Protective wearing apparel

Abstract

Outer wearing apparel worn by firemen when fighting fires are made to provide more secure protection to the firemen, more particularly to protect them from injury to the region of their wrists, due to exposure of the latter. These regions are safeguarded by providing coats whose sleeves have cuffs in which Velcro material is affixed, the Velcro cooperating with Velcro affixed to the outer surface of the gloves worn by the firemen to thereby connect the gloves to the coat sleeves in a manner which will not leave the region of the wrists exposed.

Description

This invention relates to protective wearing apparel and is more particularly concerned with wearing apparel especially designed to protect the wearer when using the apparel on particular occasions or under circumstances during which the wearer is subjected to conditions which give rise to physical injuries of serious or at least harmful nature.

In the case of firemen, for example, it is well known that many times, injuries are incurred, even when wearing conventional types of protective apparel. It has long been recognized that such injuries occur most frequently in the region of the wrists of the firemen. These injuries are mainly due to the vulnerability of these regions of the body, because they are exposed during conditions which often prevail while the fireman is engaged in fighting a fire. Although these areas of the body are normally somewhat protected, either by gloves, or by the sleeves of the coat worn by the fireman, or by both, nevertheless they are frequently not adequately protected when such conditions prevail. Thus, when the arm of the fireman is extended outward from the body, particularly when in an upstretched position, a space is created between the wristlet of the glove and the cuff of the sleeve. As a result, the wrist is rendered highly susceptible to injury resulting from any number of causes, when the area in the region of the wrist is exposed. Among such causes of injury, are those inflicted by flame or heat adjacent the aforementioned region; steam escaping from various places and causes; direct contact of the area of the wrist with any hot object; direct contact thereof with flammable liquids, such as paint, tar, etc.; contact with caustic and corrosive liquids and vapors; broken glass falling or otherwise coming in contact with the surface of the wrist. Also, there frequently occurs the necessity for the fireman to shut off the flow of water from a sprinkler head. It then becomes necessary for the fireman to stop the flowing water by inserting a sprinkler stop, or like device. In such cases, water invariably finds its way to the boots (usually worn by firemen) by way of the coat sleeve.

Frequently also, when such exposed portions in the region of the wrist become affected by the heat or steam or other conditions mentioned, to the extent that the fireman can no longer physically tolerate its effect, the fireman is compelled to discontinue or interrupt his efforts to alleviate the danger which he seeks to overcome, and thus necessarily to permit the danger to continue.

Attempts have heretofore been made to overcome the foregoing problems, by wearing gloves with long gauntlets. Although the latter sometimes serve to provide a remedy for the aforementioned problems, injuries to firemen still can result, because of access of flame, heat, steam and the other conditions which sometimes prevail, to the exposed areas in the regions of the wrist.

Moreover, these gauntlet form of gloves are cumbersome and awkward to work with, due to the added bulk which they inherently present.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a construction of wearing apparel, suitable particularly for wear by firemen, when engaged in their fire fighting activity.

In the patent to Moe, U.S. Pat. No. 2,226,066, there is disclosed a garment designed to provide protection to the wrist and hand, and useful by firemen in protecting the wrist and hand from either cold or heat or when using the fist for breaking glass. The garment according to the Moe patent embodies a pouch formed in the sleeve, the pouch being so formed that it may be opened through an outer wall and at the end of the sleeve. A protective pad is secured adjacent the free end of the sleeve and is located within the compartment provided by the pouch. A glove is secured to the protective pad, the arrangement being such that the pad and glove may be positioned within the pouch of the sleeve, or placed in extended position with respect to the sleeve, for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment particularly for use by firemen, and which comprises a coat, the sleeves of which are so constructed that the gloves worn by the fireman may be readily and quickly attached to the sleeves of the coat, to protect the region of the wrist, particularly when the latter is exposed because of the arm being extended in substantially outstretched position away from the body of the wearer.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a garment as aforesaid, which will be so constructed as to effectively protect the wearer from injury to the region of the wrists, from any of the causes above-mentioned.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a garment of the character aforesaid, wherein the wearer may accomplish the connection of the glove to the coat sleeve whereby to present a wrist protecting condition, in a matter of only a few seconds, to secure the gloves which the fireman normally uses, to the sleeves of his coat.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a connection between the glove and the coat sleeve, serving as means for garment protective purposes wherein the full and complete mobility of the fireman is retained when wearing the described garment.

