Improvements in Equipment, applicable more especially to the Manner of Carrying the different Articles thereof.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1891-Accepted, 27th June: 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Equipment, applicable more especially to the
Manner of Carrying the different Articles thereof.
HERBERT FERDINAND WOODGATE, Lieutenant H.M. South Wales Borderers,
Aldershot, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :→
My invention relates to military equipments and especially to the methods of
carrying the different articles thereof.
The main object of my invention is to provide an equipment that shall give the.
greatest comfort to the soldier in marching long distances; and under the fatigues
of war, and also to provide cartridge pouches that give the greatest facility for
filling and emptying by hand, but which prevent accidental loss of cartridges when
the wearer is in action, whilst another object of my invention is to provide a valise
which is also a waterproof sheet, and acts as a bed for the soldier to lie on.
For this purpose I divide the equipment into two parts or portions, one of which
I distribute around the belt, whilst the other I place directly on the braces, which
support the belt.
On the belt I place the following articles: Two pouches, entrenching tool,
bayonet and scabbard, haversack and water-bottle. On the braces, the great coat,
and valise or valise bed. Whilst the canteen is supported by the braces, and is
also attached for steadiness to the belt.
The belt is an ordinary belt with two loose runners with brass loops, and has also
four loops behind, two large and two small ones.
The larger loops are both on the upper edge of the belt and are those to which
the braces are attached. The two smaller loops are placed exactly between the
two larger loops and are fixed one on the upper edge and the other on the lower
edge of the belt, and are used to steady the canteen, the strap of which passes
through them both. The belt in front may be fastened in the ordinary way, and
has besides a buckle or catch, a loose tongue so as to enable the wearer to loosen
his belt whilst on the march.
The braces are placed diagonally across the back through a loop or runner and
pass over the shoulders down each side of the chest on to the runners on the
belt in front. They are fastened to the belt both front and back by being passed
through loops, and buckled back on to themselves, thus the braces can be made to
fit any sized head by simply being taken in or let out both back and front, which
has the effect of always keeping the buckles in front in the same place, which is of
great importance as they are treble buckles, and support the great coat and valise
and must therefore always be easily accessible.
The pouches consist of a right and left pouch. The right pouch is a square flat
pouch with a sliding lid opening outwards being fastened on the inner side by a
stud on the lid being attached to a short strap attached to the inner side of the
body of the pouch. To open the pouch therefore the strap is withdrawn off the
stud, and the lid, which runs on straps or runners, pulled down so as to cover
the outside of the pouch, thus leaving the mouth free. The mouth of the pouch is
protected by two pieces of leather, one catching below the other, which allow of
cartridges being easily placed in the pouch or withdrawn from it, but which
prevent the cartridges falling out of their own accord, as the mouth is at once
closed by the weight of the cartridges falling forwards, which action is also
ensured by a small leather spring. In order to close the pouch the lid is drawn up
closed over the mouth of the pouch and studded to the strap.
The left pouch is a simple flat magazine pouch, which holds the reserve; both
pouches are well gussetted so as to contain a large number of rounds of ammunition.

page_text: The haversack is simply strapped to the belt in any position most comfortable to
the wearer by two straps and buckles.
The water-bottle, like the haversack, is attached to the belt, either by means of
a strap or by being placed in a casing which is attached to the belt itself.
The intrenching tool and bayonet, and scabbard are attached to the belt by
means of a frog which has previously been described in a former Patent granted
to me, which takes them either singly or together, but which I now prefer to fasten
by means of a stud and buckle. "I also keep the weapons together by a strap
descending from the frog which buckles around them, and protect the blade
of the spade by a case, covering the whole of the blade, but which is hollowed
out on the outer side only, thereby allowing economy in manufacture.
