Improvements in Military Equipments or Accoutrements.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 31st May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897.
Improvements in Military Equipments or Accoutrements.
I, ROBERT ELSDON, of Highlands, Burnt Ash Hill, Lee, in the County of Kent,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in military equipments or accoutrements
whereby many of the buckles and other similar attaching and connecting devices
heretofore employed are done away with, and the valise mess tin, and great coat are
carried by a single frame-like device supported by the waist belt, or partly by the waist
helt and partly by the shoulder or cross belts.
The aforesaid frame-like support is constructed as follows:-
Two vertical side strips are connected together at about the middle of their length
by a cross-piece. These strips and cross piece may be made of a single metallic
casting, or of a single piece of sheet metal; but I prefer to make the strips separate
from the cross piece, and to so adapt the parts to each other that they can be secured
together by means of wedges, pins, screws, or other suitable devices, so that they can
readily be taken apart for convenience of packing into a small space when required.
The side strips may be made of wire bent and shaped to a suitable form, and the
cross piece may be made of sheet metal, wood or other material provided with
appropriate means for fixing it to the side strips. These latter are shaped and placed
BO as to be paralled to one another at their upper ends, and stand at such a distance apart,
say about six or seven inches, ns will enable the valise to be hung or supported on
them by means of suitable loops or sheaths secured to the back of the valise. Below
the cross piece the lower ends of the parallel parts of the strips are bent laterally and
downwards so that the extreme lower ends are about double the distance apart, more
or less, that the upper ends are. The upper ends of the side strips are adapted to lie
more or lesa closely to the back of the wearer; but the lower ends are bent round
towards the front, so that they can take into pockets in, or be otherwise attached to
the sides or right and left fronts of the waist belt, which is thus made to support the
greater part of the weight of the frame and parts of the equipment supported thereby.
The cross piece connecting the two side strips together is provided with one or more
slots through which the two rear parts of the shoulder or cross belts pass at their
crossing point. The lower rear ends of these cross belts are secured to the rear part
of the waist-bolt by means of studs, rivets or otherwise, and the front ends to the
front parts of the waist-belts by any suitable means which allow of the necessary
adjustment of the length of the belts. This connection of the cross piece to the
cross belts enables the latter to support part of the weight of the frame and of the
parts of the equipment hung upon or otherwise supported by the said frame; it also
prevents more or less the falling away of the upper part of the frame, and the parts
connected with it, from the back of the wearer.
To transmit part of the weight of the frame to the rear part of the waist-belt if
found necessary or desirable the cross piece may be provided with a downwardly
projecting part the lower end of which is connected by a stud or otherwise to the
back part of the waist-belt; and this downwardly projecting part may be provided

page_text: with a hook or other device for supporting the mess tin or other article. A hook or
other device may also be provided at a suitable point on the cross piece for supporting
the mess tin or other article just below the valise.
Studs, cross bars or other devices are provided on the side strips just below the
connecting cross piece to carry the great coat.
The valise is provided as above described with loops or sheaths through which the
upper ends of the side strips of the supporting frame are passed when the valise is to
be carried as part of the equipment, and in most cases this connection is sufficient; but
if the valise is very heavy, and there is a tendency for its over-hanging weight to draw
it and the top of the frame unduly away from the back of the wearer, hooks or other
Buitable devices may be provided at or near the top of the back of the valise, which
hook or take under the shoulder or cross belts or otherwise so as to hold the valise
firmly in position.
The lower ends of the side strips of the supporting frame may be secured to the
waist-belt by being passed into pockets therein, and be held in such pockets by
means of studs, spring catches or other suitable devices; or the pockets may be
dispensed with and the studs, spring catches, or other devices employed alone to
carry the weight and secure the frame to the waist-belt.
Studs or other fastening devices may also be secured near the lower ends of the
side strips of the supporting frame for the attachment of the front ends of the
shoulder or cross belts.
If desired, cushions or pads may be applied to the supporting frame, and be
adapted to bear against the back of the wearer, and brackets may be hinged to the
said frame to take the weight of the valise.
By the arrangements above described many, of the buckles and other similar
attaching and connecting devices heretofore employed are entirely done away with,
the valise, mess tin and great coat are all carried by one supporting instrument, the
weight of which and of the articles attached to it is partly transferred to the front
of the waist-belt whereby the tendency of such front part to rise and of the back
part to fall when the ammunition pouches are empty, or nearly so, is more or less
obviated, and finally the entire equipment, can be easily and quickly put on and taken
off by the wearer, without the assistance of a second person.
Improvements in Military Equipments or Accoutrements.
I, ROBERT ELSDON, of Highlands, Burnt Ash Hill, Lee, in the County of Kent,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the 4
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in military equipments or accoutrements
whereby inany of the buckles and other similar attaching and connecting devices
heretofore employed ure done away with, and the valise, mess tin, and great coat are 4
carried by a single fraine-like device supported by the waist belt, or partly by the
waist belt and partly by the shoulder or cross belts.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate diagrammatically one method of carrying
my invention into effect. Figure 1 is a view taken from the inside of the back part

