US1868926A - Batter's mask and the like - Google Patents

Description

Juiy 1932. Q TATORE ET AL 1,868,926

BATTERS MASK AND THE LIKE Filed April 6, 1932 FIG. 2

INVENTOR S Carmine 751cm & HanEon-z By //a wlfw w.

ATTORNEY Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARMINE TATORE AND FRANK TATORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BATTER/S MASK AND THE LIKE Application filed April 6,

This invention relates to protective masks for ball players, such as batters, playing in a game of baseball, that affords protection to the upper part of the head and one side of the face which are generally exposed to great danger of being struck by an oncoming ball.

The main object of our invention is to provide a batters mask which is particularly suited to give the batter protection in his normal position by virtue of an extension from the skull portion of the mask covering the side of the face exposed to danger.

Another object is to provide a mask which tends to deflect a flying ball away from the 16 upper portion of the face by means of a projection at the peak, above the forehead.

A further object is to provide a mask which also tends to deflect a flying ball away from the side and front of the face by means of 20 side projections extending forwardly from one portion of the mask.

It is also an object to provide a mask of the character indicated, which is very light in construction and comfortable to the wearer and at the same time very strong in order to withstand the great impinging force of a pitched ball.

Still another object is to provide such a mask that gives the wearer an unobstructed field of vision and which may be securely positioned upon the players head.

In the accompanying drawing forming part hereof V Figure 1 is a side view of a batters mask made according to the invention and including the novel features and advantages in construction thereof, shown in position uponthe head of the wearer. 1

Figure 2 illustrates the other side of the same mask.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front view showing the same side as in Figure 1.

Throughout the views the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. 1

It is often the case in ball games that a ball approaches so suddenly and from such an unexpected angle that the player, particular ly the batter, is unable to avoid being struck thereby on some part of the head, particular- 1932. Serial No. 603,472.

ly on the side which is turned to the pitcher. A player being thus struck by a pitched ball, which incident in the language of the game is commonly referred to as being beaned, is often seriously injured and sometimes permanently maimed.

In any case it makes him bat shy and, consequently he cannot play the game with his usual confidence and skill. With the aforementioned objects in view, our invention has been designed, particularly to give the batter adequate protection while atplay, as follows:

In the practice of our invention, a frame generally indicated at 1 is made of a plural ity of wires or other open-work frame members,3, 4, 5, etc., which are united by a generally horizontal edge member 10 surrounc ing the skull of the player, while the frame as a WhOl envelopes the skull. A downwardly extending frame which is almost triangular in form and generally indicated at 2 issecured to the frame 1 and primarily consists of members 11 and 12, which are reinforced by downward extensions of members l and 5 and auxiliary members 13, 14 and 15.

The front portion of the mask may be flared forwardly by having the members 6 and 3 curved outwardly away from the skull. The effect'of this construction is to deflect an oncoming ball either upwardly or outwardly, or in other words to cause the ball to glance away from the upper part of the head. Due to the peculiarity that the normal position of the player exposes just one side of the head to the danger of impact by an oncoming ball, the downwardly extending frame 2 has been designed toprotect the side thus endangered. v

However, in order to enhance the effect of protection to the one side of the face, a forwardly extending side projection 16 may be secured, if desired, to member 12 of the side frame 2, and which serves to deflect a ball rearwardly or away from the face; An addi: 9

tional side projection may be secured above the member 16 to both frames 1 and 2, serving both to cooperate with said latter member in protecting the face and to further re: enforce the assembly of both frames.

In order to protect the wearers head from direct contact by the various hard frame members and make the mask comfortable While being worn, We provide a cushioning padding 18 which may be laced or otherwise secured to the skull-surrounding edge-member 10. This padding is extended downward and secured underneath members 11 and 12, as shown at 19 and 20, so as to protect the side of the face. This padding prevents the head from being jarred by the force of an impinging ball. The mask is securely positioned upon the wearers head by means of a chin strap 21 fastened to the lower part of the frame member 12 at 23 and pulled through an ear 22 projecting from the edge member 10 at the opposite side of the face and fastened in any suitable manner.

It is manifest that Variations in the above features may be resorted to in order to make the mask better suitable to the individual wearers and to various other games or sports.

