Improvements in Equipments for Military and other Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Equipments for Military and other Purposes.
We, HENRY JOSEPH ROSE of 8, Beaconsfield Terrace, Hythe, Kent, Deputy Surgeon
General, and WILLIAM GILBERT-COOPER of The Shaft Barracks, Dover, Kent,
Lieutenant 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved equipment for military and other purposes
and it has for its object to provide improved means of carrying a knapsack or valise,
greatcoat, canteen, pouch, and other articles so as to combine the maximum of
convenience with the minimum of discomfort to the wearer.
The equipment is founded, so to speak, upon a skeleton or open back frame to which
braces and other parts of the equipment are attached as hereafter described. The
braces are detachably connected to buttons at the lower part of this frame, the braces.
crossing on the frame and passing through loops at the upper part by which the
braces are maintained in their divergent position. The braces are adapted to pass
over the shoulders through adjustable shoulder pads and beneath the arms to the
back where they are detachably connected by snap hooks or otherwise to the lower
part of the frame for which the braces act as means of support and steadyment.
The braces are kept in position at the front of the shoulders by a stay strap connected
to the respective braces by sliding loops carrying buckles to which the stay strap is
buckled, across the front of the body so as to keep the braces free from the armpits
and maintain the whole rigidly in position on the body so as to prevent shifting
without necessitating the use of a waist belt. To this stay strap a pistol holster,
cartridge pouch, or the like may be attached for military or sporting purposes.
Owing to the height at which the stay strap crosses the front of the body the
position of the holster or pouch will be more convenient and comfortable than were it
attached to the waisthelt as usual.
The back frame is provided in addition to the brace loops above mentioned, with
D-loops for the sling straps for carrying the greatcoat and also with a strap
fixed to the cross bar of the frame for the purpose of supporting the canteen in
position, the end of which is fastened to a buckle and strap fixed at the top of
the frame. The valise or knapsack is provided with suspensory straps passing through
horizontal loops on the knapsack and terminating in D-loops through which the
braces are passed in order to suspend the valise or knapsack from the back frame and
braces D-loops being also provided for the attachment of the snap hooks at the
other ends of the braces as before mentioned. The valise or knapsack is also provided
with external end straps to carry boots or other articles outside the valise.
Datud this 30th day of Anmil 1906
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Equipments for Military and other Purposes.
We, HENRY JOSEPH ROSE of 8, Beaconsfield Terrace, Hythe, Kent, Deputy Surgeon-
General, and WILLIAM GILBERT-COOPER of The Shaft Barracks, Dover, Kent,
formerly Lieutenant and now Captain 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment, 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:
Our invention relates to an improved equipment for military and other purposes,
such for instance as sporting, cycling, touring, and the like, and it has for its
object to provide improved means of carrying a knapsack or valise, greatcoat,
canteen, pouch, and other articles so as to combine the maximum of convenience
with the minimum of discomfort to the wearer.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification wherein
Figures 1 to 4 shew (in perspective) our improved equipment in use; Figure 1
being a rear view of the wearer carrying the equipment without canteen, greatcoat, or
valise, Figure 2 a front view with ammunition pouches in position, Figure 3 a rear
view with canteen, greatcoat, and valise, all suspended from the equipment, Figure +
a rear view with greatcoat worn, the canteen and valise being slung.
Figure 5 is an inside or front view of the back frame with the valise slung by two
forms of attachment.
Figure 6 is an outside or rear view of the lower part of the back frame shewing
details.
Figures 7 and 8 shew the mode of attachment of an additional pouch.
The equipment comprises an open frame A of oblong form longer in height than
width, straight side members, approximately U-shaped top and bottom members, and
a middle cross bar A' as shown. This frame is made preferably of sheet metal
covered with leather and is adapted to carry the knapsack or valise, greatcoat, and
canteen, each independently of the other two, by means of the attachments hereinafter
described.
The braces B are detachably connected to the frame by their ends being passed
through loops b, then folded back and adjustably, but permanently, secured by
buttons 6 (or it may be by buckles) the loops 6 being carried by brace extensions B¹
pivoted to the lower member of the frame A so as to accommodate themselves to
the angle assumed by the braces and they extend below the frame for a purpose
hereinafter explained. The braces B cross the frame A diagonally and are held in
position by passing through loops a attached to the upper member thereof. At the
point where the braces pass over the shoulders they are provided with adjustable
shoulder pads C formed of thick pieces of leather with cross-slits near the ends
through which the braces are passed as shewn, the braces thence passing down in
front of the shoulders and beneath the arms to the back where their ends are
detachably, and adjustably, connected by hooks d on buckles as shewn (or it may
be by buckles alone) either to tabs D (Figures 1, 5, and 6) attached one at each side
to the lower part of the back frame A, or to the valise or knapsack when the one or
the other is carried. The braces B are kept in position in front of the shoulders and at
the sides of the chest by a stay strap E (Figure 2) which passes transversely
across the front of the body below the chest and is connected to the braces B by the
latter passing through tight running loops e to which the stay strap E is adjustably
buckled as shewn, the effect of this strap being to keep the braces entirely free from
the armpits and maintain the whole equipment in position on the body without the

page_text: assistance of the usual waistbelt w which may be worn or not as required. This
stay strap also serves as a means of controlling the distribution of the weight carried,..
