Firefighter's Garments Having Removable but Detectable Liner

A firefighter's garments customarily have a plurality of layers. Customarily, each layer is of a material different from the materials of the other layers, and each layer serves a purpose different from the purpose of the other layers.

A firefighter's coat and a firefighter's trousers each have an inner liner or thermal barrier. Customarily, the inner liner and the other layers of the garment are attached together as a unit. This has become a custom because a firefighter has historically demonstrated the desire and tendency to remove a detachable inner liner from a firefighting garment. This is particularly true during hot weather. Removing the inner liner makes the garment cooler and more comfortable and reduces stress upon the firefighter, but also makes the garment unacceptable for firefighting protection.

This problem has become so significant that firefighting administrators now customarily request that an inner layer of a firefighter's garment be stitched to other layers of the garment to prevent disassembly of the garment. The permanent attachment of an inner liner to the other layers of a firefighter's garment has several disadvantages, as discussed below. However, stitching of an inner liner to the other layers of a firefighter's garment continues to be a custom, because with the use of conventional firefighter garments, a firefighting administrator cannot readily visually determine that a firefighter is wearing a garment which has no inner liner.

As stated above, problems exist with regard to a firefighter's garment in which all layers are stitched together. During the fighting of a fire, the inner liner usually becomes saturated with perspiration. It is, of course, desirable to clean the inner liner. When the inner liner is attached to the other layers of the garment, the entire garment must be cleaned as a unit. Of course, it is desirable to clean the entire garment. However, the outer layer is covered with smoke and ashes and the like, and it is desirable to clean the inner liner in a different manner and/or in different solution from that in which the inner liner is cleaned. Also, an outer layer or an inner layer sometimes wears out or becomes damaged. It is desirable to be able to replace the damaged or worn layer without replacing the other layers.

This problem has been addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,806. This patent shows a firefighter's coat which has a collar which is attached to an inner liner. Therefore, the collar is removed when the inner liner is removed from the garment. Such a firefighter's garment is helpful toward solving the problem discussed above. However, when a firefighter is completely dressed for firefighting, with mask, helmet with ear flaps, etc., the absence of a collar from the coat may not be readily observable. However, the coat is usable even though the coat does not have a collar.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a firefighter's garment which has an inner liner or thermal barrier which is easily removable from the other layers of the garment.

It is another object of this invention to provide means and a method by which an inner liner or thermal barrier in a firefighter's coat is removably attached to an outer layer.

It is another object of this invention to provide a means and a method by which an inner liner or thermal barrier in a firefighter's trousers is removably attached to an outer layer.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a garment for a firefighter in which the garment is not readily usable as a firefighting garment when the inner liner is removed.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a garment in which the outer appearance of the firefighter's garment is significantly changed when the inner liner is not present in the garment.

Other objects and advantages of this invention reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of production and the mode of use as will become more apparent from the following description.

This invention comprises a means and a method by which an inner liner in a firefighter's coat and an inner liner in a firefighter's trousers are attached to an outer layer and are readily removable and replaceable. The inner liner is attached to the other layers by a section which is secured to the inner liner but which is readily detachable from the other layers.

For example, a section of the front portion of a firefighter's coat is secured to the inner liner of the coat but that section is readily removable from the other layers of the coat. A section of the front portion of the firefighter's trousers is secured to the inner liner but is readily removable from the other layers of the trousers. The front portion of each garment has two separable parts. The section which is attached to the inner layer also attaches together the two front parts of the garment. Therefore, the garment is not readily usable as a firefighter's garment when the inner layer is removed therefrom.

Also, in accordance with this invention, a cuff section of a firefighter's coat and a cuff section of a firefighter's trousers are secured to the inner liner thereof, but is readily removable from the other layers of the garment. The section of the garment which is secured to the inner liner is readily attachable and detachable with respect to the other layers by quick release means. The cuff portions are important portions of the garment and may form a significant part of a sleeve of a firefighter's coat or a significant part of a leg portion of a firefighter's trousers. Therefore, the garment is not readily usable when the inner layer is removed therefrom.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a firefighter's coat and a firefighter's trousers which are constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of the firefighter's trousers and illustrating the manner in which a section which is secured to the inner liner is also releasably attached to the outer layer of the trousers.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to FIG. 2, and illustrating the manner by which a section which is secured to the inner layer is detachable from the outer layer of the trousers.

