US3608094A - Unitary cap visor - Google Patents

Abstract

A HAT CONSTRUCTION FOR HATS OF THE MILITARY TYPE, INCLUDING A VISOR, THE VISOR BEING OF UNITARY FORM AND BEING CONSTRUCTED OF PLASTIC MATERIAL.

Description

P. G. GALLIN UNITARY CAP VISOR Sept. 28, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1969 lm [I INVENTOR PAUL G. GALLIN ATTORNEYS US. Cl. 2-209.3 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hat construction for hats of the military type, eluding a visor, the visor being of unitary form and being constructed of plastic material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 682,225, filed Nov. 13, 1967, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Military-type hat constructions have conventionally employed visors which combine the utilitarian functions of blocking glare from sunlight or the like, and of providing a handle for the manipulation of the hat, with a decorative appearance. Previous visors of this class have been of laminated fiber or leather construction generally embodying a semirigid interior backing with a leather or imitation leather cover held thereover by a stitched binding. After some use and exposure to the elements, the visor bindings become frayed, the sheen of the cover is dissipated and the body portion becomes misshapen.

Other types of caps have previously employed nonfibrous visors of thin, nonrigid, form where transparency is a requirement. One example of the latter type of cap is found in United States Patent No. 1,624,727 (Goldberg, 1927). Such visors, due to the severe handling to which military caps are subjected, are not suited to use in connection with hats of this type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, hats of the military variety are provided with a firm, substantially rigid, serviceable visor portion capable of maintaining a neat, undeformed appearance despite extensive use and exposure. The improved visor may be molded with any desired surface characteristic simulating leather, binding and/or stitching, is easily cleaned when soiled, and is highly resistant to damage by water or by other types of inclement weather. Specifically, the visor comprise a rigid, usually opaque, plastic molded to the proper configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hat constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of a first form of hot, taken substantially on the section line indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of a first form of hat, taken substantially on the section line indicated by the arrows in FIG! 1;

FIG. 3 is a like sectional view showing a modification;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the upper side of a modified visor according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of the under side of another modification of the visor.

United States Patent 0 3,608,094 Patented Sept. 28,, 1971 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now in detail to the drawing, specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, a hat construction 10 is shown without its outer cover which is of optional design, such covers conventionally being removable for cleaning. In the hat construction 10, the hat comprises an annular, head encircling main frame 12, having a visor 11 secured to and projecting from the front thereof. The frame 12 is formed of a semirigid material such as plastic, straw fiber, or the like, and has opposite upper and lower edge portions 14, 16 respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower edge portion 16 has an outwardly flared section 18 which occupies at least the front area of the flame for attachment of the visor 11.

A first fabric binding 20 is secured about the upper edge portion of the frame throughout its full peripheral extent, by a line of stitching 22. Overlying the first binding 20, and of a substantially greater depth at both sides, is a second binding 24. The second binding is afiixed to the frame 12 by stitching 26. The effect of these two bindings arranged with the larger one thereof in terms of side depth overlying the shorter, is to form a thickened top portion terminating at inner and outer ridges 28 which serve as an aid in retaining and in shaping the hat cover.

A third binding 30, consisting of inner and outer panels 32, 34, respectively, and a connecting portion 36, is secured by stitching 38 to the lower edge portion 16 of the frame. In the area 18 for attachment of the visor, the outer panel 34 is of increased height relative to the height of the inner panel 32, the latter being reduced in that area as shown in FIG. 2.

The visor 11, according to the invention, comprises a molded plastic body portion 42 of unitary, substantially rigid one-piece plastic of a scratch, weather and water resistant type. The body portion is of a rigidity at least equal to the composition visor of the prior art, and is of crescent form in plan view, including a concave, tapered inner side edge 44, and a convex outer side edge 46 which merges at the ends of the body with the inner side. The body further has an upper face 48 and a lower face 50, and is arched inwardly as shown so as to be concave in that direction.

The visor 11 is secured to the flared section 18 of the frame over the outer panel 34 of the third binding by stitch means 52 which extend through the visor binding panels and the frame. The stitching procedure is accomplished on existing machinery without any modification thereof. The angularity and configuration of the flared section 18 is such that the sewing operation is readily accomplished, and a secure connection effected.

A band 54 of felt or the like is sewn about the periphery of the frame and has a front panel 56 of greater size than the remaining portions to partially overlie the visor and to further shape the cover. The band is preferably hemmed at its lower edge for neatness of appearance. It will also be understood that an inner sweat band is attached in the final stage of manufacture.

