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Earmuffs are objects designed to cover a person's ears for protection. They consist of a thermoplastic or metal head-band, that fits over the top of the head, and a pad at each end, to cover the external ears.
Modern Earmuffs come in two basic kinds:
1. Thermal Earmuffs - These are worn in cold environments to keep a person's ears warm.
2. Acoustic Earmuffs - These are worn as protection of ears against loud noises. These have cups lined with sound-deadening material, like thermal earmuffs and headphones in appearance. These protect the wearer from extreme noises by making the outer covering from a hard thermoplastic or metal. The protection usually comes from acoustic foam - this absorbs sound waves by increasing air resistance, thus reducing the amplitude of the waves. The energy is transformed into heat. Because of their role these are also known as Ear Defenders. These may be carried on a head-band or clipped onto the sides of a hard hat, for use on construction sites. Some manufacturers combine headphones with ear defenders, allowing the wearer to listen to a music, communication or other audio source and also enjoy protection or isolation from ambient noise.
History
Chester Greenwood (1858-1937) of Farmington, Maine, U.S.A. invented the Earmuff in 1873, at the age of 15. Chester had big ears which were very sensitive to cold and they would turn chalky white, beet red, and deep blue (in order) when it was very cold. One day in the winter of 1873, Chester walked to nearby Abbot Pond to try out a pair of new skates. But he was forced to retreat to his home due to low temperature. He could not wear muffler as his ears itched fiercely at the touch of wool. There is a saying that 'Necessity is the mother of Invention', it was very much applicable on Chester. He came up with an idea to shield his ears, he decided on a combination of beaver fur on the outside and black velvet for the surface against the ear. For the headband, he chose a soft wire known as farm wire, a precursor of baling wire. Chester supplied the idea and the material to his grandmother and she contributed to it through her sewing skill. It was very simple and all that the Muff required was bending some wire, cutting soft insulating material, and then sewing a few stitches. He called it 'The Greenwood Champion Ear Protector'.
Development in the Invention of Earmuffs
Despite the protection which the Earmuffs provided, Chester wasn't satisfied as his Ears flapped too much. To improve his earlier Earmuffs, he changed the materials. He applied try flat spring steel, three-eighths of an inch wide, for the band. The new band enabled him to attach a tiny hinge to each ear flap so the Muff could fit snugly against his ears. And the springy steel allowed him, when he was finished using the Muff, to coil it flat and stuff the contraption in his pocket.
This invention was even more successful than the earlier one as everyone wanted to have the Ear Protector event though they were not kids or had allergy to wool. In the beginning, the popular muff sold in one style. The Ear Protector came in any colour as long as it was black.
On March 13, 1877, the United States Patent Office awarded him patent #188,292. Greenwood was just eighteen years old at the time. Soon after, he established a factory in a brick building in West Farmington, a place he called 'The Shop'.
Later, Chester expanded to Front Street in down-town Farmington and had more than twenty full time employees turning out Ear Protectors on the second floor. In 1883, his factory was producing 30,000 muffs a year, and by 1936 the annual output had risen to 400,000. He made a fortune supplying Ear Protectors to U.S. soldiers during World War I.
Role of Earmuffs in the Development of Human Life
