Abstract:
Protective chaps to provide protection against chainsaw cuts and, optionally, poisonous snake bites has a woven cloth-like shell lined by a layer of polyester/aramid fiber and, optionally, a partial layer of a woven material, all enclosed by an inside thin polyester fabric. The combination of zippers and hook-and-loop fasteners provides a dual fastener system that protects against freeze up and clogging of exposed zippers and may include alternate connections to provide two different tubular leg sizes.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention pertains to protective chaps of a pant-like construction to cover the legs of a wearer. More particularly, the chaps provide protection against a chainsaw cut or, optionally, the bite of a poisonous snake, but typically not both. 
     Protective chaps for use in the forestry industry are typically made from a heavy woven cloth-like shell such as, for example, Cordura™. This material has inherent protective quality against chainsaw cuts by virtue of its tough construction. In addition, however, the outer shell material is often covered, on the inside face, with another chainsaw protective layer, for example, a polyester/aramid fiber. Snake bite protective chaps, on the other hand, more typically utilize a second inner layer of material similar to the outer shell, but lighter. 
     Prior art chaps are intended to be worn over the user&#39;s pants and, because of the heavy-duty shell material, may be somewhat bulky and difficult to put on either before or after the user puts on boots. Also typically, the chaps are made from generally rectangular leg panels which are folded around the user&#39;s legs and connected by their inner edges to form a generally tubular leg. The opposite vertical edges of the leg panel are connected with different types of fasteners including straps and buckles, and hook-and-loop fasteners. When using straps and buckles, adjustable fitting can be attained, but the fastener straps are unwieldy, have loose ends, and result in potential hazards possibly causing the user to trip and fall. Also, the opposite vertical edges of the panel typically extend from the bottom edge only a portion of the distance to the upper edge, resulting in added difficulty in the user slipping a leg into the closed upper tubular leg portion, especially over boots. 
     Because loggers and other forestry workers often work in areas inhabited by poisonous snakes, there is a need for material or materials that address both chainsaw cut and snake bite hazards. However, adding a completely separate layer of protective material can add to the bulkiness and difficulty in handling the heavier chaps. In a typical pair of prior art chaps, using straps and buckles to close the legs, the connecting buckles are exposed and may become clogged with snow, ice or other materials. If zippers are used instead of buckles, the problem may be even worst with the zippers becoming clogged and frozen and difficult to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a protective leg chap includes a pair of leg assemblies each having an outer cloth shell with the shells connected to one another by an upper rear support section. Each leg assembly includes a leg panel of generally rectangular shape and having opposite, substantially parallel edges when the leg panel is open and flat. The legs include an open-and-closed arrangement that extends substantially the full length of the edges and defines a tubular leg when the leg panel edges are overlapped and connected. The open-and-close arrangement has a first closure half that extends along one panel edge, the first closure half defined by a first half of one type of fastener and a first half of a different type of fastener. A second closure half extends along the other panel edge and has the second closure half that is defined by a second half of said one type of fastener and a second half of said different type of fastener. The first and second halves of said one type of fastener and the first and second halves of said different type of fastener are positioned such that, when the one type of fastener is closed, the first half of said different type of fastener attaches to the second half of the different type of fastener and covers and encloses said one type of fastener. 
     Preferably, the one type of fastener is a zipper and the different type of fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener. The first halves of said one type of fastener and the different type of fastener comprise a pair of parallel strips, the second halves of said one type of fastener and the different type of fastener each comprise a pair of parallel strips. 
     The first half of the zipper and the first half of the hook-and-loop fastener are positioned along one panel edge on the inside thereof, and a second half of the zipper and the second half of the hook-and-loop fastener are positioned along the other panel edge on the outside of the leg panel when the panel edges are overlapped. Preferably, the second closure half comprises a pair of parallel spaced zipper strips and a pair of parallel spaced hook-and-loop fastener strips. The respective pairs of a second zipper strip and a second hook-and-loop fastener strip are selectively attachable to the first halves of the zipper and the hook-and-loop fastener on said one panel edge, thereby permitting tubular leg size adjustment. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the outer cloth shell is covered on an inside surface with a thin polyester fabric. A chainsaw protective layer of polyester/aramid fiber is positioned between the shell and the polyester fabric. Also, a lower portion of the inside surface of the leg panel may be provided with a snake bite protective layer. The snake bite protective layer may comprise a woven material. 
     In a basic embodiment of the present invention, a protective leg chap includes a leg, assembly made from an outer cloth shell and including a leg panel of generally rectangular shape defined by opposite edges when the leg panel is open and flat. A leg fastener arrangement extends substantially the full length of the panel edges and defines a tubular leg when the leg panel edges are overlapped, connected and closed. The open-and-close fastener arrangement includes a first closure half that extends along one panel edge and includes a first half of a zipper and a first half of a hook-and-loop fastener. A second closure half extends along the other panel edge and includes a second half of said zipper and a second half of said hook-and-loop fastener. The first and second halves of the zipper and the first and second halves of the hook-and-loop fastener are all of generally the same length or coextensive and are positioned such that when the zipper is closed the first half of the hook-and-loop fastener attaches to the second half of said hook-and-loop fastener and encloses the zipper. 
     The leg chap typically comprises a pair of leg assemblies that are connected to one another by an upper rear support section. The overlying layer of a chainsaw protective material and, optionally, a snake bite protective material, are applied to the inside surface of the outer shell and covered by the thin polyester fabric layer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of the outer surface of a leg panel showing the panel open and flat and the layered lining shown broken away. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the panel in  FIG. 1  showing the inner panel face. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of the leg panel with the left edge of the panel being folded over toward the right edge to form a larger diameter tubular leg. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view similar to  FIG. 3  showing the left edge of the panel folded further over to the right edge to form a smaller diameter tubular leg. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the tubular leg panel of  FIG. 3  in its final tubular shape for a larger of two tubular legs. 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  showing the tubular leg panel of  FIG. 4  in the smaller of the two alternate tubular sizes. 
