging the slot 18, at the top of the forehead guard portion 7;" Jaw guard arms 19 and20,fintegral with. the mouth guard portion 8, eX- tend rearwardly and'are inclined upward to follow the course of the j aw bone. The ends 21 of the arms 19 and 20 are slotted to engage the looped ends 22 of the elastic neck band 23. A month piece 24 of rubber, having breathing holes 25, is secured to the mouth guard portion 8, passing through a slot therein. Holes 26 are provided in the nose guard portion 6.

The nose, temple, mouth, jaw and chin guard arms and portions of the face guard are preferably of one piece of sheet metal, as of aluminum, and can easily be stamped therefrom. This metal is preferably of a bendable nature, so that where the temple and jaw guard arms 10 and 11, and 19 and and 20, meet the forehead and mouth portions 7 and 8, respectively, at '7" and 8*, the same can be bent by the wearer, to adjust them to the width of his head and jaw.

The sheet metal part 27, of the face guard, has a covering 28, of leather, cloth or rubher. Leatherv covered padding 29 is provided on the outside of the guard. A soft felt band 30 is secured to the forehead and temple guard portions, on the inside, for contact- With the head.

The face guard illustrated and above described is of simple construction and has been found in use to give ample protection to the face and head of the wearer. Metal is used in such a way as to offer no injurious features to either the wearer or his fellow players, in a game; in fact, the metal is used for rigidity and strength, in a manner to protect both the wearer and player coming in contact with him. The neck band 23, being elastic, full freedom of movement of the head is had without in any way affecting the position of the guard or mask, when properly put on. The use of the mouthpiece 24, is commonly known, and can be used or not, as desired. a j

The construction of our invention is such as to be of a comparatively low cost of manufacture, which will appeal iniprice to amateur, as well as to college players of football, hockey or other outdoor games, where a face guard is needed, p p j Inasmuch as changes in the construction of the guard, as illustrated and described, can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of ourinvention, we do not thereof herein referred to,

We claim: j j 1. In a face guard having a continuous sheet metal frame, port ions tosaidframe inwish to be confined to the one embodiment eluding forehead, nose, temple and jaw guard portions, said temple'and said jaw portions being of strip formation, formin horns, projecting independently, rearwar having a clear unobstructed space between said jaw portions and said temple portions,

thruou't their length, means for holding said "horns to the head of the wearer, and other means for supporting said frame from the top of the head of the wearer.

2. In a face guard, the combination of nose, temple, mouth and jaw guard portions, bendable where said temple and jaw portions connect, with said nose portion, said temple and jaw port-ions extending each in hornlike formation, rearwardly, the ends of said temple Vand jaw portions being freely spaced from one another, whereby said portions can be readilyangularly bent to conform to the width of the head and jaw of the wearer.

3., A face guard comprising a continuous sheet metal frame of one piece, having guard portions for the nose, the forehead,

mouth, temples, jaw and chin, said jaw portions projecting freely like hornsand recedingindependent of any connection withthe portions other than the .chin and mouth portions from said mouth and-chin portions to incline upwardly, a covering to said metal frame, pads fixed to the outside of the same and means for supporting saidframe upon the head of the wearer. j IRVING G.

JOHN A. SAWYER.

Images