IMPROVEMENTS IN ACCOUTREMENTS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ACCOUTREMENTS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER PURPOSES." A communication
from abroad by William Silver Oliver, M.D., Surgeon-major of the 60th Rifles,
British Army, now stationed at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Sealed the 2nd March 1877, and dated the 28th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1876.
OTHER
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ACCOUTREMENTS FOR MILITARY AND
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by William Silver Oliver, M.D.,
Surgeon-major of the 60th Rifles, British Army, now stationed at Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
The accoutrements in which this Invention is comprised are composed of two
braces, the magazine brace and the kit brace; two bags, the magazine bag and the
kit bag; a magazine pouch, a canteen, a coat yoke, a mess can, and a waist belt
and frog.
""
The device termed " magazine brace as adapted for cavalry use, and when so
used is provided with a cavalry cartridge holder.
The more prominent portion of the accoutrements are the two braces and the
two bags.
The improved accoutrements enable the soldier to carry his kit, a large amount
(as much as two hundred rounds) of ammunition, his day's rations of water and
food, a canteen, a waterproof sheet, and a great coat. At the same time they
dispense with the necessity of all cross belts or straps in front of the chest, the
present haversack or ration bag, and all ammunition pouches or ball bags, except
one small one capable of holding 30 rounds of ammunition.
The magazine brace is composed of one main and two side straps. The main
strap is 56 inches total length from tip to tip when the ends are unbuckled. Its
neck or centre part is six inches by two deep, and is shaped to fit the lower part of
the back of the neck. The side straps are 3/4ths of an inch; straps each twenty
inches long and perforated at the free ends with 6 holes, each 3/4ths of an inch apart.

page_text: In the centre part of the main strap are two button-hole slits 5 inches apart for
the iron loops of the kit brace to pass through. External to this point the magazine
brace begins rapidly to decrease in width until at the distance of six inches more from
the centre it becomes a three-fourths inch strap, and continues so to the ends. Each of
its ends is perforated with eight holes, three-fourths of an inch apart, and at eleven
inches from the tip of each end is a buckle three-fourths inch, also a side strap and
buckle three inches in length on external edge and two loops, higher up, one and a half
inches apart from each other, and buckle; these are all easily attached to main strap
at the same time by means of a leather backing three inches long. When the ends
of the main strap are buckled up they embrace two small hooks to hook on to two
brass eyes on the front of the waist belt, four inches from centre of belt. This
magazine brace is made of four pieces joined strongly at the centre with an extra
backing of leather; it rests on the kit brace behind the neck and on the shoulders
and hooks on to waist-belt's hooks in front, while the small straps on the main strap
and the side straps buckle together at each side of chest, after the latter have passed
through loops of great coat or magazine bag.
The kit brace is forty-eight inches long in its greatest length, that is, from tip to
tip of strap, when in fully extended state. It is a strong bridle-leather curvilinear
strap, with a broad centre part twenty-four inches by two deep, cut away behind
toward each extremity of this semicircular part, for four inches in extent to fit front
of shoulders; it then becomes cord shaped for four inches, and for the remaining
eight (leather) inches at each end it assumes the dimensions of a one-inch strap.
These last eight inches at each end loop up and buckle on themselves, and inclose in
each loop an iron to which the hooks or magazine bag, kit bag, or coat yoke, can be
attached as required; each of these loops is perforated with five holes, one inch
apart, for the purpose of lengthening or shortening this kit brace by means of
buckles attached. Toward the centre of the broad semicircular part of this brace
are strong iron loops or eyes five inches apart; they pass through the brace from
beneath, where they are firmly fixed by means of strong iron stays which are
covered with leather. This brace is made all in one piece, while the magazine brace
is, as before mentioned, composed of four separate pieces of leather for the sake of
economy. When those two braces are worn together, as is usual, the iron loops of
the kit brace are passed through the corresponding holes in the magazine brace, and
all is then ready for use. When on the soldier the centre parts of the two braces
firmly connected together rest on the centre of the lower part of the back of the
neck. The kit brace and the main strap of the magazine brace pass together over
and in front of the shoulders, where they separate, the latter extending downwards
to hook on to the front of the waist belt, the former extending backward between
the body and arms and along the sides, well below the axillæ, its rear ends receiving
the hooks of the kit bag, magazine bag, or coat yoke, as the case may be. The two
back straps of the magazine brace pass down over back of shoulders and forward
along the sides of chest and buckle on to the main strap of the brace, where the
buckles can be easily reached by the hand.
