Nov.

21, 1967

L. .1. CRINCIC

3,353,188

COLLAPSIBLE SAFETY HELMET

Filed Dec. 6, 1965

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INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 0

1C6

3,353,188
Patented Nov. 21, 1967

3,353,188

outwardly and may have an encircling brim, or it may

COLLAPSIBLE SAFETY HELMET

Laddie John Crincic, 314 Fayette Ave.,
Belle Vernon, Pa. 15012
Filed Dec. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 511,934

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-3)

be provided at the front with a visor, more like a cap.

It is a feature of this invention that the helmet shell

is formed from a plurality of independent sections

mounted on top of each other and detachably connected
together so that they can be separated when desired.
There can be two or more sections. Three sections 2, 3

and 4 are preferred, because tWo sections leave the

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A collapsible safety helmet is formed from a plurality
of superimposed horizontal sections that are detachably
connected together so that they can be separated from

helmet, when collapsed, still rather thick, while more

than three sections appear to be unnecessary. Sections
2 and 3 are annular and section 4 has a dome-like shape.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a conventional suspension

unit 5 is detachably connected in any suitable manner

one another. Each section is smaller than the section
to anchors 6 inside the lower section 2 and extends up
below it so that the separated sections can be nested to
15 into the shell, where it will ?t over the head and space
form a compact unit for carrying or storage.
In most construction work, especially in steel construction, the workers are required to wear safety helmets

to protect their heads against accidental injuries. They

are generally issued such helmets as part of their safety

equipment. Other employees and personnel visiting the

jobs likewise are required to wear safety helmets while
they are in the construction areas. Some carry their own

helmets, but they are rather bulky and awkward to carry

around from one location to another when not being

worn. Others rely upon helmets issued by the employers,

but that often results in delays, embarrassment and even

a sanitary problem because safety codes generally require

that all safety headgear be sterilized before being worn
by another person.
It is among the objects of this invention to provide a

it from the top of the shell.

For connecting the three shell sections together, it is
preferred to provide the upper parts of the bottom and
middle sections with inwardly offset members 8 and 9,
20 respectively, that extend a short distance up into the
sections above them in engagement with the inner sur
faces of those sections as shown in FIG. 4. There may
be several independent offset members joined to each
shell section, but it is better to have only one such
25 member for each section and to make it in the form of
a narrow ?ange extending entirely around the inside of
the shell, with which it is integral. It will be seen that
the lower ?ange 8 telescopes into the bottom of the
middle shell 3, and the upper ?ange v9 telescopes into
the bottom of the top shell 4. Consequently, the two
?anges prevent lateral movement of the sections relative
to one another and thereby keep them in proper alignment
so that the outside of the shell will be smooth at the

safety helmet, which gives as much protection as the con

joints.
ventional type, but which can be collapsed to form a 35
In order to lock the shell sections together so that in
compact unit thatcan readily be carried around by the
use they will not separate vertically, the outer surface of
owner when he is not wearing the helmet.
each upwardly projecting ?ange and the inner surface of
in accordance with this invention the helmet has a
the surrounding section are provided with interengagin-g
hard convex shell adapted to ?t over the head and pro
projections and recesses. In order not to weaken the
vided inside with the usual hammock or suspension unit,
shell, it is preferred that the recesses 11 (FIG. 5), which
by which the shell is supported on the head. The shell

are small depressions, be formed in the ?anges at laterally

spaced points around them. The projections 12 then are
joined to the surrounding inner surfaces of the shell sec
other. Means are provided for detachably connecting
tions and ?t into the recesses. To facilitate molding of
the sections together. The major portion of any section
is smaller than the inside diameter of the section support 45 the shell sections, it is preferred that the projections be
formed as the inner heads of rivets 13 extending through
ing it, so that when the sections are disconnected from
the sections. Wear on the rivet heads, due to snapping
each other they can be nested to form a compact unit
into and out of the recesses, can be reduced by using
that will ?t in a relatively thin case. For best results, the
shell is formed from three superimposed sections, which 50 metal rivets. There is no danger of metal rivets conduct
ing electricity to the head of the wearer in case they
are normally held together by interengaging projections

is formed from a plurality of independent, substantially

rigid sections that normally are mounted on top of each

and recesses associated with inwardly offset members

joined to the upper part of a section and engaging the
inner surface of the section above.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is illus

trated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of my helmet;
FIG. 2 is a side view thereof;
FIG. 3 is a bottom view;

come in contact with live wires, because the rivets are

spaced by the plastic ?anges 8 and 9 from the head.

