US3892246A

US3892246A - Method and apparatus for doing afro hairdos

Info

Publication number: US3892246A
Application number: US457749A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Woodard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-04-04
Filing date: 1974-04-04
Publication date: 1975-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-01

Abstract

A so-called ''''Afro hairdo'''' (that is, a hairdo in which curly hair stands out from the head) is set in the following manner: Shampooed hair is wetted using oil, such as mineral oil, applied to the hair of a person having relatively curly hair, such as occurs in Black or Negro persons or their descendants; the hair is parted and combed straight down; a stretchable, imperforate cap is placed on the head and adjusted; the hair is allowed to dry or is dried; the cap is removed; the hair is then pulled out so that it stands away from the scalp; and then a comb having greatly elongated teeth is used to further cause the hair to stand straight out from the scalp.

Description

United States Patent [191 Woodard METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOING AFRO HAIRDOS [76} Inventor: Robert Woodard, 5003 Wynnefield Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19131 221 Filed: Apr. 4, 1974 21 1 Appl. No.: 457,749

[4 1 July 1,1975

Primary Examiner- G. E. McNeill Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Seidel, Gonda & Goldhammer [5 7 ABSTRACT A so called Afro hairdo" (that is, a hairdo in which curly hair stands out from the head) is set in the following manner: Shampooed hair is wetted using oil, such as mineral oil, applied to the hair of a person having relatively curly hair, such as occurs in Black or Negro persons or their descendants; the hair is parted and combed straight down; a stretchable, imperforate cap is placed on the head and adjusted; the hair is allowed to dry or is dried; the cap is removed; the hair is then pulled out so that it stands away from the scalp; and then a comb having greatly elongated teeth is used to further cause the hair to stand straight out from the scalp.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEHJULI F/GL? METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOING AFRO HAIRDOS This invention relates to a method and apparatus for doing Afro hairdos. More particularly. this invention relates to a novel process for setting curly hair in a type of hairdo where the hair stands relatively straight out from the head, and an apparatus for performing the process.

The Afro hairdo is best described as a hair style in which relatively long curly hair is caused to stand straight out from the scalp as by what is known as teasing. This style of hair is most often worn by persons who are of the Black or Negro races, or their descendants, and whose hair naturally has a high degree of curl in it. It should be understood that this invention is not limited to use by Black persons as it has equal applicability to any other person who may wish to wear their hair in the so-called Afro style.

The problem with the Afro style is that it is greatly effected by atmospheric conditions, particularly humid atmospheric conditions. When the humidity is high, the strands of hair tend to curl in or shrink towards the scalp. It is said that the hairdo loses its body". When this happens, the hair must be reset.

The resetting of the hair under present processes requires that the wearer spend one or more hours in a professional beauty shop or barber shop. This is extremely time consuming and therefore limits when an Afro hairdo can be worn. For example, busy persons may be able to wear this style of hair only for dress on weekends. And yet they may wish to wear it all the time. The present invention overcomes the foregoing difficulties by providing a novel process for rapidly obtaining an Afro hairdo. In accordance with the present invention, a person may provide himself with an Afro hairdo in 15 minutes as compared to the pre-existing times of 1 hour for a so-called blow-out as provided in beauty shops or barber shops. The process is accomplished by shampooing the hair or treating the hair with an oil, such as mineral oil or otherwise wetting it such as with water or an admixture of water and oil. The hair must be clean. Thereafter, the hair is parted on both sides and the back and combed straight down over the ears and back of the head so that it lies flat against the scalp. Thereafter, the user puts an imperforate cap over his or her head and pulls the cap as tight as possible against the scalp. The cap is left in place until the hair dries. Using an ordinary home hair dryer, this can take about eight to ten minutes. The user could, if he or she so desired, put the cap on before retiring at night and then remove it the next morning.

In any case, the cap is removed after the hair has dried. Then, the hair is pulled out" using what is known as a "pull-out pick" which is a form of teasing comb. The final step in the process is to use a comb having greatly elongated teeth (over 5 inches). This comb is run through the hair at the scalp line with the tines flat against the scalp and then it is lifted straight away from the scalp. This is repeated over the entire head of the user. Upon completion of this last step, the user of the process will have provided himself or herself with an Afro hairdo in a short time; e.g., minutes.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a frontelevational view of the imperforate cap used in the present invention, said cap being shown in the process of being placed on a users head.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing the cap in place on the users head.