page_text: of the equipment, that is to say of the part which comes next to the back of the
wearer.
Figures 2, 3 and 4 are sections on lines 2-2, 3-3, and 4-4 respectively of
Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1, but with the parts shewn
somewhat as they would actually appear when in use, Figure 1.differing from Figure 3
in that it represents the development of the frame-like device for the sake of
clearness.
Similar letters relate to like parts in all of the Figures of the Drawings.
The aforesaid frame-like support is constructed as follows:-
Two vertical side strips A A are connected together at about the middle of their
length by a cross-piece B. These strips and cross piece may be made of a single
metallic casting, or of a single piece of sheet metal; but I prefer to make the strips
separate from the cross piece, and to so adapt the parts to each other that they can
be secured together by means of wedges, pius, screws, or other suitable devices, Bo
that they can readily be taken apart for convenience of packing into a small space
when required. The side strips A A are shown made of wire bent and shaped to a
suitable forin, and the cross piece B may be of sheet metal, wood or other material
provided with appropriate means for fixing it to the side strips, or of a light
aluminium casting as shewn in the Drawings. This casting may be removably
connected to the side strips A by any suitable or convenient means, for example, by
wedges or cottars P passing into holea formed in bosses Q and bearing tightly
against the strips A. These latter are shaped and placed so as to be paralled to one
another at their upper ends as shewn, and stand at such a distance apart, say about
six or seven inches, as will enable the valise C to be hung or supported on them by
means of suitable loops or sheaths D secured to the back of the valise. Below the
cross piece B the lower ends of the parallel parts of the strips A are bent Interally
and downwards as shewn so that the extreme lower ends are about double the distance
apart, inore or less, that the upper ends are. The upper ends of the side strips A are
adapted to lie more or less closely to the back of the wearer; but the lower ends are
bent round towards the front, so that they can take into pockets D formed in, or be
otherwise attached to the sides or right and left fronts of the waist belt E, which is
thus made to support the greater part of the weight of the frame A B and parts of the
equipment supported thereby, the lower ends of the fmme A being prevented from
riding ont of the pockets Di by means of a small strap F stitched to the inside of
the waist belt and passing through the open part of the lower end of the frame A
and fastened by a stud G or otherwise to the outside of the waist belt E, the filling
piece H fixed in the lower loop of the wire frame A preventing the latter from rising.
The cross piece B connecting the two aide strips A together is provided with one or more
slots I through which the two rear parts of the shoulder or cross belts J pass
at their crossing point as shewn. The lower rear ends of these cross belts Jare
secured to the rear part of the waist-belt by means of studs K', rivets or otherwise,
and the front ends (not shewn in the Drawing) to the front parts of the waist-belts E
by any usual or suitable means which allow of the necessary adjustment of the length
of the belts J. This connection of the cross piece B to the cross belts J enables the
latter to support part of the weight of the fnuine A B and of the parts of the
equipment hung upon or otherwise supported by the said frame; it also prevents
more or less the falling away of the upper part of the frame A, and the parts
connected with it, from the back of the wearer.
To transmit part of the weight of the frame A B to the rear part of the waist-belt
E if found necessary or desirable the cross piece B may be provided with a downwardly
projecting part K the lower end of which is connected by a stud or otherwise to the
back part of the waist-belt E; and this downwardly projecting part K may be
provided with a book L, or other device for supporting the mess tiu (not shewn in the
Drawing) or other article. A hook or other device may also be provided at a suitable
point on the cross piece for supporting the mess tin or other article just below the
valise.

page_text: . Studs, cross bars, or other devices are provided on the side strips A just below the
connecting cross piece to carry the great coat. These may consist of bars M
attached to the strips A and round which the supporting or carrying straps of the
great coat may be passed.
The valise O is provided as above described with loops or sheaths D into or through
which the upper ends of the side strips A of the supporting frame are passed when
the valise is to be carried as part of the equipment, and in most cases this connection
is sufficient; but if the valise is very heavy, and there is a tendency for its over-
hanging weight to draw it and the top of the frame A unduly away from the back of
the wearer, hooks N or other suitable devices may be provided at or near the top of
the back of the valise, which hooks take under the shoulder or cross belts J or
otherwise so as to hold the valise firmly in position.
The lower ends of the side strips A of the supporting frame may be secured to the
waist-belt as hereinbefore explained, by being passed into pockets D¹ therein; and
be held in such pockets by means of straps F', studs, spring catches or other suitable
devices; or the pockets D₁ may be dispensed with and studs, spring catches, or other
devices employed alone to carry the weight and secure the frame A B to the waist-
belt E.
Studs or other fastening devices O may also be secured near the lower ends of the
side strips A of the supporting frame for the attachment of the front ends of the
shoulder or cross belts J.when such attachment is not inade direct to the front of
the waist belt as herein before described.
If desired, cushions or pads may be applied to the supporting frame, and be
adapted to bear against the back of the wearer, and brackets may be hinged to the
said frame to take the weight of the valise.
By the arrangements above described many of the buckles and other similar
attaching and connecting devices heretofore employed are entirely done away with,
the valise, mess tin, and great coat are all carried by one supporting instrument the
weight of which and of the articles attached to it is partly transferred to the front
of the waist-belt whereby the tendency of such front part to rise and of the back part
to fall when the ammunition pouches are empty or nearly so, is more or less obviated,
and finally the entire equipment can be easily and quickly put on and taken off by
the wearer, without the assistance of a second person.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. In military equipments or accoutrements the frame-like device for
supporting the various articles required to be carried such frame-like device being
supported from the waist belt and steadied by the shoulder or cross belts,
substantially as described with reference to the Drawings.
Second. In military equipments or accoutrements the combination of the frame-
like device A B, (with or without the downwardly projecting part K) with the waist
belt E, and shoulder or cross belts J, substantially as described with reference to the
Drawings and for the purposes specified.
Third. The military equipment or accoutrement constructed arranged and
operating, substantially as described.