IM- PROVEMENTS IN KNAPSACKS
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Tomlinson Bousfield, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th September 1861.-A communication from abroad by Charles
Sweney, residing at Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States of
America.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN KNAPSACKS," to be as follows:-
The ordinary knapsack is held in place when on a man's back by two
shoulder straps which pass one over each shoulder, the knapsack lying close
against the man's back, this is objectionable, as the contact of the loaded
knapsack heats his back and thus adds to the fatigue of carrying the load,
and also makes him liable to be chilled through the back when the knapsack
is removed after a march. This tendency to sweat the back has heretofore
prevented the introduction of india-rubber or of rubber cloth in the manu-
facture of knapsacks.
The object of the present Invention is to remove this objection of the
contact of the knapsack with the man's back, and the Invention consists in
so suspending the knapsack from the shoulders that there shall be a space
for the circulation of air between the back and the knapsack.
And the Invention further consists in replacing the ordinary shoulder straps
with shoulder pads of a form and size suited to the form of the top of the

page_text: man's shoulders by which the weight of the knapsack can be more comfortably
carried.
For these purposes near each end of the back of the knapsack is attached
a strip of thin metal (such as hoop iron) which is bent over at its two ends.
The strips of metal being connected to the top and bottom of the knapsack by the
portions that are thus bent over, the two strips will thus stand parallel or
nearly so to the back of the knapsack, and stand off about one inch from it,
from the top of each of these strips projects another strip which is bent to a
form nearly corresponding with the shape of the top of a man's shoulder and
to the under side of these strips are attached by rivets, or otherwise, pads of
leather or buck-skin, quilted and stuffed, or sheepskin with the wool on may
be used. The weight of the knapsack hangs on these strips, and pads upon
the tops of the shoulders, and from the pads setting to the form of the shoulder
the weight may be carried much more comfortably than with the ordinary narrow
shoulder straps. A curved arm projects from the lower end of each of the strips
connected to the knapsack towards the middle of its lower edge, the two arms
are there rivetted to a pad which bears against the middle of the man's back.
To the pad is attached a leather strap which is to encircle the body of the person
wearing the knapsack, the two ends of which are united in front by a buckle,
this strap also passes through loops formed on the ends of two straps which
are attached one on each side of the breast to the strips carrying the shoulder
pads. These straps secure the knapsack in position without binding and
contracting the chest and without interfering with the free movements of
the arms of the person wearing the knapsack.