A shield

Abstract

A shield has a resilient panel (5) with a front face and a back face. A gauntlet (1) has a back which is secured to the back of the panel (5) so that the panel moves in sympathy with the back of the gauntlet when the gauntlet is worn. The panel extends rearwardly from the knuckles of the gauntlet to cover the forearm of the user up to the elbow. An articulated handle can be moved from a retracted condition parallel to the front surface of the panel (5) to a deployed condition where a bar (22) of the handle can be gripped by the user wearing the gauntlet.

Description

[A SHIELD]

[0001] The present invention is concerned with the provision of a buckler to provide a defensive armour particularly but not exclusively for police. There is a perceived requirement for police to be provided with improved protection against assault, especially by assailants wielding devices as clubs, or edged tools such as knives.Prior art

[0002] Conventional body armour is uncomfortable to wear and is contraindicated where an officer is expected to interact normally with the public, being perceived as sinister. Body armour is not quick to don.

[0003] Conventional shields comprise a resilient panel with a front face, and a rear face provided with hand grips and straps to engage a forearm or shoulder. Conventional shields are controlled by an arm, or shoulder strap, engaging the forearm or shoulder and a hand gripped handle. This means the hand is effectively disabled for any other purpose, such as holding a tool; for example, a weapon, tablet or other device. In order to deploy a tool in the gripping hand the shield must be put down leaving the user vulnerable. Certain tools such as a tablet or conventional paper note pad require two hands to use.

[0004] A buckler is historically a small (the major dimension is usually approximately the length of a forearm or less, ie between 12 and 35cm) generally circular easily carried shield. The buckler consists of a panel and a handle mounted on the back of the panel to be gripped in use. Apart from the small size it is distinguished from other forms of shield because no forearm or shoulder strap is provided. The buckler disables the hand for any other purpose.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a compact shield suitable for use by police officers which mitigates the deficiencies of prior art shields.Statement of Invention

[0006] Accordingly, the present invention comprises:a shield having a resilient panel with a front face and a rear face,a gauntlet secured to the rear face to accommodate the hand of a user whereby the panel moves with the back hand of the user.

[0007] The gauntlet may be fingerless but preferably has fingers to protect the user, the fingers and thumb of the user being free to move independently of the panel so that tools can be gripped without laying down the shield. Unlike a simple band the use of a gauntlet having fingers ensures that the back of the gauntlet moves with the movements of the hand and therefore the panel and in practice the whole shield moves in sympathy with the back of the hand.

[0008] Preferably the gauntlet is secured by a fastening assembly which is readily separable from the panel to facilitate exchanging the gauntlet or cleaning. This arrangement also facilitates exchanging the gauntlet for one of a size appropriate to the user.

[0009] The fastening assembly may engage a back panel of the gauntlet which overlies the back of the hand, by means of a substantially rigid plate in order that the fastening will move in sympathy with the pack of the hand and wrist movement.

[0010] The panel may be formed from any suitably resilient material, for example, plastics, metals, wood, leather, fabrics, composites, fabrics or combinations thereof.

[0011] Preferably the shield is provided with an articulated handle which can articulate to a deployed condition to be gripped by a hand in the gauntlet. Preferably the handle is articulated to be retracted and secured to the front face of the panel such that the handle does not obstruct the gauntleted hand, particularly the fingers of said hand. Articulation of the handle may be by means of a hinge assembly located near, or at, a front edge of the panel.

[0012] The handle is connected to the panel by a connection which is rigid when deployed, so that there is no movement between the handle and the panel when the handle is deployed.

[0013] The handle may be provided with a latch to temporarily latch the handle in either the retracted or deployed condition.

[0014] Preferably the panel is approximately the length of an adult forearm, ie between 12 and 35 cm. The shield may be between 10 and 40 cm wide. Preferably the panel is in the form of a trough with a central panel part and lateral panel parts extending along the lateral sides and inclined relative to the central panel part. The shield is therefore sufficiently compact to be conveniently carried and deployed in confined spaces.

[0015] The shield is put on for use by placing a hand in the gauntlet and is therefore little less convenient to use than a gauntlet while affording the user significant protection against clubs and edged weapons.

[0016] An embodiment of a shield constructed in accordance with the present invention, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative figures; in which:

[0017] is a SE isometric view of the shield;

[0018] is a SE isometric view of a gauntlet part of the shield;

[0019] shows an enlarged isometric view of a gauntlet plate;

[0020] is an enlarged SE view of the shield with the gauntlet removed, disposed vertically to show the back with a handle in a deployed condition;

[0021] is an enlarged NE view of the shield with the gauntlet removed, disposed vertically to show the front with the handle in a deployed condition;

[0022] is an enlarged SE view of the shield with the gauntlet removed, disposed vertically to show the back with the handle in a retracted condition;

[0023] is an enlarged NE view of the shield with the gauntlet removed, disposed vertically to show the front with the handle in the retracted condition; and

[0024] is an enlarged sectional left hand elevation through a handle assembly.Detailed description of the drawings

[0025] shows a gauntlet 1 which in this example is for the left hand (right hand gauntlets can be used). The gauntlet has a cuff into which a user’s left hand can be inserted so that the fingers and thumb are received into the corresponding finger and thumb portions of the gauntlet in known manner. The back of the gauntlet is provided with a rigid plate 2 which spans the back of the gauntlet behind the knuckles and for substantially the span of the knuckles. The plate 2 is rigid and elongate in the lateral direction of the knuckles. The plate 2 is provided with fastenings to separably connect it to an interface structure which forms a part of a handle assembly. In the embodiment the fastenings are machine screws 4 which are screwed into captive nuts or threaded fasteners to secure the gauntlet to the handle assembly.

