US2294529A - Knitted cap - Google Patents

Description

sept. 1,1942. m, WENGEN. f 2,294,529

KNITTEDCAP Filed' Feb. 19. 1941 INVENTOR.

ATToRNEY.

Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

KNITTED CAP Application February 19, 1941, Serial No. 379,551

7 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to'improvements in headwear, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction of knitted caps of the type having ear protectors associated therewith.

An object of the invention is to provide a snug fitting knitted cap structure which is simple in construction and highly effective in use.

In my prior Patent No, 2,199,473, granted May '7, 1940, I have shown and described an improved tubular knitted cap assemblage of the type having ear protecting opposite side extensions adapted to be positively fastened or connected beneath the wearers chin, the entire lower edge of the cap and extensions being provided with an elastic edging or tape for causing the edge portions of the assemblage to tightly hug the wearers head regardless of variations in the size or shape of the heads. While this patented cap assembly is extremely effective and satisfactory as applied to a chin embracing type of cap, utilizing buttons or other attaching means for holding the chin straps or extensions against the dome of the cap when elevated, and interconnected beneath the chin when lowered and in active position, there is a big demand for caps of this type having the chin straps omitted. However, the omission of the chin embracing extensions from the prior caps, introduces serious diiculty in maintaining the ear laps or protectors in snug engagement with the wearers neck and sides of the head, when lowered, and especially so if the ear lap portions of the cap are lined with pads for e'nhancing their warmth. I have discovered, that by utilizing an elastic lower edging of the type shown in my prior patent, and by providing a visor extension edged by the same elastic tape and properly formed and located with respect to the ear lap portion of the cap, this latter portion can be caused to properly hug the wearers head either when lowered or elevated, without in fact using the chin straps or extensions and the attaching buttons.

It is therefore a more specilic object of my present invention to provide an improved knitted cap assemblage of the general type shown in my prior patent, but devoid of chin extensions and fastenings therefor, and wherein the elastic edging at the lower portion of the cap will cause this edge to hug the wearers head whether elevated or lowered.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved knitted cap having integral visor and ear lap portions, the latter of which is adapted to be raised or lowered,

and wherein both portions are edged with elastic tape in such manner that undesirable looseness of the cap is constantly eliminated.

A further specific object of this invention is to provide a simplied knitted cap structure having ear covering portions provided with padding of a warm and decorative nature, and wherein the ear protecting portions and pads are held in snug engagement with the head of the wearer without the use of special retaining means such as chin straps Still another specific object of the invention is to provide a highly attractive and effective knitted cap which can be readily manufactured and sold at moderate cost, and which is especially protective in cold weather.

An additional specific object of my invention is to provide an improved knitted cap assemblage having warm and attractive 'ear pads permanently associated therewith, and readily reversible in position with respect to the wearers head.

These and other specic objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of one embodiment of the present improvement, and of the mode of constructing and of wearing or utilizing knitted caps made in accordance with the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a front and side perspective View of one of the improved knitted caps applied to a wearers head and with the ear laps elevated;

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the improved cap, with the ear laps and protective pads lowered and snugly engaging the wearer; and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the cap removed from the head of the wearer, and in attened condition.

While the invention has been shown and described as being applied to a knitted cap oi` a particular type which may be formed from tubular knitted stock and having a pompon applied to the dome thereof, it is not the desire or intent to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the improvement.

Referring to the drawing, the present improved cap assemblage comprises in general, a tubular knitted body 6 having its upper 0r dome portion 1 gathered and closed to snugly fit the top of the head 8 of a wearer; opposite side ear laps 9 and a neck engaging portion I0 formed integral with the lower side and rear portions of the body 6,

and adapted to hug the wearers ears and neck, respectively; a visor extension II formed integral with the front lower edge of the body 6 and being permanently attached to the front part of the dome portion 1; and a continuous elastic edging tape I2 extending entirely around the edges of the ear laps 9, neck portion lil and visor extension II, and providing a resilient protective covering for these edges.

If the caps are formed from a continuous knitted tube, the successive bodies 6 may be formed of several sections of the knitted tube, which may be subsequently out and sewed to proper shape; and in such cases the wales will ordinarily extend from the top to the bottom of the caps. The bodies 6, may however be produced from flat knitted stock with the wales extending around the caps, -or even diagonally thereof, and the top of the dome portion may be provided with a decorative pompon I3. The interior of each of the ear laps 9 may also be provided with a protec tive and decorative ear pad I4, permanently attached thereto, and located close to the edging tape I2 thereof. While the integrally formed ear laps S and neck portion I@ may be either raised to the position shown in Fig. 1, or lowered as in Fig.v 2, to cause the Dads I 4 to assume reversed positions, the visor extension I I is preferably permanently secured to the front of the body 6.

