A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.

Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., English policeman's helmet) without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from blunt object and sword blows and arrow strikes in combat. Soldiers still wear helmets, now often made from lightweight plastic materials.

In civilian life, helmets are used for recreational activities and sports (e.g., jockeys in horse racing, American football, ice hockey, cricket, baseball, and rock climbing); dangerous work activities (e.g., construction, mining, riot police); and transportation (e.g., Motorcycle helmets and bicycle helmets). Since the 1990s, most helmets are made from resin or plastic, which may be reinforced with fibers such as aramids.

Design

All helmets attempt to protect the user's head by absorbing mechanical energy and protecting against penetration. Their structure and protective capacity are altered in high-energy impacts. Beside their energy-absorption capability, their volume and weight are also important issues, since higher volume and weight increase the injury risk for the user's head and neck. Anatomical helmets adapted to the inner head structure were invented by neurosurgeons at the end of the 20th century.

Helmets used for different purposes have different designs. For example, a bicycle helmet must protect against blunt impact forces from the wearer's head striking the road. A helmet designed for rock climbing must protect against heavy impact, and against objects such as small rocks and climbing equipment falling from above. Practical concerns also dictate helmet design: a bicycling helmet should be aerodynamic in shape and well ventilated, while a rock climbing helmet must be lightweight and small so that it does not interfere with climbing.

Some helmets have other protective elements attached to them, such as a face visors or goggles or a face cage, and ear plugs and other forms of protective headgear, and a communications system. Sports helmets may have an integrated metal face protector (face cage).

Baseball batting helmets have an expanded protection over the ear, which protects the jaw from injury.

Motorcycle helmets often have flip-down face screens for rain and wind protection, and they may also have projecting visors to protect the eyes from glare.

Hard hats for construction workers are worn mainly to protect the wearer from falling objects such as tools.

Helmets for riot police often have flip-down clear visors and thick padding to protect the back of the neck.

Modern firefighter's helmets protect the face and back of the head against impact, fires and electricity, and can include masks, communication systems, and other accessories.

Welding helmets protect the eyes and face and neck from flash burn, ultraviolet light, sparks and heat. They have a small window, called a lens shade, through which the welder looks at the weld; for arc welding this window must be much darker than in blowtorch goggles and sunglasses.

People with some medical conditions must wear a helmet to protect the brain, due to a gap in the braincase, e.g. because of cleidocranial dysostosis or in separated craniopagus twins.

Mixed martial arts helmets have ear pads to prevent serious injuries to the athletes, who do not usually endure such force to the ears.

Materials

Types of synthetic fiber used to make some helmets:

Aramid

Twaron

In former times lightweight non-metallic protective materials and strong transparent materials for visors were not available. In Greece in ancient times helmets were sometimes strengthened by covering the surface with boars' tusks (= their canine teeth) laid flat.

In Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries gamekeepers, for head protection in fights against poachers, sometimes wore helmets (perhaps more describable as thick bump caps) made of straw bound together with cut bramble.

Types of helmet

Military

See Combat helmet for a list of helmets worn in (ancient and modern) battle combat

Fighter pilot helmet

PH helmet—actually a flexible hood: early types of British gas masks

Leather helmet—aviator and tank operator headgear

Motorcycle and bicycle helmets

Motorcycle helmet—protective helmet for motorcycle riders

Bicycle helmet—protective helmet for bicycle riders

Sports

Cricket helmet—protective headgear worn by batsmen in a game of cricket

* A helmet is also worn by a wicket keeper and some fielders close to the batsman.

Equestrian helmet—protective headgear worn by horse riders

Batting helmet—protective headgear worn by batters in a game of baseball or softball

* catcher's full face helmet

Bull riding helmet

Football helmet—for American football and Canadian football

*Eyeshield—a type of visor for a football helmet

Hockey helmet

* Goalie mask

Lacrosse helmet

Pith helmet (a.k.a. sun helmet)

Ski helmet—protective helmet for skiers

Association football headgear—protective headgear worn by some association football (soccer) players

A helmet is worn in bobsledding

A helmet is worn in the Gaelic sport of hurling

A helmet may be worn whilst wakeboarding. These helmets must be waterproof and may come with ear protectors to reduce the chance of a burst ear drum after a bad fall

Safety helmet for scuba diving. Not air-holding. May have a built-in forehead light. Images at .

Helmets are routinely worn in most forms of auto racing in both driver and pit crew forms.

