Abstract: A pair of rail adapters which replace visor rails used on the U.S. Army Ahe helmets, i.e. the AH-64 helmet. The rail adapters have a concave inner portion that is form fitted and attachable to the Apache helmet, with one rail adapter on each of the right and left upper front sides of the Apache helmet. The rail adapters have a convex outer portion that interface and is attachable with a visor guard Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS) goggle assembly and visor which are normally used with the U.S. Army ANVIS helmet, i.e. the SPH-4 helmet. Each of the rail adapters is made in one piece which has a thick upper portion with a half dovetailed open track in which the outer portion of the visor guard is attachable thereto. The rail adapters have a thin lower portion which provides clearance with the visor and the ANVIS goggle assembly when the visor and the assembly are in the line of sight position.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine has at least one needle carrier, and a plurality of slide needles having a head portion with a head and a slide portion with a tip. Sinkers cooperate with the slide needles, a plurality of knitting systems are arranged along the needle carrier, and a control is provided at the knitting systems for causing relative movements of the needle portions, the slide portions, and the sinkers for performing knitting, tacking and running-through operations. The control includes at each of the knitting systems a sinker cam curve for controlling the sinkers, a slide portion cam curve for controlling the slide portions, and a head portion cam curve for controlling the head portions. The slide portion cam curves have portions for raising and lowering the slide portions in a same manner irrespective of performance of knitting, tucking, or non-knitting operation of the systems.

Abstract: A thread feeding device for knitting machines having a rotor on which a thread feeding element is mounted which is divided into a thread lead-in ring section, a thread reserve section and a lead-out section. To enable the thread feeding device to be operated selectively with a plain continuous reserve section or one formed by rods, a rod cage consisting of a premanufactured component is provided, which can be fastened coaxially on the rotor. The cage has a lead-in ring bearing the lead-in ring section, and a plurality of rods forming the reserve section, each rod being fastened at one end to the lead-in ring. The other ends of the rods are either fastened to a mounting which can be joined to the rotor and is part of the component, or they are held directly on the rotor and thus radially centered about the axis of rotation.

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: The needle latch cushioning member is formed of resilient material and includes an elongate body portion with a free end portion. The elongate body portion is supported in a groove on a yarn feed finger so that the free end portion is positioned to be engaged by and interrupt the swinging movement of the latches of the needles to the closed position as the needles are lowered to stitch loop forming position. The engagement of the latches of the needles with the free end portion of the resilient cushioning member serves to reduce the impact force of the latches against the hooks of the needles and thereby increases the wear life of the needles, without interfering with the feeding of the yarn into the hooks of the needles. When properly positioned, the free end of the resilient cushioning member can be used to guide the yarn into the hooks of the needles.

Abstract: A safety cap is provided to be worn on the head of a diver such as a scuba diver or snorkelor, for protection against contusions, abrasions, incisions, lacerations and the like. The safety cap comprises an exterior, unitary shell of part-spherical configuration made of flexible plastic, to provide a smooth outer surface. The flexible plastic is of sufficient strength to resist small impact loads. A continuous interior liner of open cell foam is secured within the exterior shell to act as padding and to provide a thermally protective layer for the diver's head. A pair of straps are provided, each one being secured to a side of the shell. Each strap is of a length and provided with securing means respectively for looping and securing about a proximal portion of a head strap of diver's face mask or goggles when worn by the diver. The cap is easy to wear and provides significantly improved protection for divers against minor, low impact head injuries.

Abstract: A ballistic helmet body made up of a plurality of plies formed from flat hexagonal blanks of ballistic fabric. Before being formed to the shape of the helmet body each blank is slit along lines extending from spaced points around the periphery thereof toward the center to form a generally circular central area and a plurality of contiguous segments extending outwardly from the central area. When the blanks are formed to the shape of the helmet body, adjacent segments overlap over first portions to leave second portions which do not overlap. As successive plies are laid up they are relatively oriented so that second portions of one ply are covered by first portions of another ply.