Briefly stated, the foregoing objects may be achieved by removing a number of stiches from the sleeve of the coat, at the location where the cuffs of the sleeves are sewed together, down to the sleeve, and sewing a strip of "Velcro" material on the inside of the cuff at one end thereof and also a short piece of such material on the outside of the cuff, at the other end thereof. A "counter part" strip of the "Velcro" material is also sewed to the wristlet of the glove. Thus, the glove may quickly be secured to the cuff of the coat sleeve when it is expected that the above conditions may be confronted, so as to leave the wrists unprotected.

With the foregoing objects and advantages in view, the invention will be described in greater detail herebelow. In the accompanying drawings, illustrating several embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a coat sleeve and a glove attached thereto in accordance with the invention, as it appears when worn by a person with his arm in outstretched position, such as when utilizing a pike pole;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the embodiment of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale, with the glove prior to its attachment to, or after its separation from, the sleeve of the coat;

FIG. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 2, illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a similar view, illustrating the parts shown in FIG. 3 with the glove connected to the coat sleeve;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing an embodiment of the invention utilizing a gauntlet type glove;

FIG. 6 is a similar view, showing the embodiment of FIG. 5 with the gauntlet in position as connected to the sleeve of the coat.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown the forearm of a person wearing a protective coat, fabricated to embody the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof. FIG. 1 depicts the person with one of his arms extending through one of the sleeves 10 of the coat and the arm in an outstretched position relative to the wearer's body. The figure is intended to show the arm stretched upwardly of the body, as when holding a pike pole or other implement designated 12.

FIG. 1 shows the sleeve 13 of the coat terminating at its outer end in a flexible cuff 14, and the latter connected to a glove 15 worn on the hand of the person.

The construction of the cuff 14 and of the glove 15 will appear more clearly from FIG. 2.

As there shown, the cuff 14 of the sleeve is split longitudinally, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the sleeve. At each of the ends 20, 21 of the cuff, the material is rendered flexible, by "gathering" the same in a direction lengthwise of the sleeve, and sewing or otherwise attaching a piece of narrow elastic fabric 22, 23 to the interior surface of the cuff, and extending from the outer end thereof to the inner end of the cuff. Similar narrow elastic strips 24, 25 are also sewn to the interior surface of the cuff at two or three spaced locations at which the cuff of the sleeve is also provided with "gathers," in order to provide flexibility of the cuff in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve.

Further in accordance with the invention there is sewn or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the cuff, adjacent the end 20 and superposed directly over and in contact with the elastic strip 22, and also to the inner surface of the circumferential outer boundary 27 of the cuff, narrow strips 30, 31 of Velcro material. There is also sewn or otherwise attached to the outer surface of the end 21 of the cuff, a strip of Velcro material so as to extend from the outer free end to the inner end of the end 21 of the cuff.

Secured as by sewing or otherwise, to the outer surface of the wristlet of the glove 15, is a relatively narrow band or strip of Velcro material 33 so as to completely encircle the wristlet of the glove.

