US2693599A - Ear muff or the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov 9, 1954 E. BERG EAR MUFF' OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 2, 1954 JNVENTOR. Zamegy hat!!! pv United States Patent Olitice j 2,693,599 Patented Nov. 9, 1954 EAR MUFF R THE LIKE Elaine Berg, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 2, 1954, Serial No. 407,649

1 Claim. (Cl. 2209) The present invention relates to ear muffs or the like,

and is particularly concerned with the provision of improved ear muffs which may be manufactured with a minimum amount of labor and materials. One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved ear muif which is durable, adjustable to the heads and ears of all users, which protects the ear, and holds it against the head, and which may be manufactured with a` minimum amount of labor and with the use of a minimum amount of material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ear muff utilizing native lambs wool or similar material as a lining, in which the lambs wool is shaped and directed by an outer substantially rigid supporting casing, which also provides an ornamental cover and backing for the leather side of the lambs wool lining.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ear muif in Which the lining may be held in assembly with the supporting casing by means of the elastic strap or tape which passes through both of them, and upon which the ear mulls Vare supported for adjustment to the ears of each individual user.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings accompanying this specication,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing a user of the ear mulfs with the ear muffs applied to the head;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the outside of one of the ear muis;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the ear mui assembly.

Referring to Figs. l and 5, the present ear muif assembly preferably includes an elastic tape provided with a.

buckle 11 for supporting the ear muifs on the head; and it includes a pair of ear muifs 12 and 13, each of which has a plastic housing 14 and a lining 15.

The elastic band is preferably of the type used for garters and similar purposes, and extending longitudinally of the band 10. The band is preferably made of ornamental fabric in various colors which are in harmony with the color of the casing 14 or the lambs wool 15.

The buckle 11 may comprise a small metal member having a pair of slots for passing the tape and adjustably holding it in a closed loop adapted to fit the heads of various users.

The supporting casing 14 of each ear mu 12 or 13 preferably comprises a circular disc of smooth, shiny sheet plastic of a color harmonizing with the lining and strap, the disc 16 being provided with a radial slit 17 eX- tending to the center 18 and the adjacent edges 19 and 20 of the slit 17, being overlapped as shown in Fig. 2, and permanently secured together by a securing means 21, such as a tubular rivet.

This gives the disc the shape of a cone having obtuse angularity and provided with a cavity 22 on the inside and a conical surface 23 on the outside.

The casing 14 is made of sheet plastic of sufficient stillness to hold its conical shape, but flexible enough to bend and support the lining 15. The lining may consist of a circular disc of native lambs wool, in which the for lambs wool 24 is arranged on the inside, and the leather 25 is arranged outwardly toward the casing 14.

The disc 15 of lambs wool, which forms the lining, may be of substantially the same size as the circular casing 14 after its edges have been overlapped and secured to gether as shown in Fig. 2.

In some embodiments of the invention the lining 15 is made slightly smaller in diameter than the casing 14, after it has been made in conical form. The lambs Wool lining 1S tends to become slightly gathered at its periphery 26 when it is assembled with the conical cavity 22, thus forming a hollow cavity 27 in the native lambs wool for receiving the ear.

The nature of the lambs wool, which is quite compressible and resilient, causes it to receive and conform to the ears, which become embedded in the lambs Wool when the ear mulfs are applied to the head.

The leather backing 25 and lambs wool lining 15 may be cemented at 28 inwardly of its periphery to the inner wall Z2 of the supporting members 14 and 15; but in some embodiments of the invention the cement may be eliminated, as the liner is held in assembly with the casing by the arrangement of the elastic tape 10.

The casing 14 and lining 15 are preferably made of ample size so that the ear muffs completelycover the ears and the ears are surrounded by fur on all sides at the periphery of the ears.

Each ear mult with its liner is preferably provided with a pair of diametrically located slots 29, 30, 31, 32; and these slots pass through the conical casing 14, as well as the lambs wool liner 15. The elastic tape 10 may then be threaded through apertures 31 and 32 on one ear muff assembly and through apertures 29 and 30 on the other ear muf assembly.

When the elastic tape 10 is so arranged, it passes outward at each of the slots and has an outer portion 10a on the outside of each ear mutt. The length of the elastic tape is such that when properly adjusted it has to be tensioned about the head just above the neck, across the ears, and above the forehead.

When in this position, the ear muffs 12 and 13 are pulled against the head by the elastic strap, on which the mulls may be adjusted to engage and cover each ear; and the lambs wool lining conforms itself to and surrounds each ear.

The labor involved in making such ear muffs may thus be reduced to a minimum, thereby greatly reducing the cost of the assembly so that the present ear mulfs may be sold at a very low price to a vast number of purchasers.

The plastic casing is waterproof and readily cleaned by means of a damp cloth; and it protects the lambs wool against getting wet by rain or snow while it is being worn. The lambs wool lining, although extending to a point just inside the periphery of the casing 14, protects the head from the sharp edge of the casing 14 and makes the ear muffs very comfortable and warm.

It will thus be observed that I have invented a very serviceable and economical ear mulf construction, the parts of which are very simple and easily manufactured and assembled.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

An ear muif assembly comprising an elastic band and a pair of ear muifs slidably mounted on said elastic band, the ends of said band being secured together to form an endless band which must be stretched to surround the head, each of said ear mulls comprising an outer circular conical shell of smooth, shiny sheet plastic consisting of a disc having a radial slit from its periphery to its center, the edges of said slit being overlapped and riveted together with a tubular rivet, forming a shallow cone, each of said shells having a pair of diametrically opposite elongated apertures adjacent the outer edges, and extending parallel to the periphery, for receiving said baud; and "a lining of 'native lambs wool on its leather` to said shell, having its leather backing deformed to con form to the inside of said conical shell to form a lambs wool covening ,fem thef. een; thesleatherfbaaking being 5 cemented-tofthefinside ,ao-:said shellgsand hayingv-Iegister.- inglongated apertures .receivinghsaidubandgwhichiexte,ndsloutwandlyithwugliy easlleanmnanonmedge; across theoutside olhe :shellsaml inwardlylan theLoppositezedge of the ear muff, to draw the lambswooL/lining; closely 10 abounztlle earss..

References Cited in the -l'e of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS

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