AN IMPROVED VALISE OR PAD EQUIPMENT FOR FOOT SOLDIERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Augustus Frederick Blakeney Captain Third
Battalion Highland Light Infantry of Glasgow in the County of Lanark
for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED VALISE OR PAD EQUIPMENT FOR FOOT
SOLDIERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Augustus Frederick
Blakeney at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th April
1883.
WILLIAM AUGUSTUS FREDERICK BLAKENEY, Captain, Third Battalion Highland
Light Infantry, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, "AN IMPROVED VALISE
OR PAD EQUIPMENT FOR FOOT SOLDIERS,"
This Invention which relates to an improved knapsack, valise, or equipment for
soldiers, has for its object mainly to provide means of carrying the indispensable
portion of a soldier's outfit separate from the portion which may be conveniently
dispensed with in forced marches.
The improved valise or pad equipment comprises a large sheet or pad of knapsack
cloth, leather, or similar material to which are attached a number of straps for
securing the great-coat, canteen, and other requisite parts of a soldier's equipment,
and at each side of which are also fitted a pair of pouches for reserve ammunition.
One strap is secured on the inside of the pad at or near the centre, and passes
vertically down to and round the lower edge where it is held by a buckle. The
soldiers waist belt passes through this strap, and serves to hold the pad or valise
sufficiently close to the wearer's back. A pair of straps are secured towards the
upper end of the pad, and pass over the upper part of the pad, which is folded over
to form a valise, and when in use are held by buckles on short straps secured
outside the pad. These straps serve to secure the soldier's great-coat below or
within the turned-over part of the pad, and also when required, retain a kit bag
which contains the soldier's shirt, towel, stockings, boots, housewife and other
dispensable portion of his equipment. The kit bag is formed of leather or water-
proofed cloth, and is made with a cover, laced or otherwise secured to it, and a
downward projecting pocket on each side into which the soldier's boots are
[Price Bd1

page_text: conveniently packed. The upper straps pass over the central part of the kit bag,
and the downwardly projecting pockets or legs are each held by a strap secured
horizontally between the reserve ammunition pouches at the side of the pad. The
pouches are secured on the outside of the pad, and are made to open from the side.
On the outside of the pad vertically between the pouches are secured a strap and
buckle, by which the canteen or kettle is held in the space between the legs of the
kit bag.
The valise or pad equipment is fitted with a strap and buckle at the upper side,
by which it is hung over the soldier's back from the usual yoke or straps which
pass over the soldier's shoulders round below the arm-pits and back to buckles
fixed on the sides of the pad, by' which they are secured. The yoke is formed
with an extra strap on each side, reaching down to and passed round the waist
belt to support the weight of the bayonet and ammunition pouches fitted on the
waist belt. These straps are provided with buckled on end pieces which are by
preferenco sheathed with metal internally to avoid wear.
When a forced march or rapid movement of troops is required, the kit bag is
left behind in the transport or baggage wagons, and the pad containing the great-
coat, canteen, and extra ammunition may alone be carried by the soldier.
As means for carrying the greatcoat alone, the yoke is formed with an extra
strap and buckle at the back, by which the great-coat may be securely held. The
extra shoulder straps on each side forming part of the yoke are turned round to
pass below the overcoat strap and cross the soldiers back, the waist belt being
passed through the ends, so that the weight of the ammunition pouches may be
relieved,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Augustus Frederick Blakeney in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th October 1883.
WILLIAM AUGUSTUS FREDERICK BLAKENEY, Captain, Third Battalion Highland
Light Infantry, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark "AN IMPROVED VALISE OR
PAD EQUIPMENT FOR FOOT SOLDIERS
"
My Invention relates to an improved knapsack, valise, pack or equipment for
soldiers, and has for its object mainly to provide means for carrying the indis-
pensable portion of a soldier's outfit separate from the portion which may be
conveniently dispensed with in forced marches.
My Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings in which Figure 1'
on sheet 1 is an elevation showing the inside of the improved pack when opened
out. Figure 2 is an elevation of the "kit bag" or receptacle for the dispensable
part of the soldiers outfit. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the pack with the
kit bag" strapped within it, and Figure 4 is a similar view of the pad with
the "kit bag" removed. Figure 5 is a back view of the pad or pack showing the
mode of attachment to the "yoke" or straps by which it is held on the soldiers
back. Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 represent in different positions, a soldier provided
with the improved pad or equipment. Figure 10 is a back view of one of the
ammunition pouches, and Figure 11 shows an improved receptacle for the soldier's
knife, fork and spoon, which also can be used as a button stick.
The improved pack or pad equipment comprises a large sheet or pad A of
kapsack cloth, leather, or similar material to which are attached a number of
straps B, B', for securing the great-coat, canteen C, and other requisite parts of a
soldiers equipment, and at each side of which are fitted a pair of pouches D, D, for
reserve ammunition. One strap E may be secured on the inside or back of the
pad A if necessary at or near the centre, and passed vertically down to the lower
edge where it may be rivetted as shown in Figure 5, or held by a buckle. The
soldier's waist belt F could be passed through this strap E and would serve to
hold the pad or valise sufficiently close to the wearer's back, but I do not recom-
mend this. A pair of straps G, G, are secured towards the upper end of the pad,
and pass over the upper part A¹ of the pad, which is folded over to form a pack,
and when in use these straps G, G are held by buckles on short leather pieces or
straps G¹, G secured outside or at the lower side of the pad. These straps G, G
serve to secure the soldier's great-coat or blanket below or within the turned over
part A of the pad, and also when required retain a kit bag H which contains the
soldier's shirt, towel, stockings boots, " housewife" and other dispensable portion
of his equipment.
The "kit bag" H, which is shown detached in Figure 2 is formed of leather or
waterproofed cloth, and is made with a cover H' secured to it by laces h, or by
other ineans, and has a downward projecting pocket H³ on each side, into which
the soldier's boots are conveniently packed. The upper straps G, G pass over and
secure the "kit bag," but the downwardly projecting pockets or legs may be held
by a strap secured horizontally between the reserve ammunition pouches D, D, or
the side of the pad, or vertically by the broad boot straps G' which buckle to the
straps G of the flap A', thus securing the same. The pouches D, D, are secured on
the outside of the pad A and are made to open from the side. On the outside of
the pad vertically between the pouches D, D, are secured a strap and buckle B' by
which the canteen or kettle C is held in the space between the legs H² of the
kit bag H.

