US2780814A - Visor and actuating assembly for a helmet - Google Patents

Description

Feb, 12, 1957 M. RADNOFSKY 9 VISQR AND ACTUATING ASSEMBLY FOR A HELMET Filed July 29, 1954 INVENTOR. 17017751 I fan 0.79

United States Patent 2,180,814 v'isoii Ann xeruxrns seamstress x HELMET -Ma"ttliew I'. Radnofsky,-"Newtown:Square, Pa. A iliiiiiien fifty 29, he, sear-m. assess a claims.- Cl;2-'-'-8) (Granted anaemia s, s. as (155a, sec. 165) This invention described herein may 'be manufactured and hsed-byor' for the Government or the Unitedstates of America for governnifit'al purpos'es without the *payhas or, any royaltis thereon o'r'therefor;

This invention is concerned with the provision-wot a visor or viewing means and an act-dating assembly whereby the visor may be mounted-on ahelmet' such as wornxby flying personnel.

Such visors are provided on lielirie'ts =to provide. eye and upper face. protection against wind, glare and foreign particles for flying per ha, vehicle 'vrs 'o'r anyone who is subjectto the possibility o'fF any-kind of danger or irritation'to their face v The prior art devices for thispurpose hav rubber framed goggleswith elastic ,head heavy visor supported by a welghtymetallic frame Fjce and eye protectors of this type suffer from many disadvantages. The g'oggles 'arejpronqto be blown off in heavy wind blasts, their lenses are difficult to changean-d inv thecase of us'by fiyiiigpersonnel they donotlend themselves wllto anoxygen m'a'sk lielmet integration. Further, the goggles cannot easily be placed in position by the use of only one hand, a matter of some importance to flying personnel. The heavy visor and frame construction is uncomfortable to wear, sets the supporting head covering off balance, is very expensive to manufacture and similarly to the goggle cannot be activated with one hand and does not lend itself to oxygen mask-helmet integration.

An object therefore of this invention is to provide a visor of extreme light weight which will be simple to manufacture and can be worn with great comfort and ease.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lightweight visor together with a means to assemble it on the head covering of the wearer, which assembly means will enable the visor to be easily placed with one hand in an out of the way position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a lightweight visor which will offer wind and glare protection as well as protection against particles.

A further object of this invention is to provide a lightweight visor wherein it is easy to change lenses in case one lens should become scratched or blurred.

A still further object of this invention is to provide 'a lightweight visor which will integrate well with the oxygen mask and helmet assembly of flying personnel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lightweight visor and a simple means whereby it may be attached to a head covering so that only minor modification of head coverings in use would be required.

These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is an isometric view of the visor.

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Figure 21 is a; view of. the visor and its assembly means mounted on ahelmt and'inaposition to cover the wearer's eyes'and upper face.

Figure 3: ar-view of the visor; and its assembly means mounted on a helmet and pushed to an out of "the way position over the wearers head.

Figure 4 is a view along the line 4-4 ofFigure 3 showing the. details of-construction of the. assembly means.

lnyFigu're 1,. the. reference'num'eral 10 designates the visor; -Ii1 the preferred form shownin this figure the visor comprisesfa main-body portion 1 2 provided with a cut-out portion 14 inits lower edge to accommodate the nose of the wearer or if the visor is being. usedin conjunction with. an oxygen mask-helmet assembly, the upper surface. of the mask willfit into: the cut-outportion. The: main body portionis substantially straight. or may be curved. to accommodate the face of the wearer ordifferent size helmets: or other head covering. At each end of the: body portion the visor isprovided with curved portions 1 6, 16 and then iscontinued in theform of extensionsil s, 18' which mayhave the shape indicatedin the-drawing ori'any other which would be found convenient or desirable and which when the visor is assembled'on at head covering are. directed toward. the. rear of the ,wearers: head. Each oneof' theext'ensions 1'8,j18:is

understood of course thatany type of fa'st'ener' maybe used but it has been found that the fastener known-in the art as the snap-fastener is one of the more convenient toapply and use.

Thevisor may be formed from a transparent sheet of plastic by cutting or molding and then molded by heat or pressure, or by both, to the desired curved configuration. The visor may be formed of a clear white material or may be tinted as desired to prevent glare. Further, if desired, the visor could be formed from light polarizing elements, also as a glare reducing means.

