US2602460A - Hair cap for bald or sparsely haired heads - Google Patents

Description

July 8, 1952 G. F. HULL HAIR CAP FOR BALD 0R SPARSELY HAIRED HEADS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Sept. 2. 1950 July 8, 1952 G. F. HULL HAIR CAP FOR BALD OR SPARSELY HAIRED HEADS Filed Sept. 2, 1950 6. AOV

was" Z5 12a IE-8 Patented July 8, 1952 TUNITED- STATE s PATENT 1 OFFICE HAIR CAP FOR BALD on SPARSELY HAIRED HEADS George Frederick Hull, Yallourn, Victoria,

- I Australia Application September 2, 1950, Serial No. 182,909

r In Australia May 23, 1949 5 Claims. (Cl. 13253) This invention relates to a hair cap to com--' prise a covering for a bald or sparsely haired comprised of a backing or frame to which hair of required colour is attached.

Such wigs or hair coverings unless very well made and fitted, are unsightly, and beingfragile and-easily damaged require to be carefully handled. Moreover, the artificial nature of a wig is difficult to conceal, and a wig is aptto become displaced and cause discomfort and uneasiness to a wearer. Furthermore; hair-is apt to-become detached in places, which makes th'ear tificial character of a wig more apparent.

Now the principal object of this invention is to provide ahair cap for a bald or sparselyhaired head which is durable and of good and natural appearance, provides comfort and confidence for a wearer, cannot become loose and accidentally detached, providesa controlled outlet for perspiration and vapour,- readily conforms with movements of the scalp, and can be produced atlow cost; i

- In achieving the above stated principal object and according to the broadest concept of thein-= vention, a hair capfora'bald'or sparsely haired, head,- comprises aninner; scalp-fitting layer-"of soft flexible non-absorbent acid 'resistantfma:

In order to conceal baldness or hairlessness it' is established practice to employjan artificial head covering known generally asa wig and The invention will be better understood from the description of the. illustrative embodiment of a hair cap or covering depicted in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings: e v Fig; l is aview in perspective showing the hair cap as fitted to a wearers head.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of shown sectionally with the hair'removed. "Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a fragmentary section and plan of the inner head-contacting part of the hair cap, drawn on'an enlarged scale.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a fragmentary section and plan on an enlarged scale of the outer hair-holding part of the hair cap.

Fig. 7'is a sectional elevation of a tubular hair containing unit preparatory to forming'and in-- corporation in the hair cap. V

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail of the hair cap. j j

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of an instrument for facilitating detachment or'lifti'ng of the hair cap.

Referring to these drawingsflin more "detail,

i the numeral 5 indicates in general the hair cap or coveringcomprising an inner layer or interior scalp cap 6 of soft yieldable materialrdisposed terial fitting the normal hair growingarea of the head, an outer hair-holding Iayer'of fiexible material overlying and adhesivelyunited" with. the inner scalp-fitting layer, and aperturesJf n escape of perspiration f ancl' vapounextending through the inner and outer layers."

In a morerspecific.construction, the

the inner and outer layers v by the use of an appropriate solvent.

are adhesivelyun t A further object of the inventioniis' the 1pm;

vision of means for firmly securing 'lthehair in the outer hair-holding layer.

In attaining this furtherobj ect; the outer layer; is formed with countersunk apertures, the countersunk recesses being on'the inner surface of the layer and backed by the inner layer and the hair being'contained in groups "or bundles in thin tubes of aluminium fitting the apertures ithe tubes being bent to hold the hair and headedior enlarged to fit within the countersinks to thereby'positively secure the hair and tubes against displacement. m A

V J linaterial forming the. inner and outerjlayers', comprises a. suitable plastic, such as polyvinyl 'chloridefand 1 Extending in contact with and fitting the scalp of a wearers head, and anfouter hair-carrying layer 1 or'ex terior scalp: cap of pliable material overlying and adhesively united with the inner layer 6'.

The inner-"layer Biis composed of a natural scalpv coloured acid resistantplastic such as poly-I vinyl chloride, and in the inner surface of this layer there are formed a multiple number" of relativelyshallow circular cupped recesses 8, see

Figs. 3 and'4. f

t nnerllayert, is 5mm border"?! whichis devoid 'ofi'shallow circular. recesses but is providedwith'jfineapertures indicated by In, the.

purpose of which will appear hereinafter.

