Face guard for a baseball helmet or the like

Claim 1

In a protective face guard for a game using a ball or like struck play piece in combination with an integral helmet having a protective dome, a bill and a pair of ear pieces, each having a forward outwardly curved edge and a plurality of apertures behind such edge, comprising: a. a relatively thin lightweight sheet of molded transparent thermoplastic material having: 1. an upper section protective of the mouth, nose and cheeks of the wearer providing an unbroken exterior surface of predetermined generally outward curvature and including a centrally disposed breathing aperture and 2. a lower section protective of the jaw and lower pallet areas of the wearer providing an unbroken exterior surface of predetermined generally outward curvature depending beneath and anGled rearwardly from said first section and formed integral therewith; b. end pieces located at respective opposite ends of and molded integral with said first and second curved sections and each having plural mounting apertures, said end pieces being formed with inwardly curved force transmitting and distributing ledge surfaces mating with said forwardly outwardly curved helmet ear piece edges with said end pieces plural mounting apertures being located behind said ledge surfaces and mating with said helmet ear piece apertures; and c. connector means mounted in said apertures and securing said face guard end pieces adjacent said helmet ear pieces, each said inwardly curved face guard end piece force transmitting ledge surface mating with and engaging a respective one of said outwardly curved helmet ear piece edges and being plurally secured at points behind said ledge surfaces and in such engagement wherein the force of impact of the play piece on either of said sections is transmitted through said engaged curved end piece and helmet ear piece surfaces.