US1830572A - Blow distributing athletic protector - Google Patents

Description

J. P. TAYLOR BLOW DISTRIBUTING ATHLETIC PROTECTOR Filed March 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Shea l M 7m ll INVENTOR JAMES R T no# ATTORNEY Nov. 3, 1931.

J. P. TAYLOR BLOW DISTRIBUTING ATHLETIC PROTECTOR Filed March 15, 195o 2 sheets-sheet z INVENTOR JAMES l? TA LOR ATTO'R N EY Patented Nov. 3, 1931 n JAMES 1. TAYLOR, OE BROOKLYN. NEW YORK BLOW DISTRIBUTING ATHLETIC P EOTEOTOE.

Application led March 1.5, 1930. Serial No. 436,124'.

This invention relates to athletic protectors of the type necessary for the protection of males in such sports as boxing, hockey, football, and the like.

The principal object of the invention is to combine in one unitary'structure means capable of yielding with resistance to a localized blow, distributing the localized force of such blow substantially uniformly over a large area, of a shape retaining member physically capable of contacting with the part to be pro-v tected andthen yieldingly resisting the aforesaid distributed force over a distributed area or non-sensitive portions of the human anatomy. To this end, I propose to combine with a protecting cup of rigid material such as a cast shell of duraluminum, a shell of fiber, a shell of molded hard rubber composition, or a shell of bakelite, or the like, an outer yielding and distributing member preferably employing the principle of pneumatics and preferably in the form of an outer membrane spaced from the unyielding cup by means of a chamber or chambers lfilled with gasunder pressure and so interconnected that a localized blow will have its force distributed substantially over the entire surface area of the cup, and with an inner yielding member attached to the rim of said cup and adapted to rest upon the body of the wearer.

In the use of my, protector, I have found that it is best to rely upon the usual yelastic bandage or strap worn byv athletestohold my protector in position on the wearer,

although I, of course, contemplate the pos.-

sibilityof providing a similar elastic attaching means attached to or formed as a part of my entire structure. l y

vA further'object of my invention, and in 40 fact its prime object, is to safeguard an athlete from distress"frompractically any blow so far as his sensitive partsY are concerned.

' The above and further vrobjects of the inl vention will be understood better from the .in connection with the accompanying drawings whichform a part hereof. It is to these illustrative embodiments of the invenv 5 Aand its spaced outer wall 10 overlying the tion that the following claims are directed solely for purposes of -illustration and not limitation. Y v In Vthe drawings, Fig. lis a yfront elevation partly in perspective and somewhat diagrammatic with parts shown in dotted lines indicating the vWearing poistionl of my. protector with an elastic bandage for holding 1t in place; Fig. 2 is a verticalrcross-section taken at right angles to the position inFig.

1 through an embodiment of my invention, and more specifically taken through the line of II-IIof Fig. 8;.Fig.3is a horizontal section through the plane of line III-A-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 1 is an enlarged verticalsection 8511 like Fig, 2 of a modification; and Fig.y 5 is a similar vertical cross-section through a preferred modification. f Y i Referring now more in detail to the drawings, A indicates a usual formof elastic V bandage Or supporting strap comprising .a belt 1 of elastic webbing; rear leg straps 2 and 3; and a front broad elastic strap 4 eX- tending from the frontv of the belt 1 to the lower ends of the straps 2 and 3. This func- 15jtions to press thevprotector B into operative position upon the wearer. Y

In the embodiments of Figs. 2 and, a protector cup 5 formed of anyof the materials heretofore enumerated, preferably cast A aluminum, may have any desired shape to form a safety cavity 6.- Alpropershape is indicated by thevcontours shown in Figs. 2 Y and 3.' To give lightness, it is preferred that perforations 7 be formedin this unyielding 95 CUP- v .A pneumaticblow ydistributorI 8 hasone wallf9 cemented tothe outer face of the cup same and provided with any suitable form of 1. inflating nipple 11. An inner Vlining 12 is cemented to the inner face of the cup and anfinner outstanding riml 13, preferably of sponge rubber, is vulcanized to therim ofthe previously described construction. vIn addition to the rim 13 it is preferred thatV an additional top pad 14 having wings 15 and ,16-

. extending out laterally be vprovided to assist in distributing Vthe .rearward vforce from a 10o Y lapping portions lofwhichrims' are prefferably 1 vulcanizedV together, and if desired, "alsof to the sponge f rubber cushioning flange Y 52. In this construction, apart of the pneu- A nished article. -Y In its functioning, ablow localized,` for# brane l0 but instead ofthe open pneumatic` cavity, a filling 101 of spongerubber made up of cells containing gasN under`pressure'' is distributed over the outer1face ofthe cup z 5 and is preferably a continuationof an innerlining of ru`bber'1 0 2. =1The inner cushion# ing rim A13 is providedand also-preferably the distributing pad 14.