When the magazine bag, coat yoke, or other bag, is carried on the shoulders the
back straps before buckling pass through loops on the adjacent face of the bag, and
thus steady it in position, the bag being held both by this means and by its hooks
which engage the loops or eyes before mentioned.
The magazine bag and kit bag resemble each other in every respect (and can
therefore be made on the same machinery), except that the latter is one inch deeper
than the former and the hooks of the former (magazine bag) move from side to side,
while those of the kit bag may be stationary; they are simple strong canvas water-
proof bags, having a thick strong leather backing; they are encircled by two strong
bridle leather one-inch straps, each of which is thirty-five inches long and are free
in front, with one-inch buckle attached to lower end, while their centre part is
sewed firmly on to the back of the leather backing of bag, at the distance of seven
inches from centre to centre of each strap, laving however two interspaces unsewed
to form loops obliquely for the back straps of the magazine brace to pass through to

page_text: steady bag on back. These loops are not needed on the kit bag, inasmuch as the
latter is not designed to be carried on the shoulders but on the loins. The formation
of the leather backing and the sewing of these straps on back, and also hooks and a
leather loop at its centre for the waist belt to pass through, is the first step in the
construction of each bag, and at the same time the straps are sewed on to this
backing three pockets are formed of strong loose canvas in the interior of each of
the bags. The centre pocket will contain 80 rounds of ammunition, the side pocket
will contain each from 10 to 20 rounds.
The front wall of each bag, nine inches deep for the magazine bag and ten inches
deep for the kit bag, has a length of 12 inches at the top and 14 inches at the
bottom. The side pieces that unite the front wall with the backing are three inches
at top and four inches at bottom. On the exterior of the front wall of each bag
are two loose pockets five and a half inches wide and four inches deep, they are
situate near the lower external corner of each bag, and open obliquely upward and
outward, and are for the purpose of holding each 10 rounds of ammunition.
Immediately above each one is a half-inch strap and buckle which buckles on to a
short six-inch strap extending from the back wall of the bag to support the pocket
when full; the cover or flap of each bag is 15 by 12 inches.
A second strap designed principally to hold the mess can, but which also
serves to hold down the bag cover or flap, is provided for each bag, loops being
formed on the bag cover or flap for the strap to pass through. The mouth of the
bag is strengthened throughout its entire extent by means of a strong half-inch strap
sewed all round, except where the two hooks work at the top of the magazine bag.
The hooks on the kit bag are fixed and held firmly in position by the bag straps,
but those on the magazine bag are capable of moving, so as to increase or lessen the
distance between them. This is effected by formning the magazine hooks with rings
which are held in loops sewed on to the backing of the bag, at the same time the
ordinary bag straps are attached to it; each hook can thus move from side to side
of the bag strap if desired. The hooks in the position in which they must nearly
approach one another are five inches apart, so that they may hook on to the eyes
herein-before referred to. When moved into the position they occupy when the
magazine bag is carried not on the shoulders by the iron D's of the kit brace they
are about seven inches apart, the magazine bag being transferrable from the
shoulders to the loins and adapted to be applied to either brace. The wider position
of the magazine-bag hooks is the position that is permanently occupied by the
hooks on the kit bag. In the flap or cover of the magazine bag are formed slits
through which the bag straps can pass, so as to be under the cover instead of over
them, this being desirable at times when the bag contains ammunition, in which
case by passing the bag straps through the slits and under the cover, the cover may
be unfastened and raised and the bag opened without disturbing the bag straps,
which will continue to support and uphold the contents of the bag.
