IMPROVEMENTS IN AMMUNITION, BAYONET, AND SWORD BELTS, AND IN POUCHES TO BE WORN THERE- WITH
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Prater, of the Firm of Charles Prater
and Company, of No. 2, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex,
Army Accoutrement Makers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Prater at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd March 1860.
I, CHARLES PRATER, of the Firm of Charles Prater and Company, of No. 2,
Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, Army Accoutrement Makers,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AMMUNITION, BAYONET, AND SWORD BELTS, AND IN POUCHES TO BE WORN THERE-
WITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in forming the belt for carrying the bayonet, sword,
and ammunition in a manner to place the entire weight on that part of the
body which is more capable of sustaining it, and has numerous advantages
over those in ordinary use, as follows:-I propose shaping the belt (either in
one or more pieces) so as to form a portion of a conical surface, cut off by
circles parallel to the base of the cone, by which means it fits well upon the
brin of the pelvis, so that the pressure of whatever is attached to the belt is

page_text: immediately over the hip joints, the framework of the pelvis being one of
the strongest structures of the human body.
By the removal of the weight of the pouch and bayonet from the shoulders
or upper part of the body, a much greater freedom of motion is obtained, and
the power of bringing the pouch to the side of the body greatly relieves the
soldier, either on long marches or when he is not immediately engaged in
military evolutions.
The straps which ordinarily pass over the shoulder are entirely dispensed
with, and the pouch and bayonet or sword kept ready in their places. One or
more pouches may be worn upon the same belt, thereby carrying a greater
number of rounds, as the additional weight would scarcely be felt, the pouches
being so formed with the addition of a semicircular rim of cork or other light
material at their base, that the weight is thrown close to the body, whereas,
those at present in use act in quite a reverse manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Prater in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
PRATER, of the Firm of Charles Prater and Company, of No. 2, Charing Cross,
in the County of Middlesex, Army Accoutrement Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Prater, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Prater,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Prater, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AMMUNITION, BAYONET, AND SWORD BELTS, AND IN POUCHES TO BE WORN THEREWITH,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Prater, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be

page_text: performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Prater do hereby declare the
nature of my said 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-
This Invention consists in forming the belt for carrying the bayonet, sword,
and ammunition, in a manner to place the entire weight on that part of the
body which is more capable of sustaining it, and has numerous advantages
over those in ordinary use.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings hereto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively as follows.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view of the belt, with its appertenances; Fig. 2 is
a back view of the pouch carrying the packets of cartridges; Fig. 3 is an
under side view of said pouch; and Fig. 4, end view of the same, similar letters
of reference denoting corresponding parts.
At Fig. 1 will be seen that I shape my belt a, a, (either in one or more
pieces) so as to form a portion of a conical surface, cut off by circles parallel
to the base of the cone, thus forming the angles at b, b, by which means the
belt a fits well upon the brim of the pelvis, so that the pressure of whatever is
attached to the belt is immediately over the hip joints, the framework of the
pelvis being one of the strongest structures of the human body.
The pouch, Fig. 2, is made to hold three packages of cartridges of ten each,
the back of which is provided with a strip of cork or other light material c, c,
at its lower part to support it on the back and keep it from falling into the
back, thereby throwing the weight of the ammunition close to the body. A
ball bag d (Fig. 1) is also placed on the belt a, which is intended to hold ten
rounds and which, when exhausted, is to be replenished by drawing the pouch
Fig. 2 (shewn also in dotted lines at Fig. 1) from the back to the side, and
taking a packet therefrom, and emptying the same into the ball bag d, and in
the interior of the ball bag d on the side next the belt is sewn the cap pocket.
The angles b, b, on the belt a, are placed at a distance apart to suit an
ordinary sized man, but as a man may attain a greater degree of corpulence at

page_text: one time than at another, the belt can be let out or taken in at both ends by
means of buckles, as shewn.
By the removal of the weight of the pouch and bayonet from the shoulders
or upper part of the body, a much greater freedom of motion is obtained, and
the power of bringing the pouch to the side of the body greatly relieves the
soldier, either on long marches or when he is not immediately engaged in
military evolutions.
The straps which ordinarily pass over the shoulder, are entirely dispensed
with, and the pouch and bayonet or sword kept ready in their places. One
or more pouches may be worn upon the same belt, thereby carrying a greater
number of rounds, or the pouch may be increased in length for the same pur-
pose, the additional weight being but slightly felt in consequence of the pouch
being made with the addition of cork or other light material at its base, so
that the weight is thrown close to the body, whereas, those at present in use,
act in quite a reverse manner.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of "Im-
provements in Ammunition, Bayonet, and Sword Belts," and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion that I do
not confine or restrict myself to the precise details herein described and shewn
in the accompanying Drawings, as many slight modifications or variations may
be made therein without in any way departing from the principle of my
Invention, but what I claim as my Invention intended to be secured to me by
the herein in part recited Letters Patent is, the manufacture of ammunition or
sword belts, and their pouches, in the manner herein described and shewn for
the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Prater, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
GEORGE MITCHELL, Butcher,
Ventnor,
Isle of Wight.
CHARLES PRATER. (L.S.)