page_text: The pack or pad equipment is fitted with a strap and buckle E at the upper
side, by which it is hung over the soldier's back from the usual yoke or straps I, I,
which pass over the soldier's shoulders, round below the arm-pits and back, to
buckles or buckle straps I' I' fixed on the back or sides of the pad A, below the
horizontal centre of the same, by which they are secured. The yoke is formed
with an extra strap 12, 12, on each side, reaching down to and passed round the
waist belt to support the weight of the bayonet J and ammunition pouches K
fitted on the waist belt F. These straps I, I³, are provided with buckled-on end
pieces i, i, (seen in Figure 6), and which if necessary can be sheathed on the inside
with some protective material to avoid wear. The weight of the usual "haver-
sack" L is also borne by the strap 12 on one side.
When a forced march or rapid movement of troops is required, the kit bag H is
taken out and left behind in the transport or baggage wagons, and the pad con-
taining the great-coat or blanket, canteen C, and extra ammunition in the
pouches D, D, may alone be carried by the soldier.
As means for carrying the greatcoat alone, the yoke I, I, is formed with an
extra strap and bucklo 15 at the back, by which the greatcoat or blanket may be
securely held. The extra breast or pouch straps 12, 12, on each side forming part
of the yoke I, are turned round to pass below the overcoat strap I, and across the
soldier's back, as shown in Figure 9, the waist belt F being passed through the
ends, so that the weight of the ammunition pouches K may be relieved. In
Figures 6 and 7 the soldier is represented as provided with full equipment, in
Figure 8 as being relieved of the kit bag or dispensable part of the equipment, and
in Figure 9 as having the great-coat or blanket alone secured by the yoke
strap 1³.
The arrangements described ensure the proper mode of suspending the pad or
pack to the back, to give the greatest degree of comfort and ease to the wearer.
Figure 12 on sheet 2 of the Drawings is a plan of a modification of the improved
pack to which a water proof sheet is attached. Figure 13 shows the water-proof
sheet rolled up; and Figure 14 shows the pack or pad closed with the sheet.
Figure 15 is a view of the back of the pad, and Figures 16 and 17 are views of a
further modification of the pack, the first without, and the latter with the great-
coat and canteen secured by the straps.
The modification of the improved pack or pad illustrated in Figures 12, 13
and 14, differs only from the arrangement herein before described; in having a
length of waterproof sheeting L attached to the flap A¹. This sheeting L is of
sufficient length for the wearer to lie upon, and when not required, for this purpose,
it is rolled up and fastened at the lower inner edge of the pack, as indicated in
figure 14, to form a cushion between the pack and the wearer's back. The
straps G' are secured at some distance from the lower edge, at the back of the pad
as shown in figure 15 to leave room for the waterproof sheet L when rolled up.
The waterproof sheet L may be formed of the same material as the kit bag Ĥ
which it encloses, or it may be simply an extension of the flap A¹. The broad
boot straps G fitted at the lower end of the pad in the first modification are
dispensed with, as it is intended, I believe, that the soldier should not carry spare
boots. A single strap B is used to secure the kit bag H in the pad.
In the modification represented in Figures 16 and 17, the position of the kit bag
on the pack or pad is reversed The canteen C is secured to an extension of the
upper edge of the pack by means of a strap to which the canteen strap B' is fixed
to obviate the discomfort which the canteen is apt to occasion when it presses on
the lower part of the back. The great coat is carried above the canteen, The kit
bag is formed without boot pockets, for the reason above mentioned. By the
removal of the canteen from the lower part of the pack, more space is available for
the ammunition pouches which are brought nearer to the centre.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;-
First. An improved pack or nad equipment adanted to carry separately the

page_text: dispensable and the indispensable part of a soldier's outfit, substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
Second. The arrangement of a pad or pack for foot soldiers, provided with
suitablo means of carrying extra ammunition, a great coat or blanket, and canteen,
and a separate kit bag, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
In Witness Whereof, I the said William Augustus Frederick Blakeney, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth Day of October, in the year of our
Lord, One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.