05/14/04

PHOTO GALLERY OF FIXTURES AND FITTINGS AND BADGE TYPES

When buying a Helmet, it is of course important to ensure that the fixtures and fittings are the correct ones! It is becoming increasingly common to see helmets with the wrong helmet plates on them. Fittings such as Badges, Bands and general helmet furniture should normally have a tight and secure fit, although general wear and tear will take its toll, the badge should not be rattling about!

 The badge should also look like it fits.. i.e. is it on straight? each badge, believe it or not is  different, the prongs and lugs being slightly different due to angle or the position they have been put on by the manufacturer.

There are a few different ways that helmet plates and cap badges are mounted on to hats and helmets, and these can even vary within the same force as badge Makers construction methods change over the years.

To many collectors, myself included, the lugs or mounts are a very important and integral part of the badge, I have seen some collectors who cut these off or bend them out of the way to mount the plate on a display board. PLEASE don't do this as it tends to devalue the badge and of course it is then no longer original.

On older badges  due to their age alone, some times lugs break off, but there are companies who will repair them at a very fair price. If you are just looking at buying a helmet plate, then this should be a big factor in your decision whether to buy/trade or not. Obviously if there is a lug or two missing on an older and rarer badge you should  think on its rarity rather than condition.

I have set out the most common types of badge fittings below.

This is the method of mounting most commonly seen on earlier HP's  and on some cap badges.

Most helmet plates have three lugs, these are small bits of metal rod, bent and shaped so there is an eye on one end and  a flat end which is soldered or brazed onto the helmet plate during the manufacturing process. These are located on the rear of the badge normally at the 12 o'clock and  4  and 8 o'clock positions.  Holes were made in the helmet shell in the correct positions, the lugs pushed through, and then small wooden dowels the size of a matchstick were pushed through the eyes to secure the plate in position. Some Helmet plates only have two lugs and these will be located at the 9 and 3 o'clock position for cap badge and fixing) see pictures below

 These are usually placed in the same locations as LUGS, they are however a more modern type of fitting and each attachment consist of a two sharp blades or prongs, which are pushed though holes in the front of the helmet then bent back flat to secure the plate. This method is also used on some cap badges though the prongs or blades are bent inwards over each other to secure the cap badge, See pictures below

This type of fitting is used normally on Cap Badges. A blade of metal comes out from the back of the badge (many have the makers name stamped on this) this then slides down behind the black or check band on the visor cap. Though this is not a common fitting for helmet plates,  I am aware that the Metropolitan Police used it, on a slightly smaller version of the standard helmet plate, and this particular badge was worn on the helmets of Officers riding Velocette motorcycles during the  1950`s and 60s. This type of helmet was slightly shorter than the beat duty helmet and was of heavier construction.

This type of fitting is also a more modern type. Here a hole is drilled through the front of the helmet, and a small brass or plastic bolt pushed through and into the mount on the back of the badge. The badge is kept in position and stopped from rotating by a locating pin. ( see pictures Below)

This method is usually employed on more complex helmet plates of two or three piece construction.  they serve a dual purpose, in both holding the badge together and securing the badge to the helmet. (see pictures below)

This is NOT an exhaustive list, it is only intended to give an insight in to some of the various types of fittings, fixtures and types of badges.

Two Piece Star Wreath and Garter type badge This Blackpool Police helmet plate clearly shows three different styles, the original Helmet plate is mounted on a Star, then there is a wreath surrounding a Garter and then the COA (KC Blackpool Police)	Wreath type HP This is a Wreath type Helmet plate from the Isle of Wight Constabulary, it has an Oak Leaf wreath and the Forces Motto "Insula Vectris" (KC Isle of Wight Constabulary)	Voided Wreath Type HP This is a Voided Wreath type Helmet plate. Coat of Arms centre, Force name in Scroll below, surmounted by KC. (KC Plymouth Police)	Garter Type Helmet Plate This is an unusual Garter type in that the badge is surmounted by a Coat of Arms, the centre of the badge having the officers number in it. (Port of Bristol Police)
Wreath Type HP This is a Wreath type HP with a chromed centre, blackened brass wreath, the centre has the COA and force title. (KC Eastbourne County Borough Police)	Voided Wreath and Garter Type HP This Badge is a good example to show of a Wreath and Garter type badge with a Voided coat of Arms. Earlier versions of this badge did not have the Crown at the top of the badge (KC Liverpool Police)	Plain Wreath and Garter Type This example shows a Plain wreath helmet plate, the wreath surrounding a garter with the Force name, which in turn surrounds the Force Coat of Arms. No Crown is shown at the top which can make dating fun. (Shrewsbury Police)	Wreath and Star type This is a two piece helmet plate, the wreath and centre are mounted on a star . ( KC Southend-On-Sea Constabulary)
Plain Garter Type This is an excellent example of a plain Garter type HP. Here the Garter surrounds the force Coat of Arms, and contains the Force Name. Surmounted by a Kings Crown. ( KC East Suffolk Police)	Three Piece HP This picture shows one method of securing a centre plate to the helmet plate body with the use of bend metal lugs. On the front of the centre piece is attached a Coat of Arms (KC County and Borough of Barrow in Furness)	Three Piece HP Front This image shows the front of the Barrow in Furness HP, here you can see where the three parts join.	Slider Type Fitting Cap Badge Here you can see the slider type fitting commonly used on Cap badges, the slider, slips between the band around the cap and the cap itself. (KC North Riding Constabulary)
Lug Type Fittings. Helmet Plate Here you can see the three lugs that secure the helmet plate to the helmet, these were pushed through the cork body and secured using small wooden dowels. On this Badge which is a tow piece you can see how the Cypher is secured to the HP (KC Metropolitan Police)	Prong or Blade type fittings This type of fitting has become most popular since the introduction of the Reinforced Police helmets. The Blades are in pairs at three points, usually 12,4 and 8 o'clock, once pushed through the helmet they are flattened each side of the hole and secure the HP. these should be treated with care as they are liable to snap if abused. (QC Metropolitan Police)	Prong or Blade fitting Cap Badge This picture shows the prong or blade type fitting as used on a Cap Badge. (QC Devon & Cornwall Police)	Screw Back type This image shows a screw back type fitting. A single hole is drilled through the reinforced helmet and then a threaded screw is pushed through from the inside and mated to the HP and screwed up tight, the plates is kept in place by a locating pin as indicated by the red arrow. (QC Staffordshire Constabulary)
Three Piece HP This image shows one method of keeping a three piece badge together. (QC Southampton Police)	Three piece two bolt HP dismantled This image shows a three piece two bolt HP dismantled. The two metal bolts are attached to the coat of arms, behind this fits a chromes disk, located by the bolts ( then some card to stop it moving and scratching) then the Star and Crown. All then are secured to the helmet by two nuts (QC Isle of Man Police Force)	Coat of Arms Helmet Plate This is an early City of London Police Helmet plate, there is no crown and the word Police is not shown anywhere on the badge (Post 1909 City of London Police HP)

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