IMPROVE MENTS IN PARTS OF MILITARY AND OTHER OUTELTS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Jefferson Mayall, of Roxbury, Massachusetts,
in the United States of America, but now residing at Red Lion Court,
Fleet Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN PARTS OF MILITARY AND OTHER OUTELTS">
Sealed the 19th January 1866, and dated the 25th July 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th July 1865.
I, THOMAS JEFFERSON MAYALL, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, in the United
States of America, but now residing at Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PARTS OF MILITARY AND OTHER OUTFITS," to be as
follows:-
The object of the improvements is to combine in one article various
articles required for the convenience and comfort of soldiers, volunteers,
tourists, emigrants, and others.
About the centre of a sheet of fabric (india-rubber or other waterproof
fabric by preference) I form an opening through which the head may be
passed, so that the sheet may be used as a "poncho;" and externally round
Price 8d.1

page_text: the opening I apply a collar to close round the neck, and prevent the inlet
of rain, sleet, or snow at such part. I also at the back part, and by pre-
ference on the inside thereof, apply a pocket satchel or haversack with a
cover to contain the kit or otherwise.
At another part I form an air bag, or there may be two or more of them,
which when inflated will serve as a pillow or pillows, so that the sheet may
form a bed, pillow, or bolster and cover; and I also form the sheet with
eyelet holes, so that two or more of them combined may form a tent when
supported by poles, guns, or other means. Other pockets for water or
other articles may be employed. The connexions are by strings, loops,
plugs, or otherwise.
The whole may be folded, and, by straps passing through loops provided
for them, carried as a knapsack locked by the strapping; and when used as
a "poncho" thesc.straps will be inside, and when passed through other
loops may serve to connect it to the wearer, and relieve the strain
occasioned by its weight.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th January 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
JEFFERSON MAYALL, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, in the United States of
America, but now residing at Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said 'Thomas Jefferson Mayall, Her special licence that I, the said
Thomas Jefferson Mayall, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall, 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 PARTS OF MILITARY AND OTHER
OUTFITS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas

page_text: Jefferson Mayall, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be 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 Thomas Jefferson Mayall, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The object of the improvements is to combine in one article various
articles required for the convenience and comfort of soldiers, volunteers,
tourists, emigrants, and others.
About the centre of a sheet of fabric (india-rubber or other waterproof
fabric by preference) I form an opening through which the head may be
passed, so that the sheet may be used as a "poncho"; and externally round
this opening I apply a collar to close round the neck, and prevent the inlet
of rain, sleet, or snow at such part. I also at the back part, and by preference
on the inside thereof, apply a pocket, satchel, or haversack, with a cover to
contain the kit or otherwise.
At another part I form an air bag, or there may be two or more of them,
which when inflated will serve as a pillow or pillows, so that the sheet may
form a bed pillow or bolster and cover, and I also form the sheet with eyelet
holes so that two or more of them combined may form a tent when supported
by poles, guns, or other means. Other pockets for water or other articles
may be employed. The connections are by strings, loops, or otherwise.
The whole may be folded, and, by straps passing through loops provided
for them, curried as a knapsack locked by the strapping, and when used as a
"poncho" these straps will be inside, and when passed through other loops
may serve to connect it to the wearer, and relieve the strain occasioned by its
weight.
But that the Invention may be fully understood, I will by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows what may be considered as the external view, Figure 2
the internal view, and Figure 3 a section of apparatus constructed according
Th

page_text: and 7 show some of the parts in positions by which better to facilitate
acquaintance with their form and use.
In each of the Figures the same letters indicate corresponding parts
wherever they occur.
"
a, a, represents the sheet of fabric (india-rubber or other waterproof fabric
by preference) formed at b, with an opening through which the head may be
passed when to be used as a "poncho." On one side or edge of this opening b
is applied the collar c, which is attached to the fabrica by means of the portion
of fabric c'. When this collar is brought through the opening b to the outside
of the fabric a, as shown by Figure 6, and the apparatus is worn as a
poncho," the collar c will embrace the neck of the wearer, and serve to
prevent rain, snow, or sleet from passing in that direction to within this
covering. One edge of this collar c is provided with hook-shaped projec.
tions c², c², which when passed into the loops c³, c³, of the other edge of the
collar serve to hold the collar in position close round the neck of the wearer.
When not so used the collar may be turned inwards, and lie on the inner
surface of the sheet a, as indicated by Figures 1, 2, and 3, so as simply to
cover the opening b. d is a pocket which may serve as a haversack or
knapsack to contain "kit" or otherwise. This pocket is provided with a
flap or cover d' which may be folded over the mouth 2 of the haversack or
knapsack. e, e, are loops for the passage of straps g, such as shown in
position at Figure S, by which this portion of the apparatus may be strapped
to the back of the wearer to facilitate the carriage thereof, and at the same
time relieve him of undue strain upon the neck. dare openings in the
cover d through which the loops e may be passed to the straps g.
This
pocket may however be of other form, and others may be applied adapted
d
to hold water, or for other uses. f is an air-tight bag with a valvular
opening f¹ to it. When this bag is inflated, which may be readily effected by
blowing through the valve f¹, as is well understood with respect to air
cushions, and the apparatus is laid on a flat or slightly inclined surface with
the part at the higher part thereof, the inflated bag will serve as a bolster
or pillow, whilst the sides a¹, a', of the sheet may be folded over on to and
thereby serve as a cover for the person using it; or the inflated bag by
producing buoyancy to the whole in case of submergence in water would
act as a life preserver. The apparatus may thus serve at one time as a cloak
or "poncho," and at others as a bed with pillow or bolster and cover, or as a
life preserver. a, a, indicate edges turned over, and a5, a5, other extra
thicknesses of the fabric applied at those parts to obtain increased strength.
The sheet of fabric is also provided with eyelet holes as near its edges, so that

page_text: two or more of them may be connected together by means of cord or other
band passed through these eyelet holes, or by other fastenings; and when
two or more of them are connected together they may be used as a tent by
being supported on poles, guns, or otherwise.
Figures and 10 show the whole folded and the position of the straps g
when they are passed through other loops a, a, on the outside of the appara-
tus in order that the same may be carried as a knapsack.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details shown and described, as these may be varied without
departing from the peculiar character of the Invention; but what I do claim
is the manufacture of apparatus adapted for use as parts of military or other
outfits substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Jefferson Mayall, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
THOS. J. MAYALL. (L.B.)