Abstract: An accessory such as a welding helmet is attached to a protective cap by means of a continuous band mounted to the inside of the accessory. The band is in the form of two pieces having overlapping ends which are adjustably connected together to accommodate different size protective caps. A hook structure may be provided on the band for hooking around the lower edge of the protective cap.

Abstract: A protective cap comprises a rigid shell with a peak at the front of the shell. A sweatband is mounted within the shell. A headband is mounted to the sweatband in a free pivotal manner so that the position of the headband can be moved to the front or the rear of the shell thereby permitting the cap to be worn with the peak in the front or the peak in the rear. The mounting of the headband to the sweatband and the structural features of the headband and sweatband maximize the ease and comfort in permitting the wearing of the cap to be alternated between normal and reversed positions.

Abstract: An impact absorbing protective cap includes a rigid shell which fits on the head of the wearer. The shell is generally hemispherical in shape and terminates in a peripheral edge which defines an open space. An attenuator band is mounted to the inner surface of the shell generally at the peripheral edge for distributing lateral impact forces striking the outer surface of the shell. The attenuator band is made of flexible hard material and is in corrugated form with a series of undulations alternately disposed toward and away from the inner surface of the shell.

Abstract: A hard hat suspension which includes a group of highly curved, narrow and transversely thick suspension legs and a second group of slightly curved, wide and transversely thin suspension legs in angularly spaced relation, arranged so that the more yieldable highly curved suspension legs are initially distended and come into operation upon the application of external force to the hat shell, as by impact from a falling object, before the less yieldable, slightly curved suspension legs come into operation. While the instant suspension is of normally elastic plastic material, which materials become brittle at low temperatures, the highly curved suspension legs are capable of straightening or "uncoiling" even when brittle without breaking to absorb energy and spread load between the highly curved legs without effective operation of the slightly curved legs.