Abstract:
A protective garment for preventing injury to the head, neck and torso. A helmet is rotatable mounted on a vest that includes a back section and a left front section and a right front section. The left front section are both mounted to rotate on the back section to be folded together to hold the helmet on the vest.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to protective garments and more particularly to a protective vest and head gear for use in hazardous activities, as for example, riding a motorcycle. 
     2. Prior Art and Objects 
     For sometime, it has become commonplace for persons engaged in a hazardous activity to wear protective head gear. Motorcycle operators in many jurisdictions are required to wear a helmet and construction and factory workers are required to wear protective head gear frequently referred to as “hard hats.” 
     Absolute total protection for the entire body from all hazardous activities is not possible, at least in a manner that permits the wearer to perform the desired activity. However, what further protection can be achieved is highly desirable. 
     Motorcycle operation is particularly hazardous as the operator is totally exposed except possible for a helmet and possible a leather jacket and leather pants. However, motorcycles are increasing popular, frequently being operated by professionals and business executives. Unfortunately, with motorcycle operation, there is ultimately a near certainty that an accident will occur. Some of those accidents will result in limited injury but serious injury is a realty of motorcycle operation. 
     The body torso contains vital organs most vulnerable to injury. The head is protected by a helmet but the torso of the body including the body, chest and abdomen can receive a hard impact resulting in serious injury and even death. Even with a helmet in place, the neck also can be seriously injured unless excessive movement of the head is prevented. 
     Therefore, it is an object of this investigation to provide a protective garment to shield the torso from injury. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a protective garment that protects the neck. 
     It is still another object of the invention to provide a protective garment including both a vest and helmet that can be easily worn. 
     It is still another object of the invention to provide a protective garment that is comparatively inexpensive to produce and of pleasant appearance. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A protective garment for the head neck and torso of the body of a person wearing the protective garment which includes a helmet and a vest which vest has a back section, a left front section and a right section. The left front section and the right front section are mounted to rotate on the back section to bring the left front section and the right front section together. A fastening means secures the left front section and the right front section together. The helmet has a lower edge and the vest has an upper edge. A means is provided at the lower edge of the helmet and at the upper edge of the vest to secure the helmet to the vest and to permit the helmet to rotate on the vest. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the protective garment in a closed position as worn. 
     FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a portion of the vest showing only the back section and the right front section with the right front section rotated back from the closed position. 
     FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of the protective garment with the helmet in place with the left front section closed and the right front section removed. 
     FIG. 4 is a detail of the flange at the lower edge of the helmet located in the indentation of the collar on the vest. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As best seen in FIG. 1, the protective garment includes a helmet  11  and a vest  13 . The helmet  11  is similar to known helmets now worn by motorcycles operators and has a head section  15  and neck section  17  which fits about the neck. The neck section  17  has a lower edge  19  which is also the lower edge  19  of the helmet  11 . The lower edge  19  of the helmet  11  is essentially circular. A visor  21  is located in the front of the helmet  11  in the head section  15  to permit the obviously essential visibility. 
     A feature of the helmet  11  which is distinctive from helmets currently known, is a flange  23  at the lower edge  19  of the helmet  11 . This flange  23 , best seen in FIG. 4, is a protrusion extending outwardly from the helmet  11  generally at right angles to the vertical axis  25  of the helmet  11  as worn. The flange  23  also extends continuously about the entire lower edge  19  of the helmet  11  and thus is essentially circular as is the lower edge  19 . 
     The vest  13  has three major sections, as seen in FIG.  1  and in FIG. 2, namely a back section  27  and a left front section  29  and a right front section  31 . The terms “left” and “right” are consistent with the left and right sides and arms of one wearing the protective garment. The right front section  31  and the left front section  29  are generally each a quarter of the vest  13  and are both located on the front of the wearer to cover the chest and abdomen of the wearer. The back section  27  covers the back and represents approximately one-half of the vest  11 . The vest  11  has an upper edge  33  which is connected to the helmet  11  about the neck of the wearer and a lower edge  35  which fits about the waist of the wearer. 
     At the upper edge  33  of the vest  11 , a collar  37  is formed as part of the vest  13  and is part of the back section  27  and the left front section  29  and the right front section  31 . The collar  37  is circular when the left front section  29  and the right front section  31  are secured to one another and the collar  37  extends about all the way around the vest  13 . The collar  37  protrudes outside the upper edge  33  of the vest  13  and has an internal surface  39  with an indentation  41  on the internal surface  39 . The indentation  41  is horizontal and is adapted to receive the flange  23 . The flange  23 , when in the indentation  41 , is permitted to slide. In this way, with the vest  13  closed and with the collar  37  completely encasing the flange  23 , the helmet  13  rotates with the turning of the head of the wearer. 
     The right front section  31  and the left front section  29 , when folded together, come in very close proximity to one another and are joined in the center of the front of the protective garment by a fastener  43 , preferably a slide fastener having two sets of interlocking teeth  45 . The left front section  29  has a left center edge  47  and the right front section  31  has right center edge  49 . When the vest  13  is closed, the left center edge  47  and the right center edge  49  are in close proximity to one another and face one another. The fastener  43  is mounted on both the left center edge  47  and the right center edge  49  and has an upper end  51  and a lower end  53 . In order to engage the fastener  43 , the left front section  29  and the right front section  31  must be folded together with the left center edge  47  and the right center edge  49  facing one another as just explained. The fastener  43  permits complete release between the left front section  29  and the right front section  31  when opened. 
     In both the left front section  29  and the right front section  31 , toward the upper edge  33  of the vest  13 , a semicircular opening  55  is formed. In the back section  29 , two semicircular openings  57  are formed, one of which matches the semicircular opening  55  in the left front section  29  to form a left opening  59  and the other semicircular opening  57  in the back section  29  mates with the semicircular opening  55  in the right front to section  31  to form a right opening  61 . The left opening  59  and the right opening  61  are generally aligned with one another and are generally equally spaced from the upper edge  33  of the vest  13 . 
     A left hinge  63  extends from the right opening  61  to the lower edge  35  of the vest  13  and a right hinge  64  extends from the left opening  59  to the lower edge  35  of the vest  13 . Both the left front section  29  and the right front section  31  form a slight overlap  65  over the back section  27  above the left opening  59  and the right opening  61  to the upper edge  33  of the vest  13 . Directly above the left hinge  63  and the right hinge  64  a pin  67  joins the left front section  29  and the back section  27  and joins the right front section  31  and the back section  27 . Each pin  67  is aligned with its respective hinge  63 , 64 . The left front section  29  rotates on the pin  67  and the left hinge  63 . The right front section  31  rotates on its respective pin  67  and the right hinge  64 . 
     A lock  73  of any suitable design is mounted on the collar  37  across the left center edge  47  and the right center edge  49 . The lock  73  serves to assure that the vest  13  will not open on impact thus also assuring that the helmet  11  will remain secured to the vest  13 . 
     To wear the protective garment, the wearer places the vest  13  with the left front section  29  and the right front section  31  open and with the part of the left opening  59  and right opening  61  held on the arms, the helmet  11  is placed on the head and the flange  23  is fitted into the indentation  41  on the back section  27 . The right front section  31  and left front section  29  are then folded together with the flange  23  sliding into the indentation  41  in the collar  37  of the left front section  29  and the right front section  31 . The fastener  43  and the lock  73  are then both secured. 
     Thus, while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.