FIG. 3 shows a modified construction 10a including a frame 12a and visor 11a. Elements corresponding to those heretofore described are identified by like reference characters, a letter a being added for distinction. The second form of the invention is characterized chiefly by the incorporation of an extension of the body portion 42a of the visor 11a. The extension 100 is vertically oriented in use in respect to the angular inclination of the visor, so as to fit substantially flush against the central section of the frame 12a above the flare-d portion 18a thereof.

The extension 100 may be tapered and/or somewhat thinner than the visor body portion 42a and may be attached to the frame 12a in the same manner as the usual, composite prior art visors. For example, a single 3 row of stitching 102 may serve to securing the binding 30a in place and the visor to the frame. By this arrangement, the flare of the portion 18a is substantially reduced. Consequently, this structure is quite similar to the usual structure wherein the flexible outer cover of the composite visor is turned upwardly around the frame.

In addition to the previously cited advantages of the molded visor, there are many additional advantages in that decoration and/ or simulated constructions can be integrally incorporated. Whereas the visor shown in FIG. 1 has a glossy outer surface simulating patent leather and also has a plain, smooth free edge or rim 46, the visor is subject to many variations such, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, wherein a visor 11b is similar in structure to the visor 11a and includes a body portion 42b having a rim portion 46b that is so molded as to simulate a binding strip 70 and/or stitching 72. The integral formation of the binding strip 70 and stitching 72 is better illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5. Other decorative features, such as insignia, emblems or the like 74 likewise may be molded in situ on the upper outer surface of the body 42b. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the emblem 74 may be provided with anchoring means 76 which are embedded in the body portion 42b of the visor.

In addition to the glossy surface simulating patent leather, as shown in FIG. 1, the surface may be so molded as to present a surface simulating a fine leather, such as alligator, as shown in FIG. 4, on the outer side and a matte surface simulating canvas or the like on the underside, as shown in FIG. 5. Preferably, the underside of the visor is always provided with a matte surface to preclude reflection of light rays into the wearers eyes and, as shown in FIG. 6, the un-dersurface of the body 420 of the visor 11c may be provided with a matte surface simulating fine kid leather.

In view of the solid single piece structure of the visor formed of stiff or rigid plastic it will retain its shape despite hard and rugged use. It will withstand the effects of the elements, will shed dirt and may readily be cleaned. Finally, there is no edge binding to become worn and frayed. Moreover, the molded visor is lighter in weight and less cumbersome than the composite visor. Whereas the standard laminated composite visor averages about of an inch in thickness and is correspondingly heavy, a molded plastic visor according to the present invention may be only of an inch in thickness and correspondingly lighter in weight. Thus, clearly it is evident that it has a much longer life and many decided advantages over the standard composite visor structure. Furthermore, the visor may be molded in any selected color such as black, green, gray or brown, and the color will remain constant and uniform throughout production and will not fade or discolor in use and is readily cleaned with soap and water.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hat of the military type, a hat construction comprising:

an annular, head encircling frame having upper and lower edge portions;

a first binding strip about the upper edge portion;

a second binding strip of increased depth relative to and overlapping the first binding strip, stitch'means securing said second binding strip to the frame upper edge portion;

a third binding strip about the lower edge portion;

the third binding strip having inner and outer panels;

the outer panel being of increased height relative to the inner panel;

a visor formed of solid plastic material, the visor being of crescent form and having a concave inner edge section and a convex outer edge portion;

stitch means extending through the inner edge section of the visor connecting it to the frame over said outer panel of the third binding; and

an overlying annular band of felt material about the frame, the band having a front section of increased width relative to the remaining portion of said overlying annular band covering the inner edge of the visor and a subtantial portion of the frame thereabove.

2. In the hat according to claim 1 wherein said inner edge of the visor is upwardly extended to lie in a plane contiguous and parallel to said lower edge portion of the frame.

3. In a hat according to claim 1 wherein said visor includes integral formations simulating decorative constructional features.

4. In a hat according to claim 1, wherein said inner edge of said visor is tapered,

said visor being of integral, unitary construction of opaque plastic material and of a thickness and rigidity to retain the shape of said visor and said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,273,376 7/1918 Jones 2245 2,144,926 1/ 1939 Lawton 401.5 2,424,279 7/ 1947 Libshutz et al 2-195 2,579,196 12/1951 Lev 2-195 2,649,923 8/1953 Brent 63--20X 2,875,447 3/1959 Goldmerstein 2171.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 9,052 4/1903 Great Britain 2--195 I ORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRISMANICH, Assistant Examiner

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