Year: 1896

page_text: I, JOHN PULLMAN, of 17, Greek Street, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention reintes to equipments and accoutrements of the kinds
ordinarily used for military purposes. It may also be used for naval, or for sporting,
purposes; and it has for its object a novel combination of the several parts and of
the appliances connected with and forming part of them, by which very considerable
advantages are obtained as compared with the equipments which have heretofore
ordinarily been used, especially by soldiers. The advantages so obtained by means of
the novel combinations which form the subject of this invention, are the great
facility with which the entire equipment can be put on and taken off, the perfect
distribution of the weights carried, so that the soldier is as much as possible freed
from unnecessary fatigue, the simplicity of construction and ease with which the
entire equipment can be made, adjusted, removed, or repaired, when necessary. By
the novel arrangement and combination of the parts, moreover, the equipment is
adapted to all the varying requirements of service, and enables a large supply of
ammunition to be safely stored, whilst readily and quickly accessible in the case of
auy sudden emergency, and all with as little weight as possible and with greater
convenience in use than is the case with any former equipment or accoutrement which
have hitherto been used.
In order to put my invention in operation, I use a waist belt of leather or other
suitable material, of the usual kind, buckled round the waist of the wearer outside
the tunic, and fastened in front by the usual hook or clasp, to which the ends of the
belt are fastened by buckles so that they are readily adjustable in length.
Against the back of the wearer is adjusted a flat open fraine, rectangular or
approximately rectangular, or of other suitable shape, composed of a sufficiently light
flexible material-such as thin light sheet metal covered with leather.
This frame fits against the back of the wearer, and its lower end can be attached to
the back of the waist belt, by means of a short strap at its lower end fastened to a
buckle which has preferably a flat hook easily fitted to, or detached from, a corres-
ponding metal loop upon the back of the waistbelt; or upon a loup fitted round the
waist belt. Or, it may be fitted under the lower edge of the waistbelt itself.
The upper edge of the frame has attached to it two cleets or buckles at a sufficient
distance apart, to which are buckled the ends of two straps which then pass over
the shoulders (under the shoulder straps), and are then brought down and permanently
attached to the upper ends of two elects or double buckles, to the lower ends of
which are permanently attached the upper ends of straps (preferably wider at the
middle of their length), upon the breast of the wearer, the lower ends of which are
buckled to the upper ends of buckles or cleets the lower ends of which form
flat hooks, which can be readily hooked into or unhooked from, corresponding flat
metal rings or loops sewn or attached to the upper part of the back of ammunition

page_text: pouches, (of the kind hereinafter described), which have two vertical parallel straps
sewn, rivotted, or otherwise fixed to them. The waist belt passes between these last-
mentioned straps and the back of the pouches, one of which is therefore carried at each
side of the wearer in front, and upon the waist belt; and the several parts of the
accoutrement described are capable of being easily separated and put together.
Or the flat hooks at the lower end of the widened straps, instead of being booked
into loops attached to the back of the pouches, may be hooked into corresponding
flat metal rings carried by loops fitted round the waistbelt; or they may be hooked
under the lower edge of the waist belt itself. In both cases the pouches are carried
as already described by the vertical straps on their back, between which and the back
of the pouch the waist belt passes. Upon the front of the widened straps lying
upon the breast of the wearer, are arranged smaller supplementary ammunition
pouches, having at their back flat leather straps or loops through which the widened
straps described pass. These pouches also have at the upper edge of their back,
short. straps sewn or otherwise fastened to them, the upper ends of which pass
through, and are buckled to, the lower ends of the double clects or buckles to
which the upper ends of the widened straps are attached as above described.
The supplementary pouches described, are open at their outer or right-hand
vertical ends, the openings being closed by leather flaps forming continuations of the
back of the pouch, and the front ends of which can be brought round and buttoned
upon studs on the front of the pouch. The interior of the pouches is divided by
leather or other divisions, into compartments to receive a sufficient number (say ten)
of sepamte eartridges arranged horizontally in two or more rows.
These cartridges are very easily and conveniently removeable as required by the
soldier or other wearer, and are securely held when the covers are closed.
