Iм- PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF CARRYING KNAPSACKS AND OTHER BURTHENS UPON OR FROM THE SHOULDERS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, of Endell Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Master of Arts, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF CARRYING KNAPSACKS AND OTHER BURTHENS
UPON OR FROM THE SHOULDERS."
Sealed the 1st February 1856, and dated the 3rd August 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Robert Augustus
Glover at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd August 1855.
I, FREDERICK ROBERT AUGUSTUS GLOVER, of Endell Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Master of Arts, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF CARRYING KNAPSACKS AND
BURTHENS UPON OR FROM THE SHOULDERS" to be as follows ==
My Invention consists in the combination of a pair of pads or bearers,
shaped or adapted to rest one upon each shoulder of the wearer, and project-
ing backwards and forwards from each shoulder, so that the weight or burthen
to be carried may rest upon or be suspended from one or both of the ends of
each bearer, that is to say, either partly in front as well as partly behind the
person; or in the event of his preferring to carry the entire weight behind,
that he may be enabled to balance or support it the more easily by holding

page_text: down the front ends of the bearers, or any straps or connections depending
from them, or by attaching such straps or connections to his dress or person.
The best mode of performing my Invention with which I am at present
acquainted is by cutting or forming the two bearers out of solid pieces of
wood, or by moulding them to proper form in papier maché, and afterwards
saturating them with linseed oil, and baking them, as commonly "practised
with articles manufactured of papier maché. And in either case I pad the
surfaces which are intended to rest immediatley upon the shoulders, and I
furnish both the back ends and the front ends of the yokes with a strap or
straps or with a stick or sticks, for the purpose of connecting the ends of each
yoke together, and so as relatively to maintain them in their intended positions.
And further, I furnish both back and front with straps or other fittings
adapted to receive or fix the burthens to be carried, and particularly I adapt
the front fittings for slinging or supporting the musket of a soldier so as to
serve as a counterweight to his knapsack behind him.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd February 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
ROBERT AUGUSTUS GLOVER, of Endell Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Master of Arts, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, Her special licence that I, the said
Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, 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 THE MEANS OF CARRYING KNAPSACKS AND
OTHER BURTHENS UPON OR FROM THE SHOULDERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, my executors or

page_text: 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 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 Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, 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:—
My Invention consists in the combination of a pair of pads or bearers,.
shaped or adapted to rest one upon each shoulder of the wearer, and project-
ing backwards and forwards from each shoulder, so that the weight or burthen
to be carried may rest upon or be suspended from one or both of the ends of
each bearer, that is to say, either partly in front as well as partly behind the
person; or in the event of his preferring to carry the entire weight behind,
that he may be enabled to balance or support it the more easily by holding.
down the front ends of the bearers, or any straps or connections depending
from them, or by attaching such straps or connections to his dress or person.
Having thus set forth the nature of my said Invention, I will now proceed
to describe the manner in which it is to be performed, reference being
had to the two Sheets of Drawings hereunto belonging, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, for the purpose of such reference.
The Drawing No. 1 represents one of my improved bearers, formed so as
to rest upon the left shoulder of the wearer. Figure 1 is a side elevation,
viewed from the inner side; Figure 2 is a plan view; Figure 3 is a side
elevation, viewed from the outer side; Figure 4 is an inverted plan view;
Figure 5 is an end view, viewed from the back; and Figure 6 is an end view,
viewed from the front. In each of these two last Figures the dotted lines
represent transverse sections, taken at the positions denoted by the lines Z, Z,
and Y, Y, in the other Figures. My improved bearers are intended to be
used in pairs, right and left, the bearer for the right shoulder being of corre-
sponding but reversed form with regard to that represented in the Figures.
I manufacture these bearers either of solid pieces of beech or other suitable
wood, which I cut, carve, or form into the desired shape, or else of papier
maché, which I mould into the said shape, and afterwards saturate it with
linseed oil, and bake it, as commonly practised with articles manufactured of
this material. In either case I pad the surfaces which are intended to rest
immediately upon or against the shoulders with a cushion or lining a, as

page_text: shewn in the transverse section, Figure 7 (taken at Z, Z.) I have deemed it
better to omit the cushion or lining in the other Figures, in order the more
clearly to represent the form of the bearer; and I have considered it unne-
cessary in any of the Figures to represent the straps and other appurtenances
with which the bearers are furnished, as these may be made in any convenient
manner. I would here simply observe, that I furnish both the back ends b
and the front ends c with a strap or straps or with a stick or sticks, for the
purpose of connecting the ends of each yoke together, and so as relatively to:
maintain them in their intended positions. And further, I furnish both back
and front with straps or other fittings. adapted to receive or fix the burthens to
be carried, and particularly I adapt the front fittings for slinging or support-
ing the musket of a soldier so as to serve as a counterweight to his knapsack
behind him.
The Drawing No. 2 represents another description of my improved bearers,
the one here shewn being also intended for the left shoulder. Figure 8 is a
side elevation, viewed from the inner side; Figure 9 is a plan view, omitting.
the front hook, hereafter mentioned; Figure 10 is an end view of the back part
of the bearer, shewing the back hook, hereafter mentioned; and Figure 11.
is an end view of the front part of the bearer, shewing the front hook. In
these cases g. is a strong frame of good steel or iron, which forms a bridge
or saddle across, but does not immediately rest upon the shoulder, as it is
prevented so doing by means of a strong strap h (of buck skin, or other
suitable material), which is fixed to the back end of the frame, and is doubled
round one side of a triangular link s, which connects it with the front end;
such doubling round the link affording the means of adjusting the length of
the strap. is a thong or cord, which is passed through holes in the strap and
tied, so as to secure it when properly adjusted; k is a fixed hook, formed upon
the frame I. for supporting the burthen behind; and is a hook connected to
the said frame, for supporting the burthen in front, this latter hook being
made swinging or moveable for greater convenience, and especially for the
purpose of supporting the front burthen in a more advanced position when
such burthen is light, so as by the increase of leverage thus obtained the more
equally to counterpoise the burthen behind. The dotted lines in the Figure 8
represent this hook placed in the position to effect this object, the top or tail
end of the hook being passed under a small hook or catch m upon the frame g
intended to receive it. This description of bearer is also intended to be used
in pairs, right and left, that for the right shoulder being formed of correspond-
ing but reversed form with regard to the Figures lastly above referred to.

page_text: The Figure 12 is a sketch, shewing the application of my Invention, more
particularly illustrating the distribution of the load to be carried into back and
front burthens. Instead of the front burthen, as represented in this Figure,
and described with reference to the other Figures, suitable straps or other
connections may depend from the front ends of the bearers, and the burthen
behind may be counterpoised by the wearer holding down these straps or con-
nections, or attaching them to his dress or person.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
F. R. A. GLOVER. (L.s.)