FIG. 3 shows the lifter" comb used in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows another form of comb used in performing the process of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a cap 10 which is made of a resiliently stretchable and imperforate material. By way of example, the cap 10 may be made of rubber or an imperforate, polymeric material. The cap may also be made of a woven material, provided that the weave is so tight that human hair does not poke through it. Thus, as used in accordance with the present invention, the term imperforate" means that the material for the cap is imperforate to human hair. The cap should be stretchable to obtain a desired tight fit over the scalp.

The user begins the process by shampooing his or her hair. Thereafter, it may, but need not be, treated with an oil substance, such as mineral oil or water and mineral oil. If desired, other substances such as well known hair tonics, or even water alone can be used.

The next step is for the user to part his or her hair at the sides and back of the scalp and comb it down over the ears, forehead and back of the head so that it lies flat against the scalp. A so-called bush comb" can be used for this purpose. Bush combs are a well-known hair styling instrument and therefore need not be described in detail, particularly since any hair styling instrument which accomplishes the foregoing purpose is suitable.

The next step in the process is to place the cap 10 over the scalp. The cap 10 is designed so as to be smaller than the scalp in its normally unstretched state. it preferably is over a foot in length so that it fits well down over the head and over the face. This extra length gives the user a handle to hold onto the cap and pull it tightly against the scalp. Thereafter, the edge of the cap is rolled or folded upwardly so that it uncovers the user's face. This is shown in FIG. 2.

The next step in the process is for the user of that process to leave the cap in place until the hair is dry. This can be accomplished in eight to ten minutes using an overhead hair dryer such as the fabric cap type sold on the open market. If desired, he or she could even wear it overnight. The function of the cap and leaving it in place is to maintain the hair in a straightened-out condition until the hair has dried. Thereafter. the cap 10 is removed from the wearers head.

The next step in the process is to use the comb 12 shown in FIG. 4. Comb 12 is a conventional pull-out pick which is widely used by stylists, particularly for doing Afro hairdos. The user inserts the pick and draws and teases the hair straight out from the scalp. In the preferred form, the pull-out pick has a handle 14 that is approximately 3 inches in length and three inches wide at its widest point. The pull-out pick 12 is also provided with a series of tines 16 which are essentially steel prongs that protrude from the handle 14 and have a length of approximately 2% inches. The handle 14 can be made of wood or plastic, as desired.

After the user has applied the pull-out pick over his or her entire head so that the hair stands straight out, he or she is now ready to use the lifter comb 22 illustrated in FIG. 3. The comb 22 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a wood or plastic handle 18 that is approximately 5 inches in length and approximately 2% inches wide at the junction between it and the tines 20. The tines 20 are steel prongs which protrude from the handle and have a length of over 5 inches, with a length of approximately 6 inches being preferred. The tines 20, like the tines 16 are made of steel and and do not readily bend.

The user uses the comb 22 in the following manner: The tines 20 are inserted into the hair flat against the scalp and then the comb is lifted straight away from the scalp. This is repeated over the entire surface of the scalp. The use of the lifter comb 22 differs from the use of the pull-out pick 12 in that that pick is used more in the manner of an ordinary teasing comb; that is, the tines 16 are pulled through the hair at an angle to the scalp. The use of the comb 22 is as described; that is, the tines 20 are laid flat against the scalp and then lifted straight away from the scalp.

The process is completed when the user pats any loose ends into place. At this point, the user has a complete Afro hairdo.

The use of the overly long cap as compared, for example, to the length of a conventional bathing cap, is

to accommodate the long hair of the person wearing an Afro hair style. As indicated, the cap preferably has a length of at least twelve inches from the crown to the edge.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A process for styling curly hair comprising the steps of:

a. wetting the hair;

b. parting the hair and combing it flat against the scalp;

c. stretching a stretchable, imperforate cap over all of the hair and adjusting the cap to hold all of the hair in place flat against the scalp;

d. drying the hair with the cap in place on the scalp;

e. removing the cap;

f. combing out the hair so that it stands straight out from the scalp;

g. placing a highly elongated comb against the scalp and lifting it straight away from the scalp through the hair and repeating the last step over the entire scalp to give the hair an Afro style.

Claims

1. A process for styling curly hair comprising the steps of: a. wetting the hair; b. parting the hair and combing it flat against the scalp; c. stretching a stretchable, imperforate cap over all of the hair and adjusting the cap to hold all of the hair in place flat against the scalp; d. drying the hair with the cap in place on the scalp; e. removing the cap; f. combing out the hair so that it stands straight out from the scalp; g. placing a highly elongated comb against the scalp and lifting it straight away from the scalp through the hair and repeating the last step over the entire scalp to give the hair an Afro style.