The canteen is fastened to the belt by a plain strap, which passes round the
canteen through the two small brass loops on the belt before mentioned, and the..
loop at the cross of the braces, it is thus on the belt but; its weight is supported
directly by the bracer. To the valise, which may be a canvas sheet, in, which
is a pocket to carry the different articles required, and which in this
case rolls up into the form of an ordinary gusset valise when, carried, but
unrolls into a bed, for the wearer to sleep on, on damp ground, is attached two
large straps and two small side straps. The larger straps are attached to buckles
reversed, so as to lie flat on the inner side of the valise, and are then passed through
loops, this has the object of causing the valise to lie, flat against the back: To
these straps are attached by runners, the great coat straps, which pass around the..
great coat rolled so as to conform in size to the breadth of the valise, the coat
thus lies directly above the valise. The large straps to which the valise and great
coat are now attached, are passed over the shoulders through loops on the braces.
and are buckled to the triple buckles in front the ends being turned upwards after,
being passed through the centre of the buckle. The smaller or guy straps, which
are buckled to each side of the valise, are also brought to the front, under each..
arm and are buckled to the side buckle of the triple buckle. Thus on the wearer's
back the articles are arranged as follows: the great coat on the top of the shoulders
behind the neck, the valise directly below it, with the canteen below the valise.
Nothing whatever crosses the chest of the wearer which is perfectly free, the
whole weight of the equipment being on the shoulders and hips. The weight can,
thus be thrown from the shoulders to the hips and vice versa by simply tightening.or
loosening the belt.
Dated this 25th day of August 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Equipment, applicable more especially to the
L. Manner of Carrying the. different Articles thereof.
I, HERBERT FERDINAND WOODGATE, Lieutenant H.M. South Wales Borderers
Aldershot, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and.
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to military equipments and especially to the method of
carrying the different articles thereof.
The main object of my invention is to provide an equipment that shall give the
greatest comfort to the soldier in marching long distances and under the fatigue of
war. I also provide cartridge pouches that give the greatest facility for filling and
emptying by hand but which prevent accidental loss of cartridges when the wearer,
is in action. Another object of my invention is to provide a valise which is also a
waterproof sheet and acts as a bed for the soldier to lie on. I also improve the
means for attaching the bayonet and entrenching tools.
I divide the equipment into two lots or portions one of which I distribute
:

page_text: around the belt whilst the other is placed directly on the braces which support
the belt.
On the belt I place the following articles, two pouches, entrenching tool, bayonet
and scabbard, haversack and waterbottle. On the braces the great coat and valise
or valise bed. The canteen is supported by the braces and is also attached for
steadiness to the belt.
On the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1 to 8 represent a soldier with my equipment Fig. 1 being a front view
heavy marching order Fig. 2 back view heavy marching order Fig. 3 back view of
a modified form of heavy marching order, Fig. 4 back view permanent light
marching order and Fig. 5 back view light marching order.
Fig. 6 is a front view of the equipment that is to say the belt, haversack, two
pouches, sword-bayonet and entrenching tool attached thereto, braces with straps
for carrying the great coat and valise and also the canteen.
Fig. 7 is a front view and Fig. 8 plan of front part of belt when it is let out for
the sake of comfort on the march or otherwise.
Fig. 9 is a face view of the entrenching tool with sword bayonet.
The belt A is an ordinary one with two loose runners with brass loops A¹ for
the two brace straps B× to fasten on to in front and has also four loops behind viz.
two loops A2 (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6) on the upper edge of the belt for attaching the
back ends B¹ B of the braces and two smaller loops A³ A³ arranged centrally
between the loops A2 A2 and one of them fixed on the upper and one on the lower
edge of the belt; these latter loops are for a strap C₁ (Figs. 2 and 6) from the
canteen C to pass through for steadying the same. The belt A may be fastened
in front in the ordinary way as shown in Fig. 6 and has besides the buckle or catch A*
(see Figs. 7 and 8) a loose tongue A so as to enable the wearer to loosen his belt
whilst on the march, the tongue having one or more holes (two are shown here)
for the catch A at the end of the strap to be passed through.