I shall now proceed to state the uses of the bags and braces when the soldier
wears the full set of accoutrements. The magazine bag is carried on the shoulders,
and the kit bag on the loins, as heretofore specified, each being held at two points,
the former by the eyes and by the magazine brace straps, which pass through the
loops, and the latter by the iron D's of the kit brace and by the waist belt, which
passes through the belt loop. The kit bag is for the carriage of the kit, the canteen
when not required externally on the waist belt, the soldier's bread or biscuit rations
and 20 rounds of ammunition in external pockets. By this means the haversack is
entirely dispensed with, the meat ration being carried in the mess can.
This bag
is in fact the soldier's clothes box, which during peaceful time is as a rule seldom
used or needed but allowed to remain in his barrack room; and on the battle field
the soldier divests himself of it altogether and leaves it with the field kit; it contains
at the base of supplies either to be piled up or to be removed in the supply wagons
to a place of safety while its owner is fighting. His number is on it, so that he
can easily find it when he returns, and if he should be killed in action Government

page_text: is saved its loss and that of the man's kit. That part of the accoutrements which
takes its place both in peace and war, as well as performs the necessary offices of
haversack and extra ammunition pouches, ball bags, and the like, is the magazine
bag, the chief and leading article in the accoutrements.
This special bag under ordinary circumstances carries the soldier's great coat, and
keeps it dry, and when this great coat is taken out of it and carried on its own
coat yoke (to be herein-after described) it leaves this magazine bag free to be used
for all the purposes mentioned, to be used by the soldier on guard or on the field
of action as a magazine bag in the very fullest sense of the term.
When the magazine bag is to take the place of the kit bag the accoutrements are
removed from the person, and both kit bag and magazine bag are taken off from
their braces. The braces with the coat yoke (containing great coat and waterproof
sheet) occupying the former position of the magazine bag, if so desired, are then put
on again. The waist belt is passed through the belt loop of the magazine bag, and
is also put on, and then the iron D's of the kit brace are hooked on to the books of
the magazine bag, which hooks to accommodate them to this operation have been
shifted, as above explained, so as to stand from seven to eight inches apart. When
thus placed the ammunition and rations are readily accessible not only from the
bag behind but in front, as it can be unhooked in a moment and run around to the
soldier's right front on the waist belt, where access can be immediately obtained
to the ammunition by unbuckling only the centre strap, the other two straps
remaining buckled up for the support of the contents of the bag. The front
straps of the magazine brace support the belt and bag then as well as retain the
great coat, mess can, and waterproof sheet on the soldier's shoulders at the same time,
and thus enable him to use the ammunition in the magazine bag while "doubling."
This magazine bag furthermore has, as before said, strong canvas pockets for the
carriage close to the body of 100 rounds of ammunition, and it can easily contain
and carry forty or fifty more in addition to the soldier's day's rations of biscuit,
which with the rounds the man carries in front of his body amounts to about 200
rounds for siege operation purposes; a total of one hundred and fifty only being
carried during actual field service, which can be done with great ease and facility,
the actual weight carried then by the man being more than two pounds less than
the English soldier has to bear when carrying seventy rounds of ammunition in his
ordinary heavy marching order.
The next part of these accoutrements is the coat yoke, which consists of two side
straps and a centre piece with two hooks attached. The two side straps are three-
fourths inch wide by 32 long, to encircle and suspend coat and carry mess can or
a waterproof sheet with great coat; and they are connected together near their
centre by a strong cross strap two inches wide and six inches in length, and at the
points of juncture are two small curb chain hooks, from which the coat can be
suspended either on the shoulders by the eyes before mentioned or on the loins by
the iron D's of the kit brace. The device thus affords an easy means of trans-
ferring the coat from one point of carriage to the other. The great coat is carried
in this yolk so folded that it occupies a space 10 by 14 by 3 inches deep. It
weighs 4 or lbs.
The kit brace can be worn if desired without the magazine brace.
In this case
the bag or coat yoke will of course be carried on the loins. For most purposes
however the two braces conjoined will be used.
The
The magazine brace with slight change can be used for cavalry purposes.
cartridge holders employed in this case are waterproof leather pouches, four in
number, arranged in pairs, one pair on each side. Each pouch is 4 by 5 inches,
with collapsing sides and bottom capable of containing about 10 rounds of ammu-
nition. Each pair is united by means of a strong leather backing 10 inches long.