Work

Diving helmet—worn by professional divers engaged in surface supplied diving

Hard hat—often seen on building sites; may have a visor

Miner's helmet

Space helmet

Welding helmet—worn by welders

Protective and emergency services

Custodian helmet—symbolic British police headgear

Firefighter's helmet

*F1 helmet—French type firefighter helmet

*Merryweather helmets—Victorian-era fire helmet in Britain and Hong Kong

Lifeboatman's helmet. The lifeboatman's helmet depicted below (seen at Southport lifeboat station in England on 7 September 2008) covers the same area as a motorcycle helmet including all of the ears, Its casing is thinner, and nearer to the size of the head, and has lengthwise ridges. It has a transparent visor to keep sea spray out of the eyes. It has a chinstrap. Its lining is not padded but inflatable; it has an inflation tube ending at the red nipple (at the bottom of the image), to inflate the lining by mouth to fit it firmly on the head. It has a microphone and an intercom lead.

Riotsquad helmet

SWAT team helmet—mostly PASGT type

Other helmets

Pith helmet—sun protection helmet

Mahiole—Hawaiian feathered helmet

Winged helmet—fictional Scandinavian helmet

Balaclava helmet—not really a helmet, a woollen face covering against cold, sometimes used for concealment

Tarnhelm, mythical helmet that makes its wearer invisible

Protective helmets for mentally disabled persons.

==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 than on the shield, but equally standardized.

Furthermore, it became common to use a helmet (or some other headgear, e.g. a crown or coronet) as part of the coat of arms, above the shield, a practice maintained long after helmets themselves ceased to be used. 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. The rank can be denoted by a coronet or wreath placed on the helmet (often instead of directly above the shield).

The heraldic convention in the United Kingdom is as follows:

Sovereign: a barred helm of gold, placed affronté

Peers generally: barred helms of silver decorated with gold, placed sideways and showing five bars

Baronet's or Knight's helmet:

Esquire's and Gentleman's helmet: closed helm or visored helm with visor down, Steel, placed sideways

Gallery

See also

Cap

Face shield

Helmet boxing

References

External links

"Helmets...A Medieval Note In Modern Warfare", August 1942, ''Popular Science'' evolution of military helmets

* Category:Headgear Category:Safety

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James Cracknell, OBE (born 5 May 1972) is a British rowing champion and double Olympic gold medalist and adventurer. Cracknell is married to TV and radio presenter Beverley Turner; they have three children. In the New Year Honours List, 2004, he was appointed OBE for services to sport. He is also a trained geography teacher, as stated in an episode of BBC comedy quiz ''School's Out''.

Biography

James Cracknell began rowing whilst attending Kingston Grammar School and rowed at the Junior World Championships in 1989 and 1990, winning a gold medal in 1990. He graduated from the University of Reading with a Bachelor of Science in Human Geography in 1993. Moving into the senior squad, Cracknell made numerous appearances in the World Rowing Championships; however, he did not win any medals prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics. He qualified in the double scull for the 1996 Games, but fell ill with tonsilitis and was unable to race. In 1997, he won a seat in the men's coxless fours, with Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and Tim Foster. With this crew, he won the rowing World Championships in 1997, 1998 and 1999 (with Ed Coode replacing the injured Foster), and finally the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. In August 2000, the month prior to winning gold in Sydney, he took part in a 3-part BBC documentary entitled Gold Fever. This followed the coxless four team in the years leading up to the Olympics, including video diaries recording the highs and lows in the quest for gold.

With Redgrave then having retired, Cracknell swapped from rowing on strokeside to bowside in order to join Pinsent in the coxless pairs. The pair won the World Championships in 2001, when they also won the coxed pairs, and 2002. However, in 2003 a disappointing season was capped by a failure to win the World Championships, and Pinsent and Cracknell were shifted into the coxless four, with Steve Williams and Alex Partridge. Ed Coode replaced the injured Partridge in time for the 2004 Summer Olympics and this crew won the gold medal in Athens, beating world champions Canada by 0.08s.

He came second the pairs division of the 2005–2006 Atlantic Rowing Race in "''Spirit of EDF Energy''", partnered by Ben Fogle. Although they took first place in the line honours of the pairs event (overall, they were third to finish the race behind the two men's fours), the use of ballast water during the race resulted in the pair being moved to second position of the pairs event in accordance with the race rules. The event helped raise money for Children In Need.