Thesl'iallow circular recesses. 8. are arranged in evenly spaced rows or series intersecting at right angles, andtwo rows .ofr'ecesses aa adjoining 'the plain'bor'der 9 are provided with relatively fine apertures! I which extend through the layer 6 to the exterior surface thereof." f

I and bordered by the recessesflmare each provided withia centrally disposed drain vent or hole H of relatively greater "diameter than the apertures ll.

'Vents l3 of small cross-sectional area are; also.

the back of the wearer's head with a portion of the hair caparound the margin or perimeter of The circular recesses 8 situated nwardlyof.

than the inner layer 8 and that the former layer tapers inwardly from the edge as at M to themajor portion or area l5 of the layer which is of substantially uniform thickness. The thickness at the edges is approximately one half the thickness over the major area 15.

Formed through the major portion l5 of the layer 1 are a multiple number of hair-receiving apertures l6 which at the inner side of the layer are enlarged or countersunk as at H.

The hair-receiving countersunk apertures 16 are arranged in. equally spaced rows or series which intersect at'right angles, and. interposed between and correspondingly spacedto the apertures 16 are drain vents or holes '18 which when the outer layer flis superimposed on the inner layer 6 as hereinafter described, become aligned with the vents or holes 12 in the inner layer so as to form continuous drainage outlets, see Fig. 8.

It will be apparent that the recesses 8, vents l2, hair-receiving holes IB and drain holes. I8

are respectively spaced at substantially the same distance apart.

Formed in the tapering marginal part 14 of the outer, layer '1' are a multiple number of countersunk hair-receiving apertures f9v of less diameter or sectional area than the apertures 16.

The hair-receiving apertures. 19 are arranged in evenly spaced rows or series but the distance between the apertures 19 is considerably less than the spacing of the apertures I6, the pitch of thelform'er being as illustrated, approximately one-half the pitch of the latter.

Interposed between the spaced rows of hairre'ceiving apertures [91 arerows of small apertures 2.0.1. the pitches. or distances between the fo'rme'randlatterapertures being equal and subas shown at Zia Fig. 8. Upon the stiffened hair stantially the sameas the pi'tch of the fine. apertures, or vents I 0 and"! 3 inthe inner layer 62! Accordingly, it will be understood that when the ou'te'r layer 7 is placedo'ver' the innerlayer 6,

the apertures 20 align with the'apertures or vents,

['0' and I3, to form small continuous ducts between the interior and exteriorsurfa'ces of the 3 3 I i In order to facilitate the'pl'a'cing of'the hair in the hair-receiving apertures l6 and'l9, the

hair of suitable len th and: in small, bun dIesJ r groups .21 isplaced within'thin aluminiumftubes,

22" of appropriate diameters to snugly fit'i the apertures'l'ii and I9 and of: requisite wall thick ness or gauge so as to easily bejbent or deformed,

The tubes'22 are of suflicient length to" be bent andupset upon receiving the hair group'sto form-bases or enlargements 23" whereby the hair. is fixed against displacement from. the tubesand which are shapedto fitwithin the countersunk endsof'thejhairere'ceiving apertures and thereby secure the tubes and hair groups or bundles against dislodgment;

To'permit'the hair bundles '2] to be readily inserted through the hair-receiving apertures. l5.

upon being secured in the tubes 22 as above. de-

scribed, the hairs are wound taut and are stifie'ned and maintained in rod-like form by stearin 'chloridax. I Upon being pressed intocontact, the inner; and

square inch.

The increased hair density of 4000 hairs per square inch arranged in groups forms a brushlike arrangement whereby tangling of the hair is lessened and deterioration or damage by combing is reduced. v p

Asv illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the hairreceiving apertures 19 are more closely spaced and accordingly more numerous per square inch inthe tapering part |4,,butthe,size of the apertures l9; as previously stated, is less than thatof the apertures l6.