for, by tightening the stay strap, the weight of the equipment is brought more directly
on to the back than the shoulders, and vice-versa by loosening it. To the stay strap E.
are attached tabs h which are detachably connected to, and serve as additional
supports for, ammunition pouches H when such are carried on the waistbelt w, and.
the stay strap also serves to carry, if required, an additional pouch i attached as.
indicated in Figures 7 and 8, which are rear or inside views of the stay strap E
and pouch i, the latter shewn open in Figure 7 and closed in Figure 8. In place of
a pouch i a pistol holster or other requisite may be carried on the stay strap E.
The valise F (or the knapsack) when carried, is supported by tabs f (shewn at
the left hand side of Figure 5 as viewed) rivetted to the valise and passed
through loops 62 (Figures 1 and 5) on the lower ends of the brace extensions B¹
on the frame, then doubled back and secured to studs on themselves, these
tabsf passing through loops f2 on the back of the valise so as to hold the latter snugly
against the body. The loops fare preferably formed, as shewn in Figure 5, by a
strap fattached at the middle and ends to the upper edge of the valise. The valise
or knapsack might be otherwise secured for instance by hooks ff or studs (as shown.
at the right hand side of Figure 5 as viewed) on its side next the body, to the-
eyeletted ends 63 of prolongations of the brace extensions B' which would, like the
tabs falready described, be passed through loops f on the valise and when not in
use would be doubled back under tabs, as shewn in Figure 6. In either case the
valise or knapsack when thus supported by the back frame A and braces B is
steadied laterally by the attachment of the hooks d of the braces to D-loops g on the
valise or knapsack.
The back frame A is also provided with D-loops k near the top and bottom of
each side member of the frame for the sling straps K used for carrying the greatcoat,.
as shewn in Figure 3, or the valise, as in Figure 4. By the attachment of the straps
to D-loops situated as described the greatcoat is supported when encircled by said
straps above the valise or knapsack, but independently thereof. When neither the
greatcoat nor the valise is carried, these straps may be drawn tight through the
D-loops k and the loose ends folded or coiled, as shewn at the right hand side of
Figure 1, or in other convenient manner. The D-loops are pivoted on the frame so
as to be reversible in order to enable the direction of the straps to be accommodated
to suit the amplitude of the article which they encircle.
To the middle cross bar A¹ of the frame A is made fast a strap L for the purpose
of supporting the canteen M (Figures 3 and 4) in position, the end of this strap.
being made fast to a buckle l attached to the top of the frame A and when not in
use coiled or folded in any convenient manner. The middle cross bar A¹ also forms
a convenient point of attachment for a strap or straps whereby to suspend a rifle,
gun, or other article if required.
When used for other than military purposes it will be obvious that the back
frame A, braces B, and stay strap E, may be similarly used for carrying such only
of the articles described as may be suited for the particular purpose, or any other
articles which it may be desired to carry.
It will be obvious that the stay strap may be used for connecting at the front,
braces arranged and fastened at both ends at the back as described, whether the back
frame be used or not.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The herein described improved equipment combined and arranged substantially
as and for the purposes specified.
2. In an equipment for military and other purposes the combination, with braces
fastened at back passing over the shoulders down in front of the body and thence to
the back where they are also made fast, of a stay strap adjustably connecting the

page_text: braces across the front of the body below the chest so as to keep the braces clear
of the armpits and assist in supporting and distributing the weight carried as
specified.
3. In the herein described improved equipment the combination, with the braces
attached by their rear ends to a back frame and adapted to be detachably connected
by their other ends either to said frame or to a knapsack or valise suspended
therefrom, of a stay strap connecting the braces at the front so as to keep them clear
of the armpits and adapted not only to maintain the braces and the equipment
generally in position, without the aid of the ordinary waistbelt, but also to support
pouches or other requisites, substantially as specified.
4. In the berein described equipment the combination, with the back frame, braces
attached thereto, and stay strap connecting the braces at the front, of a knapsack or
valise suspended from the lower part of the back frame and steadied laterally by
the front members of the braces, substantially as specified.
5. In the herein described equipment the combination and arrangement of the
back frame constructed as described, the braces attached to and crossing said frame
diagonally, sling straps pivotally attached to the side members of the said frame, and a
strap attached to the middle crossbar and buckled to the top member of the frame,
all substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 14th day of January 1897
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.