The shape of the shell must be such that the major
portions of its middle and top sections are smaller than
the inside diameters of its bottom and middle sections,
respectively, so that the three sections can be nested as

will be explained presently. This, of course, requires

that the shell taper upwardly. However, in order for the
rivet heads and recesses to perform their locking function,

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the line IV1V of 60

the amount of taper of the shell at the levels of the
recesses must not be so great that the rivets will seat in
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section show

FIG. 2;

ing in detail how the sections of the helmet are connected;

and

the recesses by merely dropping the shell sections in

place. Rather, the taper must be steep enough to require

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section showing the helmet 65 the sections to be telescoped with some force in order
to cause their lower portions to yield or spring out slight

collapsed.

Referring to the drawings, the helmet has a conven

tional appearance, the main body being a hard convex
shell 1, generally molded from a plastic which may be

.ly so that the rivets can slide down the outer surfaces of
the two ?anges and snap into the recesses. That will lock

the three sections together.

reinforced with layers of fabric embedded in it. The 70 When the helmet is not in use, it can be collapsed into
a compact unit by first removing the suspension unit and
shell resembles an inverted bowl that will receive the
then
striking the top section of the shell from the inside
head without touchin0 it. The bottom of the shell turns
with the ?st to cause it, and possibly the middle section,

3,353,188
3

A
A

to separate from the remainder of the shell as shown in

FIG. 5. The middle sectionthen can be pulled away
from either the top section or the bottom section, depend
ing upon which one it remained with. With the bottom
section of the helmet shell inverted as shown in FIG. 6,
the middle section is dropped into it and then the top
section is dropped into the middle section to form a
nest of three shell sections. The ?exible suspension 5 can
be laid in this nest. It will be seen that instead of having

sections supporting them, the upper parts of the bot:

. tom and middle sections being provided with upwardly

projecting inwardly offset ?anges engaging the lower

part of the inner surface of the sections resting on 'said
bottom and middle sections to prevent relative lateral
movement of the different sections, the outer surface ,

of each. ?ange being provided with a plurality of

laterally spaced recesses, and the inner surface of each

section adjacent each recess being provided with pro

jections normally seated in the recesses in that ?ange to

a complete safety helmet with a high crown, one now 10

lock the sections together, and said sections having just

has a compact unit, perhaps only a couple of inches

thick. This unit can be slipped into a bag, a special thin

carrying case, or even into a brief case for storage and

carrying around. To assemble the helmet, the upper sec

tion is telescoped over ?ange 9, and the middle section
is telescoped over ?ange 8. The three sections are pushed

together until they seat, with projections 12 disposed in

recesses 11. The suspension 5 then can be installed and
the unitary helmet is ready for use.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I

have explained the principle of my invention and have

enough resiliency to permit said projections to snap ver

tically out of said recesses when the sections are manually

pulled apart vertically to separate them, whereupon the

middle section can be nested in the bottom section and

the top section can be nested in the middle section to

form a collapsible compact unit.

2. A collapsible safety helmet according to claim 1,

in which said projections are formed by the heads of
rivets mounted in said sections.

illustrated and described what I now consider to represent

its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it under

3. A collapsible safety helmet according to claim 2,

including a suspension unit removably mounted in said
bottom section.

stood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the

invention may be practiced otherwise than as speci?cally

UNITED" STATES PATENTS

illustrated and described.

I claim:
1. A collapsible safety helmet comprising a hard con;
vex shell adapted to ?t over the head and formed from

three independent substantially rigid sections normally

mounted on top of one another, said sections including
a dome-like top section and two annular sections beneath
it with the lower edge of the top section seating on the
exterior upper portion of the middle section and with the

lower edge of the middle section seating on the exterior 35

upper portion of the bottomtsection to form a smooth

outer surface for the shell, the middle and top sec
tions being smaller than the inside diameters of the

References Cited
563,175

6/1896

Hirschberg ________ __ 2_171.6

1,035,209
2,397,722
2,855,604
3,030,632
3,176,314

8/1912
4/1946
10/1958
4/1962
4/1965

Matson __________ __ 2_171.1

Bowers _______________ __ 2-8
Austin _______________ __ 2_,3
Shelton ___________ __ 2-2093
Perry ________________ __ 2-3

3,295,536

1/1967

Shaw et al. ______ __ 2_171.1 X

FOREIGN PATENTS

1,053,195
10,531

3/1959 Germany.
1/1900 Sweden.

HERBERT F. ROSS, Primary Examiner.