They made landfall in Antigua at 07:13 GMT on 19 January 2006, a crossing time of 49 days, 19 hours and 8 minutes. In February 2006, he announced his decision to retire from competitive rowing. Shortly after, ''Through Hell and High Water'', a BBC/Twofour television programme of Cracknell and Fogle's experience of the Atlantic race, was aired. The pair wrote a book called ''The Crossing: Conquering the Atlantic in the World's Toughest Rowing Race'', about their trip.

On 4 March 2006, Cracknell's home was burgled: his Olympic gold medals were stolen, together with his wedding ring and a computer containing 20,000 words of a new book and family photographs. The gold medals were subsequently recovered by a neighbour's dog where the thief had discarded them. The thief, Mark Murphy, 30, was caught and jailed.

He ran the London Marathon on 23 April 2006, in a time of 3 hours, finishing over an hour ahead of his rowing team mate Matthew Pinsent.

In January 2008 Cracknell set up Threshold Sports with Julian Mack and Charlie Beauchamp.

In December 2008 he set off yet again with former team-mate from the Atlantic Row Ben Fogle, and Dr. Ed Coats (the winner of a nationwide search), this time to take part in the inaugural Amundsen Omega3 South Pole Race. The team traversed the 473.6 miles suffering frost-bite, infected blisters, dramatic weight-loss, pneumonia and exhaustion and came second only to a pair of Norwegians (over 20 hours ). The BBC aired a 5 x 1 hour, prime-time Sunday night series of the adventure, ‘On Thin Ice’(TwoFour), in June/July 2009. The series was accompanied by a self-penned book of the race, ''Race to the Pole'' (MacMillan).

In July 2008 Cracknell competed in the European Triathlon Championships for GBR for his age group and in November 2009 he took part in the New York Marathon. In April 2009, James completed the 125 mile non-stop Devizes to Westminster Canoe Marathon in a two-man racing K2 kayak with canoe partner Bernie Shosbree.

In August 2009 Cracknell attempted to break the non-stop Land's End to John O'Groats mixed tandem world record along with Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Romero. The pair got just past Johnstone Bridge in Scotland before being forced to stop due to problems with Romero's knees. They were on course to break the record by over three hours. The attempt was to launch the 2010 Ride Across Britain that Cracknell's company organised

In April 2010 Cracknell became the highest placed Briton ever in the 25 year history of the Marathon Des Sables - finishing 12th. His exploits were filmed for a Discovery Channel documentary "The Toughest Race on Earth" to be aired in October 2010.

Six months after his cycling accident which damaged his frontal lobe, Cracknell competed in the Yukon Arctic Ultra. He finished second in the 430 mile race across the frozen Alaskan countryside, beaten only by British cyclist Alan Sheldon who beat Cracknell's 163:20 with his own 99:30. Cracknell's participation in the race was filmed for the documentary The Coldest Race on Earth aired on the Discovery Channel .

Presenting and journalism

He now presents sport on ITV and Channel 4. He covered The Boat Race 2007 with Mark Durden Smith for ITV and is the presenter of ITV's coverage of the British Superbike Championship. He is also the main presenter of Channel 4's Red Bull Air Race World Series coverage. He is a contracted columnist with the Daily Telegraph writing about various topics. The topics include: sport, motoring, gardening, cookery and others. His Daily Telegraph column can be found online at telegraph.co.uk.

Charitable activities

From 27 February 2008 James Cracknell covered over 1,400 miles from Britain to Africa in 10 days, rowing, cycling and swimming. He rowed from Dover, England to Cap Gris Nez, France, then cycled to Tarifa, Spain, and finally swam across the Straits of Gibraltar from Tarifa to Punta de Cires, Morocco. He asked the comedian David Walliams to join him for the final part of his journey because of his previous experience in swimming the English Channel. The money raised by the challenge goes towards the BBC's Sport Relief charity, with highlights of the action broadcast on 14 March. He is to be the special guest at The WiG GiG which aims to raise £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

In January 2009, James took part in the Amundsen Omega 3 South Pole Race with his TV Presenter friend Ben Fogle and Dr Ed Coats as members of Team QinetiQ, finishing in second, 20 hours behind the winning Norwegian team. The race and the reasons behind was broadcast on BBC Television during summer 2009 in the series On Thin Ice. The trio raised funds for the Children's medical research charity Sparks, chosen as the charity partner in memory of Cracknell's niece, Eva, who died at six days old after suffering oxygen deprivation at birth.

