Abstract:
A glove holder to attach firefighter&#39;s glove to their uniform to help prevent their loss, and to provide for easy access of the gloves in case of emergency.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     A glove holder, more specifically, a glove holder for attaching to protective outer clothing of a firefighter&#39;s uniform. 
     2. Background Information 
     Firefighter&#39;s need good gloves for protection. The gloves should be readily available with the rest of their uniform, such as boots, coat, and helmet, for fast access in case of an emergency. Gloves are more easily lost or misplaced than the other parts of the firefighter&#39;s uniform. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a device that would secure the gloves when not in use to another part of the firefighter&#39;s uniform, such as the outer surface of the firefighter&#39;s protective coat. That way, grabbing the coat would mean the gloves are attached to the outside of the coat and in plain sight. If one or both gloves was missing, one would know right away. 
     A suitable glove holder would be constructed from National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA)-approved material such as: NOMEX®, KEVLAR®, leather, PBI, other suitable material, or combinations of the same. Further, it would be adjustable to hold large, medium or small size gloves securely to the outer surface of an article of the firefighter&#39;s uniform, such as the firefighter&#39;s protective coat. 
     Devices heretofore have not been available which combine a glove holder attachable to the outer surface of a firefighter&#39;s protective garment made from fireproof material, which size is adjustable to secure gloves of various sizes 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Applicant&#39;s invention includes a strap, typically made from a fireproof material, such as: NOMEX®, KEVLAR®, leather, PBI, or combinations of the same. The strap has two ends an a body between the two ends. At the two ends are means to adjustably attach one end to the other to form the strap into an enclosure. The size of the enclosure is adjustable so the two ends may be pulled tightly to form a narrow enclosure with the gloves tightly held therein. The two ends, in one preferred embodiment, may be detached completely, one from the other, when not in use. In a second embodiment, Applicant&#39;s two ends are permanently attached and the body of the strap is an elastic material, such as bungee cord, covered with a fireproof fabric, such as: NOMEX®, KEVLAR®, leather, PBI, or combinations of the same. 
     Means to adjustably and releasably fasten the two removed ends one to another in the first preferred embodiment include: drawstring clasp of FIGS. 1, pull-the-dot snap fasteners of FIGS. 2, the elastic material of FIGS. 3, the VELCRO® of FIGS. 4, the tourniquet buckle of FIGS. 5, and the D-rings of FIGS.  6 . 
     Applicant&#39;s glove holder also includes, attached to the body of the strap means to either permanently fasten the strap to the outer garment or to removably fasten strap to the outer garment. To permanently attach the strap to the outer garment, a portion of the strap may be sewn, with fireproof thread, to the outer surface of the firefighter&#39;s protective garment, such as near the chest or groin area of the outer surface of his coat. 
     Means to removably attach the strap portion of the glove holder to the outer garment includes a metal clip sewn onto the strap (or garment) and a cooperating ring sewn onto the outer surface of the garment (or strap), which clip includes a member depressable to engage the ring. Other means to removably attach the strap to the outer surface of the garment include one or a series of pull-the-dot fasteners and VELCRO®. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1A and 1B are front and rear views of Applicant&#39;s glove holder in use. 
     FIG. 2A is a perspective side view of an alternate preferred embodiment of Applicant&#39;s present invention. 
     FIG. 2B is a perspective side view of the alternate preferred embodiment of FIG. 2A in use. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of removable means of Applicant&#39;s present invention illustrating one means of removing the strap from the outer garment of the firefighter&#39;s protective uniform. 
     FIG. 3A is a side elevational view of an alternate preferred embodiment of Applicant&#39;s present invention wherein the strap is made of an elastic material and means to removably attach the strap to the outer garment is a metal clip. 
     FIG. 3B is a side perspective view of the alternate preferred embodiment as set forth in FIG. 3A of Applicant&#39;s present invention in use. 
     FIG. 3C is a side perspective view of a portion of Applicant&#39;s present invention illustrating means to permanently fasten the strap to the outer garment of the firefighter&#39;s uniform. 
     FIG. 3D is a side perspective cut-away of the strap of the preferred embodiment of Applicant&#39;s present invention as set forth in FIGS. 3A,  3 B, and  3 C. 
     FIG. 3E is a front elevational view of a pop rivet, used in fastening the glove holder to the outside of a garment. 
     FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C are front, back and side elevational views of the strap of Applicant&#39;s present invention with a clip attached thereto for removably attaching the strap to an outer garment of the firefighter&#39;s protective uniform. 
     FIG. 5A is a front elevational view of Applicant&#39;s present invention illustrating the strap sewn permanently to the firefighters uniform and a tourniquet buckle for attaching the removed ends of the strap and adjusting the size of the enclosure in which the gloves are placed. 
     FIG. 5B is a side elevational view of the embodiment set forth in FIG.  5 A. 