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view showing the inner liner of the trousers removed from the outer layer of the trousers.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a firefighter's coat or jacket which is constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coat of FIG. 5 illustrating the manner by which a section which is secured to the inner liner is releasably attached to the outer layer.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner by which the section is releasable from the other layers.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 8--8 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 9--9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view drawn on substantially the same scale as FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, and showing the inner liner removed from other layers of the coat.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a firefighter's coat and trousers, with parts broken away, showing another embodiment of the invention of this application.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded view illustrating removal of the inner liner from the trousers.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded view illustrating removal of the inner liner from the coat.

FIG. 1 shows a coat or jacket 20 and a trousers 22, both of which are constructed in accordance with this invention.

The trousers 22 are shown as having cuffs 21. The trousers 22 include an outer layer 23 and an inner liner or inner layer or thermal barrier 24. The outer layer 23 has a front part 25 and a front part 27, as best shown in FIG. 4. The inner liner 24 is best shown in FIG. 4. Secured to the inner liner 24 is a flexible connection section 26. Foldably attached to the flexible section 26 is a flap 28 which has secured thereto a strip 30 of hook and pile material. The strip 30 of hook and pile material is adapted to be attached to a complementary strip 32 of hook and pile material, which is secured to the part 27, as illustrated in FIG. 2. A slide fastener portion 36 is secured to the flap 28, and a slide fastener portion 38 is secured to the part 27 of the outer shell 23. A slide fastener tab 39 is attached to the slide fastener portions 36 and 38.

Secured to the flexible connection section 26 is a plurality of pressure snap elements 40 which are releasably attached to complementary pressure snap elements 42, which are secured to the part 25 of the front portion of the outer shell 23. The snap elements 42 are normally covered by the section 26. A snap hook 46 is shown attached to the outer shell 23. A ring 48 is attached to the flexible connection section 26. The snap hook 46 is normally attached to the ring 48, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The upper portion of the outer line 23 and one each of the cuffs 21 is shown as having a pressure snap 52 which is releasably attached to the inner liner 24 by means of complementary pressure snaps 54 which are secured to the inner liner 24.

When the firefighter desires to remove the trousers 22, the snap hook 46 is removed from the ring 48 which is secured to the flexible connection section 26, and the pressure snaps 40 which are secured to the inner liner 24 are released from the pressure snaps 42 which are secured to the part 25 of the outer shell 23. Thus, the flexible connection section 26 is released from the part 25 of the front portion of the outer shell 23 and the trousers 22 can be removed from the firefighter.

When the trousers 22 are removed from the firefighter and when it is desired to remove the inner liner 24 from the outer shell 23, the strip 30 of hook and pile material which is attached to the flap 28 is detached from the strip 32 of hook and pile material which is secured to the part 27 of the outer shell 23. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the slide fastener tab 39 is moved downwardly, detaching the slide fastener portion 36 from the slide fastener portion 38. Then the pressure snaps 52 of the cuffs 21 and the upper portion of the liner 23 are detached from the pressure snaps 54 which are secured to the inner liner 24. Thus, the inner liner 24 is free from attachment to the part 27 of the front portion of the outer shell 23 and can be removed from the outer shell 23, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Thus, the inner liner or thermal barrier 24 can be cleaned in an operation and solution separate from that in which the outer shell 23 is cleaned. Furthermore, a new inner liner 24 can be inserted into the outer shell 23 if an inner liner is damaged or not reusable. Due to the fact that section 26 and the slide fastener portion 36 and the strip 30 of hook and pile material are removed from the part 27 of the outer shell 23 with the inner liner 24, the parts 25 and 27 of the front portion cannot be attached together. Thus, the trousers 22 cannot be worn when the inner liner 24 is removed from the trousers 22.

FIG. 5 shows specifically the firefighter's coat or jacket 20 of FIG. 1 which is constructed in accordance with this invention. The coat or jacket 20 has an outer shell or outer layer 60, and an inner liner or inner layer or thermal barrier 62. The outer layer 60 has a front portion provided with a part 61 and a part 63. As shown in FIG. 10, the inner liner 62 is provided with pressure snaps 64 which are secured to the inner liner 62 at various spaced-apart portions thereof. The inner liner 62 also has a flap 67 to which is secured an elongate strip 68 of hook and pile material. The flap 67 is secured to a section 70 of the inner liner 62. The section 70 has spaced-apart rings 72 attached thereto along the length thereof.