         FIG. 7  is a generalized plan view of a pair of interconnected chap assemblies showing the inner cloth shell faces. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 1-6  show portions of one chap leg assembly  11  comprising half of a pair of chaps  10 . Each leg assembly  11  is connected to another leg assembly to form a pair of chaps  10  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The leg assemblies  11  are connected by an upper rear support section  13  using adjustable straps  14  to hold the chaps  10  as they are wrapped around the user&#39;s waist. 
     Each of the leg assemblies  11  has an outer cloth shell  12  that extends vertically from the lower edge of the leg assembly and is formed of a heavy woven material, such as Cordura™, as is well known in the industry. Each leg assembly includes a leg panel  15 , that is rectangular in shape and includes opposite vertical edges  16  and  17  when the leg panel  15  is open and flat. The outside face  18  of the leg panel is shown in  FIG. 1  and the inside face  20  of the panel is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     Leg panel  15  is folded over to bring the vertical edge  16  toward the opposite vertical edge  17  which is folded toward edge  16  until the edges  16  and  17  overlap and are closed with closing arrangement in accordance with the present invention. 
     The leg assemblies  11  for a pair of leg chaps are identical and are connected to the upper support sections  13  with the adjustable pairs of waist straps  14 . In  FIG. 2 , there is shown the inside face  20  of the leg panel  15 . On one edge of the inside face  20 , there is shown the tint half  22  of the closing arrangement  21  of the present invention. The first half  22  extends substantially the full length of vertical edge  17  and, when connected to the second half of the closing arrangement  21 , connection of first vertical edge  16  to the second vertical edge  17  on the opposite edge of the leg panel  15 , the closing arrangement defines a tubular leg  24  which is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  in the two size connection of overlaps of panel edges  16  and  17 . 
     The first half  22  of the closing arrangement includes half of a first hook-and-loop fastener strip  25  attached at the edge  17  and the first half of a zipper  26  attached parallel to and spaced from the first hook-and-loop strip  25 . The second half  23  of the closing arrangement  21  is shown in the plan view of  FIG. 2  and is also shown in phantom in the opposite plan view of  FIG. 1 . The second half  23  of the closing arrangement  21  includes alternate pairs of a second half of a hook-and-loop fastener  27 ,  27 ′ and alternate pairs of second zipper strips  28 ,  28 ′. The alternate pairs of second hook-and-loop fastener strips  27 ,  27 ′ and corresponding alternate second zipper strips  28 ,  28 ′ permit circumferential size adjustment of the tubular leg  24  of the leg panel  15 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the first half  22  along edge  17  is folded over toward the second half  23  positioned along vertical edge  16 , the first half  22  of the closing arrangement  21  (comprising first hook-and-loop fastener strip  25  and first zipper strip  26 ), the first zipper strip  26  and the first hook-and-loop fastener strip  25  may be selectively and respectively attached to a pair of a second hook-and-loop fastener strip  27  and a second zipper strip  28  or second hook-and-loop fastener strip  27 ′ and second zipper strip  28 ′. In forming the tubular leg  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first zipper strip  26  is connected to either of the second zipper strips  28 ,  28 ′, and the first hook-and-loop fastener strip  25  is correspondingly attached either the second hook-and-loop fastener strip  27  or second hook-and-loop fastener strip  27 ′. Attaching the first half  22  of the closing arrangement comprising the first zipper strip  26  and the first hook-and-loop fastener strip  25  to the second zipper  28  and the second hook-and-loop fastener strip  27  results in a larger diameter tubular leg  24 , whereas, attachment of the first zipper strip  28 ′ and second zipper strip  28 ′ results in smaller tubular leg  24 . 
     When the vertical edges  16  and  17  of the leg panel  15  are connected, the first hook-and-loop fastener strip  27  or  27 ′, the corresponding zipper halves  26  and  28  or  28 ′ are completely covered and enclosed. This is an important feature in snow or icy conditions, as well as muddy conditions, to keep the zippers from freezing up and becoming difficult to open or close. 
     Although different types of fasteners may be used such as a zip-lock fastener for either the zipper or the hook-and-loop fastener, these are clearly inferior and do not provide the versatility and utility of the present invention combining zippers with hook-and-loop fasteners. The features of the present invention may also be applied to so-called “gators” or sometimes referred to as “gaiters” where separate leg assemblies are worn like conventional hip boots. 
     In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the inside surface  18  of the leg panel  15  is covered with a thin polyester fibric  30 . The space between the inside surface  18  of the leg panel and the thin polyester fabric  30  is filled with a chainsaw cut protective layer  32  of polyester/aramid fiber (or similar protective layer) and, in order to provide dual protection against chainsaw cuts and snake bites, the inside surface of the leg panel may be provided with a snake bite protective layer  31  comprising a suitable woven material. The optional snake bite protective layer need not extend the full height of the leg panel, but rather only about 12″-16″ thereby defining the region more likely to be susceptible to snake bites. Preferably, the chainsaw protective material is used to fill narrow portions of the leg assemblies  11  such as the thin region between the first hook-and-loop fastener strip  25  and the first zipper strip  26 . Similarly, the narrow layer between the second zippers  28 ,  28 ′ may be filled with chainsaw protective material.