Abstract: A work garment having a waist portion covering a lower back area of a wearer and a front closure, and a support member, attached to the garment, for supporting a lumbar region of the wearer. The support member preferably includes a plurality of elastic bands extending about the waist portion of the garment and having complementary closure members positioned adjacent to the front closure of the work garment, and a contact member, attached to the elastic straps, positioned to contact the lumbar region of the wearer. In one embodiment, the elastic straps are integral with the work garment, which may be a coverall, and in other embodiments with firefighter garments such as a jacket, pant, and girdle. In one embodiment, the contact member consists of a resilient pad centered in the lumbar area of the wearer, and in another embodiment, the contact member consists of a plurality of elongate, vertically-extending stays.

Abstract: The present invention is an ear flap hat that is designed to be worn in both good and bad weather. The hat gives the wearer the flexibility of wearing the hat with the ear flaps down covering the wearer's ears or positioning the ear flaps in an up position on the crown of the wearer's head so that the wearer's ears are exposed. A cord and cord lock are also included with this hat so that the wearer can tighten the cap down and affix it to their head when the ear flaps are down. The cord can also be used to hold the ear flaps in the up position when they are not covering the wearer's ears. When the ear flaps are in the down position, covering the wearer's ears, the cord can be positioned in the back of the wearer's neck or under the wearer's chin depending on the desired tightness and the weather conditions. The hat will be less likely to fly off during gusts of high wind when the cord is positioned under the wearer's chin.

Abstract: A headgear includes a lower visor lid member and a flexible upper visor lid member connected to one another in a region where both members are attached to the headgear, the upper visor lid member being flexible and weakened along an area which enables the flexible upper visor lid member to be separated from the lower visor lid member to an open position, the flexible upper visor lid member including a protruding portion of the visor lid member that overlaps the lower visor lid member when the visor lid members are closed on one another, thereby enabling the protruding portion to be grasped by the wearer so that the flexible upper lid member may be separated from the lower visor lid member; a storage space being provided between the closed upper and lower visor lid members for containing display and/or storage; and the lower visor member includes a protrusion formed thereon in the region near where the upper and lower visor lid members are attached so that a lower portion of the upper visor lid member pushes a

Abstract: A cap to be worn on the top of the head comprises a crown that is fabricated to simulate approximately one-half of a game ball. The crown is formed by a plurality of generally triangular-shaped fabric gores which are collectively stitched together along their lengthwise edges, and the outer surface of each of the gores includes a pattern section which, when individual fabric gores are secured together to form the crown, are aligned to provide a half game ball.

Abstract: The cold weather sleeping garment of the instant invention, used in conjunction with a sleeping bag, allows a user to sleep in sub-zero temperatures. The sleeping garment is separate from the sleeping bag but comfortably and snugly fastened to the user. The sleeping garment moves with the body which eliminates claustrophobia and loss of insulating value caused by displacement of the breathing hole away from the nose and mouth area of the user. By virtue of its ability to hug the body of the user and move with the user, the hole stays where placed initially with little or no displacement from the face. The shoulder protection serves to separate the bag into two sections preventing warm air in the bag and surrounding the user from being pushed out of the breathing hole when the user moves. An adaptation of the sleeping garment of the instant invention allows the insertion or removal of additional insulating material which affords the user greater comfort in changing weather conditions.

Abstract: A face protector for shielding the face of the wearer while permitting observation and pivoting of the shield toward and away from the face comprising: an elongated flexible band of absorbent padding sized and adapted to, be fitted about the forehead; a first elongated flexible stiffening member attached therealong to a corresponding confronting portion of the band; a second elongated stiffening member having a length greater than the first stiffening member and pivotally attached to the first stiffening member at corresponding end portions of the stiffening members so that the stiffening members are spaced apart when the band is fitted about the head; a flexible transparent face shield with an integral anti-glare, anti-fog coating connected at a top portion thereof to the second stiffening member along its length whereby pivotal movement of the second stiffening member relative to the first stiffening member permits movement of the shield toward and away from the face; and, a void provided in one end portion

Abstract: A headwear piece having a crown defining an opening for reception of the head of a wearer, structure for varying the effective diameter of the crown opening to accommodate different size wearer heads, and an actuator for operating the crown opening varying structure. The actuator includes a switch which, in one form, is a dial that is rotatable about an axis to operate the crown opening varying structure to thereby effect the variation in the effective diameter of the opening in the crown. In another form, the switch is translatable to effect a variation in the diameter of the crown opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved fireman's helmet which includes a surrounding wall structure that defines a head receiving area therein. Mounted within the head receiving area and recessed in the wall structure are front and rear light assemblies as well as a battery pack and control panel.

Abstract: An elongated, semi-flat tubular body constructed of flexible fluid impervious material is provided and the tubular body is divided into separate longitudinally spaced compartments along longitudinally spaced flexible transverse zones of the body. The compartments are filled with a fluid eutectic solution and the body may be folded along the transverse zones for relative angular displacement of the adjacent compartments. The elongated, semi-flat tubular body may removably supported within the channel defined by the sweat band of a hat or cap and may be used to absorb heat from the adjacent head areas of the wearer of the hat or to provide heat to those adjacent head areas.

Abstract: A thin, oversized, waterproof and water vapor permeable oversock which is adapted to be obtrusively worn over a wearer's foot and/or sock within a shoe, sneaker, boot or other type of footwear. The oversock includes a heat sealable, waterproof and water vapor permeable inner liner which is fully enclosed and freely movable within an outer protective shell. A stretchable knit cuff is affixed to an upper end of both the inner liner and the outer shell to prevent the oversock from sliding down a wearer's leg.