The hair groups, or bundles for the more numerous apertures I! of they tapering marginal areas I l contain approximately 32 hairs, so that the hair; density may be substantially uniform over the hair cap and a. natural appearance may be achieved. I

In the. parting and side-board areas 24 (see Figs. 1. and 2 ),the hairgroups or bundles are of substantially: the same. sizeas. and spaced simi-,

larly to the groupsor bundles in the tapering border areasl4. l I The-parting area (not shown) is approximately one inch in width and extends for the natural length or distance, and; this area. and the side board areas 24- are devoid of vents or apertures and are of scalp colour in-order to present a natural appearance.- V I The inner layer orinterior. scalp cap 6- and the outer layer or exterior scalp cap-l-constructed as above described, areassembled-by placing the outer layer, '1. over the inner layer 6- after the inner surface of the-former and the outer surface. of the latter have been rendered adhesive by an appropriate solvent,- suchjas methylene di outer layers, 6 and. Tbecome, integrally united. or

bonded; together to comprise thev hair cap with projecting the hair.@comprising= the bundles .21 outwardly fr'o'mfthe apertures, I61.

The small aligning. drain "vents. [2' and ['8 and thejfinefaperture's- {0" and i3, and the apertures 20 aligned. therewith. are prefer-ably piercedv through. the layers. 6 and 1 after the same have beenassembled as above described, and prior to removal of the stearin; from the stiffened. hair bundles-indicated'byz[c.f

The ve'ntless area border areas, theparting. area. and the sideboard areas,. are. punctured to resemble natural pores. 01f the, skin. Such fine apertures or pores providev outlets for vapour" and. excess perspiration.

The rear base line, .indicated by. 25,-is shaped.

or contoured. to conforniwith the wearers anatomic'aljfor'mation. so. as to. avoid chafing action apt t'o. be caused by. downward and backward movementiof. the head. The base line 25 is Econ-1 cealed'by overlapping of the hair.

The frontal edges of the hair cap may be snamely: the marginal or designedtosuit the age of the wearer by receding at thetemplesz-or otherwise in;.response to;the

wearer?s desires, 1..

and spreadby pressure to resemble natural irreg:

, ularityflorfinehairdown.... -In.order. to shape the hair cap to conform:- with a. ,users scalp, the former, is sufficiently heated,

to; soften. the; plastic .material, .whereupon the hair capisplacedjover and impressed upon the user shead.

In use, thehair lcapis-maintainedlfirmly upon the users head by retaining pressure applied in contact with the mastoid areasiof the temporal bone and extending to the junction of the pinna of the ear with-the scalp,=as' indicated at 26, see

In order to apply such retaining pressure, the portions of thflhair cap, oyerlying.., the. mastoid areas are formed as surf'aoeconca'vities or recesses which are devoid of hairgroupsand vents, so that upon these portions being pressedupon the scalp to expel the contained air from the concavities or recesses, a cavity suction is produced under external atmospheric pressure whereby the hair cap is secured against displacement.

The retaining pressure is applied to the mastoid areas only, the superficial contact on the scalp and facial areas being free of holding pressure. Accordingly, restriction of blood circulation and discomforture are avoided.

Superficial contact at the side board areas 24 contributes to a natural efiect, and contact of I such areas with the ears serves as a warning to the wearer in the event of the occurrence of undue backward movement of the hair cap, thus eliminating fear of detection and affording confidence.

In placing the hair cap upon the head, the wearer adopts a stooping position when applying the cap to the frontal region with the hairoverlapping downwardly, and remains in the stooping position until pressure applied manually effects the fitting.

In order to aid removal of the hair cap, there is provided an instrument or cap-lifter 21 illustrated by Fig. 9. v

The cap-lifter 21 is constructed of metal strip and comprises a hook 28 and a bent portion which comprises a handle or grip 29. r 1

In using the cap-lifter, the 'wearergrips the handle 29' and inserts the hook 28 beneath the edge of the hair cap at the base line 25 and at or about the nucal groove indicatedby 30, see Fig. 1.

By employing such an instrument, it is unnecessary to provide conspicuous frontal edges on the hair cap for manual gripping, and the frontal appearance is permanently preserved and protected from injury. Any wear resulting from the use of the instrument is not visible and is more- 1 over, concealed by the overlapping hair.

