Face mask for athletic helmets

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH AN ATHLETIC HELMET INCLUDING PROTECTIVE EAR FLAPS, A FACE MASK FOR ATTACHMENT THERETO, SAID MASK COMPRISING, OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SIDE PORTIONS, A PLURALITY OF SPACED FACE-PROTECTING BARS INTEGRAL THEREWITH AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE FACE OPENING OF SAID HELMET, THE UPPERMOST OF SAID BARS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE FOREHEAD COVERING PORTION OF SAID HELMET, HINGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID UPPERMOST BAR WITH THE EDGE OF THE FOREHEAD COVERING PORTION OF THE HELMET, RELEASABLE CONNECTING MEANS SECURED TO THE LOWERMOST BAR OF SAID FACE-PROTECTING BARS AND ALSO SECURED TO SAID EAR FLAPS, REMOVABLE ADJUSTMENT AND RETAINING MEANS CARRIED BY THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS AND ENGAGING WITH THE EDGE OF SAID EARFLAPS TO PERMIT SPACING OF THE MASK FROM THE FACE OF THE WEARER AND PREVENT DISLOCATION OF THE EAR FLAPS RELATIVE TO SAID MASK, SAID REMOVABLE ADJUSTMENT AND RETAINING MEANS COMPRISING A REMOVABLE INSERT INCLUDING A BODY, FASTENER MEANS SECURING SAID BODY TO THE SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID MASK, AND A FLANGE AT THE FREE END OF SAID BODY AND SPACED FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID MASK.