In the embodiment illustrated herein the edge member 10 conforms generally with the transverse shape of the head and may be integral with the side frame members 11 and 12, or may have said side frame soldered or otherwise secured thereto in any known manner. The mainreinforcing members 3, 3 and 5, 5 form the main supports at the front and the sides as well as at the rear for the horizontal ring members 8 and 9 which preferably envelop members 3, 3 but pass beneath members 5, 5.

Of course, these members may be welded, braced, soldered or otherwise secured to each other at their mutual points of contact or may be merely held in place by friction. One member 5 as well as members 3, 3 are preferably bent to envelop edge-member 10 and may be further secured thereto by soldering, welding, etc. The other member 5 extends downward at the side of the mask in the form of member 7 whose lower end is bent to envelop the lower portion of frame member 11. A plurality of shorter reinforcing members 6, 6 and one of members 4 are secured at their lower ends to edge member 10, similarly to 3, 3, while the other member 4 extends down past the edge member 10 and is secured to an intermediate portion of frame member 11. This member is then further bent forward as a reinforcing member 13, which is secured to the front frame member 12. All the members 4, 4 and 6, 6 are passed over the members 9 and 8, while being secured at their upper extremities to the latter member 8.

In order to further reinforce the side frame 2 as well as to fill in the open areas therein, member 14; is secured to member 13 near its junction with member 12 and is passed upward over the edge member 10 beneath member 5 and then returned downward as member 15 over member 13 and finally secured to an intermediate portion of frame member 11.v

Projection member 16 is secured at both ends to frame member 12 which is also true of the lower end of projection member 17, the upper end of which is passed over edge member 10 and .secured at the junction of the edge member 10 and reinforcing member 6. These projection members are preferably integral and intermediately looped about front frame member 12.

It is manifest that a somewhat different construction may also serve as well as that shown and we do not therefore limit ourselves to the details exactly as illustrated. It is also obvious that metallic wires, bamboo, fibre, or any suitable material may be used for making the frame. The various frame members may of course also be covered with fabric, rubber, enamel, leather or any material if so desired.

Having now fully described our invention, we claim 1. Batters mask consisting of a frame covering the skull of the player having an outward flare over the forehead causing an impinging ball to be deflected away from the face, and provided with a downward extension covering one side of the head and face.

2. Batters maskconsisting of a frame covering the skull of the player and provided with a downward extension covering one side of the face and a forwardly disposed side projection fixed upon said downward extension for deflecting an impinging ball away from the face.

3. Batters mask consisting of a frame covering the skull of the player and provided with a downward extension covering one side of the head and face, a forwardly disposed side projection fixed upon said downward extension for deflecting an impinging ball away from one side of the face and an additional side projection fixed to the frame and the downward extension thereof above said forwardly disposed side projection in order to cooperate with the latter.

4. Batters mask consisting of a frame covering the skull of the player having a forward flare over the forehead causing an impinging ball to be deflected away from the face and provided with a downward extension covering one side of the head and face and a forwardly disposed side project-ion fixed upon said downward extension for defleeting an impinging ball away from one side of the face.

5. Batters mask consisting of a frame covering the skull of the player having an outward flare over the forehead causing an impinging ball to be deflected away from the face and provided with a downward extension covering one side of the head and face, a forwardly disposed side projection fixed upon said downward extension for deflecting an impinging ball away from one side of the face and an additional side projection fixed to the frame and to the downward extension thereof above said forwardly disposed side projection in order to cooperate with the latter.

6. Batters mask according to claim 5 wherein the forwardly disposed side projection as well as the additional side projection are unitary.

7 A frame forming a protective mask having a generally horizontal edge surrounding the skull of the wearer and a generally triangular downward extension secured to said frame in order to cover and protect one side of the head.

8. A frame forming a protective mask having a generally horizontal edge surrounding the skull of the wearer and a generally triangular downward extension secured to said frame in order to cover and protect one side of the head, the hypotenuse of said triangular extension extending from the rear of said frame toward the chin of the wearer.

9. A frame forming a protective mask having a generally horizontal edge surrounding the skull of the wearer and a generally triangular downward extension secured to said frame in order to cover and protect one side of the face and head and a cushioning padding secured within said horizontal edge and the edges of said generally triangular downward extension.

10. A frame forming a protective mask having a generally horizontal edge surrounding the skull of the wearer and a generally triangular downward extension secured to said frame in order to cover and protect one side of the face and head and a fastening strap attached at one end to the frame and at the other to a lower portion of said clownward extension.

CARMINE TATORE. FRANK TATORE.

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