The specific formation of the visor extension I I and the cooperation of the elastic tape I 2 with the edges of this extension I I and withv the swinging edges of the ear laps 9 and neck portion I0, is relatively important. The opposite sides of the visor extension il, terminate at the foremost upper end portions of the ear laps 9, and the continuous edging tape I 2 passes through the valleys or V-notches formed between the visor extension II and the adjacent ear laps 9; and this edging tape I2 when properly applied, should be under sufficient tension to cause the ear laps 9 and neck portion I9 to be constantly biased inwardly regardless of whether these parts are raised or lowered. During swinging of the ear protectors or laps S from elevated to lowered position, or vice Versa; the elastic tape should have a pivotal or hinge action at the opposite extreme ends of the visor portion I i as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

During normal use of the improved cap assemblage, the body 6 and dome portion 'I will ordinarily'be stretched into snug engagement with the head 8 of a wearer, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the visor portion II will constantly overlie the forehead of the wearer to provide double protection at that Zone, since this visor portion II is permanently attached to the cap body 6. The ear and neck protecting portions 9, I may however be positioned either elevated as shown in Fig. 1, so that the pads I4 are visible; or lowered as illustrated in Fig. 2, in snug engagement with the ears and rear neck portion of the wearer. By virtue of the fact that the semi-circular visor portion I I which is edged by the elastic tape I2, is xedly secured to the upper central portion of the body S, and that the portions of the tape I2 which extend along the edges of the ear and neck portions 9, I are always under tension thus biasing these portions inwardly, the entire lower edge of the cap will at all times be drawn into snug engagement either with the body 6 when elevated, or with the wearers head and neck when lowered. The ear muifs or pads I 4 will merely serve as ornaments or decoration when exposed as in Fig'. 1, but when reversed and lowered as in Fig. 2, these pads I4 will be pressed snugly against the wearers ears by the elastic tape I2 extending around the peripheries of the pads. The special construction and application of the tape I2 to the cap, thus constantly eliminates undesirable looseness and provides for proper snug coaction of the ear laps with the wearers head, without the use of chin straps and. additional fasteners.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be apparent that my present invention provides an improved knitted helmet cap structure which is simple and durable in construction and highly effective in use, and wherein snug coaction of the ear engaging portions is assured without utilizing chin straps or the like. The formation of the visor portion II and of the elastic tape I2 and the cooperation thereof with the ear laps 9 and pads I4, are important in securing best results and in avoiding excessive looseness, and the pads I4 may still be made of considerable size and thickness without destroying the utility thereof. The visor portion II of the improved helmet cap is preferably permanently attached to the body 6 only at the uppermost central part of the visor, so as to permit the visor edging tape I2 to exert a constant pull upon the ear laps 9 and thus draw the ear protectors inwardly at all times. The direction of extent of the wales in the improved cap is relatively unimportant, but the snug fit is somewhat enhanced by causing these wales to extend transversely across the visor, ear lap, and neck portions as shown in the drawing. The improved knitted caps can be manufactured and sold at moderate cost, and have proven highly satisfactory and successful in actual use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A cap comprising, a body having an integral visor permanently attached to and overlying the front thereof and also having integral ear laps swingably associated with its opposite sides adjacent to the ends of said visor, and a continuous elastic tape extending along the edges of said visor and ear laps,.said tape being under resilient tension sufcient to constantly bias said edges inwardly.

2. A cap comprising, a knitted body having an integral knitted visor overlying and permanently secured to the front thereof and also having integral knitted and rearwardly united ear laps foldably associated with its lower edge closely adjacent to the opposite lower ends of said visor, anda continuous elastic edging tape extending along the entire edges of said visor and ear laps, said tape being under resilient tension suiiicient to constantly bias said ear laps inwardly and the latter being disposable above and below said lower body edge.

3. A helmet cap comprising, a body having an integral approximately semi-circular visor overlying and permanently attached to the front mid-portion thereof and also having integral ear laps swingably connected to its lower edge adjacent to the opposite ends of said visor, and a continuous elastic tape covering and extending along the entire edges of said visor and ear laps, said tape being under tension sufficient to constantly bias said visor and ear laps inwardly.

4. A helmet cap comprising, a body having an integral approximately semi-circular visor overlying and permanently attached to the front midportion thereof and also having integral ear laps swingably connected to its lower edge adjacent to the opposite ends of said visor, an ear pad secured to each of said ear laps close to the free edge thereof, and a continuous elastic tape extending along the entire edge of said visor and along a considerable portion of the periphery of each pad, said tape being tensioned to constantly bias said visor and pads inwardly.

5. A helmet cap comprising, a knitted body having integral knitted ear laps and an integral knitted neck engaging portion interconnecting said ear laps, said ear laps and said neck portion being foldably associated with the side and rear portions of said body, and a continuous elastic tape extending across the front of said body and along the entire free edges of said ear laps and neck portion, said tape being under tension sufficient to constantly bias said ear laps and neck portion inwardly.

6. A helmet cap comprising, a knitted body having integral knitted ear laps and an integral knitted neck engaging portion interconnecting said ear laps, said ear laps and said neck portion being foldably associated With the side and rear portions of said body, an ear pad attached to each of said ear laps close to the free edge thereof, and a continuous elastic tape extending across the front of said body and along the entire free edge of said ear laps and a considerable portion of the periphery of each of said pads, said tape being under tension sufficient to constantly bias said pads and neck portion inwardly.

7. A helmet cap comprising, a body having integral ear laps foldably associated with the opposite sidesA thereof, and a continuous elastic tape completely surrounding the cap and extending along the extreme edges of said ear laps and rear neck portion and considerably above the lower edge of the front of said cap, said tape being under suicient tension to alone constantly bias said ear laps inwardly into snug engagement With the vvearers head.

FRANK J. WENGEN.

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