Abstract: A headwear piece having a crown defining a first opening for reception of the head of a wearer, an inflatable bladder mounted to the crown so that the bladder resides between the crown and a wearer's head in the crown opening, structure for selectively introducing a fluid into the bladder, and structure mounted to the crown for covering the fluid introducing structure and allowing operation thereof from a location externally of the crown.

Abstract: A headwear piece with a crown for placement on the head of a wearer and having a front and rear and a top and bottom. The crown grips the head of the wearer to maintain the headwear piece in place. The crown has a front wall with a forwardly facing surface. The front wall blends into a top wall that extends rearwardly and terminates at an edge that bounds an opening in the crown through which a substantial portion of a wearer's head can be exposed with the headwear piece in place on a wearer's head. The top wall edge extends from the front of the crown no more than two-thirds, and more preferably no more than one-half, the distance between the front and the rear of the crown.

Abstract: An improved device for protective headgear for shielding ears and neck from ultraviolet rays which can be worn alone or in conjunction with a hat. This device is a stretchable headband with a crescent shaped sun shield attached to the headband. The sun shield gathers slightly when worn, and extends outwardly from the head so that it does not lay directly over the ears. The shield is made of a tightly woven material which is also breathable, a single ply or preferably a two-ply material with a tightly woven micro denier on the outside and an all-cotton liner on the underside which will be in contact with the back of the neck. A method for making the device also disclosed.

Abstract: The including of an engaging recess with an article of human wearing apparel, such as a cap, that has a specific exterior ornamental configuration. An elongated, illuminatable, plastic, light tube is to be snapped into an elongated groove formed on the wearing apparel and is to be snugly retained thereby. The light tube is to be flexible so as to accommodate to the specific shape of groove. The illuminatable tube includes a liquid substance which is to be activatable which will cause the tube to glow for a period of time. Also, the body of the tube will contain a separate light activatable substance which can be used to cause the tube to emit light after expiration of the light from the liquid substance.

Abstract: A headwear piece having a crown defining an opening to accept the head of a wearer, with the crown having a top and bottom, front and back, and a peripheral wall having an annular configuration. An opening is provided through the peripheral crown wall to allow passage therethrough of an accumulation of hair on the head of a wearer with the headwear piece in place on the wearer's head.

Abstract: A disposable device for absorbing perspiration that can be placed into the forehead area of a variety of styles and sizes of headwear. The invention consists of a flexible, liquid absorbent pad made from a material such as cloth having an absorbent nap, such as terry cloth, or absorbent paper, which may be cut by the user to fit the forehead area of the headwear. The absorbent pad may be of varying degrees of thickness. The absorbent pad is coated on one side with an adhesive, which temporarily but firmly adheres the absorbent pad to the headwear. After the absorbent pad becomes soiled, the invention can be removed from headwear by the user, disposed of, and replaced with a new absorbent pad. The non-adhesive side of the absorbent pad may be readily printable, so that advertising, slogans or other messages may be printed thereon.

Abstract: A headwear piece having a crown with a surface defining an opening for receiving the head of a wearer, a bladder having first and second layers defining a space therebetween for containing a displaceable fluid, structure for connecting the first and second layers to each other to divide the bladder space into first and second chambers with their being a communication path through the bladder space between the first and second chambers, and structure for connecting the bladder to the crown so that the bladder defines a deformable cushion layer to conform to the head of a wearer.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a liner for a hat, cap or similar head covering comprises a layer of moisture absorbent material which is backed by a layer of moisture impervious material. Further, adhesive means are provided for releasably securing the liner to the sweatband of the hat, cap or similar headgear. The bottom and side edges of the moisture absorbing layer are sealed to prevent the migration of moisture, oil, grease and other contaminants through these edges of the liner. The upper edge of the liner is left unsealed so that a wicking action encourages the transport of moisture from the body of the moisture absorbing layer to the top edge where it may be evaporated.

Abstract: A ski hat has an outer substantially tubular shell of flexible laminated fabric having top and bottom apertures to be placed over the head. The laminated fabric comprises three layers, an outer layer and inner layer each of spandex fabric, and a middle layer of microporous polyurethane laminate. The shell has top and bottom apertures. The hat has a flexible outer band surrounding the top aperture and a drawstring for reversibly tightening the flexible outer band surrounding the top aperture. The hat further can have protrusions integral with the substantially tubular shell and adjacent to the bottom aperture of the shell for covering the ears. The ear flaps can be lined with a layer of insulating fabric such as fleece-knit polyester bunting. The ski hat can further comprise a head covering for covering the top of the head joined to the cylindrical shell and made of insulating fabric.

Abstract: A fire-protecting suit includes a fire protective clothing having a face mask for covering the head and a front pocket for keeping precious articles, a fire-proof eye shield, a mouthpiece and a cap-lamp respectively fastened to the face mask by elastic bands which, in turn, are sewn to the fire protective clothing, and an air tank (or a gas filter) and a battery power supply received inside the protective clothing and respectively connected to the mouthpiece and the cap-lamp by an air hose and an electric wire inside the protective clothing. The fire-protecting suit is folded up inside out when not in use. To use the suit, the face mask is put on the head to let the protective clothing be extended downwardly to cover the body. When the fire-protecting suit is in use, the air tank and the battery power supply are turned on, and then the hands are inserted through the sleeves of the protective clothing and extended out for saving things and performing a fire-fighting task.