US2743454A - Insulated sound transmitting ear cells for a cap - Google Patents

Description

lMay l, 1956 R. l. wooDBURY INSULATED SOUND TRANSMITTING EAR CELLS FOR A CAP Filed March 17, 1954 .Ivmvvn IN VEN TOR.

. D Odbury Rober- L AT TURA/EY INSULATED SOUND TRANSMITTING EAR CELLS Fon A CAP Robert L. Woodbury, Washington, D. C., 'assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary ofthe Army The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon. v v

The present invention relates to improvements in caps.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a winter cap for use by members of the armed services, and the like, having means adjacent to the ears of the wearer for protecting the ears'from cold and wind, but readily admitting sound.

Another object is to provide a wind resistant, water repellent fabric cap having ear tlap portions including pockets within which are arranged apertured inserts of flexible cellular material, adapted to admit sound to the ears, while insulating the ears from cold, wind and moisturel" Another object is to provide a cap of the above-mentioned character which will provide dead air insulating spaces between the ears of the wearer and the outside of the cap for heat insulating purposes. Further.r objects of the invention are to provide a cap of the above-'mentioned character which is simplified and economical in construction, sturdy and durable, soft and comfortable duringA wearing, and neat and attractive in appearance.,

Other objects and advantages of 'the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, p

Figure l is a perspective view of a cap embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the cap showing its construction at one of the ear regions of the same,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged Verticall section taken on line 4--4 of Figure 2, y

Figure 5 is a perspective View of one of the heat insulating and sound transmitting inserts removed from the cap, and,

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the cap with its chin straps unfastened. l

ln the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment fof the invention, the numeral 10 designates the top or crown of the cap, stitched by a line of stitches 11 to a generally vertical panel or side wall 12. The cap is provided at its front with a suitable peak i3 stitched to the bottom edge of the side Wall l2 by lines of stitching 14, as shown.

The cap further comprises a downwardly extending portion or llap l5, extending continuously about the rear and sides of the cap and having its forward ends terminating at the opposite ends of the peak 13. The flap is secured to the lower edge of the cap side wall 12 by the lines of stitches 14,' which extend continuously about the entire length or circumference of the sidewall 12. The flap 15 is adapted to cover the back of the neck and the sides of. the face and head, in the regions of the ears. The flap 15 United States Patent O 2,743,454 `Patented May'v 195,6

is provided at its forward ends with integral depending tapered extensions 16 forming chin straps, and these chin straps 16 may be provided near their lower ends with buttons 17 and elastic loops 18 and 19, to facilitate fastening the chin straps beneath the chin of the wearer, and to also aid in tying the chin straps above the crown 10 when desired.

` -T he crown 10, side wall 12 andthe entire ilap'15, including chin straps 16 are formed from a suitable wind resistant and water repellent woven fabric, such as woven cotton twill and poplin, or the like. The peak 13 is likewise covered with fabric of the same type, and thepeak may be reinforced or stiffened with a suitable insert of relatively stiff material, such as cardboard or the like. The inner faces of the crown 10 and cap side wall 12 are preferably entirely lined with a relatively heavy woven wool fabric or the like, as indicated generally at 20. The inner faces of the depending ilap 15 and chin straps 16 are preferably lined with a suitable pile fabric lining 21, except at the portions of the flap 15 adjacent to the ears of the wearer, as will be further described` The wool lining 20 may be stitched to the inner surfaces of the crown 10 and side wall12 by the lines of stitching 11 and 14, and the pile fabric lining 21 is stitched to the inner face of the flap 15 by marginal lines of stitching 22 and 23. y f

The outer face of theflap 15 is provided in the regions of the ears with generally rectangular patchesor sections 24 of wind resistant, water repellent woven cotton fabric, or the like, of a somewhat coarser weave than the fabric making up the outer face of the remainder of the flap 15. The patches 24 are secured to the outer side of the flap 15 by marginal lines of stitching 25 and 26, as well as by the lines of stitching 14 and 22. The patches 24 replace ythe more tightly woven fabric forming the remainder of the outer face of the flap 15 in the regions covered by the patches, and the more closely woven fabric is cut away in the areas covered by the patches 24. The patches 24 are made of water repellent fabric, and they are'still adapted to oifer considerable resistance to the passage of wind therethrough, and are better adapted to admit sound than the fabric employed in the remainder of the outer face of the tlap 15. l

On the inner face of the ilap 15, at the same areas covered by the patches 24, the pile fabric lining 21 is cut away or notched to provide for inner patches or sections 27 of thin, rather loosely Woven or knitted woolen fabric. The patches 24 and 27 are of the same size and shape, and the inner patches 27 are adapted to transmit sound freely to the ears, although they aid somewhat in protecting the ears from the wind or cold. The inner woolen patches 27 are stitched to the flap 15 by the lines of stitches 22, 25 and 26, as shown. The outer patches 24 are more` tightly woven, and therefore more imperforate than the` inner coarsely woven or foraminous fabric patches 27.