The upper free end of this backing tapers to one inch and holds a 1 inch buckle,
to which is buckled the front or main strap of the magazine brace. To the backing
is also attached a side strap and buckle to connect with the back strap of the brace.

page_text: On the lower part of the backing is a loop, through which the cavalry sword belt
passes. By the belt and the brace the pouches are thus retained and steadied in
place while the brace upholds them and the belt as well.
The pouches lie close against the person, and are not in a position to interfere
with the sword or bridle arm. By a simple device the ammunition is prevented
from accidentally falling out when the flap or cover of the pouch is unfastened. This
device consists of a small piece of leather sewed on to the front and side walls of
each pouch at its mouth, leaving a segmental opening at the back for the extraction
of the cartridges by means of the first finger and thumb.
The mess can strap is constructed in the following manner :-'
-The mess can itself
is similar in general appearance and structure to that used by the English soldier,
being somewhat smaller. The strap which binds up the mess can is composed of
crossed straps, one of which is 22 inches long, 2 inches wide at the centre, and
14 inches at the ends, whilst the other strap is a half inch strap 20 inches in length.
There are on the broad strap 3 loops for the mess can straps of the bags to pass
through. There are also formed therein two button hole slits for projections on the
mess can to engage when it is desired to suspend the mess can below the great coat
on the coat yoke straps.
When the mess can is suspended below the great coat its position is such that
the projections may pass through the slits before mentioned. The mess can under
this arrangement can be carried in no less than 6 different places on the
accoutrements.
The canteen or water bottle is made of strong block tin, is flat on one side and
rounded on the other. A drinking cup fits over the bottle and is retained in its
place by a strong inch strap, which encircles the bottle lengthwise, and is retained
on it by passing through two cross loops on the bottle. The canteen is slung on
the waist belt by means of this strap, or when empty and not required for use may
be carried in either the magazine bag or the kit bag. By means of the strap the
canteen can be readily and quickly attached to or detached from the waist belt.
The magazine pouch is similar in shape and construction to the cavalry pouches
above described, being however considerably larger. It is carried on the waist belt
in front by means of a 4 inch strong back strap, loop, and button.
This strap is
firmly sewed to the top edge of the pouch behind, and has on its lower end a
button hole slit to button on to a stud at the bottom of the rear face of the pouch.
This strap is passed between the soldier's belt and body in front, and is then
buttoned down, the pouch then occupying a central position in front of the soldier.
It is obvious that the dimensions herein-before given may be varied as required
whilst still retaining the general features of the Invention.
These accoutrements, which it is proposed to designate "Oliver's magazino
accoutrements," are also adapted for use by tourists, sportsmen, and others, as well
as for military purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th April
1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ACCOUTREMENTS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by William Silver Oliver, M.D.,
Surgeon-major of the 60th Rifles, British Army, now stationed at Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
The accoutrements in which the said Invention is comprised are composed of
two braces, the magazine brace and the kit brace; two bags, the magazine bag, and
the kit bag, a magazine pouch, a canteen, a cloak yoke, a mess can, and a waist belt
and frog.

page_text: The device termed "magazine brace" is adapted for cavalry use, and when so
used is provided with a cavalry cartridge holder.
The more prominent portions of the accoutrements are the two braces and the
two bags.
The improved accoutrements enable the soldier to carry his kit, a large amount
(as much as two hundred rounds) of ammunition, his day's rations of water and
food, a canteen, a waterproof sheet and great coat. At the same time they dispense
with the necessity of all cross belts or straps in front of the chest, the present
haversack or ration bag, and all ammunition pouches or ball bags, except one
small one capable of holding, say, thirty rounds of ammunition.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
All the straps and braces of which the accoutrements are composed are to be
made of good bridle leather thinned down where necessary for the small straps,
and to be of moderate thickness for the two principal ones, viz., the "magazine
brace" and the "kit brace."
The magazine "brace" which is shown in Figure 1, is composed of one main and
two side straps. The main strap A is fifty-six inches total length from tip to tip
when the ends are unbuckled. Its neck or centre part is six inches by two deep,
and is shaped to fit the lower part of the back of the neck. The side straps B are
three-fourths of an inch straps, each twenty inches long, and perforated at the free
ends with six holes, each three-fourths inch apart.