Adjacent the flap 67 on the section 70 is a slide fastener portion 76.

The part 63 of the outer layer or shell 60 has a plurality of snap hooks 80 which are adapted to be attached to the rings 72 which are attached to the section 70. The part 61 of the outer layer 60 also has a slide fastener portion 82 which is normally attached to the slide fastener portion 76 of the inner liner 62. The part 61 of the outer shell 60 also has a strip 86 of hook and pile material which is complementary to the strip 68 which is secured to the flap 67. The strip 86 is normally attached to the strip 68, as shown in FIG. 8.

The part 63 of the outer liner 60 also has pressure snaps 88 which are adapted to be attached to the pressure snaps 64 which are carried by the inner liner 62. When the firefighter desires to remove the coat 20 the snap hooks 80 are removed from the rings 72, and the pressure snaps 88 which are adjacent the snap hooks 80 are removed from the pressure snaps 64. Thus, the section 70 is released from the front portion 63 of the outer shell 60, and the front parts 61 and 63 of the outer shell 60 are movable one from the other. In this condition, the coat 20 is removable from the firefighter.

After the coat 20 is removed from the firefighter and when it is desired to remove the inner liner 62 from the outer liner 60, the strip 68 of hook and pile material is removed from the complementary strip 86 of hook and pile material. Then the slide fastener portions 82 and 76 are separated, as illustrated in FIG. 9. Thus, the section 70 is released from the part 61 of the front portion of the outer shell 60. Thus, the inner liner 62 is removed from the outer liner 61, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Due to the fact that the section 70 is removed from the outer liner 60 with the inner liner 62, the parts 61 and 63 of the front part of the outer shell 60 cannot be attached together, and the coat 20 cannot be worn by a firefighter.

FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 illustrate another embodiment of this invention.

A coat or jacket 90 has an outer shell 91 which is provided with sleeves 92 which have cuff portions 94. The cuff portions 94 are part of an inner liner 96. The cuff portions 94 may be significant in lenght so that the cuff portions 94 form a substantial part of the arm protection of a firefighter. Each of the cuff portions 94 has a hook and pile element 97 secured thereto and encircling the cuff portion 94. Each of the sleeves 92 has a complementary hook and pile element 98 secured thereto and within the sleeve 92. The hook and pile elements 98 and 97 are attached together, to attach the inner liner 96 to the outer shell 91 at the sleeves 92. Also, the inner liner 96 is attached to the outer shell 91 by means of pressure snaps 100.

The outer shell 91 has snap hooks 102 and rings 104 which are attached together when the coat 90 is worn by a firefighter. When the firefighter desires to remove the coat 90 the snap hooks 102 are removed from the rings 104.

When the coat 90 is removed from the firefighter and when it is desired to remove the inner liner 96 from the outer shell 91, the hook and pile elements 97 and 98 are separated, and the pressure snaps 100 are separated. Thus, the inner liner 96 is removable from the outer shell 91. When this occurs the outer shell 91 does not have cuff portions and the coat 90 cannot be effectively worn by a firefighter.

FIG. 11 also shows trousers 120 having leg portions 122. Extending downwardly from each of the leg portions 122 is a cuff portion 130. Each of the cuff portions 130 may be significant in length and may form a substantial part of the leg protection of a firefighter. Each of the cuff portions 130 is encompassed by a hook and pile element 136. Each hook and pile element 136 is attached to a complementary hook and pile element 148 which is within each of respective leg portions 122. The trousers 120 comprise an outer shell 152 and an inner layer 156. Pressure snaps (not shown) also attach the inner liner 156 to the outer shell 152.

When the firefighter desires to remove the trousers 120, they are removed in a conventional manner. When it is desired to remove the inner liner 156 from the outer shell 152 the hook and pile elements 136 and 148 are separated and the pressure snaps, not shown, are separated. Thus, the inner liner 156 is removed from the outer shell 152. When this occurs, the trousers 120 do not have cuff portions 130 and cannot be effectively worn by a firefighter.

Thus, in summary, it is understood that in accordance with this invention an inner liner is removably attached to an outer shell of a firefighter's garment. The inner liner has a portion which is attached to the outer shell, and the garment cannot be effectively worn by a firefighter when the inner liner is removed.

Although the preferred embodiment of the firefighter's garments of this invention has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof, the method of construction and the mode of use, which generally stated consist in a structure and method within the scope of the appended claims.