In Figure 2 the visor 10 has been mounted by its assembly means on a head covering such as a helmet 25 worn by flying personnel. The helmet is provided with downwardly depending portions 26, 26 which normally cover the ears of the wearer. Attached to each of the portions 26 is a pivot support 27 provided with a pivot means 28 which extends outwardly to pass through the slot 20 in the extensions 18 when the visor is assembled on the helmet. Each of the pivot means 28 is formed as one element of fastener such as a snap fastener for a purpose to be described later. It is to be understood that a pivot support 27 and pivot means 28 are provided on each side of the helmet although the drawing shows only the one side.

The assembly means comprises a pair of elastic strap elements 30, only one of which is shown. Each element comprises an elastic member 32 which has depending therefrom, from a point intermediate its ends a strap 34. Each end of the elastic members 32 carries a fastening means. The fastening means 36 on the rear end of member 32 engages a cooperating element toward the rear of the helmet. One such cooperating element is provided on each rearward side of the helmet on either side of its longitudinal centerline. A fastening means 33 on the front end of the member 32 cooperates with the means 22 on the visor extension 18. The strap 34 carries a portion of a fastening element 40 for a purpose to be brought out below.

To assemble the visor on a helmet such as shown in Figure 2, or on any type of head covering, all that is necessary is that the helmet be provided with two fastener portions toward the rear and with a pivot means on each side as at 28. The visor is then passed over the helmet so that the extensions 18 overlie either side of the helmet and the pivots 28 extend through the slots 20. The element 30 is then fastened as follows: The fastener 36 is secured to the rear of the helmet and the fastener 38 to the cooperating means 22 on the visor. The strap 34 is then brought down over the extension 18 and the fastener 40 secured to pivot means 28. When the visor'is over the wearers face, as in Figure 2, the line of action of the element 30 tends to pull the visor to the rear andthe pivot 28 engages the forward end of the slot 20. When it is desired to place'the visorin position away from the Wearers face, all that need be done is to push on the visor with one hand until the position of Figure 3 is assumed. In this position the line of action of the elastic strap 32 pulls the visor back and the pivots 28 now contact the rear of the slots 20. This ability of the assemblyimeans to hold the visor in its two positions is derived from its construction. The arrangement of fasteners and straps is such that the line of action of the straps 32 will pass a centerline passing through the fastener 40 and will pull the visor clockwise or counterclockwise depending on whether the line of action is above or below the centerline.

Thus it is seen that the visor and its attaching means provide a simple, easily operable device which may be installed quickly on flying helmets and other types of head coverings at a minimum of expense and difficulty.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within 'the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is: 1. In combination with a helmet, a visor to be mounted on said helmet, rigid integral extensions on said visor,

said extensions having elongated slotted guide means therein, extended fastener means on said helmet with said guide means riding on the extended fastener means, elastic strap means secured to said visor and to the rear portion of the helmet, and additional strap means depending from the aforesaid elastic strap means, fastener means on one end of said additional strap means, said latter fastener means, cooperating with the fastener portion on said extended fastener means.

2. In combination with a helmet, a visor for said helmet, rigid integral extensions on said visor, said extensions having slotted guide means therein, fastener means on said helmet with said guide means cooperating with the fastener means thereby allowing said visor to pivot, expandible strap means secured to the visor and to the rear portion of the helmet, and additional strap means suspended from the expandible strap means and secured to the fastener means on said helmet.

'3. In combination with a helmet, a visor for said helmet, rigid integral extensions on said visor, said extensions having elongated slotted guide means therein, extended fastener means on said helmet, said guide means riding on said fastener means thereby pivoting the visor,

expandible strap means connected to the visor and to the rear of the helmet, and a section of the strap means depending from the remainder of the strap and secured to the extended fastener means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,366,907 Dunand Feb. 1, 1921 1,677,187 Leibson July 12, 1928 2,276,612 Ellis Mar. 17, 1942 2,440,596 Anderson Apr. 27, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 735,281 Germany May 11, 1943 847,458 France July 3, 1939

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