|
The "Innenausstattung 31" is the official German name of what we collectors more commonly call the "helmet liner" of the German steel helmet. The liner system model. 31 was patented by Schubert - Werke AG in 1928, and after having tested small lot of 2000 pieces for one and a half years the German Army and Navy adopted it for the helmets then in use (all dating from the WW1 period), and forwarded an initial order for a further 300,000 in 1931.
The liner consisted of two metal rings, an internal one to be used as a support for the leather lining (this last one attached to the ring by small aluminium split rivets), and an external one, intended to be directly secured to the helmet shell by means of three split rivets. The two rings were connected together with four pairs of very high quality steel springs with a total of eight "fingers" that still left some mobility to the parts (and allowed further comfort while wearing the helmet).
The photos below show; firstly, leather lining split pins. Bottom; A selection of the various split rivets produced in different periods. The set made in brass are the earliest model, the others are wartime produced examples.
|
|