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 shield mounting assembly for a safety helmet having a helmet body and a front opening, includes an engaging base plate secured to left and right outer surfaces of the helmet body, each engaging base plate including a rotational axle with an engaging recess, a resilient engaging piece, a groove, and an engaging opening formed in the lower portion a shield is rotatably supported by the engaging base plates so as to cover the front opening in a closed position, each side of the shield including a mounting hole for receiving a respective rotational axle to rotatably support the shield on the engaging base plate, an arcuate guide opening for receiving a respective resilient engaging piece to limit rotation of the shield through a predetermined range of motion, and a lower peripheral edge which fits into the groove of the respective engaging base plates.

Abstract: A helmet mounting structure for mounting aviator goggles to an Army Apache elmet. The structure is a single piece that is formed and shaped to conform to the curvature of the front portion of the Apache helmet and is held firmly thereto by specially designed screws that are loosely held by the single piece structure and are threaded into at least two mounting points on each of the left and right sides of the helmet. A breakaway mount support pad, formed in the center front of the mounting structure and extends downward therefrom, has a breakaway mount thereto. The goggles may then be connected to the breakaway mount attached for swiveling up to the stow position or down in the line of sight of the aviator.

Abstract: In a multiple system circular knitting machine having an electromagnetic needle selection, the needle and jack cam races are supported on a stationary support ring which rests on a plurality of radially directed and mutually spaced ribs. To improve operational reliability and maintenance of needle selection devices, each selection electromagnet is mounted at an end portion of an elongated holder and is situated in a circumferential recess in the needle cylinder opposite end portions of respective selecting jacks. The magnet holders are adjustably secured to the lower surface of the support ring. The needle selecting cams include a pair of circumferentially staggered and axially superposed pressing cams of which the leading lower pressing cam first engages the lower end portion of the selecting jack and moves the same radially inwardly to a point where the upper pressing cam takes over and presses an armature surface of the end portion of the jack against an electromagnet.

Abstract: A helmet has a generally dome shaped helmet body with inner and outer sides, openings through the body to pass retention straps, a first strap holder configured to be supported at and by the outer side of the helmet, the holder attached to at least one strap that extends through one of the openings, and the holder operable to transmit strap tension to the helmet. The holder typically holds two strap ends, and defines slots through which the straps pass for adjustable retention by the holder.

Abstract: An aerodynamically streamlined bicycle racing helmet has a molded, plastic helmet body having an exterior shape which is streamlined to provide minimum resistance to frontal airflow. Downwardly extending ribs are formed in the interior surface to define channels for airflow to pass through the interior of the helmet. The rearward portions of the ribs of the helmet are extended downward beneath the lower edge of the helmet to insure that such airflow is not blocked by the back of the user. A pair of strap loops are also attached to the front and upper rear portions of the helmet and form a chin strap which is used to retain the helmet snugly in place upon the head of the user. The attachment points of the straps are specifically selected so that the sides of the strap engage the user's head and prevent tilting of the helmet when it is in use. The helmet may also be provided with a stretch cap with an airflow opening, which allows selection of exterior color, striping or other ornamentation.

Abstract: In a knitting machine, a needle selector having jacks fitted respectively in needle grooves formed in one of a cylinder, a dial and a needle bed is provided. A jack groove cam has a raising cam face for moving the jacks along their respective axes. A control electromagnet is arranged in facing relation to one of the jacks at a yarn feeding position on a stationary side. The control electromaget is excited in response to a needle-selecting signal to attract the jack to bring its butt into engagement with the raising cam face. A jack holding cam is arranged in juxtaposed relation to the other rocking end of the jack at the yarn feeding position. The jack holding cam has a cam face which is so magnetized as to attract the jack toward the jack groove cam. A welt cam is arranged at such a position as to clamp the jack between the cam face of the jack holding cam and a cam face of the welt cam, which is magnetized to attract the jack.