In the centre part of the main strap are two buttonhole slits a five inches apart
for the iron loops of the kit brace to pass through. External to this point the
magazine brace begins rapidly to decrease in width until at the distance of six
inches more from the centre it becomes a three-fourths inch strap, and continues so
to the ends. Each of its ends is perforated with eight holes three-fourths of an
inch apart, and at eleven inches from the tip of each end is a buckle three-fourths
inch, also a side strap and buckle b three inches in length on external edge, and two
loops higher up one and a-half inch apart from each other and buckle. These are
all easily attached to the main strap at the same time by means of a leather
backing three inches long. When the ends of the main strap are buckled up as
shewn they embrace two small hooks c to hook on to two brass eyes on the front
of the waist belt C, Figure 5, four inches from the centre of the belt.
magazine brace is made of four pieces joined strongly at the centre with an extra
backing of leather. It rests on the kit brace behind the neck and on the shoulders,
and hooks on to the waist belt hooks in front, while b and B buckle together at
each side of the chest after the latter have passed through the loops of the great
coat or magazine bag.
This
The kit brace D (shewn in Figure 2) is forty-eight inches long in its greatest
length, that is, from tip to tip of strap when in a fully extended state. It is a
strong bridle leather curvilinear strap, with a broad centre part twenty-four inches.
by two deep cut away behind towards each extremity of this semicircular part for
four inches in extent to fit the front of shoulders, as seen at d. It then becomes
cord shaped for four inches, and for the remaining eight (leather) inches at each end
it assumes the dimensions of a one-inch strap. These last eight inches at each end
loop up and buckle on themselves, and inclose in each loop a D iron, to which the
hooks or magazine bag, kit bag, or coat yoke can be attached as required. Each of
these loops is perforated with five holes one inch apart for the purpose of lengthen-
ing or shortening this kit brace by means of buckles attached. Towards the
centre of the broad semicircular part of this brace are two strong iron loops or
eyes e five inches apart. They must be exactly two and a-half inches from the
centre point of the brace. They pass through the brace from beneath, where they
are firmly fixed by means of strong iron stays, which are covered with leather.
This brace is made all in one piece, while the magazine brace is as before mentioned

page_text: composed of four separate pieces of leather for the sake of economy. When those
two braces are worn together, as is usual, the iron loops e of the kit brace are
passed through the holes a in the magazine brace, and all is then ready for use, and
appears as shown in Figure 3. When on the soldier they present the appearance
shown in Figures 4 and 5. It will there be seen that the centre parts of the two
braces firmly connected together rest on the centre of the lower part of the back of
the neck. The kit brace and the main strap of the magazine brace pass together
over and in front of the shoulders, where they separate, the latter extending
downwards to hook on to the front of the waist belt, the former extending back-
wards between the body and arms, and along the sides, well below the axillæ, its
rear ends receiving the hooks of the kit bag, magazine bag, or coat yoke, as the
case may be. The two back straps of the magazine brace pass down over the back
of the shoulders and forwards along the sides of the chest and buckle on to
the main strap of the brace at b, where the buckles can be easily reached by the
hand.
When the magazine coat, yoke, or other bag is carried on the shoulders, the
back straps B before buckling at b pass through loops on the adjacent face of the
bag and thus steady it in position, the bag being held both by this means and by
its hooks which engage the loops or eyes e.
The next things to be noticed are the two bags, the magazine bag, Figure 6 (rear
view), and kit bag, Figure 7 (front view), which resemble each other in every
respect (and can therefore be made on the same machinery) except that the latter is
one inch deeper than the former, and the hooks of the former (magazine bag) move
from side to side, while those of the kit bag may be stationary; they are simple
strong canvas waterproof bags having a thick strong leather backing; they are
encircled by two strong bridle leather one inch straps, each of which is thirty-five
inches long, and are free in front with one inch buckle attached to lower end, while
their centre part is sewed firmly on to the back of the leather backing of bag at the
distance of seven inches from centre to centre of each strap, leaving however two
interspaces unsewed to form loops g obliquely for the back straps of the magazine
brace to pass through to steady the bag on the back. These loops are not needed
on the kit bag, inasmuch as the latter is not designed to be carried on the shoulders
but on the loins. The formation of this leather backing and the sewing on of these
straps on back and also hooks and a leather loop h at its centre for the waist belt
to pass through is the first step in the construction of each bag, and at the same
time the straps are sewn on to this backing three pockets are formed of strong
loose canvas in the interior of each of the bags. The centre pocket will contain
eighty rounds of ammunition, the side pockets will contain each from ten to twenty
rounds.