The two larger pouches, which hang in front of the belt as already described, have
their opening above, and are so minde, of leather or other suitable material, that their
ends and bottom can expand, so that the front of the pouch can extend forward
sufficiently for it to hold the required number of cartridges.
Its interior is preferably divided into two compartments by means of a longitudinal
leather partition extending only partly down the pouch to the ends of which its ends
are sewn; and the upper edge of this partition extends sufficiently up for it to bend
over in order to button to a stud in the front of the pouch, and thus close the front
compartment in the latter.
On the front of the pouch outside I prefer to make a series of vertical compart-
ments of convenient number (say ten) into which additional cartridges are fitted from
above, and can be readily withdrawu one by one as required. To the upper edge of
the back of the pouch is sewn or attached a flap which bends over and closes the top
of the entire pouch, n strap attached to its edge buttoning upon a stud at the bottom
of the pouch.
When the pouch is in active use, a hole in this strap can be passed over the lower
vertical tongue in the upper double backle or cleet, so as to keep the entire pouch
completely open and its contents accessible.
The belt is provided with a bayonet attachment, and fittings for carrying other
articles if desired.
The valise or knapsack rests against the upper part of the fmme already described
which rests against the back of the wearer.
It has rivetted or otherwise attached to its back two straps which pass forward over
the shoulders (underneath the shoulder straps), and are buckled to the upper ends
of the double buckles or cleets already described upon the breast of the wearer.
These straps rest upon the main straps, already described, which are attached to the
frame, upon which straps they may be kept in position by lateral hooks, and their
front ends after passing over the upper tongues of the hackles may be turned up and
tucked into loops at the back of the main straps.
The coat carried by the soldier is rolled up and carried by two straps, passing
through flat rings attached to the lower part of the frame at the back of the wearer
the straps being buckled round the coat.

page_text: The mess tin, in its case, may be carried in the same way by a strap buckled round
and attached to the outer side of the valise or knapsack..
It is obvious that, if preferred, the valise may be carried above the hips, instead of
against the shoulders, the coat being arranged above instead of below it.
In this case the mess tin may be carried either (as already described) on the outer
side of the valise, or between the coat and the latter.
Equipments or accoutrements constructed according to my invention, that is to say
with the combination of the several parts described, are more effective, ensy to use,
afford a better distribution of weight, and are more easily put on and taken off, than
any such equipment or accoutrement hitherto used.
I do not confine myself to any precise details of material, construction, and
arrangement, of the several parts, which may be varied more or less as may be found
advisable to suit different circunstances.
Doted this 94th day of 1000
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
I, JOHN PULLMAN, of 17, Greek Street, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer,
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
stateinent, and accompanying drawings, that is to say :-
My present invention relates to equipments and accoutrements of the kinds
ordinarily used for military purposes. It may also be used for naval, or for sporting,
purposes; and it has for its object a novel combination of the several parts and of
the appliances connected with and forming part of them, by which very considerable
advantages are obtained as compared with the equipments which have heretofore
ordinarily been used,especially by soldiers. The advantages so obtained by means of the
novel combinations which form the subject of this invention, are the great facility with
which the entire equipment can be put on and taken off, the perfect distribution of
the weight carried, so that the soldier is as much as possible freed from
unnecessary fatigue, the simplicity of construction, and ease with which the entire
equipment can be made, adjusted, removed, or repaired, when necessary. By the
novel arrangement and combination of the parts, moreover, the equipment is adapted
to all the varying requirements of service, and enables a large supply of
ammunition to be safely stored, whilst readily and quickly accessible in the case of
any sudden emergency, and all with as little weight as possible and with greater
convenience in use than is the case with any forms of equipment or accoutrement
which have hitherto been used.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of my invention. Figure 1 is a
front view of the equipment, with the front ammunition pouches in place. Figure 2
is a back view of the same, without the ammunition pouches. Figure 3 is a front view
ofone of the ammunition pouches opon. Figure 4 is a back view of the same closed.
Figure 5 is a front view of one of the smaller ammunition pouches open, und Figure 6
a back view of the same closed. Figures 7 and 8 ahew respectively two different forms
of the flat hooks at the lower ends of the front straps. Figures 9, 10, and 11 show
respectively front, back, and side views of a soldier wearing the improved equipment
with all its attachments. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the
several figures.

