Abstract: The present invention provides protective headgear comprising a shell (26) having an inwardly facing surface which in use faces the head (10) of a user of the headgear and an outwardly facing surface which in use faces away from the head (10) of a user. An outer layer (28) overlies at least a portion of the outwardly facing surface of the shell (26) and rupturing means (30) is provided for fixedly attaching the outer layer (28) to the remainder of the headgear at one or more locations. The rupturing means (30) is configured so as to fail when a force greater than a selected threshold is received on an outer surface (28) of the headgear which acts in an at least part tangential direction to rotate the headgear and the head (10) of the user.

Abstract: A helmet having a visor mounted on pivot posts fixed to the helmet shell includes a visor driving and latching mechanism which acts both to allow the wearer to move the visor between its lowered and raised positions and also to hold the visor in either position. The mechanism has an operating lever which is pivoted to the visor at a point spaced from the pivot post. The operating lever has a slightly elongated aperture which receives the pivot post, and a hollowed out portion which receives a cam fixed relative to the pivot post. The operating lever has a first tooth which engages a first recess in the cam to hold the visor in its lowered position, and a second tooth which engages in a second recess in the cam to hold the visor in its raised position. To move the visor from its lowered to its raised position, the wearer manually rotates the operating lever in the appropriate direction.

Abstract: A method forms a helmet liner which during its formation is fitted to the head of the user, by forming an inflatable liner element of extensible sheet material approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, providing the element with respective foam filling and vent passages, the vent passages serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, mounting the liner element in the helmet on the head of the user, supplying foam to the foam filling passages to inflate the liner element, expel air therefrom and conform the element at an outer surface to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and at an inner surface to the shape of the head of the user, allowing time for curing of the foam admitted to the liner element, and severing parts of the vent and foam filling passages projecting from the liner. The liner element can embrace a forehead portion only of the head of the user or a further element which embraces a rear part of the head can be added.

Abstract: A helmet, particularly an aircrew helmet, has a rear part (10) and a front part (12). The rear part (10) includes a shell shaped to extend partially over the top of the wearer's head and to each side of the head. The front part (12) is shaped to fit against the rear part (10) to complete the shell of the helmet, and is detachably connected to the rear part. The front part (12) is shaped to accommodate equipment for optical protection or enhancement, such as a visor or night vision goggles. A single helmet may have two or more interchangeable front parts with different optical equipment. The front part (12) may be connected to the rear part (10) by releasable catches (50, 54) at the top and sides of the helmet. The catch (50) at the top may allow the front part (12) to pivot upwards to enable the helmet to be donned and doffed without detaching the front part.

Abstract: A helmet with twin visors movable between raised and lowered positions has a locking mechanism for each visor which automatically locks the visor in the raised or lowered position. An operating lever for each visor can be operated with one hand by the wearer, a single movement of the lever first releasing the lockikng mechanism and then moving the visor from one to the other of its raised and lowered positions. Each locking mechanism may comprise a cam plate fixed to the helmet shell and two pawls carried by the visor arm and spring-biased to engage the cam to lock the visor in the raised or lowered position respectively. The operating lever engages the appropriate pawl to disengage it from the cam plate and rotate the visor arm, on movement of the lever in the appropriate direction. The lower position of each visor may be adjustable, for example to accommodate an oxygen mask fitted to the helmet. The mechanism may also be used on a helmet fitted with a single visor.

Abstract: A helmet comprises a headshell, visor and a harness within which the head of the user is engagable. An auxiliary electrically operated service is provided, such as a lamp or air supply, operated by a switch actuated as the helmet is engaged or disengaged from the user's head. When the service is an air supply, the switch operates a fan motor which draws air into the helmet through a filter.

Abstract: A locking and release mechanism for a helmet which, on release, permits rotation of the visor in either direction. The mechanism comprises an arcuate track (23) fixed to the helmet shell (11). The visor is preferably mounted on an arm (19) rotatable about an axis transverse of the shell and connected to a subsidiary arm (27) rotatable about the same axis. On the arm is a shoe (31) with a flat surface (37) opposing arcuate surface (25) of the track. Two interengaging operating members (45, 47) with respective guide surfaces are pivotally mounted on the shoe. Two outwardly biassed rollers (95, 97) are located between the opposed surfaces. Movement of the operating members against the rollers' biassing brings the guide surfaces into contact with the rollers and pushes them from wedging engagement to release the mechanism permitting rotation of the visor against low opposition from the rollers.

Abstract: A motor cyclist's helmet has a visor apertured at either side so that it can pivot on pivots projecting from the helmet. At one side, the aperture in the visor is elongate so that this side of the visor can be pushed forward, the visor being slightly deformed outwardly. A pin projecting from the helmet and received in a slot in the visor then permits the visor to be pivoted upwardly, which the pin and slot prevents when the visor is pushed back against the helmet. The visor can be operated by one hand, with the help of a projecting portion of the visor or a gripping member affixed thereto.

Abstract: The mounting for a visor of a helmet comprises an arcuate track located at the side of the rigid headshell and centered on the visor axis, a shoe connected with the visor and movable along the track, a control element for moving the shoe and hence the visor and means for clamping the shoe to the track. Initial movement of the control element relative to the shoe serves to release the clamping means which may comprise rollers wedging between inclined surfaces of the shoe and the opposing track surface. The visor can be replaced by other helmet borne equipment.