The front wall of each bag, nine inches deep for the magazine bag and ten inches
deep for the kit bag, has a length of twelve inches at the top and fourteen inches at
the bottom. The side pieces which unite the front wall with the backing are three
inches at top and four inches at bottom. On the exterior of the front wall of each
bag are two loose pockets i, five and a half inches wide and four inches deep; they
are situate near the lower external corner of each bag and opeu obliquely upwards
and outwards, and are for the purpose of holding each ten rounds of ammunition.
Immediately above each one is a half inch strap and buckle, which buckles on to a
short six inch strap extending from the back wall of the bag to support the pocket
when full The cover or flap of each bag is fifteen by twelve inches.
A central strap k designed principally to hold the mess can, but which also serves
to hold down the bag cover or flap is provided for each bag, loops being formed on
the bag cover or flap for the strap to pass through. The mouth of the bag is
strengtheued throughout its entire extent by means of a strong half inch strap
sewed all around, except where the two hooks work at the top of the magazine bag..
The hooks on the kit bag are fixed and held firmly in position by the bag straps,
but those on the magazine bag are capable of moving so as to increase or lessen the
distance between them. This is effected by forming the magazine. hooks with rings

page_text: which are held in loops sewed on to the backing of the bag at the same time the
.ordinary bag straps are attached to it; cach hook can thus move from side to side
of: the. bag-strap, as desired. . This will be seen by reference to Figure 6, which is a
rear view of the magazine bag with the flap or cover uplifted. The hooks are
represented in full lines in the position in which they most nearly approach one
another, being here five inches apart, so that they may hook on to the eyes e herein-
before referred to; they are shewn in dotted lines moved further apart, say, seven
or eight inches apart, which is the position they occupy when the magazine bag is
carried not on the shoulders but by the iron D's of the kit brace. The magazine
bag being transferable from the shoulders to the loins and adapted to be applied to
either brace, the wider position of the magazine bag hooks is the position
permanently occupied by the hooks on the kit bag. In the flap or cover of the
imagazine bag are formed slits through which the bag straps can pass so as to be
under the cover instead of over them, this being desirable at times when the bag
contains ammunition, in which case by passing the bag straps through the slits and
under the cover, the cover may be unfastened and raised and the bag opened
without disturbing the bag straps which will continue to support and uphold the
contents of the bag.
I shall now proceed to state the uses of the bags and braces when the soldier
wears the full set of accoutrements. The magazine bag is carried on the shoulders,
and the kit bag on the loins, as heretofore specified, each being held at two
points, the former by the eyes e and by the magazine brace straps which pass
through the loops, and the latter by the iron D's of the kit brace and by the waist
belt which passes through the belt loop. The kit bag is for the carriage of the kit,
the canteen when not required externally on waist belt, the soldier's bread or biscuit
rations, and twenty rounds of ammunition in external pockets. By this means the
haversack is entirely dispensed with, the meat ration being carried in the mess can.
This bag is in effect the soldier's (clothes box,) which during peace time is as a rule
seldom used or needed, but allowed to remain in his barrack room, and on the battle
field the soldier divests himself of it altogether and leaves it with the field kit; it
contains at the base of supplies, cither to be piled up or to be removed in the supply
wagons to a place of safety while its owner is fighting. His number is on it so that
he can readily find it when he returns, and if he should be killed in action govern-
ment is saved its loss and that of the man's kit. That part of the accoutrements
which takes its place both in peace and war as well as performs the necessary offices
of haversack and extra ammunition, pouches, ball bags, and the like, is the magazine
bag, the chief and leading article in these accoutrements.
