Helmet: Encyclopedia - Helmet

Helmet

A helmet (a 15th century loan from Middle French, a diminutive of Frankish helm, from Proto-Germanic *khelmaz, PIE *kelmo- "a cover") is a form of protective clothing worn on the head and usually made of metal or some other hard substance, typically for protection of the head from falling objects or high-speed collisions.

Helmets are common in the military, construction, mining and some sports, including American football, baseball, ice hockey and rock climbing. Motorcycle helmets and bicycle helmets are compulsory headgear in some jurisdictions; in the United Kingdom only Sikhs are allowed to ride motorcycles without wearing motorcycle helmets. Most football helmets show team logos.

Helmets are among the most ancient forms of protection, and are known to have been worn by ancient Greeks and throughout the Middle Ages; at this time they were primarily military equipment, protecting the head from cutting blows with swords and flying arrows. They were initially constructed from leather, but eventually came to be made entirely from iron, with a variety of functional enhancements. Military use of helmets declined as firearms became widespread, where traditional helmets offered little protection. However, with the increasing use of heavy artillery, the steel helmet made a comeback in the 20th Century as protection for the head from shrapnel.

Helmets used for different purposes differ greatly in their design. For example, a bicycling helmet would chiefly be required to protect against blunt impact forces, most commonly to the temple and sides of the head. A helmet designed for rock climbing, however, would need to protect against objects (e.g., small rocks and climbing equipment) falling from above, but would have a reduced need for protecting against impacts to the side of the head. Consequently, bicycling and rock climbing helmets have little resemblance to each other. Practical concerns also dictate helmet design. A bicycling helmet would preferably be aerodynamic in shape and probably well ventilated, while a rock climbing helmet would be lightweight and with a minimum of bulk to reduce any detrimental effect on the climber's technique.

Goggles, face guards and ear plugs are other forms of protective headgear. These are not typically needed while wearing a helmet that protects the eyes or face as well. Hard hats are typically preferred in modern times for construction workers.

Helmets are often used by riot police. There are image of riotsquad-type helmets at:-

• http://secure.specialtydefense.com/images/items/DK%205%20Riot%20Faceshield%201.jpg
• http://www.phototour.minneapolis.mn.us/pics/2749.jpg
• http://policehelmets.homestead.com/files/MET_Riot_Helmet.jpg
• http://www.militariabcn.com/fotos/fcas/ddrriot.JPG

Helmet - Heraldry

As the coat of arms was originally designed to distinguish combatants on the battlefield or in a tournament, even while covered in armour, it is not surprising that heraldic elements were often also used for the decoration of knightly helmets, while it was also possible to use different elements then on the shield, but equally standardized.

Furthermore, it became common to use a helmet (or some other headgear, e.g. a crown) as part of the coat of arms, above the shield, a practice maintained long after her use in reality was ended by military technology and the demise of jousting. In some systems, the rank of the bearer was reflected in the model of the emblematic helmet, e.g. the metal and the number of bars in the visor, as in France. Anyway, the rank can be reflected by a coronet or wreath placed on the helmet (often in stead of directly above the shield).

See also

• Bascinet
• Brodie helmet
• Corinthian helmet
• Cervelliere
• horned helmet
• Leather helmet
• M1 Helmet
• PASGT "Fritz" helmet
• Sallet
• Stahlhelm
• Toque
• Helmet Light Mount
• Tilting Helmet
• Samurai Helmet
• Roman Helmet
• Ancient Helmet
• Knight's Helmet
• Visor
• Protective Headgear

Categories: Helmets | Personal armor | Sporting goods

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Helmet", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki