Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1887
Complete Left, 16th Feb, 1888
Complete Accepted, 29th Mar., 1888
I ANDREAS SÖHNER 6 Josephstrasse, Berlin in the Empire of Germany Merchant
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved means for facilitating the carrying of loads or
burdens upon the human back.
In the improved carrying device the point of application of the load is much higher
up and more to the front than is usual, for the purpose of bringing the vertical weight
or pressure of the load near the vertical supporting line of the body or to let it meet
this line without bending the upper part of the body forwards; and also for the
purpose of reducing, as much as possible, the pull by which the upper part of
the body is bent backwards, and which is constituted by the load multiplied by the
distance of the point of gravity thereof from the supporting line of the body frame.
To attain these objects the carrying device is of such shape that the point of
application of the load is situated between the shoulder blades of the carrier, the
vertical pressure being directly and equally received by the shoulders and the
backward pull by the upper part of the breast.
The carrying device consists essentially of two bows of elastic or spring material
(for example steel, brass or other suitable metal) which rest upon the shoulders and
are adapted to the shape thereof. One arm of each bow over the back and the other
arm over the breast. The load is fixed to the lower part of the back-arms which
extend between the shoulder blades; the bows are thereby applied firmly to shoulder
blades whilst the spring breast-arms bear against the upper part of the chest directly
below the collar bones, so that by the action of the load an automatic clamping of the
carrying device to the upper part of the body takes place as it were.
The back arms can be arranged upon the back separately beside each other, or one
above the other. They are connected with a metal plate to which the load is
attached. In order that the carrying bows shall, without any change in their
dimensions and bend, be capable of being used by persons having broad or narrow
shoulders and large or small bodies, the back arms and the metal plate are provided
with several holes or slits, so that the former can be connected at different heights.
By reason of the peculiar lateral bend of the bows a lateral displacement of the
breast-arms can be effected simultaneously with the vertical adjustment according as
the lower middles or upper holes of the breast-arms are in connection with the
lower middle or upper holes of the carrying plate. The breast-arms extend the
less down over the breast, the deeper the back arms are placed, and the more down
the higher they are placed; whereby on account of the lateral bend and by the aid of
ID01

page_text: the spring action of the bows, the two shoulder bends are placed at a greater or
smaller distance from each other.
In this manner the bows are, as it were, automatically adjusted to different
shoulders of slender and narrow-built people by being put lower upon the plate, and
to the shoulders of broad and stout people by being put higher.
If moreover the point of application of the load is varied, for instance, if, when the
back arms are put higher, the load is given a lower point of application, the carrying
device becomes adapted for tall, strong people. Inversely it is made suitable for
short and narrow people by displacing the point of the load above the point of
attachment of the back arms.
I will now describe a carrying device having the back-arms arranged one above
the other and arranged for example for carrying a knapsack. The device is provided
with carrying bows having back arms, breast-arms, and a metal plate. The knapsack
is fixed to the metal plate, by placing the knapsack wall in a suitable position between
it and a counter plate and fixing it by rivetting or sewing. The breast arms are
each provided with two branches the upper of which bears tightly below the collar
bone, and the lower of which extends over the breast.
The back arms are with their middle holes combined with the middle hole of the
metal plate. A bolt connects the said plate with the back arms and transmits the
load of the knapsack to the carrying device or the upper part of the body of the
carrier. The width of the bows is such that the bow arms must with a certain spring
power press closely against the body.
In order to give the bows a good hold and guidance on the knapsack a cross piece
is sewn to the rear wall of the knapsack, whereby the arms are supported and guided
during the upward or downward displacement necessary for the adjustment. In order
to unburden the breast arms or in order that the spring power thereof shall not be
alone depended upon for clamping the load to the upper part of the body, straps
which are cut to correspond with the bend of the carrying bow can be passed from
the carrying bolt over the carrying bow to the front to a body girth and hooked
thereto. By this a secure seating of the knapsack is obtained, and the durability of
the spring breast arms is increased. Moreover, in order to transmit the load of the
knapsack partly to the hips, supports can be arranged between the knapsack and body
girth. These can serve at the same time to lift the knapsack a little from the back so
that between the wall of the knapsack and the back air can circulate. If the load
consists of a knapsack, this support can be fixed by a button when the knapsack is
taken off.
The carrying bows.can be arranged beside each other upon a plate each with a bolt
or pin fixed in the lowermost holes. With this higher adjustment a larger distance of
the shoulder bend from the suspending point of the load as well as an increase in the
shoulder capacity is effected, so that the carrying device becomes fit to be used for a
taller and broadly built, man.
The breast arms of the carrying bows may be without branches and be fixed upon
a common plate one above the other. The same carrying bows may be arranged upon
a plate one beside the other.
The carrying plate is sometimes modified to enable the back arms to be fixed upon
it either one above the other or one beside the other, whereby a still greater variation
can be attained in the adjustment of the bows to persons of different width.
The attachment of the load to the carrying plate can of course be effected in any
desired manner according to the kind and shape of the load, for example, by
suspending the load from or putting it onto hooks, eyes, brackets and like known
means connected with the plates.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: and other Burdens upon the Back.
I, ANDREAS SÖHNER, of 6 Josephstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
Merchant, 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 improved means for facilitating the carrying of loads or
burdens upon the human back.
In the improved carrying device the point of application of the load is much higher
up and more to the front than is usual for the purpose of bringing the vertical weight
or pressure of the load near the vertical supporting line of the body or to let it meet
this line without bending the upper part of the body forwards; and also for the
purpose of reducing, as much as possible, the pull by which the upper part of
the body is bent backwards, and which is constituted by the load multiplied by the
distance of the point of gravity thereof from the supporting line of the body frame.
To attain these objects the carrying device is of such shape that the point of
application of the load is situated between the shoulder blades of the carrier, the
vertical pressure being directly and equally received by the shoulders and the
backward pull by the upper part of the breast.
The carrying device consists essentially of two bows of elastic or spring material,
(for example steel, brass, or other suitable metal,) which rest upon the shoulders and
are adapted to the shape thereof. One arm of each bow extends over the back and the
other arm over the breast. The load is fixed to the lower part of the back-arms
which extend between the shoulder blades; the bows are thereby applied firmly to
shoulder blades whilst the spring breast-arins bear against the upper part of the chest
directly below the collar bone, so that by the action of the load an automatic clamping
of the carrying device to the upper part of the body takes place as it were.
The back arms can be arranged upon the back separately beside each other or one
above the other. They are connected with a metal plate to which the load is attached.
In order that the carrying bows shall, without any change in their dimensions and
bend be capable of being used by persons having broad or narrow shoulders and large
or small bodies, the back arms and the metal plate are provided with several holes or
slits, so that the former can be connected at different heights.
By reason of the peculiar lateral bend of the bows, a lateral displacement of the
breast arms can be effected simultaneously with the vertical adjustment according as
the lower, middle or upper holes of the breast arms are in connection with the lower,
middle or upper holes of the carrying plate. The breast arms extend the less down
over the breast, the deeper the back arms are placed, and the more down the higher