The braces B B B are placed diagonally across the back through a loop or
runner B² and pass over the shoulders down each side of the chest terminating in
the straps Bx in front. These braces are fastened to the belt by being passed
through loops on the said runners A' in front and loops A2 direct on the belt behind
and buckled back on to themselves. Thus the braces can be made to fit any size
by simply being taken in or let out both back and front in the same place which
is of great importance. The straps B and B connect to triple buckles D having
an upper loop for the brace strap B leading to the shoulder à bottom loop for the
brace strap Bleading to the loop A¹ on the belt, and a lateral loop for the strap E
which passes under each arm pit and through loop F and buckle F1 on the valise I
and through buckles G¹ on the straps G which latter pass round and hold the
rolled up great coat H, the ends of the said straps E finally passing through the
upper loop of the triple buckles D which also as stated take the brace straps B×
leading to the loops A' on the belt and the brace straps B.
The triple buckles D thus support the great coat H and valise I and they should
always be easily accessible which they are in my arrangement and that without
outside help so that the soldier when a halt is made in a few seconds can detach the
valise and great coat and without assistance quickly again attach them.
The pouches consist of a right and left pouch. The right hand pouch is shewn
in front view in Figure 6 back view Figure 10 side view Figure 11 plan open
Figure 12 front view open Figure 13 and section Figure 14 on line aa.
The mouth of the pouch is as shewn in Figure 12 protected by two leather
flaps one on each side attached to the back and side of the pouch, and a leather
flap L' which is attached to the front and to the sides of the pouch and catches
below the two other flaps being cut out L* L*. These flaps admit of cartridges
being easily placed in the pouch or withdrawn from it but prevent the cartridges
from falling out of their own accord, as the mouth is at once closed by the weight
of the cartridges falling forwards. L' is a leather spring for keeping the flap L

page_text: up. L³ is a strap on front part of pouch serving to hold the flap K back in the
open position, Figure 14.
Figure 15 is a front view of a pouch of similar construction as regards the flaps L L'
'for preventing the cartridges from falling out but otherwise of somewhat different
construction. Figure 16 is a side view and Figure 17 a back view. Figures 18. 19.
and 20 are similar views but with the lid open. Figure 21 is a plan and Figure 22
a plan of the pouch when open. It is of a square flat shape with a sliding lid K
.opening outwards being fastened on the inner side as shown in Figures 15. 16. 17
and 21 by a stud K' which can be buttoned on to a short strap K². This latter is
fixed to the inner side of the body of the pouch. To open the pouch the strap K²
is withdrawn off the stud K' as shown in Figures 18. 19 and 20 and the lid K which
at the back is provided with two lateral straps and an intermediate strap all fastened
at top and bottom and passing through and sliding or running in two upper cross
loops or runners K³ and a lower runner K pulled down so as to cover the outside
of the pouch thus leaving the mouth free. The mouth of the pouch is protected by
two lateral flaps of leather L and a central leather flap L' which catches below
the other two as in Figures 10 to 14. In order to close the pouch the lid is drawn
up and closed over the mouth of the pouch and the strap K2 buttoned onto the
stud K. The pouch is provided with two leather loops K5 for the belt to pass
through.
The left pouch may be a simple magazine pouch which holds the reserve.
The waterbottle M shewn separately in Figure 27* Sheet 3 is attached to the
belt either by means of a strap or by being placed in a casing which is attached to
the belt itself. The lid T is at one end Thinged to the bottle and has at the other
end a lug with a hole for a bar U to pass through which has lateral projections at
its lower end which can take under the two sides of a slotted bracket V. To the
bar U is jointed the cam lever X which when the lid has been put on and the pro-
jections on the bar U have been brought under, the slotted bracket V is turned
into the position shewn whereby the lid is tightened upon the top of the water
bottle the lid being fitted with a rubber ring for making joint. The cam lever X
is by rod or cord connected to a stopper Y in a tube nipple Z which affords
facility for drinking. The haversack N is also attached to the belt by two
straps.
The entrenching tool O and bayonet P and scabbard shown in Figures 6 and 9
are attached to the belt by means of a frog R which has been generally described
in the Specification of my Patent No. 3582 of 1889 and which takes them either
singly or together but which I now prefer to fasten by means of a stud Q and
strap and buckle Q' on a loop Q2 through which the belt passes. I also keep the
parts O and P together by means of a strap Q³ descending from the frog R and a
strap Q which buckles around them. I also cover the blade of the spade O
by a case O' covering the whole of the blade on the side towards the body of
the wearer but hollowed out or cut out in the middle as shown in Figure 9 on the
outer side to save material.
