Appeal No. 97-0828
Application 08/445,540
as containing allowable subject matter but stand objected to
as depending from rejected base claims.
The invention relates to a protective face mask/helmet
assembly particularly designed for use by baseball and
softball catchers. Claim 1 is illustrative and reads as
follows:
1. A protective helmet and facemask assembly which
comprises:
a helmet for covering at least a portion of a person’s
head, an open face area, and a top portion adjacent to said
open face area, said top portion having a top edge bordering
said open face area;
a facemask comprising a frame for fitting around a
person’s face, an open grid of protective elements secured to
said frame and covering an area within said frame;
said facemask frame overlapping said top edge;
padding means between said facemask and said edge;
elastic strap means connected between opposite sides of
said helmet adjacent to said face area and opposite sides of
said facemask for permitting said facemask to be slid from a
first position over said face area to a position over said top
portion; and
said elastic strap means including means for adjusting
the length of said elastic straps to assure snug engagement of
said facemask to a person’s face in said first position and
frictional engagement with said top portion in said second
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Last modified: November 3, 2007