To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, William H. Masterman, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alameda, county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Mustache-Guards; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to mustache-guards; and it consists in the novel frame hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, effective, and readily-applied guard, which will easily and accurately fit the face and pass over the mustache, holding a portion of it back firmly and compactly against the lip and cheeks, whereby it is kept out of the way in eating, and especially in partaking of liquid food, such as soup.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my guard. Fig. 2 is a view showing it closed up for convenience in carrying it around. Fig. 3 is a view showing the guard applied.

The guard is formed of a piece of suitable wire, made as light as may be for comfort in wearing and convenience in carrying. This wire is formed with a horizontal central portion a, from which it curves down on each side, forming what may be termed the “center guards” b, and thence the wire curves outwardly on each side, forming the cheek portions c, which have a curve conforming to the cheeks of the wearer, and the ends of the wire are bent, forming the ear-holds d, which, as will be seen, are so bent as to conform very accurately to the curve of the line of junction of the outer ear with the side of the head. The center horizontal portion a, the center guard portions b, and the lower parts of the cheek portions c are wrapped with a light fine wire e, so as to roughen their surfaces, though it will be manifest that this roughening may be effected in other ways, as by indenting the wire frame itself, or otherwise corrugating it or grooving it, though I prefer the wire wrapping as being simple and effective.

The true guard portions of the frame—namely, the horizontal or cross portion a, the center guards b, and the lower parts of the cheek portions c—are widened out by the addition of supplemental wires f, which extend the guard-surface of the frame to enable it to hold the mustache more effectually in position.

In fitting the guard to place the bent ends d are placed over the ears in the manner of the frames of spectacles. The side portions c pass down over the cheeks and under the mustache ends, the center guard portions b pressing the body of the mustache, and the cross portion a passing across the upper portion of the mustache-center, all as shown in Fig. 3. The whole device fits so closely to its place that the mustache is pressed back out of the way and will not interfere with the introduction of food of any kind into the mouth.

The object of the roughening of the frame, as by the wire e, as heretofore described, is to so increase the holding-power of the frame on the smooth hairs of the mustache as to effectually prevent it from slipping from place, it having on account of this roughening no tendency to so slip.

The supplemental wires f are for the purpose of affording a greater bearing-surface for the frame, and these may be so arranged as to accommodate themselves to the different sizes of mustaches.

The exact bend of the ends d of the frame, conforming, as they do, very accurately to the ears, is rendered necessary by reason of the general downward direction of the frame, which, unlike the frames of spectacles, trends downwardly so much that the ears are required to act as full supports for the frame, and not as partial supports to assist the nose-support, as in the case of spectacles.

The wires f are preferably made rough or in spiral shape, as shown, to give them a better bearing and prevent slipping on the hairs of the mustache.

The extreme ends of the frame are formed into small hooks g, which, when the guard is folded for carrying it about, as shown in Fig. 2, will engage the front portion of the frame or any of the wires f.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is—

1. A mustache-guard consisting of a frame, the center portion of which conforms to and bears on the mustache, the sides passing under the ends of the mustache and conforming to the cheeks and the ends bent to engage the ears of the wearer, substantially as described.

2. A mustache-guard consisting of a wire bent at its center to form the horizontal or cross portion a, the curved center guards b, and having its sides c bent to conform to the cheeks of the wearer and its ends d bent to engage the ears, substantially as described.

3. A mustache-guard consisting of a frame fashioned to conform to and bear on the mustache, the cheeks, and to engage the ears of the wearer, and having its front portion where it bears on the mustache roughened to prevent slipping, substantially as described.

4. A mustache-guard consisting of a frame fashioned to conform to and bear on the mustache, the cheeks, and to engage the ears of the wearer, and having its front portion where it bears on the mustache wrapped with fine wire, whereby it is roughened and prevented from slipping, substantially as described.

5. A mustache-guard consisting of a frame fashioned to conform to and bear upon the mustache, the cheeks, and to engage the ears of the wearer, and the supplemental wires f on the front portion of the frame for widening its surface where it bears on the mustache, substantially as described.

6. A mustache-guard consisting of a frame fashioned to conform to and bear upon the mustache, the cheeks, and to engage the ears of the wearer, said frame having its front portion where it bears on the mustache wrapped with wire to roughen it, and the supplemental wires f to widen the surface of said front portion, substantially as described.

7. The mustache-guard consisting of the main wire having a middle cross portion a, curved center guards b, curved cheek portions c and ends d bent to the curve of the back of the ears of the wearer and provided with hooks g, the wire e about the front portions of the main wire, and the supplemental wires f, for increasing its bearing-surface, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

William H. Masterman.

Witnesses:

S. H. Nourse,

H. C. Lee.