Abstract: Vertically stacked drive wheels (17.sub.1, 17.sub.2, 17.sub.3 and 17.sub.4) are provided above a yarn feed wheel (21) which is provided with a first yarn feed surface (27) providing comparatively high friction with the yarn engaged thereby and adaptable for use when the rate of yarn feeding varies, such as in the case of Jacquard pattern knitting, and a second yarn feed surface (28) providing comparatively low friction against the yarn engaged thereby and adapted for use when the rate of yarn feeding is constant, such as in the case of plain knitting. Manually adjustable yarn guide means (29, 30) is provided for selectively guiding yarn to the first and second yarn feed surfaces (27, 28). Clutch members (24, 24') are interposed between pairs of the vertically stacked drive wheels and are selectively operable to impart rotation to the feed wheel (21) from a selected one of the drive wheels.

Abstract: An adjustable head band suspension system for use in a safety hat shell is disclosed. The suspension system includes a head encircling head strap having overlapping rear end portions and an arc shaped channel adapted to fit the back of a wearer's head. The overlapping end portions of the head strap are slidably disposed in the channel. A suitable adjusting device, such as a rack and pinion or buckle is attached to the channel to adjust the amount of overlap of the end portions. The channel is attached by means of a pair of tabs to a rear interior surface portion of the shell and a front end portion of the head strap is connected to a forward interior surface portion of the shell. A manually compressible, resilient buckle assembly is disclosed which can be used by itself for adjusting and maintaining the desired length of overlap of the overlapping end portions of a head strap or which can be used in association with the arc shaped channel as a central portion thereof.

Abstract: Skins, hides and similar flexible objects are sammied during travel through two successive nips the first of which is defined by an upper pressure roll and a first lower pressure roll and the second of which is defined by the upper pressure roll and a second lower pressure roll. A first endless belt of felt or other absorbent material is trained over the upper pressure roll and a second endless belt of felt or other absorbent material is trained over the second lower pressure roll. A liquid-permeable object-supplying endless belt conveyor has an upper reach which advances through the two nips and has a portion which overlies the second endless belt downstream of the second nip.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine has a rotatable needle cylinder, a supporting plate rotating synchronously with the needle cylinder, and a product drawing off and winding device. The device includes a roll bar arranged to support a product roll and provided with a bearing part which is displaceable for arranging a finished product roll, a roll bar magazine for supplying roll bars to the bearing part, a drawing off roller, a cutting unit movable substantially parallel to the drawing off roller, a drive unit for driving the roll bar and having a drive shaft which abuts against a product roll and turns parallel thereto. The bearing part has a bearing support which is turnable for ejecting a product roll and has an open fork-shaped bearing trough supporting ends of the roll bar. A guiding element is articulately connected with the supporting plate and extends inclinedly downwardly til over the roll bar outwardly.

Abstract: A dual-visor assembly in which the inner and outer visors are capable of selective left-handed or right-handed actuation to suit a particular operator or operating condition. The inner-visor actuator comprises a lever arm that extends laterally beyond a side edge of the visor through one of a first pair of slots formed in the visor housing. A pin carrried by the arm is resiliently biased into engagement with a detented surface to lock the inner visor in a desired position. Preformed apertures on the left and right sides of the visor permit the actuator lever to be selectively secured to the desired side. The outer-visor actuator comprises a knob carried by a key that fits into either of a pair of keyholes formed on opposite sides of the outer visor. The knob extends through one of a second pair of slots formed in the visor housing at locations opposite the keyholes and is turned to clamp the visor housing to lock the outer visor at the desired position.

Abstract: A thread cutting device in a circular knitting machine for the production of hosiery goods. The device is arranged on the dial and it consists of a circular cutting saw and a stationary cutting blade cooperating with it. Above the circular cutting saw there is arranged a shaped element so that on a part of the arc in front of the stationary cutting blade with respect to the rotary direction of the circular knitting machine it covers its teeth. Above said part of the arc of the shaped element in the path of the threads drawn by the needles there is arranged a projection for the purpose of lengthening the thread ends between the needle and the circular cutting saw.