page_text: In order to put my invention in operation, I use a waistbelt of leather or other
suitable material, of the usual kind, buckled round the waist of the wearer outside
the tunic, and fastened in front by the usual book or clasp b, to which the ends of
the helt are fastened by buckles e, e, so that they are readily adjustable in length.
Against the back of the wearer is adjusted a Hat open fraune d, rectangular or
approximately rectangular, or other suitable shape, composed of a sufficiently light
flexible material-such for instance as thin light sheet metal covered with leather,
or two thicknesses of leather.
This frame d fits against the back of the wearer, and its lower end can be attached
to the back of the waistbelt, by means of a short strap e at its lower end fastened
to a buckle which has preferably a flat hook f easily fitted to, or detached from, a
corresponding inetal loop g upon the back of the waistbelt; or it may fit upon a
loop fitted round the waistbelt. Or, it may be fitted under the lower edge of the
waistbelt itself.
The upper edge of the frame d has attached to it two cleets or buckles h, h, at a
sufficient distance apart, to which are buckled the ends of two straps i, i which pass
over the shoulders, (under the shoulder straps), and are then brought down and
permanently attached to the upper ends of two cleets or double buckles k, k, to the
lower ends of which are permanently attached the upper ends of straps 4, 4, (preferably
wider at the middle of their length), upon the breast of the wearer, the lower ends of
which are buckled to the upper ends of buckles or cleets m, m, the lower ends of
which form flat hooks n, n, which can be readily hooked into or unhooked from,
corresponding flat metal rings or loops o, o, sewn or attached to the upper part of
the back of ammunition pouches Pp (of the kind hereinafter described), which
have two vertical parallel straps r, r, (Figure 4) sewn, rivetted, or otherwise fixed to
then. The waistbelt a passes between these last-mentioned straps r, and the back
of the pouches p, p, one of which is therefore carried at each side of the wearer in
front as shewn, and upon the waist belt a, and the several parts of the accoutrement
described are capable of being easily separated and put together.
Or, the flat hooks n, n, at the lower end of the widened straps l, l, instead of being
booked into loops attached to the back of the pouches p, p, usay be hooked into
corresponding flat metal rings carried by loops fitted round the waisthelt. a; or they
may be hooked under the lower edge of the waist belt a itself. In both cases the
pouches pare carried as already described by the vertical straps on their back r,
between which and the back of the pouch the waistbelt a passes. Upon the front of
the widened straps lying upon the breast of the wearer, are arranged (as shewn in
Figure 9) smaller supplementary ammunition pouches a, a, having at their back flat
leather straps or loops a' through which the widened straps / described pass. These
pouches may also have at the upper edge of their back, short straps sewn or
otherwise fastened to them, the upper ends of which pass through, and are buckled
to the lower ends of the double cleets or buckles to which the upper ends of the
widoned straps are attached as above described.
The supplementary pouches 8, 8 described, are open at their outer vertical ends, the
openings beiug closed by leather flaps t, t forming continuations of the back of the
pouch, and the front ends of which can be brought round and buttoned upon studs
on the front of the pouch. The interior of the pouches is divided by leather or
other divisions, into compartments to receive a sufficient number (say ten) of
separate cartridges arranged horizontally in two
rows (as shewn
in Figure 5).
These cartridges are very easily and conveniently removeable as required by the
soldier or other wearer, and are securely held when the covers t are closed.
The two larger pouches p, p, which hang in front of the belt a as already
described, have their opening above, and are so made, of leather or other suitable
material, that their ends and bottom can expand, so that the front of the pouch can
extend forward sufficiently for it to hold the required number of cartridges.
Its interior is preferably divided into two compartments by means of a
longitudinal leather partition v (Figure 3) extending only partly down the pouch

page_text: to the ends of which its ends are sewn; and the upper edge of this partition
extends sufficiently up for it to bend over in order to button by a stud w to the
front of the pouch, and thus close the front eupartment in the latter.
On the front of the ponch p outside I prefer to make a series of vertical
compartments of convenient number (sny ten) into which additional cartridges
are fitted from above, and can be readily drawn one by one as required. To the
upper edge of the back of the pouch is sewn or attached a flap y which bends
over and closes the top of the entire pouch, a strap y attached to its edge
buttoning upon a stud z at the bottom of the pouch.