InFi'g. '5, annique construction lending itself to'quantity production is illustrated. In thisl construction the cup 50 is preferably provided with a broad-faced inner lange'5l to'which a cushioning flange of sponged rubber'is cemented or'vulcanized. i First an outer plate 53 of sheet 'rubber is applied to the outer face of the cup and then the inner wall 54 of a blank of sheet'rubberfis 'vulcanized through the perforations- 55 Vof the cup 50 tothe outer sheet 53 so'thatthe rubber parts "56 passingthrough the perforations form a strong-anchorage toh'oldftlie resilient flexible rubber parts together.`

The outer part of a pneumatic protector isin' the vform' of 'a 'sheetrubberblank 57 provided `with 'the inflating' nipple 1l and has its terminalrim-GO overlying the terminal rim 6I of the inner wa1l5fl, the 'overmatic structure servesV 'as the inner'jlini'ng las well as a part of the inclosure for the air under pressure., vI/V'ith thiszconstructio'n, 'itA is contemplated that theshap-ing--of the sheetV rubber walls be such" as to'enable'the cavity gas under considerablepressure, even as high as twenty pounds per'sq'uare inch; This vfaized blow. It is, of course, to be understood that the resistance of thefsheet rubber walls against stretch inay be 'varied in 'accordance' `vwith good rubber manufacturing principles to'aid in retaining the desired shape for `the f example, at the arrowSO firstcauses alconazsiderable yielding-ofthewall 57 'at this `locality, but no blow asV from a listv or vkneeor boot VVcan affect theyielding of this wall sufi ficiently to make direct contact -lwith the unvyieldiiig'r'wall 50. `Vo'rlnof course, is done in. "-fefecting this local yielding of the "outer wall 57 which tends to annul the force of the blow, but in addition, an important functioning is the distribution of the force of the blow over the entire outer surface 8l so that in turn a substantially uniform moderate pressure per square inch is directed 'towards the body through the cushioning flange 52. Besides this', the cushion-ing` iange'52 contacts only .with the. non-sensitive portions of the Y wearers body andfurther work is caused to be "doneiiith'e compressing of this cushioning flange 52before thebody itself must take upthe force of a` localized blow. In no event can thecup 50 yield to make direct contact with the more sensitive parts of the wearer. I thereforeliave distributed a localized blow and caused it to dowork first in the pneumatic forming -unitary p art of the structureV and then in the body contacting cushion and'last-y lyl in Ythe blow Yresisting parts Vof the `body itself. In fact, I have found my promotor soperfect that for a year I have successfully maintained "myself againstpeisonal injury in submitting to an open'challenge toreceive any kick, knee or `fistfblowupon this protector when personally'wearing it.

NhatI'claiinand desire to secure by.:

United States Letters Patent is:

l. An athletic protector in the formof a unitary structure* comprising, a protecting cup of vunyielding material 'havinga body facing iiange,` and an outwardly bulging. por-- tion; an" outer-member permanently secured to said cup vand providing a cavity,` which cavity has a i'illingof force distributing ma-r terial adapted to distributethe force cfav localized blow substantially!uniformly over,.- tlieentire outer surfaceof said cup; and an inner yieldingiiieans xed to said cup' and i localized between the vbody facing rim of'said cup andthe body ofthe'I wearer whereby the r' force of al localized' blow is first distributed abou t"tlie outer surface of said unyielding cup and then av yieldingmovement of said: entire cup takes'place and isfcushione'd subfstant-ially throughoutthe'entire Aextent of 7 O tol be 'lled with compressedair or other said' cushioning means between the body fac-'if ing `riin offsaid cup and" the body of the Vwearer.` i Vcilitates' in distributing the force of a local-g 2. An athletic "protector cup of unyielding vmaterialhaving lay body facing flange and aneutwardly buiging porinthe form of a; unitarystructure` comprising, ya protecting` ized b lowsubstantially uniformlyover the entire' x outer su'rfaceo'f said cup.; and an innerr yielding means 'fixed tosaid cup'and localizedbetween the body facing rimof said cup and thebody of thevwea'rer whereby the? force jofa localized blowis` 'rst distributed about thefouter surface of`said un'yielding cup and then a yielding movement of said entire cup takes place and is cushioned substantially throughout the entire extent of said cushioning mea-ns between the body facing rim of said cup and the body of the JAMES P. TAYLOR.

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