On Saturday 3 October 2009, Cracknell and Ben Fogle started a 60 hour (estimated) journey from Edinburgh to London riding a rickshaw in support of SSAFA. They aimed to arrive in time for the ''Pride of Britain Awards'' ceremony on Monday 5 October 2009. They had to endure storm force gales in Scotland and Northumberland on their first day of the 450 mile ride. Early on the last day they made a stop at Etonbury Middle School in Arlesey, off the A1 road to London, where about 100 children welcomed them and to wave them on their way.

Cycling accident, helmet advocacy

On 20 July 2010, Cracknell was hit from behind by a truck whilst attempting to cycle, row, run and swim from Los Angeles to New York within 16 days. The accident happened at around 5.30am on a quiet stretch of road outside Winslow, Arizona. He has attributed his survival to the fact he was wearing a cycle helmet at the time, which was "shorn in two". In the crash he suffered a contre-coup injury to the frontal lobes of his brain. He is now back at home with his family, although his recovery may never be complete.

Since the accident he has been conspicuous in advocating the use of bicycle helmets, although he has since appeared on a bicycle without a helmet; about this his wife said "Unfortunately, one of the effects of James’s condition is memory loss..."

Achievements

Olympic Medals: 2 Gold

World Championship Medals: 6 Gold

Junior World Championship Medals: 1 Gold

Olympic Games

2004 – Gold, Coxless Four (with Matthew Pinsent, Steve Williams, Ed Coode)

2000 – Gold, Coxless Four (with Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster, Steve Redgrave)

World Championships

2003 — 4th, Coxless Pair (with Matthew Pinsent)

2002 — Gold, Coxless Pair (with Matthew Pinsent)

2001 — Gold, Coxless Pair (with Matthew Pinsent)

2001 — Gold, Coxed Pair (with Matthew Pinsent, Neil Chugani)

1999 — Gold, Coxless Four (with Matthew Pinsent, Ed Coode, Steve Redgrave)

1998 — Gold, Coxless Four (with Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster, Steve Redgrave)

1997 — Gold, Coxless Four (with Matthew Pinsent, Tim Foster, Steve Redgrave)

1995 — 10th, Double Sculls

1994 — 8th, Eight

1993 — 6th, Eight

1991 — 7th, Coxless Four (with John Garrett, Gavin Stewart, James Walker)

Junior World Championships

1990 — Gold, Coxless Four

1989 — 10th, Coxed Pair

Styles and Honours

Mr James Cracknell (1972–2001)

Mr James Cracknell MBE (2001–2004)

Mr James Cracknell OBE (2004)

References

External links

James Cracknell's personal website

Atlantic Rowing Race

Amundsen Omega 3 South Pole Race

James Cracknell's column archiveTelegraph.co.uk

BBC Woman's Hour interview with James' wife, Beverley Turnerbbc.co.uk

Category:1972 births Category:English rowers Category:Olympic gold medalists for Great Britain Category:Olympic rowers of Great Britain Category:Rowers at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Rowers at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Alumni of the University of Reading Category:Alumni of Brunel University Category:Living people Category:Members of Leander Club Category:Olympic medalists in rowing Category:People educated at Kingston Grammar School

de:James Cracknell pl:James Cracknell

Coordinates	26°09′0″N91°46′0″N
Position	Offensive tackle
Number	68, 74
Birth date	September 24, 1975 Provo, Utah
Debutyear	1998
Finalyear	2007
Draftyear	1998
Draftround	1
Draftpick	7
College	San Diego State
Teams	New Orleans Saints (1998-2002) St. Louis Rams (2003-2004) Kansas City Chiefs (2006-2007)
Stat1label	Games played
Stat1value	109
Stat2label	Games started
Stat2value	107
Stat3label	Fumble recoveries
Stat3value	8
Nfl	TUR099308
Highlights	First-team All-Pro selection (2000) Second-team All-Pro selection (2003) }}

Kyle John Turley (born September 24, 1975 in Provo, Utah) is a former American football offensive tackle of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the New Orleans Saints seventh overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at San Diego State.

In addition to the Saints, Turley also played for the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs in his career before retiring after the 2007 season. He was an All-Pro selection in 2000.

