If Helmets^ Are Good, Why Not Armor? 



A suit of mail and a little steel 

 fort all in one — a combination 

 invented by an ingenious American 



NO one suspected, 

 years ago, that 

 least part of a med 

 val knight's equipment 

 would prove serviceable 

 in modern battles. Yet 

 all the fighting nations, 

 following the example 

 set by the French, 

 have supplied their 

 men with steel hel- 

 mets. Since the 

 helmets have unques- 

 tionably proved their 

 merit, particularly as 

 a defense against burst- 

 ing shrapnel, why not 

 go a step farther? Why 

 protect only the head? 

 Why not the whole body? 

 Otis L. Boucher, an Ameri- 

 can inventor, believes this 

 perfectly practicable, and he 

 has devised a suit of steel 

 which covers practically the 

 whole of the front of the 

 body. Each one of its seven 

 parts is formed by two steel 

 plates which hinge sharply 

 together at the front. It is 

 seen at once, therefore, that 

 since the plates are placed at 

 an angle the bullets of an enemy are more 

 likely to be deflected than to kill. 



The main part of the armor protects the 

 head and body. It is made in three 

 pieces held closely together by a clever 



arrangement of catches. The three pieces 

 are kept in position against the body by a 

 pair of lugs which are built in the inner side 

 of the central piece. These lugs, 

 when brought down over the 

 shoulder, prevent the armor 

 from sliding off. The head 

 part or helmet is made of 

 lighter steel than the 

 rest, and it is padded in- 

 side for comfort. The 

 helmet is hinged to the 

 central piece so that 

 it can be raised and 

 thrown back when- 

 ever it is desirable, 

 — and sufficiently safe. 

 Each of the leg 



The parts of the armor can be de- 

 tached and the three larger pieces 

 of the body folded along the edges 



Details of the armor. The head 

 and body part can be lifted off 

 with a single swift movement 



PIVOTED SHUTTER 

 WITH SHALL OPENING 



LARGE OPENING 

 HITTING USE OF 

 FIELD GLASSES' 



PADDED SUPPORT; 

 OF BREAST PLATE 

 ON SHOULDER 



SHUTTER HANDLEi 

 SHUTTER 



BELT SUPPORTS 

 THIGH SHIELD 



PIVOT 

 STEEL CAP PREVENTS EX-I 

 POSUREOFKNEEAS 

 SHIELDS SEPARATE WHILE' 

 ADVANCING 



LOWER LIMB SHIELD 



PIVOTED HELMET 

 ^MAY BE THROWN 

 BACK 



pieces is made in two parts, and each is 

 hinged at the knee and strapped in place. 

 The pivot-joint allows the knee to be bent 

 to provide for perfect freedom of action in 

 crouching or crawling. 



