Article of headwear

An article of headwear is provided which includes a substantially forwardly projecting peak or visor, an adjustable head engaging band and a length or sheet of material, the head engaging band being attached or attachable to the peak or visor at or near a rear edge thereof, the length or sheet of material being attached or attachable to the peak or visor and extending rearwardly thereof, whereby the peak or visor may be positioned on a wearer's head such that the material covers the wearer's head and hangs therefrom about the shoulders and neck of the wearer, wherein the head engaging band is positioned about a rear of the wearer's head such that the peak or visor is held in position thereon, and the material has a plurality of fasteners to adjust and fasten the material into a plurality of positions to protect a wearer's neck, head, and/or face.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an article of headwear. More particularly, the 
article of headwear of the present invention is intended for use in 
protecting a wearer from exposure to the elements, for example sun, wind 
and rain. 
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Typically, articles of headwear such as caps and hats have a crown portion 
within which a wearer's head may be received and a peak or brim. The peak 
or brim is intended to shield the wearer from the sun although its 
effectiveness is dependent upon the width or length of the peak or brim 
and the angle thereof with respect to the position of the sun. For 
example, if a wearer is bending forward for a period the typical brim 
provided about the circumference of a hat will not protect the wearer's 
neck if the sun is positioned overhead. Further, little protection is 
provided against wind and rain by the typical peak or brim arrangement. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is 
provided an article of headwear characterised by a substantially forwardly 
projecting peak or visor, an adjustable head engaging band and a length or 
sheet of material, the head engaging band being attached or attachable to 
the peak or visor at or near a rear edge thereof, the length or sheet of 
material being attached or attachable to the peak or visor and extending 
rearwardly thereof, whereby the peak or visor may be positioned on a 
wearer's head such that the material covers the wearer's head and hangs 
therefrom about the shoulders and neck of the wearer, wherein the head 
engaging band is positioned about a rear of the wearer's head such that 
the peak or visor is held in position thereon, the material having 
provided thereon one or more fastening means whereby the material may be 
adjusted or arranged to protect the wearer's neck and/or face, the 
fastening means being arranged on the material such that the material may 
be drawn to a number of positions in front of the wearers neck and/or head 
and/or face and the material fastened together releasably in a number of 
arrangements as desired by the wearer. 
Preferably, the length or sheet of material is of sufficient length to 
reach the shoulders of the wearer and to cover their neck. It is further 
preferable that the material be of such dimensions that either side 
thereof may be drawn around the neck and/or face of the wearer and 
releasably fastened in such a position to protect same. 
Still preferably, a number of releasable attachment means are provided at 
various points on the length of material.

DESCRIPTION 
In FIGS. 1 to 22 there is shown an article of headwear 10 comprising a peak 
or visor 12, an adjustable head engaging band 14 and a length or sheet of 
material 16. 
The visor 12 is formed in a substantially crescent shape describing a 
hollow 18 in a rear edge and two side or lateral points 20 projecting 
rearwardly. The head engaging band 14 being attached to the visor 12 in a 
manner such that at least a portion thereof extends between the points 20, 
as is best seen in FIG. 1. 
The length of material 16 is fixed to an upper surface of the visor 12 
towards the rear edge thereof. Such fixing may be by way of stitching 
although this should not in any way be considered to narrow the scope of 
the present invention. The length of material 16 is gathered or pleated on 
the visor 12, as is best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The-length of material 16 
gathered and fixed to the visor 12 covers the head engaging band 14 also 
attached to the visor 12. 
The material 16 hangs from the visor 12 and has a substantially lowermost 
edge 22 and sides 24 when in position on a head 26 of a wearer, as is 
shown in FIG. 2. Typically, the sides 24 of the material hang at the sides 
of the wearer's face 28. The lowermost edge 22 hangs adjacent the 
shoulders 29 of the wearer and below the neckline, as is best seen in FIG. 
4. 
A plurality of releasable fastening means 30 are provided at various points 
on the material 16, as is shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16 and 
19. The variable placement of the fastening means 30 allows a variety of 
arrangements of the material 16 to be adopted. 
The portion of the band 14 extending between the points 20 has provided 
therein a releasable and adjustable join 32, as can be seen in FIG. 3. The 
join 32 allows the continuity of the band 14 to be broken and reattached 
to adjust the length of the band 14 to suit the head 26 of the wearer. The 
band 14 has provided thereon both components of a hook and loop type 
fastener, for example that sold under the trade name "Velcro". The 
plurality of releasable fastening means 30 are also formed of either 
component of such a hook and loop type fastener. 
In FIGS. 5 and 6 there is shown the headwear 10 to which an elongate 
fastening means, for example a strip 34 is added at each side 24 of the 
material 16. The strips 34 may be held to the band 14 by way of insertion 
behind a flap 36 of fastening material provided on the band. Such an 
arrangement holds the sides 24 of the material 16 away from the face 28 of 
the wearer, as is seen in FIG. 6. 
In FIGS. 7 and 8 is shown an arrangement of releasable fasteners 30 on the 
material 16 allowing protection of the wearer's neck in that the sides 24 
join under the wearer's chin. 
In FIGS. 9 and 10 there is shown an arrangement whereby the sides 24 of the 
material 16 overlap and cover most of the face 28 of the wearer other than 
the eyes. The overlapping of the sides 24 requires that fastening means 30 
be provided at points spaced apart from the sides 24 and the edge 22. 
In FIGS. 11 to 13 there is shown an arrangement whereby the provision of 
only four fastening means 30 about the sides 24 and edges 22 of the 
material allows an overlapping arrangement linking the sides under the 
chin of the wearer. In such an arrangement, a fastening means 30 is 
provided at the junction of each side 24 and edge 22 and at a point spaced 
apart therefrom adjacent the edge 22. 
In FIGS. 14 and 15 there is shown an arrangement of fastening means 30 in 
combination with the strap 34 of FIG. 5 whereby the majority of the face 
28 may be covered. Such an arrangement is facilitated by the shaping of 
the material 16 at its sides 24, in particular the provision of point 38 
therealong. Further, fastening means 30 are provided at points 38 on the 
sides 24, at the edges 22 and at the junction of the sides 24 and edges 
22. 
In FIGS. 16 to 17 there is shown a further arrangement whereby the sides 24 
are fastened under the chin of the wearer leaving the face 28 exposed but 
in which the side of the head and the neck are protected. The visor 12 may 
be pulled backward off the head 26 so that the headwear 10 hangs from the 
neck of the wearer, as is shown in FIG. 18. 
In FIGS. 19 and 20 are shown an arrangement of the material 16 whereby the 
sides 24 thereof are rolled up (as indicated by arrows X) and joined to 
each other behind the head 26 of the wearer. 
Two further possible arrangements of the material 16 are shown in FIGS. 21 
and 22. FIG. 23 shows the article of headwear 10 to which has been 
attached an insect screen 40 to shield the face 28 of the wearer. 
In use, the wearer wishing to fit the article of headwear 10 to his head 26 
will grip the article of headwear 10 by the visor 12 and will position 
same such that the wearer's forehead is received within the hollow 18 in 
the rear edge of the visor 12. The material 16 is draped over the crown of 
the wearer's head 26 and hangs therefrom about the wearer's neck and 
shoulders 29, as can be seen in FIG. 2. 
The wearer may at this point adjust the head engaging band 14 about the 
rear of their head 26 such that the material 16 is held there against and 
in effect forming a crown for the article of headwear 10, as is clearly 
seen in FIGS. 3 to 6. 
It is possible that the length of the head engaging band 14 may be adjusted 
by the wearer before the article of headwear 10 is placed on the wearer's 
head 26. 
The wearer may subsequently adjust the article of headwear 10 through 
manipulation of the material 16 to protect in addition the wearer's face 
28 and/or neck, as can be seen with reference to FIGS. 5 to 22. 
If the wearer wishes to be protected from insects then he may choose to 
attach an insect screen 40 to the article of headwear 10, as is shown in 
FIG. 23. The insect screen 40 thereby shields the face 28 of the wearer. 
It is envisaged that the material 16 be a flexible or pliable light weight 
material, for example a material woven from the fibre marketed under the 
trade mark "Lycra". For applications in the wet the material should be 
water resistant or water proof. It is also envisaged that one or more 
pockets may be provided on the material 16 to facilitate the carrying of 
small objects therein. The material 16 also need not necessarily be 
gathered on the upper surface of the visor 12 but may simply be fixed 
releasably or otherwise thereto. 
It is still further envisaged that forms of adjustable fastening means 
other than "Velcro" may be used, including press studs, buttons and hooks 
and eyes. Further, the strips 34 and the flap 36 may be replaced by press 
studs, buttons or hooks and eyes. Still further, the visor 12 may be 
provided in a form other than a crescent if so desired. 
The article of headwear of the present invention provides protection 
against the elements such as sun, wind and rain. 
Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to the skilled 
addressee upon a reading of the specification are considered to fall 
within the scope of the present invention.