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The Beginning of the Bulletproof Vest
Inventor of the Kwolek (material of vest): Stephanie Kwolek
Inventor of bullet proof vest: Casimir Zeglen
When Invented: 1893
Product Originally Made: There was a special way to weave a 1.6mm steel plate between four layers of silk.
Improvements made: Kwolek was added to the vest.
Why were the improvements made? Kwolek helps absorb the impact and reduce the shot of a bullet.
Who uses the product: Military, Police, and some gun owner/ hunters, etc. -
1st Innovation to the Vest
After the death of President McKinley in 1901, the US military looked at the use of soft body armor. They discovered that the silk was only effective with low-velocity bullets, the military wanted to make the vest very effective and light in weight. Unfortunately the US military went against the silk armor because of the silk being at a high price. -
Period: to
3rd Innovation of the Vest
During World War II the flak jacket was invented. It was made out of ballistic nylon and gave protection from ammunition fragments. Sadly the flak jacket was very bulky and ineffective against rifles and pistol fire. -
2nd Innovation of the Vest
In 1944 the Japanese created a bulletproof vest made from olive-green drill cloth. It weighed 9 pounds and the thickness was about 0.08 inch. The plate overlap was 0.05 inch. Compared to the way the vest began, cloth was added to the vest insted of it just being metal. -
4th Innovation of the Vest
Then in the 1970s, DuPont’s Kevlar was invented; the fabric was originally made to replace steel belting in tires more wearable and durable. Kevlar is a material that is spun into ropes or fabric sheets that can be used as an ingredient in composite material components. The material was more effective than a steel plate. -
5th Innovation of the Vest
In 1976, scientist tested Kevlar and they concluded that it is very effective. The material was praised because it was bullet resistant, wearable, and light.