Improvements in Valise Equipments for Foot Soldiers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valise Equipments for Foot Soldiers.
We DUNCAN GRAHAM, and WILLIAM WOOD LAWSON, engaged with Messieurs
Leckie Graham and Company of 116, Union Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Army Accoutrement Manufacturers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object to improve the construction and adaptation,
of parts of valise equipments for foot soldiers.
In carrying out our invention we prefer to employ to a considerable extent
equipments of the kind described in the Complete Specification of Blakeney's
Patent, No. 1902 of 1883; some of our improvements, however, are also applicable
with other equipments.
As in the Blakeney equipment we have in connection with the waist belt,
shoulder straps combined at the upper part of the back with a centre piece and
with parts for carrying a valise or knapsack, a mess-tin and an overcoat; but we
arrange such parts in an improved manner so that any one of the three articles
named can be detached without detaching the others. Two straps are fixed to the
centre piece of which one which is longer than the other, passes in a vertical loop
completely round the valise to which it is attached by a buckle close to the centre
piece as well as by a second buckle, through which latter the strap can be more
or less tightened according to the contents of the valise. The shorter strap fixed
to the centre piece is for encircling the overcoat which it secures by means of a
buckle. The cover of the mess tin is secured to the longer strap fixed to the centre
piece by the strap being passed through leather loops on the cover, but the cover
can be unbuckled and opened without detaching the valise. The mess tin is also
secured to the waist belt by a strap and buckle, the strap passing inside of the belt
and also through a metal loop attached to the belt, through which metal loop the
long strap fixed to the centre piece also passes the bottom of the valise and the
mess-tin being thereby held close to the belt.
For attaching to the belt the metal loop referred to in the last preceding sentence
hereof or for attaching any similar loop or part to the belt, there is by preference
provided a leather loop to which the metal loop is fixed and the parts of which are
connected by a buttoning stud allowing of their being opened or closed for placing
on or removing from the belt; and this leather loop is provided with other studs
for buttoning on any straps, such as those passing under the arms from the front
parts of the shoulder straps.
The ammunition pouches are attached to the belt in the ordinary way, but the
folding or "gusset" piece connecting the back and front is continued quite round
and across the top, the top part being sewn to the top edge of the front, leaving the
opening into the interior at its back edge. This improved construction prevents
the accidentally dropping out of cartridges without appreciably obstructing access
to them.
Dated this Fourteenth day of January 1891.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
Per pro David Ferguson.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valise Equipments for Foot Soldiers.
We, DUNCAN GRAHAM, and WILLIAM WOOD LAWSON, engaged with Messieurs
Leckie Graham and Company, of 116 Union Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Army Accoutrement Manufacturers, 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, that is
to say :-
Our said invention has for its object to improve the construction and adaptation
of parts of valise equipments for foot soldiers.
In carrying out our invention we prefer to employ to a considerable extent
equipments of the kind described in the Complete Specification of Blakeney's
Patent No. 1902 of 1883; some of our improvements however are also applicable
with other equipments.
In
Valise equipments as made with our improvements are shown on an accompanying
sheet of explanatory drawings, in Figures, 1 to 8, of which the parts are shown
separately, whilst in Figures, 9, 10 and 11, the equipment is shown as worn.
these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
As in the Blakeney equipment we have in connection with the waist belt, 12,
(Figure, 5) shoulder straps or braces, 13, combined at the back with a centre
piece, 14, and with parts for carrying a valise or knapsack, 15, (shown in front and
back views in Figures, 2, and 3) a mess-tin, 16, and an overcoat, 17; but we arrange
such parts in an improved manner so that anyone of the three articles named can
be detached without detaching the others.
A strap, 18, fixed to the centre piece, 14, serves for carrying the valise, 15, being
first passed outwards and inwards through a double buckle, 19, at the top and back
of the valise, then down behind the valise, under it, through a metal square, 20, on
a waist-belt slide, 21 (Figure 6) and finally up on the outer side of the valise to a
buckle, 22, at the bottom of the centre piece, 14. The knapsack buckle, 19, is
further secured in position by having its tongue entered into a hole in a strap at
the back of the centre piece, 14. The strap, 18, can be tightened through the
buckle, 22, to a greater or less extent according to the contents of the valise, 15.
A shorter strap, 23, fixed to the centre piece, 14, is for encircling the overcoat, 17,
which it secures by means of a buckle, 24, connected by a pair of straps, 25, to the
shoulder straps, 13.
The mess-tin, 16, is secured by a strap, 26, which passes through leather loops, 27,
on the cover, and through the metal square, 20, (Figure, 6) and then round the
waist belt, 12, to a buckle on the other end of the strap. For attaching to the
belt, 12, the metal square or loop, 20, or for attaching any similar part to the belt,
there is provided a leather loop or slide, 21, to which the metal loop, 20, is fixed,
and the parts of which are connected by a buttoning stud, 28, allowing of their
being closed or opened for placing on or removing from the belt; and this leather
loop or slide, 21, is provided with one or more other studs, 29, for buttoning on any
straps or parts such as those, 30, passing under the arms from the front parts of the
shoulder straps, 13. If preferred buckles may be substituted for the studs, 29.
Instead of the straps, 30, being made as shown, with a number of button holes, each
may be connected to the strap, 13, with an adjustable loop so as to require only one
button hole near the end. The mess-tin is made of the usual form, excepting that
the vertical corners at the back or inner side are considerably rounded and devoid
of any comparatively abrupt angle capable of inconveniencing the soldier.
The ammunition pouches, 31, (Figures, 7, and 8) are attached to the belt, 12, in
the ordinary way; but the folding or "gusset" piece, 32, connecting the back and
front is continued quite round and across the top, the top part being sewn to the

page_text: top edge of the front, leaving the opening into the interior at its back edge, as
shown in Figure, 8, which represents the pouch as open. This improved con-
struction prevents the accidentally dropping out of cartridges without appreciably
obstructing access to them. The ammunition pouches, 31, have as usual buckled
to them straps, 33, the upper ends of which are attached to the shoulder straps, 13;
or where only one ammunition pouch is used, the strap, 33, at the other side may be
passed round the waist belt, 12, and buckled.
In Figures, 10, and 11, respectively the equipment is shown without and with
the valise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The combination of parts forming the improved valise equipment for foot
soldiers, substantially as herein before described and as shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2. The improved arrangements of the several straps and parts substantially as
hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings, such arrange-
ments allowing of the several articles being detached, each without detaching the
others.
3. The construction and application of the belt loop or slide as shown in Figure, 6,
of the accompanying drawings and substantially as herein before described.
4. The improved construction of ammunition pouch substantially as hereinbefore
described and as shown in Figure, 8, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Thirteenth day of October 1891.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.