Mallock-Armstrong Ear Defenders
The Mallock-Armstrong ear defenders were designed
as ear protection against loud impact noise.
According to the instruction
sheet for using them, they were supplied in the United Kingdom to the Admiralty, Air
Ministry, Ministry of Aircraft Production and the Ministry of Supply for
issue to their personnel during World War II.
In actual fact, the Mallock-Armstrong Ear Defenders had a much longer
history. "Attempts to limit gunfire noise by mechanical devices
commenced in 1905, leading to Mallock-Armstrong plugs for use in the
First World War." according to the
Journal
of the Acoustical Society of America. Supp. 1, Vol. 81, 1987, p. S4.
For some intriguing information on how these Ear Defenders worked,
see the
British Medical Journal, January 2, 1915. The principle is simple,
clever and effective.
The Ear Defenders shown here probably date from around the 1940s. |
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Click picture for larger view |
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