IMPROVEMENTS IN HELMETS,
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN DRUMGOOLE BRADY, of Cambridge Terrace, in the County of
Middlesex, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster,
the Twenty-second day of March, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-two, in the fifteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Drumgoole
Brady, my exors, admors, and assigns,. Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Drumgoole Brady,
my exors, adiiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Drumgoole Brady, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alder-
ney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HELMETS,

page_text: CARTRIDGE BOXES, AND OTHER MILITARY ACCOUTREMENTS;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said John Drum-
goole Brady, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of she said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said John Drumgoole Brady, hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
fully described in and by the present Specification thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
My improvements in helmets and other head pieces consist, first, in
an improved form and combination of materials for a military helmet;
and, second, in certain arrangements for the ventilation of helmets and
other head pieces generally.
My improvements in cartridge boxes and other military accoutre-
ments, such as scabbards, bayonet sheaths, &c., consist in constructing
them of a foundation of gutta percha or gutta percha composition,
covered or partially covered with felt or leather, whereby they will be
extremely light, and when unfit for service the material (gutta percha)
can be again rendered available.
My improvements in other military accoutrements consist in an im-
proved arrangement of belts and means of slinging cartridge boxes.
Figures 1 and 2, of the Drawings hereunto annexed, are front and side
elevations of my improved helmet; and Figure 3, a perspective view of
the frame or foundation. A, A, A, A, are four thin hollow strips of
metal, which may unite at the crown, or merely be carried some short
distance up and left open at top. At the base, and immediately above
the head, these tubes are perforated for the admission of air, to give
ventilation to the head; the frame is then covered with felt, stiffened and
formed into the shape shewn in the Drawing, with openings correspond-
ing with the lower openings of the tubes. The helmet is open at top

page_text: for the escape of the heated air, and is furnished with some ornamental
device, according to the regiments for whose use it is intended. For
the ventilation of helmets and other head pieces generally, I place on
the inside of such head piece two or more thin hollow strips of metal
or gutta percha, and admit the air by leaving them open at bottom,
at the sides of and flush with the body of the helmet or other head
piece. At top these hollow strips are perforated or are left open; just
above the head an opening or openings must be made in the top
of the head piece for the escape of the heated air: Instead of
hollow strips or tubes, pieces or strips of metal or gutta percha, with
edges bent round so as to form, a tube with the side of the helmet or
other head piece, may be used. I form my improved cartridge boxes
by moulding gutta percha or gutta percha composition into the required
shape, and I attach the felt or leather covering by heating the surface
of the gutta percha sufficiently to cause adhesion. I also make sword
scabbards and bayonet sheaths of a foundation of gutta percha wholly
or partially covered with felt or leather and united by heating the
surface of the gutta percha. I propose to provide each soldier with
two cartridge boxes, one to be carried in front, and the other behind,
and for this purpose I construct my improved military accoutrement as
follows: A, A, Figures 4 and 5, is a leather waist belt; B, a shoulder
strap fastened to each cartridge box; it is provided with a buckle in
front to enable the soldier to lessen or increase the weight on the waist
belt to suit his convenience. Each soldier is to be provided with two
cartridge boxes, which are attached by studs to the waist belt, or they
may be connected to it by hooks. As soon as the soldier has fired away
the rounds of cartridges in the front box, which it will be seen is
placed conveniently to his hand, he changes place with the boxes, and
brings the back cartridge box round to the front.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the improved helmet herein-before represented and described.
Second, the means of ventilating helmets and other head pieces
herein-before described.

page_text: Third, I claim the formation of cartridge boxes, sword scabbards,
and bayonet sheaths of a combination of gutta percha and felt' or
leather, as before described; and, .
Fourth, I claim the improved military accoutrement herein-before
described, in so far as respects the combination of a waist belt, shoulder
strap, and cartridge boxes.".
In witness whereof, I, the said John Drumgoole Brady, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
Enrolled the Twenty-second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.