Shoulder pad

Claim 1

A shoulder pad for football players comprising a left-hand member adapted to fit over the left shoulder and a right-hand member adapted to fit over the right shoulder, each of said members being a relatively rigid member of generally inverted U-shape as viewed from the side and having a chestplate portion, a backplate portion and an arch integrally connecting said plate portions, said arches being laterally spaced to provide an opening for the neck of the wearer with the spacing such that said arches lie adjacent and relatively close to the neck, each of said members having padding on the inside thereof with the padding at the top of the arch comprising an inner portion generally beneath the arch adapted to overlie the inner part of a respective shoulder and an outer portion extending laterally outwardly beyond the arch adapted to overlie the outer part of said shoulder, said outer portion comprising a front section adjacent the chestplate portion and a back section adjacent the backplate portion, said front and back sections being separate toward their outer ends for allowing the sections to spread apart upon upward movement of the arm at the shoulder, each member further comprising a cover pad extending laterally outwardly from said inner portion of the arch padding over the separate outer ends of said front and back sections of the arch padding at the top of the shoulder, said cover pad being hinged to the inner portion of the arch padding for permitting the cover pad to swing upwardly on upward movement of the arm at the shoulder, and a cap with padding on the inside thereof overlying said cover pad and adapted to fit over the outer part of the shoulder.