     FIGS. 5C and 5D are perspective side views of the alternate preferred embodiment of Applicant&#39;s present invention featured in FIGS. 5A and 5B where the strap is in a loose position (FIG. 5C) and is in a “cinched” position (FIG.  5 D). 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate in side elevational view and cut-away detail the use of a pair of D-rings to adjustably attach the removed ends of the strap. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate two alternate preferred embodiments of Applicant&#39;s glove holder  10 . As can be seen in the figures, glove holder  10  is designed to hold gloves A to the outer surface of a garment B. The garment may be part of the firefighter&#39;s uniform, such as the coat or pants. Glove holder  10  is seen to include strap  12  having a body  12 A, a first removed end  12 B, and a second removed end  12 C. In some alternate preferred embodiments (see FIGS. 1A,  3 ,  3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  4 A,  4 B,  4 C,  6 A, and  6 B), the body has attached thereto means  14 , such as a metal or plastic clip  16  to cooperate with a ring  18  sewn onto the garment for removably fastening the strap to the garment. On the other hand, strap  12  may include means for permanently attaching the strap to the outer garment, including thread  20  here seen to attach a portion of body  12  of the strap directly to the material of the outer surface of protective garment B. The thread may be made of NOMEX®, KEVLAR® or PBI®, all approved by the NFPA for their fire-resistant qualities. 
     The strap  12  of Applicant&#39;s invention is provided with, at or near the removed ends thereof, means  22  for joining the ends and for adjusting the size of the enclosure in which the gloves are placed. Means  22  in FIGS. 1A and 1B include a drawstring clasp  22 A. FIG. 2A and 2B disclose the use of pull-the-dot fasteners as means  22  for removably fastening the two ends together. Further, it is seen with a multiplicity of sets (here three sets) of pull-the-dot fasteners the size of the closure can be adjusted. For example, attaching the first female portion  22 Z to the second male portion  22 B to form a smaller enclosure. 
     FIGS. 3A,  3 B,  3 C, and  3 D illustrate means for enclosure adjustment  22 , said means utilizing bungee cord strap or elastic cord  22 C covered by a protective material, such as NOMEX®, KEVLAR®, or other materials  22 D. In the embodiment illustrated in these figures, a means for enclosure adjustment is the material itself, which may take on a stretched or biased condition, such as when an outside force is applied or a relaxed condition, such as when gloves are inserted therein and restricted within the material  22 C, which condition is normal condition with an outside force removed. In other words, the material can be stretched, the gloves inserted, the force released, and the material will relax to constrict and enclose the gloves within its confines. 
     FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C illustrate yet another alternate preferred embodiment of means  22  for enclosure adjustment, which means  22  are attached to removed ends  12 B and  12 C of the strap  12 . In the illustration set forth in FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C, removed ends include VELCRO® hook and pile pods, here hook  22 E and pile  22 F forming pads for attached to removed ends of the strap, which can readily be adjusted one to the other in length so as to form an enclosure tightly around the gloves of the glove holder  10 . 
     Yet another alternate preferred embodiment of means  22  for enclosure adjustment is found in FIGS. 5A,  5 B,  5 C, and  5 D. In this embodiment it can be seen that means  22  for attachment and adjustment includes a biased jaw clasp  22 G (such as that available from Scott Breathing Equipment), which is attached to first end  12 B. Second end  12 C is directed through the jaws of the clasp. FIGS. 5C and 5D illustrate how the gloves are placed in the enclosure of the strap in loose position and, second end  12 C is pulled to reduce the size of the enclosure and trap the gloves within (“cinched” position). 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate another preferred embodiment of means  22 , here a double pair of D rings  22 F attached to one end, for receipt of the send end of the strap through the two D-rings, to provide an adjustable enclosure. 
     The following products are available through National Webbing Products Co. of Garden City Park, N.Y. (nationalwebbing.com) for attaching the strap to the outer garment of a firefighter&#39;s uniform. Trigger Snap #098, Swivel Snap #017, Snaphook #026, Ratchet Buckle #509, Lanyard Hook #068, and other hooks made of metal or compression molded plastic. Other means to attach the strap to the outer garment of the firefighters uniform can be found in the Buyer&#39;s Guide (1996) available from The Leather Factory®, 435-E Henry Brennan Drive, El Paso, Tex. 79926, these including: Halter Snaps, Spring Snaps, Round Trigger Snaps, Saddle Snaps, Chap Snaps, D-rings, Square Dee rings, and Solid Dee rings. 
     The National Webbing Products catalog also provides means to adjustably attach the two removed ends of the strap of Applicant&#39;s present invention, including: CLB Ball Cord Lock, CLSQ Square Cord Lock, CLH Cord Lock (drawstring clasps), NSR Side Release Buckle, NCR Center Release Buckle, STLC Straplock, NSL Slide, DDR Double D-ring, NCB Cam Buckle, Halter Strap or Tack Buckles, Suspender Clips, or Floating Bar Buckles. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention.