Abstract: A headband ear protector apparatus including a pair of ear protectors and a resilient head band supporting, at opposite ends of the headband, the ear protectors. This forms a band which positions the ear protectors to lie by the opposite ears of a person. The headband is formed of a combination of hard and soft materials. The hard material is formed as a main support member for the ear protectors to extend between the ear protectors and provide resilience so the ear protectors will lie by the opposite ears of the person. The main support member includes at least one region having structure to receive the soft material to provide sound attenuation for reducing sound transmitted through the headband to the ear protectors.

Abstract: A headband ear protector apparatus with break-away cord attachment including a pair of ear protectors, a resilient headband to form a band which positions the ear protectors to lie by the opposite sides of the head of a person. The headband is formed of a combination of harder and softer materials. The harder material is formed as a main support member for the ear protectors to extend between the ear protectors and provide resilience so the ear protectors will lie by the opposite sides of the head of the person. The main support member includes at least two regions having structure to receive the softer material. The softer material is received by the regions formed with openings having a particular size. A break-away cord attachment for the headband includes a flexible cord having a hard tip at each end of the cord, with the hard tips having a size larger than the particular size of the openings in the softer material to have each tip held in an opening by pressure and friction.

Abstract: A filter element for use in a filter holder having a sealing surface and method of making a filter. The filter being made of a folded material of manufacture having a circumferential sealing rim and having a spacer to keep open the folded areas. The spaced being formed by at least one cover layer folded with the filter. The sealing rim being formed to be received in the sealing surface and with the folds formed by at least one cover layer and the filter material both along and transverse to the folds around the circumference of the at least one cover layer and filter material being pressed into said sealing rim at a temperature above the softening temperature of at least a thermoplastic resin provided in at least one of the layers of the cover and filter material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel apparatus and method of manufacturing an ear plug assembly wherein the plug member is made of foam or similar material. By creating an assembly where the plug member can be confined in a chamber while gas is blown into the chamber, the plug member becomes semi-rigid and permits a piercing object to cut a slit in the plug member without causing it to buckle. If the speed of the cutting blade is at least 75 inches per second, the speed will compensate for the non-rigidity of the plug and it is not necessary to blow gas into the plug. Adhesive added at the location of the slit acts as a lubricant to permit a cord to be inserted into the plug member while at the same time acting as a bonding agent.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a conical seamless bra pad preform for subsequent molding into a finished pad. The material used is fiberfill or the like and a blank, cut from such a sheet, or from a sandwich of two sheets, and is indented by a conical member which has pins spaced over the surface of the cone for engaging the material. Variable thinning of the material is achieved by the action of the pins in engaging the material successively. A second embodiment involves a series of coaxial rings to grasp the blank. Non-uniform displacement of the ringsets causes the desired uneven stretching of the blank.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating a conical seamless bra pad preform for subsequent molding into a finished pad. The material used is fiberfill or the like and a blank, cut from such a sheet, or from a sandwich of two sheets, is indented by a conical member which has pins spaced over the surface of the cone for engaging the material. Variable thinning of the material is achieved by the action of the pins in engaging the material successively. A second embodiment involves a series of coaxial rings to grasp the blank. Non-uniform displacement of the ringsets causes the desired uneven stretching of the blank. Permeating the fiberfill sheet with cold acrylic resin prior to the curing of the preform in a mold counteracts deterioration of the bonding of the individual fibers which occurs during the intermediate drawing process.