This special bag under ordinary circumstances carries the soldier's great coat and
keeps it dry, and when this great coat is taken out of it and carried on its own coat
yoke, (to be herein-after described,) it leaves this magazine bag free to be used for all
the purposes mentioned to be used by the soldier on guard or on the field of action
as a magazine bag in the very fullest sense of the term.
When the magazine bag is to take the place of the kit bag the accoutrements are
removed from the person, and both kit bag and magazine bag are taken off from
their braces. The braces with the coat yoke (containing great coat and waterproof
sheet) occupying the former position of the magazine bag if so desired are then
put on again. The waist belt is passed through the belt loop of the magazine bag
and is also put on, and then the iron D's of the kit brace are hooked on to the
hooks of the magazine bag, which hooks to accommodate them to this operation
have been shifted, as above explained, so as to stand from seven to eight inches
apart. When thus placed the ammunition and rations are readily accessible, not
only from the bag behind but in front, as it can be unhooked in a moment and run
around to the soldier's right front on the waist belt, where access can be immediately
obtained to the ammunition by unbuckling only the centre strap, the other two straps
remaining still buckled up for the support of the contents of the bag. The front
straps of the magazine brace support the belt and bag then as well as retain the
great coat, meas can, and waterproof sheet on the soldier's shoulders at the same time,

page_text: and thus enable him to use the ammunition in the magazine bag while "doubling."
This magazine bag furthermore has as before said strong canvas pockets for the
carriage close to the body of one hundred rounds of ammunition, and it can easily
contain and carry forty or fifty more in addition to the soldier's day's rations of
biscuit, which with the rounds the man carries in front of his body amounts to
about two hundred rounds for siege operation purposes, a total of one hundred and
fifty only being carried during actual field service, which can be done with great
ease and facility, the actual weight carried then by the man being more than two
pounds less than the English soldier has to bear when carrying seventy rounds of
ammunition in his ordinary heavy marching order.
The next part of these accoutrements is the coat yoke which consists of two side
straps and a centre piece with two hooks attached, it is shewn in Figure 9. The
two side straps m are three-fourths inch wide by thirty two long to encircle and
suspend the coat and carry the iness can or a waterproof sheet with great coat, and
they are connected together near their centre by a strong cross strap n two inches
wide and six inches in length, and at the points of juncture are two small curb
chain hooks o from which the coat can be suspended either on the shoulders by the
eyes e or on the loins by the iron D's of the kit brace; the device thus affords an
easy means of transferring the coat from one point of carriage to the other. Tho
great coat is carried in this yoke so folded that it occupies a space ten by fourteen
by three inches deep, it weighs four and a half or five pounds.
Figure 14 represents the soldier fully accoutred; Figure 15 represents him as
he appears with the kit bag removed, the coat yoke taking the place of the
magazine bag on the shoulders, and the magazine bag transferred from the shoulders
to the loins.
The kit brace can be worn if desired without the magazine brace. In this case
the bag or coat yoke will of course be carried on the loins. For most purposes
however the two braces conjoined will be used.
The magazine brace with slight change can be used for cavalry purposes. This
is illustrated in Figure 8 of the Drawings. The cartridge holders employed in this
case are waterproof leather pouches, four in number, arranged in pairs, one pair on
each side. Each pouch P is four and a half by five inches, with collapsing sides
and bottom, capable of containing, say, about ten rounds of ammunition. Each.
pair is united by means of a strong leather backing ten inches long. The upper
free end of this backing tapers to one inch and holds a one inch buckle to which is
buckled the front or main strap of the magazine brace. To the backing is also
attached a side strap and buckle b¹ to connect with the back strap of the brace.
On the lower part of the backing is a loop through which the cavalry sword belt
passes by. the belt and the brace, the pouches are thus retained and steadied in
place while the brace upholds them and the belt as well.
The pouches lie close against the person and are not in a position to interfere
with the sword or bridle arm. By a simple device the ammunition is prevented
from accidentally falling out when the flap or cover of the pouch is unfastened.
This device consists of a small piece of leather sewed on to the front and side walls
of each pouch at its mouth, leaving a segmental opening at the back for the extrac-
tion of the cartridge by means of the first finger and thumb.