Professional football career

New Orleans Saints

Turley is widely remembered for what occurred on November 4, 2001 in the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints were trailing the New York Jets 16-9 late in the fourth quarter, but were driving deep into opposition territory. After a scramble, quarterback Aaron Brooks was tackled at the six yard line where Jets defender Damien Robinson viciously grabbed his facemask and started to bend Brooks backwards. Turley proceeded to grab Robinson's hand's and forced him to let go of Brooks, before picking him up by the facemask and tackling him to the ground as referees and players from both teams tried to separate them. Turley emerged from the ensuing scrum with Robinson's helmet and proceeded to fling it across the field before giving an obscene gesture. Robinson and Turley received off-setting personal fouls for the initial incident, but Turley was ejected from the game and assessed an additional personal foul penalty for the obscene gesture, costing the Saints any chance at tying the game. Saints head coach Jim Haslett said he considered cutting Turley following the game but later rescinded his statement after discussing the incident with him and reviewing the game tape. Turley was ultimately fined $25,000 by the Saints Organization for conduct detrimental to the team while Robinson was fined $20,000 by the NFL. Turley said in his defense that he thought Robinson was about to break his quarterback's neck.

St. Louis Rams

After rejecting a long-term contract extension with the Saints, Turley was traded to the St. Louis Rams on March 21, 2003 in exchange for a 2004 2nd round draft choice. The Rams immediately signed Turley to a 5-year contract extension worth $26.5 million ($10 million signing bonus) in addition to the one year remaining on Turley's deal. With Orlando Pace entrenched as the starting left tackle, Turley returned to the right side and started 16 games for St. Louis.

Turley's stormy and controversial career was interrupted in 2004 by injury woes. After recovering from offseason back surgery, Turley reinjured his back (August 2004) in training camp and ended up on the injured reserve list. Both injuries were considered career-threatening.

On Dec. 13, 2004, Turley reportedly had a heated confrontation with Rams head coach Mike Martz. The incident had to be investigated by league security as Martz contended that Turley 'threatened to kill him', a charge that would later be vehemently denied by Turley.

Injury

On June 6, 2005, Turley was released by the Rams and spent the entire 2005 season out of football due to the effects of sciatic nerve damage that also atrophied his right leg. After initially dropping 65 pounds from his 300-pound frame, Turley had gotten back to around the 265 mark in hopes of switching positions, possibly to tight end, although some tight ends have weighed more than 300 pounds.

Kansas City Chiefs

On June 11, 2006, it was announced that Turley signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Turley had regained his previous weight and had been so impressive in training camp that he had been expected to be the opening-day starting right tackle.

As the 2006 Chiefs season ended, Turley had missed more than half of the season due to recurring injuries. Turley was released on March 21, 2007 and reportedly considered retirement. However, Turley was re-signed by Kansas City prior to its training camp in July 2007.

Career after football

After retiring from football, Turley moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he set his sights on a music career. Turley started Gridiron Records with Tim Pickett. Other acts signed to Gridiron Records include Invitro, Unset, and The Hairbrain Scheme. Turley was influenced by Heavy Metal music. He loved Pantera and Slayer while growing up. Other musical influences are Johnny Cash and Hank III.

His debut album, ''Anger Management'', was released by Gridiron Records in 2010. It was co-produced by Turley and Brandon Epps, and includes songs about his football career. He explains that the style of music "power country" is a mix of all rock sub genres and country genres. The track entitled, "Anger Management," includes references to the helmet-throwing incident. ''Anger Management'' received critical praise since debuting in the top 200 Country albums on iTunes. Part of the proceeds from the album go to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund a non-profit, 501(c) (3) corporation, established to provide financial assistance and coordinate social services to dire need retired NFL players who are pioneers of the game and have greatly contributed to the NFL's status as the most popular sport in America.

In addition to music, Turley has been a participant in several journalistic inquiries into the NFL's treatment of concussions and overall health of its players. His experiences dealing with the ramifications of his football-related injuries, specifically concussions, were featured prominently in Malcolm Gladwell's October 2009 article in ''The New Yorker''. Turley was also a participant in ESPN's investigation into the misuse of painkillers by former NFL players.

Music touring and appearances

Turley toured with Hank III in early Spring of 2010 to support the album "Anger Management."

Turley has also appeared on Field and Stream's video series, "The Wild Life with Hank III."

After signing with booking agency, Creative Artists Agency, Turley planned a 2010 Fall tour set.

External links

Gridiron Records website

Official Myspace page

Facebook page

Gridiron Greats website

References

Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:New Orleans Saints players Category:St. Louis Rams players Category:Kansas City Chiefs players Category:American football offensive tackles Category:San Diego State Aztecs football players Category:People from Provo, Utah