A hair cap constructed and fitted as above described, covers the whole hair growing area of a wearers head, has a close fitting bonnet effect, does not chafe a wearers head and conforms with the normal expansion and contraction of the scalp.

of the hair cap are interdraining and the drain vents or holes extending outwardly from the cupped recesses afford outlets for perspiration and vapour. The ventless border in conjunction with the inwardly si uated recesses and vents,

permits a controlled seepage ofperspiration from the scalp. particularly at the forehead areas, and the ,ventless border further enables; the hair groups-to .be located closer to the edges so as to conceal the areas which'include thedrain vents and hair group bases not obscured by the spread of hair over the whole area of the hair cap exclusive of the outer edges.

Furthermore, as the hair cap is comprised of. non-absorbent acid resistant plastic, the wearer.

is .able to wash and bathe without removal of the hair cap.

If required,

the inner and outer layers of the cap to be separated and any damaged or worn hair groups tobeqremoved and replaced by new hair groups, whereupon the layers are reassembled as previ-. ously described herein.

-.The hair cap herein describedand illustrated is, in effect, a false scalp having hair attached thereto and adapted for both male and female use, In order that the hair cap may function,

properly as a false scalp, it is essential that the whole hair growing area of a wearers head he shaved and maintained so by the wearer, who is able to readily remove the hair cap and wash the I head comprising an inner scalp-fitting layer of a soft flexible non-absorbent acid resistant plastic fitting the normal hair growing area of the head, spaced rows of shallow draining depressions in the inner surface of the scalp-fitting plastic layer, an outer layer of flexible plastic material overlying and adhesively united with the inner scalp-fitting layer, spaced rows of apertures in the outer plastic layer, groups of hair mounted in and projecting from the apertures, and drain vents extending inwardly through the outer and inner layers and communicating with the shallow draining depressions.

2. A hair cap for abald or sparsely-haired head comprising an inner scalp-fitting layer of a soft flexible non-absorbent acid resistant plastic fitting the normal hair growing area of the head, a ventless border extending about the margin of the inner scalp-fitting layer, spaced intersecting rows of shallow circular recesses formed in the inner surface of the scalp-fitting layer inwardly of the ventless border, an outer layer of flexible plastic material overlying and adhesively united with the inner scalp-fitting layer, a tapersize than the former countersunk apertures,

groups of hair mounted in and projecting from the apertures, and rows of drain vents through said layers interposed between the rows of countersunk apertures and communicating with the shallow circular recesses.

3. A hair cap for a bald or sparsely-haired head according to claim 2, having a thin deformable metal tube to fit each countersunk aperture and contain a hair group, a bend in the metal tube securing the hair group in the latter, and an enlarged head ,on the deformable tube fitting within the countersink recess of the repairs may be effected by placing the hair cap upon a heated mould, so as to permit aeoaeeol 7, countersunkaperture and-securing the tube and hair --group in said? outer layer.

-4'. A hair cap for a baldor sparsely haired headaccording to claim 2,'having-the portions overlyin'gthe mastoid areas of the head devoid of apertures and comprising vacuum chambers:

whereby the hair'cap is suctionally maintained upon the headr 5. A hair cap for a bald or sparsely-haired.

vinyl chloride and overlying and adhesively united with the inner "scalp-fitting layer, said:

outer layer comprising a major-portion of uniform thickness borderedv by 7 av tapered marginal portion having at the: edge a thickness one half thethickness of the major portion, spaced intersecting rows of countersunk apertures in said major portion, spaoed intersectinga rows of' countersunk apertures in said tape'ring' portion more closely spaced and of less size thanthe countersunk aperture insaid 'majorportion, thixr aluminium tubes contai'ning groups of hair fitting the countersunk apertures,- bends in the aluminium tubes securing'the hair groups, headed enlargements of the aluminiumtubes fitting the countersunk recesses of thecountersunk apertures and. securingv said: tubes r and hair groups J in theouter layer. ventlessa vacuum. chambers formed in said inner layer-in theportions of the latter overlying the mastoid areas, andmows'wf drainvents extending through saidlayers; and

communicatingawlth the shallow recesses;

GEORGE FREDERICK" c 7 REFERENCES CITED-"V The following'references are of record in thefil'e' of this patent: r 7' UNITED. STATES emms Number Name Date: 7'

1364,089 Ernest i--r Aug 7 ,1923

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