The next thing to which attention is directed is the mess can strap. This is
shewn extended in Figure 10. The mess can itself, marked E, Figure 11, is similar
in general appearance and structure to that used by the English soldier but some-
what smaller. The strap which binds up the mess can is composed of cross straps
P, r.
The broad strap p is twenty-two inches long, two inches wide at the centre,
and one half inch at the ends; the other strap is a half inch strap twenty inches
in length. There are on the broad strap three loops s for the mess can straps of the
bags to pass through. The are also formed therein two button hole slits for
projections v on the mess can to engage with when it is desired to suspend the mess
can below the great coat on the coat yoke straps.

page_text: The strap, Figure 10, is represented on the mess can in the position it occupies
when the mess can is to be carried on one or the other of the bags. In case of
being suspended below the great coat its position on the mess can must be changed
from that shown in Figure 11 to one in which, the projections may pass through
the slits t. The mess can under this arrangement can be carried in no less than six
different places on the accoutrements.
The canteen or water bottle F, (shewn in Figure 12,) made of strong block tin is
flat on one side and rounded on the other. A drinking cup w fits over the bottle
and is retained in its place by a strong three-quarter inch strap x which encircles
the bottle lengthwise and is retained on it by passing through two cross loops on
the bottle. The canteen is slung on the waste belt by means of this strap, or when
empty and not required for use may be carried in either the magazine bag or the
kit bag. By means of the strap the canteen can be readily and quickly attached to
or detached from the waist belt.
The magazine pouch G (shewn in Figure 13) is similar in shape and contsruction
to the cavalry pouches above described, being however considerably larger. It' is
carried on the waist belt in front by means of a four inch strong back strap, loop,
and button. This strap y (indicated by dotted lines in Figure 13,) is firmly sewed
to the top edge of the pouch behind, and has in its lower end a button hole slit to
button on to a stud at the bottom of the rear face of the pouch. This strap is
passed between the soldier's belt and body in front and is then buttoned down, the
pouch then occupying the position shewn in Figure 5.
It is obvious that the dimensions herein-before given may be varied as required
whilst still retaining the general features of the Invention.
These accoutrements which it is proposed to designate Oliver's Magazine
Accoutrements are also adapted for use by tourists, sportsmen, and others, as well
as for military purposes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the magazine brace and kit
brace detachably connected, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described.
Second. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the magazine brace, the
kit brace, and the magazine bag, the latter being transferable from the shoulders
to the loins and adapted to be applied to either brace, as herein-before described.
Third. The magazine brace consisting of the back straps and the main strap
provided at its ends with adjustable hooks, and above the hooks with short side
straps or buckles to engage with the back straps, substantially as herein-before
described.
Fourth. The kit brace provided at its centre part with metal eyes or loops and
otherwise constructed, substantially as herein-before described.
Fifth. The magazine brace and kit brace in combination with the magazine bag
and kit bag, provided with hooks and adapted to engage with the braces, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Sixth. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the waist belt, the magazine
brace, the kit brace, magazine bag, and the kit bag, the said parts being constructed
and arranged substantially as herein-before described.
Seventh. A set of accoutrements comprizing a kit brace and bag, a magazine
brace and bag, a waist belt, and a coat yoke adapted for use, substantially as herein-
before described.
Eighth. The magazine bag provided with laterally moveable hooks, substantially
as herein-before described.
Ninth. The magazine bag or the kit bag provided with hooks, a centre strap

page_text: adapted to hold down the flap or cover, side straps arranged to pass through clits
in the flap and to support the contents of the bag when the flap is loosened and
otherwise constructed, substantially as herein-before described.
Tenth. The herein described magazine brace combined with cavalry cartridge
or ammunition pouches, under the arrangement substantially as herein-before
described.
Eleventh. The. coat yoke constructed and provided with hooks, substantially as
and for the purposes herein-before described.
Twelfth. The mess can provided with a mess can strap and adapted for use, sub-
stantially as herein-before described.
Thirteenth. The canteen, the cup, and the canteen strap constructed, arranged,
and adapted for application to the waist belt, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)