The patches 27 form with the outer patches v424i pockets or enclosures for generally rectangular flexible inserts or pads 28 of expanded, cellular rubber-like material, such as cellular polyvinyl chloride, or the like. Material of this type is presently manufactured by the United States Rubber Company under the name of Ensolite The polyvinyl chloride stock making up the inserts 28 is com` vthough this thickness is not critical, and may be varied somewhat ifdesired.A The -inserts are very soft and flexible, `andtheirlcellular `construction provides .a multiplicity of closely spaced random dead air cells in the inserts 28, throughout their entire body portions. `The inserts 28 are provided over their entire areas with a plurality of relatively closely spaced apertures 29, extending theren through, and ythe purpose of the apertures 29 is to admit sound `freely through the inserts 28 -to the ears. The apertures 29 may be approximately 1A; of an `inch in diarneter, although their :size is lnot critical, and be varied somewhat as desired.

rlhe inserts 28 are of a size to substantially fill the pockets -formed by-the'patches 24 and 27, and the patches 24 and`27 contact the outer `and inner facesj of the inserts 28 and cover the opposite ends of the apertures 29. This affords substantially dead air spaces within the apertures 29 of the inserts, to provide further heat insulation in the regions of the ears. Sound is freely admissible through the patches 24 and 27 and ythrough the apertures 29, and

the `outer patches 24 will resist the passage of wind and moistureto the ears, as lwillthe inner patches 27 to a somewhat lesser extent. The inserts 28 provide effective barriers to prevent the passage of wind and moisture to the ears, and the inserts also effectively insulate the ears from thecold.

The inserts'28 may be inserted into the pockets formed by the patches 24 and 27, prior to closing the top ends of the pockets-with the line of stitching 23. i

It is thus seen that a soft type fabric cap is provided with heat insulating, wind resistant and water repellent cells or -units in the regions of the flap 15 adjacent the earsof the wearer. These cells or units are adapted at the same time to facilitate the passage of sound to the ears, while they are protecting the ears from cold and from the elements. The said cells or units are soft and readily flexible, and do not render the cap in any way uncomfortable, bulky or unattractive in appearance. The outer patches 24 are preferably made of fabric having the samecolor as the remainder of the woven material upon the outer side of the cap, such as olive drab or the like.

Itis to be understood that the form of the invention,

herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of 4the same, .and that various changes `in formed of an outer flexible sheet of closely woven windi resistant fabric and Van inner llexible sheet of thin coarse forarninous fabric, means ysecuring said sheets of the pocket together near their marginal edges, and a thick insert of cellular rubberlike material arranged within the pocket and between said sheets and conforming to the shape of the pocket and substantially yfilling it, the thickness of said insert 4being considerably greater than the combined thicknesses of said sheets, said insert having a multiplicity of spaced apertures extending therethrough of a diameter substantially smaller than the thickness of said insert, whereby Isound is readily transmitted through said :apertures `and appreciable heat loss by convection therethrough is prevented.

2. A thermally insulating sound transmitting ear cell for a cap or the like according to claim 1, wherein said insert is formed of unicellular polyvinyl chloride.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS` 948,273 Finestone et al Feb. l, 1910 970,544 .Passman Sept. 20, 1910 1,833,708 Ford Nov. 24, 1931 2,066,503 `Wiggers Jan. 5, 1937 2,345,649 Zimmerman et al Apr. 4, 1944 2,367,459 Corley Jan. 16, 19.45 2,462,258 Dannenberg Feb. 22, 1949 2,634,415 Turner et al Apr. 14, 1953 2,684,067 Lienard July 20, 1954 FOREIGN VPATEIJTS 22,608 Great Britain 1908 1,037,901 France May 6, 1953

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