Improvements in or connected with Military Accoutrements.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1894.
Complete Specification Left. 9th Jan.. 1895-Accepted. 9th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Military Accoutrements.
I, DUNCAN GORDON of 20 Shepherd Street, Mayfair in the County of Middlesex,
Bootmaker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
. J
This invention relates to the military accoutrements which are known as
'military braces "and are used for the purpose of securing the valise, mess tin,
and other parts of the kit on the body of a soldier in marching order. The object
of this invention is to provide means whereby the military braces can be readily
detached from or secured to the soldier's waist belt without undoing the said belt or
disarranging the side arms, pouch etc. Another object of the invention is to provide
the military braces with a simple device whereby the valise and the mess tin can
be quickly and securely fastened thereto or detached therefrom.
To the ends of the military braces I secure a clasp consisting of two plates hinged
together and of sufficient size to take the width of the regulation pattern waist belt
and furnished with a spring fastening releasable by means of a catch. To detach
the braces from the waist belt it is only necessary to release the spring fastenings
of the clasps in front and rear and the braces are then free from the waistbelt and
may be removed with the kit attached.
The valise and mess tin are secured to the braces by means of the following
arrangement:-At the back the military braces are crossed and a double buckle
rivetted thereto. To the upper part of the buckle is secured a strap attached to
the under side of the valise, and to the lower part of the said buckle is secured a
strap attached to the top of the mess tin.
Dated this 9th day of Anril 1894
F. W. GOLBY,
36; Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in or connected with Military Accoutrements.
1 DUNCAN GORDON of 20 Shepherd Street, Mayfair, in the County of Middlesex
Bootmaker, 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 :-
This invention relates to the military accoutrements which are known as
"military braces" and are used for the purpose of securing the valise, mess tio,
and other parts of the kit on the body of a soldier in marching order. The object
of this invention is to provide means whereby the military braces can be readily
detached from or be secured to the soldier's waistbelt without undoing the said belt
or disarranging the side arms, pouch etc. Another object of the invention is to
provide the military braces with a simple device whereby the valise and the mess
tin can be quickly and securely fastened thereto or detached therefrom.
To the ends of the military braces I secure a clasp cousisting of two plates hinged
together and of sufficient size to take the width of the regulation pattern waist belt

page_text: and furnished with a spring fastening releasable by means of a catch. To detach
the braces from the waistbelt it is only necessary to release the spring fastenings
of the clasps in front and rear and the braces are then free from the waistbelt and
may be removed with the kit attached. The valise and mess tin are secured to the
braces by means of the following arrangement :-At the back the military braces
are crossed and a double buckle rivetted thereto. To the upper part of the buckle
is secured a strap attached to the underside of the valise, and to the lower part of
the said buckle is secured a strap attached to the top of the mess tin.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 shews a front view of a soldier's tunic with a waistbelt and the military
braces fitted in position thereon and Figure 2 is a back view of the same;
Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged views shewing respectively front and side elevations
of the clasp closed, and Figure 5 is a side elevation of the clasp open;
Figures 6 and 7 are further enlarged views shewing the spring fastening of the
clasp, and
Figure 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the body plate of the clasp shewing
the recess into which the spring fastening takes.
Figure 9 shews a detached view of the clasp used on the back of the braces as
seen in Figure 2.
The same letters of reference, where they occur, are used to indicate the same or
corresponding parts in all the figures.
The clasp, which is secured by the D shaped loop A to the ends B of the braces,
consists of two plates C and E which are hinged together. C is the body plate of
the clasp having the recess F therein (see Figure 8) and E is the outer plate which
carries the spring fastening; G is a spring which is interposed between the two
plates C and E in such a manner as to cause them to open out at right angles as
shewn in Figure 5 when the spring fastening is released. The spring fastening
consists of a box or frame H in which works a rod J having a push knob K, a
hook projection L and a spring M the ends of which bear respectively against the
rod J and the interior of the box or frame H. The hook L projects above the top
of the box or frame H, as shewn in Figure 6, and engages in the recess F in the
plate C forming a spring snap fastening therewith. Pressure on the push knob K
serves to release the spring fastening and the plates of the clasp fly open under the
action of the spring G. If desired the spring fastening may be on the body plate
and the recess on the outer plate and both plates may be made in the form of open
frames, but I prefer to make the clasp so that the spring fastening is on the outer
of the two plates, as when released, the clasp can then be more easily slipped from
under the waistbelt than would be the case if the box or frame H were on the
inner or body plate C of the clasp.
Figure 9 shews the clasp with an enlarged body plate C carrying three D shaped
loops A, to the two outer of which the rear brace ends O are secured as shewn in
Figure 2. After passing over the shoulders on to the back of the wearer the
braces are secured to a double buckle N to which the rear brace ends are
rivetted. The valise is secured at the top by means of the hooks P on the shoulders
of the braces and at the bottom by means of a strap which is passed through the
loop of the double buckle N. The mess tin is secured at the top by a strap also
passed through the loop of the double buckle N, and at the bottom to the central
D shaped loop A on the body plate C.
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. For securing the ends of military braces to a waistbelt a clasp having a spring
snap fastening releasable by pressure on a push rod or knob, substantially as
described and illustrated and for the purpose stated.
2. Military braces to the ends of which are fitted clasps having spring snap
fastenings releasable by pressure on a push rod or knob, said braces being fastened

page_text: at the back to a double buckle carrying the rear brace ends, the buckle being so
situated that the bottom of the valise and the top of the mess tin may be secured
thereto substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of January 1895.
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.