[0026] shows a view of the handle assembly separated from a resilient panel 5 with the handle in the retracted condition. The handle assembly is assembled from the interface structure 6 attached to a chassis 7. The interface structure 6 is formed from a short tube 8 which is integrally formed with an interface plate 9. The column 8 has a base which bears against the resilient panel 5 (not shown in). A bolt 11 is passed through the bore of the tube 8, a corresponding hole formed in the panel 5 and a corresponding hole formed in the chassis to be secured by a wing nut 12. A machine screw 12 passes through the chassis and a corresponding through hole formed in the panel 5 to further secure the panel 5 to the chassis by means of a nut 13. The chassis 7 presents a bearing surface to bear against a corresponding front surface of the panel 5. A shoulder 14 is arranged to engage a front edge of the panel 5. Broadly the interface structure and chassis and panel are constructed to cooperate so there is no movement between them when assembled. The interface plate 9 has through holes 4 to receive the machine screws 3 whereby the back of the gauntlet 1 is secured to the handle assembly. The surface of the interface plate 9 which bears against the plate 2 is inclined at an acute angle with respect to the back of the panel 5. So that the back of the gauntlet is correspondingly inclined with respect to the panel 5.

[0027] The resilient panel 5 is formed from a central elongate rectangular panel 15 dimensioned to be approximately the length of a forearm. This will depend to a degree on the size of an individual user and the panel may be provided in a range of lengths to suit differently sized users. The handle assembly is attached as described above to a front edge of the handle assembly. Integral lateral panels 16 and 17 are formed by folding the panel 5 around longitudinally extending lines so that the panel 5 is generally a rectangular channel with lateral panels which wrap around the gauntlet and user’s forearm.

[0028] The interface structure 6 acts to space the back of the gauntlet 1 from the back of the central panel.

[0029] The handle assembly provides a pair of laterally spaced hinge structures 18, 19 which provide a pivot axis supported forward of the central panel 15 front edge and are spaced above the front surface of the central panels 15. A handle is provided by two spaced parallel limbs 20, 21 which support a bar 22 extending between the ends of the limbs remote from the hinge structures. The hinge structures 20, 21 are arranged to allow the handle to rotate between a deployed condition, shown in figures 3 and 4 where the limbs project backwards to support the bar 22 to be gripped by a user’s hand as shown in, and a retracted condition where the handle lies flat against the front face of the central panel 15. The hinge structures are arranged so that the handle cannot rotate past the deployed condition as the limbs abut the front edge of the central panel 15.

[0030] To use the shield the user places their hand into the gauntlet so that the shield is deployed across the back of the hand and covers the arm from the elbow to the knuckles. In this condition the user’s fingers are still free to move in the gauntlet and grip a variety of tools as required. If greater control of the shield is required the handle can be rotated to the deployed condition and gripped by the hand of the user.

[0031] In a variant of the shield a forearm strap 23 can be provided to span between anchor points on opposing edges of the lateral panels. The strap is preferably optionally removable at the choice of the user.

[0032] The handle assembly may also provide a saddle structure 24 on the front face of the central panel 15. The saddle structure provides a channel to receive the handle 22 and a detent in the form of resiliently deformable projections 25 which press against and retain the handle in the retracted condition.

Claims

A shield comprising a resilient panel (5) having a front and a back and a gauntlet (1);said gauntlet having a back and said back secured to the back of the panel so that the panel moves with the back of the gauntlet, the fingers of the gauntlet being free to move independently of the panel;a handle assembly mounted to the panel (5) whereby a handle can be moved from a retracted condition to a deployed condition, said retracted handle being positioned so that the hand of a user in the gauntlet (1) can grip tools unobstructed by the handle, and when deployed can be gripped by the gauntleted hand.A shield according to claim 1 wherein the gauntlet has a rigid plate (2) secured to the back, said plate providing a fastening to attach the gauntlet to the panel (5).A shield according to claim 2 wherein the fastening is separable.A shield according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein an interface structure (6) is mounted to project from the back of the panel (5) to which the plate (2) is secured.A shield according to claim 4 wherein the interface (6) serves to incline the plate (2) relative to the back of the panel (5).A shield according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the interface serves to space the back of the gauntlet (1) from the back of the panel (5).A shield according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the connection between the handle and the panel is rigid when the handle is deployed and gripped.A shield according to claim 7wherein the handle is connected to the panel (5) by at least one hinge structure (20,21) whereby the handle articulates around the hinge structure between the deployed condition and the retracted condition.A shield according to claim 8 wherein the handle comprises a bar (22) supported at each end by two spaced parallel limbs (20,21), each end of the limbs remote from the bar being engaged with a corresponding hinge structure (18,19).A shield according to one of claims 8 or 9 wherein each hinge structure (18, 19) is mounted on a front edge of the panel arranged so that the handle swings around an axis located in front of and above the front edge of the panel (5) from a retracted condition parallel to and in front of the front of the panel to a deployed condition perpendicular to and behind the back of the panel.A shield according to claim 10 wherein each hinge structure restricts the range of movement of the handle to the retracted condition and the deployed condition.A shield according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the handle assembly includes a chassis (7) whereby the handle assembly is secured to the panel (5), each hinge structure being formed as a part of the chassis, and said interface being secured to the chassis to clamp the panel between the interface and the chassis.A shield according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a grip is provided to hold the handle in the retracted condition.A shield according to claim 13 wherein the grip is provided in the form of at least one detent (25) projecting from a surface of a saddle (24) formed in the chassis (7).

Images