When the pouch is in active use, a hole in this strap y can be passed over
the lower vertical tongue in the upper double buckle or cleet k, so as to keep
the entire pouch completely open and its contents accessible.
Two forms of the buckles m and flat hooks n, are shown separately in Figures
7 and 8 respectively. In Figure 7 the hook n is shown bent round and pivotted
upon the lower har of the buckle. In Figure 8 it is shown forming part of, or
solidly attached to, the buckle m.
The belt a is provided with a hayonet attachment, as shown at 1, Figures 9
and 10, and fittings for carrying other articles if desired.
The valise or knapsack 2 rests against the upper part of the frame d already
described which rests against the back of the wearer.
It has rivetted or otherwise attached to its back two straps 3 which pass forward
over the shoulders (underneath the shoulder straps), and are buckled to the upper
ends of the double buckles or cleets & already described upon the breast of the wearer.
These straps rest upon the main straps i, already described, which are attached to the
frame, upon which straps they may be kept in position by lateral hooks, and their
front ends after passing over the upper tongues of the buckles & may be turned up
and tucked into loops at the back of the main straps.
The coat 4 carried by the soldier is rolled up and carried by two straps 5,
(Figure 10), passing through dat rings 6 (Figure 2) attached to the lower part of the
frame d, at the back of the wearer, the straps being buckled round the coat 4.
The mess tin 7, in its case, may be carried in the same way by a strap buckled
round and attached to the outer side of the valise or knapsack.
It is obvious that, if preferred, the valise 2 may be carried above the hips, instead
of against the shoulders, the coat being arranged above instead of below it."
In this ense the mess tin 7 miny be carried either (as already described) on the
outer side of the valise 2, or between the coat and the latter.
Equipments or accoutrements constructed according to my invention, that is to say
with the combination of the several parts described, are more effective, easy to use,
afford a better distribution of weight, and are more easily put on and taken off, than
any such equipment or accoutrement hit berto used.
I do not claim in itself the frame d at the back of the wearer, as I am aware that
the use of a frame somewhat of the kind described and illustrated, has already been
proposed, as for instance in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 5138, A.D. 1879.
I do not confine myself to any precise details of material, construction, and
arrangement, of the several parts, which may be varied more or less as may be found
advisable to suit different circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of ny said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with the bell a and fastening b, of the frame d, straps i, double
cleets k, straps, buckles aud hooks m, n, and supplementary pouches 8, substantially
as described and illustrated.
2. The combination with the bolt a, of the frame d, hook f and loop g, straps i,
cleets k, straps 1, buckles and hooks m, n, and the pouches p, carried upon the belt a
by the straps r, and having at the back rings o to receive the hooks n, n, substantially
as described and illustrated.

page_text: 3. The buckle m having the flat hook pivotted upon it, substantially as and
for the purpose described and illustrated in Figure 7.
4. The buckle m having the flat hook n forming a part of it, substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 8.
5. In combination with the belt a, straps i, double cleets k, straps and buckles
and hooks m, n, the expanding ammunition pouches p opening above, and having
inside compartments to receive two rows of cartridges separated by a partition v
extending partly down the pouch, the upper end of this partition buttoning by a stud w
to the front of the pouch, and the outer series of compartments closed by a
flap y having a strap y buttoning upon a stud z upon the bottom of the pouch,
which strap can be hooked upon the lower tongue of the double cleet & to keep
the entire pouch open when desired, substantially as described and illustrated.
6. In the improved equipment described, in combination with the straps I, I, the
supplementary ponchess, s, carried upon the straps by the straps s or loops 8¹, and
having horizontal compartments for cartridges, aud flaps buttoning upon studs u,
substantially as described and illustrated.
7. The improved accoutrement or equipment, consisting of the combination of the
belt a, fastening b, buckles c, frame d, hook f, and loop g, buckles h, straps i, double
cleets h, straps l, buckles m, flat hooks n, and loops o, pouches p, straps
supplementary ponches 8, bayonet carrier 1, valise 2 carried by straps 3, coat 4 carried
by straps 5, and mess tin 7, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated.
Dated this 25th day of June 1907
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.