page_text: they are placed; whereby, on account of the lateral bend and by the aid of the spring
action of the bows, the two shoulder bends are placed at a greater or smaller distance
from each other.
In this manner the bows are as it were automatically adjusted to different shoulders
of slender and narrow built people by being put lower upon the plate, and to the
shoulders of broad and stout people by being put higher.
If moreover the point of application of the load is varied, for instance, if, when the
back arms are put higher, the load is given a lower point of application, the carrying
device becomes adapted for tall and strong people. Inversely it is made suitable for
short and narrow built people by displacing the point of the load above the point of
attachment of the back arms.
In the accompanying drawing several arrangements of such carrying devices are
represented.
Figures 1 and 2 show in front and side view a carrying device having the back
arms arranged one above the other and arranged for example for carrying a knapsack A.
B B are the metallic carrying bows, their back arms, their breast arms;
Cis the metal plate. The knapsack is fixed to the metal plate, by placing the said
knapsack wall in a suitable position between it and a counter plate and fixing it by
rivetting or sewing. The breast arms are each provided with two branches 636, the
upper of which bears tightly below the collar bone, and the lower 64 of which
extends over the breast.
The back arms are with their middle holes combined with the middle hole of the
metal plate C. A bolt c connects the said plate with the back arms and transmits
the load of the knapsack to the carrying device or the upper part of the body of the
carrier. The width of the bows is such that the bow arms must with a certain spring
power press closely against the body.
In order to give the bows a good hold and guidance on the knapsack a cross piece d
is sewn to the rear wall of the knapsack, whereby the arms are supported and guided
during the upward or downward displacement necessary for the adjustment. In order
to unburden the breast arms or in order that the spring power thereof shall not be
alono depended upon for clamping the load to the upper part of the body, straps e e
which are cut to correspond with the bend of the carrying bow B can be passed from
the carrying bolt cover the carrying bow to the front to a body girth and hooked
thereto. By this means a secure seating of the knapsack is obtained, and the
durability of the spring breast-arms is increased. Moreover, in order to transmit
the load of the knapsack partly to the hips, supports ff can be arranged between the
knapsack and body girth. These can serve at the same time to lift the knapsack a
little from the back so that between the wall of the knapsack and the back air can
circulate, thus enabling the cause of the unpleasant sensation of heat and sweat to be
obviated. If the load, as shown, consists of a knapsack, this support can be brought
into the position shown in dotted lines and kept fixed by a button ġ when the knapsack
is taken off.
g
Figures 3 and 5 show carrying bows B B arranged beside each other upon a
plate C, each with a bolt or pin c'e' fixed in the lowermost holes. The dotted lines
represent the carrying bows combined with the middle holes of the carrying plate.
It is obvious that with this higher adjustinent a larger distance of the shoulder bend
from the suspending point of the load as well as an increase in the shoulder capacity
effected so that the carrying device becomes fit to be used for a taller and broadly
built man.
Figure 4 shows the carrying bows B, B with breast arms 6262 without branches as
in figure 1 and fixed upon a common plate C one above the other.
Figure 2 shows
the same carrying bows arranged upon a plate Cas in figure 3 one beside the
other.
Figure 6 shows a carrying plate 02 which enables the back arms to be fixed upon
it
either one above the other or one beside the other, whereby a still greater variation
can be attained in the adjustment of the bows to persons of different width.
The attachment of the load to the carrying plate CCC can of course be effected

page_text: in any desired manner other than that represented according to the kind and shape
of the load, for example by suspending the load from or putting it onto hooks, eyes,
brackets, and like known means connected with the plates."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. A carrying device for back loads, consisting of two spring carrying-bows B B
whose back arms are adapted to be adjusted one above the other or beside each
other upon a plate C C C arranged for carrying the load at different heights, and
whose breast arms 62 62 clamp the carrying device to the upper part of the body of the
carrier by reason of its elasticity.
Second. In the employment of the carrying device above described, the arrangement
of supports fffigures 1 and 2 between the load and body girth, for the purpose of
letting part of the load be carried by the hips and to keep the load off the back.
Dated this 16th day of February 1888
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.