Figure 23 shews my improved form of combined pick and axe. Figure 23ª being
a plan view of same. Figure 24 shews it with the frog and bayonet attachment.
Figure 25 is a back view."
It is a casing S with opening at the bottom for the handle of the tool to pass
through and with the top closed by a flap which folds over and is held closed by
two straps S2 S3. On the back there are two runners S¹ for the belt to pass
through.
Fig. 22 shows another arrangement of frog for the pick and axe and the bayonet
scabbard.
Figure 26 is a front view of the blade part 0 of my entrenching spade provided
with its blade case and frog and Figure 27 a back view. The case O' is in this
modification held on the spade stock by means of a strap 02. R is a loop for
hanging the tool on the belt A.
f

page_text: The bayonet will in these cases be carried in a separate frog by preference on
the right side of the wearer. Figure 28 shews such a bayonet frog consisting of
the loop a for the belt to go through and provided with a flap b having two slits b' b
over which is fixed a loop 2 for the bayonet scabbard stud to pass through. This
loop is perfectly tight when the scabbard is in, and the latter can only be inserted
when the flap is in the open position, shewn in dotted lines. e is a strap for
buckling the flap.
The canteen C Figs. 3 and 4 is fastened to the belt by a plain strap C₁
which passes round the canteen through the aforesaid upper and lower central
back brass loops A³ on the belt and through the loop 12 at the cross of the
braces. It is thus on the belt but its weight is supported directly by the braces.
The canteen may be attached to the valise by the canteen strap C₁ passing around
the valise as shown in Fig. 3.
The valise may be a canvas sheet such as shewn in Fig. 29 provided with a
pocket p to carry the different articles required and which in this case rolls up into
the form of an ordinary gusset valise when carried as shown in Fig. 30 but unrolls
into a bed Fig. 29 for the wearer to sleep on on damp ground. To the valise are
fixed two straps q for fastening it up. The side parts of the valise bed fold up
over the middle part as indicated by the dotted lines and are provided with
straps and buckles, button holes and buttons for fastening down before rolling
it up.
Instead of the already described means for fastening and carrying the valise I
and great coat H I may provide the valise with two large straps and two small
side straps. No straps whatever cross the chest of the wearer which is perfectly
free the whole weight of the equipment being on the shoulders and hips. The
weight can thus be thrown from the shoulders to the hips more or less and
vice versu by simply tightening or loosening the belt there is no drag on the
belt.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. A soldier's belt so combined with shoulder braces that the weight of the
articles comes upon the shoulders and hips or optionally mainly upon the shoulders
or mainly upon the hips while the chest is quite free and the belt can be left loose
while marching substantially as described and shown.
2. A soldier's belt A adapted to carry two or more pouches entrenching tool and
bayonet waterbottle and haversack in combination with braces B which are crossed
at the back and there buckled to the belt and pass forward over the shoulders and
straight down in front where they are connected to the belt by straps B× from the
lower loop of triple buckles D and connected to their front parts from the lateral
loop of said buckles by straps E which pass under the armpits and are adapted to
pass through loops and buckles on the valise for carrying it, and which connect by
straps with the rolled up great-coat for carrying it, the front ends of the straps E
being fastened to the upper loop of the buckles D substantially as described and
shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.
3. The improved construction of cartridge pouch having flaps L L and L¹ with
or without spring L' for preventing the cartridges from falling out while admitting
their removal as required substantially as described with reference to Figs. 10
to 22.
4. The improved means Figures 6 and 9 for attaching the entrenching spade and
bayonet scabbard.
5. The improved construction of case Figs. 26 and 27 for the spade blade.
6. The improved constructions of case and frog Figs. 24 and 25 for the
pick.
7. The improved bayonet frog Fig. 28.

page_text: 9. The improved method of attaching the great coat to the valise by the ends of
the great coat straps being attached to buckles on the front of the valise Figs. 2
and 3.
Dated this 27th day of Mo 1901
JENSEN & SON;
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.