It will thus be seen that after a person inserts his hand in the glove 15, and desiring to be certain of adequately protecting the area in the region of his wrist when engaged in activity which would normally expose those areas or regions, he need but extend the cuff 14 of the sleeve 13, if necessary stretching the cuff so that it completely surrounds the wristlet of the glove, and then places the Velcro material on the inside of the cuff 14 into contact with the Velcro material 33 carried by the wristlet of the glove 15. By pressing the Velcro material at the end of the cuff into the Velcro material on the exterior of the wristlet of the glove, the glove may be connected almost instantaneously with the sleeve of the coat. In this way there will be provided an air-tight joint between the sleeve and the glove, so as fully to protect the wearer, particularly in the region which might otherwise be exposed by reason of the space separating the glove and the outer end of the sleeve.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a modified embodiment of the invention, wherein the sleeve 51 is not provided at its outer end with a resilient cuff, such as in the case of the embodiment in FIG. 2. The glove 47 in this embodiment is fabricated substantially in the same manner as is the glove 15 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. That is to say, the wristlet 49 of the glove is provided on the exterior thereof with a relatively narrow band or strip of Velcro material completely encircling the open end of the glove. In this embodiment, the sleeve 51 of the coat is provided with a split portion in the cuff 52 thereof. The end 55 and the circumferential noundary 57 at the free outer end of the cuff, are provided with Velcro strips similarly as in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the glove 47 may be attached to the outer end of the sleeve 51, merely by pressing the Velcro material exposed at 55, 56 into the Velcro located on the exterior surface of the glove 47, as shown in FIG. 4, and then pressing the Velcro material 56, 57 into contact with the Velcro material 49 attached to the outer surface of the wristlet of the glove 47.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, this shows an embodiment of the invention wherein the outer end of the sleeve 60 is adapted, at the end portion 61, to receive the gauntlet portion 63 of the glove 64. As will be noted, the gauntlet portion 63 is constructed so as to be resilient, in the same manner as the cuff 20 of the sleeve shown in FIG. 2. Further, the gauntlet portion 63 is split in an axial direction, to provide ends 66 and 67. The portions 66 and 67 are provided with narrow strips of elastic material, and with strips of Velcro material in similar fashion to that shown in FIG. 2. The sleeve 60 is provided with a relatively narrow band or strip of Velcro material 70, sewn to the outer surface of the sleeve 60, adjacent the end 61 of the coat sleeve, to cooperate with the Velcro material affixed to gauntlet portion 63.

The coat, including the sleeves, may be fabricated from any of the materials commercially known as suitable for such usage, and more particularly for outer wear apparel worn by firemen. Among such materials are those known by the trade names of "Hypalon" and "Canvas Duck," and also the more recently developed material known by the name "Nomex."

The Velcro material which may be used is of the type sold under the trademark "VELCRO" and may be of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,717,437. Velcro comes in two tape strips -- one with tiny resilient hooks, the other of finely woven loops.

Although the invention has herein been illustrated and described with particular reference to the use thereof by firemen when fighting fires in locations or under circumstances or conditions which render them susceptuble to injuries, as by heat of flames, escaping steam, contact with corrosive liquids, or other harmful agents, it will be understood that the invention will find utility by other persons engaging in other activities. Among such other persons or activities may be mentioned welders, automobile or motorcycle racers who become involved in collisions or other accidents, workers whose work involves handling of glass, or chemicals or other materials or agents which may cause injury.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Protective wearing apparel comprising a two-piece combination, one of said pieces consisting of a coat, and the other of said pieces consisting of gloves for the hand, the sleeves of said coat being split longitudinally along a line extending through the cuff portion of the sleeve, the ends of said split portion, and the circumferential boundary of said cuff portion having narrow strips of Velcro material affixed thereto, the open end of said glove having affixed to the outer surface thereof a band of Velcro material completely encircling said open end.

2. Protective wearing apparel as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sleeves of said coat are formed with cuffs having gathers at circumferencially spaced locations thereof.

3. Protective wearing apparel as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cuffs are provided with narrow strips of elastic material serving to retain said gathered portions of said cuffs.

4. In a protective garment, a coat portion having sleeves, the outer ends of said sleeves being formed with cuffs having resilience in the longitudinal direction of the sleeves, said cuffs being split in said direction to provide a pair of longitudinally extending ends, one of said ends and the circumferential outer boundary of said cuff having Velcro material affixed to the inner surface thereof, the other of said ends of the cuff having Velcro material affixed to the outer surface thereof for engagement with the Velcro material affixed to the inner surface of said first-named end of the cuff.

5. In a protective garment, a coat portion as defined in claim 4, wherein said sleeves are provided with cuffs, said cuffs having gathered portions formed at circumferentially spaced locations thereof.

6. In a protective garment, a coat portion as defined in claim 5, wherein said gathered portion of the cuffs are associated with strips of elastic material.

7. In a protective garment, a coat portion as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said gathered portions of the cuffs and each of said strips of elastic material extends in the lengthwise direction of said sleeves.