US139731A - Improvement - Google Patents

Description

' 2 Sh'eets.--Sheet I. G.H.PALMER.

Knapsacks Patented June 10,1873.

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Patented June 10,1873.

Invenipr: 4 #f G. H. PALM ER.

Knapsaoks.

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UNITED STATESPATEN'I UFFIGE. g

GEORGE H. PALMER, MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT 1N KNAPS'ACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,731, dated June 10, 1873; application filed J anuariy 6, 1873. p

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. PALMER,

of Monmouth, in the county of Warren and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Army Equipments, of j flexible material, preferably glazed canvas 01' India-rubber cloth, being shaped so as to en'- which the following is a specification The invention consists in the improvement of .kna-psacks, as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a perspective view of the knapsack, showing the side next to the back of the wearer with the blanket strapped on it and the over-coat strapped on the top. Fig. 3 2 is a perspective view of the waist-brace, the back-pad, and straps for connecting the waist-brace to the shoulder-straps. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the back-pad, shoulderridge-boxesL Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the waist-brace, carrying-braces, cartridge boxes, and the strapsfor suspending them from the shoulder straps. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the knapsack suspended from the back-pad. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the skeleton frame. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the covering applied to the frame with the flaps for opening the knapsack raised. Fig. 8 is a detail "iew of the device for detachably connecting the straps to the knapsack and the cover to the frame, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the saber and carbinesling'.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

I make the frame of small, tough, flexible pieces of wood, X, butted together at the ends and secured at the corners by strong duck, canvas, or other heavy cloth, b, in which the sticks are bound at the edges, as shown in Fig. 6; and between the sticks are strong thick pieces of leather on a, fastened to the cloth and turned around the corners. They .are to hold the sticks apart the width of the cloth pieces (1, and to afford sufficient strength for'holdin g the covering and the straps, which are attached to them. About half an inch from the end the wood pieceshave a hole by which they are tied together by strong leather strings, asshown ate. The cloth pieces of each corner are connected together by straps Z, which prevent them from sliding upon the rods, and; bind the frame strongly-together at frame may also be connected together at the middle by canvas pieces 6, if preferred, and they may also be re-enforcedby strong leather pieces like 0. 00, if desired. The cover A, of

as represented at D and-the flaps are provided with means of buckling together when folded down, as indicated by the buckles and straps j. a represents the coat-straps; h, the coat b, the suspending-straps, d, the blanketstraps, waist-brace, carrying-braces, and cartstraps; and e e, loopsfor thesuspending-straps.

The lower loop straps 0 also unite withthe straps d by the metal loops 6 to secure the blanket, the said straps d passing through the metal loops and meeting and buckling together at the middle of bottom of the knapsack. The loopse e are connected to the can be readily shifted a-smay be required for changing the knapsack sides about. t is the back-plate with a metal loop or ring,t' suspendcd from a bar, h, by a leather loop, 1', to which the knapsack is attached by hooks C, so that it can be readily detached at any time. 1' and s waist-brace and p, the waist-belt. The shoulder-straps are connected to the back-plate t them to turn freely. l The straps 1" pass through a metal loops to in the'straps k, by whichthe waist-brace mand the waist-belt p are suspended. The waist-belt p passes through the loop u on the brace m at the back, at which point the said brace in has a point extending downward in the angle of the back, andteri the corners. The rods of each side of the knapsack by. themetal loops D, that they represent the double shoulder-straps; m, the

miuates with a buckle, 0, for the connection of the strap 9 at the bottom of the knapsack. 1 represents the cartridge-boxes, which are detachably connected to the waist-belt p.

In Fig. 9 the combined saber and carbine sling is represented by the straps 1, 2, and 5, 1 being the saber-sling, which is split upward to within about six inches of the junction with strap 2, and has a metal loop, m, at the end of each branch for booking on the saber. 2 is the carbine-sling, to which a hook, at, is swiveled at 3, anda snap-hook is attached by strap 4. This sling is attached to the backpad tby the buckle and strap 5, and the strap 4 is carried forward under the right arm and hooked into the metal loop 20, ring a, or buckle q, as preferred.

The knapsack-frame is covered with linen or cotton duck, having on one side a waterproof flap of vulcanized-rubber cloth. It may be reversed on the back by simply hooking it from the backpad, turning it, and changing the supportingstraps to the opposite side. By this means the canvas back may be turned outward in hot weather, and the water-proof flap outward in rainy weather. The glazed flap is protected from the sun when turned toward the back.

The knapsack is easily manipulated. It sets closely to the back. Whatever is strapped to it on the side next the back has a tendency to make it tip toward the back instead offrom the back. The straps and the covering attached to the frame may be removed and replaced at pleasure. The knapsack may be worn at'almost any place desired on the back.

' When the overcoat and blanket are strapped on it is more comfortably worn so that the top of the overcoat shall be about as high as the shoulders. 0n campaign, the knapsack may be left in quarters, and the blanket, overcoat, haversack containing rations, attached to the back-pad. The overcoat, when the knapsack is carried, may be attached, by its straps, to the back-pad. At inspection or on the march the knapsack can be unhooked from the backpad, leaving the overcoat and the carryingbraces on the body, and the soldier can lie down to rest with the overcoat still fast to the back-pad, the overcoat serving for a support to his head and shoulders. He can also unbuckle his waist belt, and noneof his equipments will fall off should he spring suddenly from the ground, his waistbelt being unbuckled. V

The knapsack may be put on and oif three ways. The braces are first put on, and the knapsack hooked to the back-pad. The waistbelt, with waist-brace attached, may be buckled on, and the knapsack, with back-pad hooked on, swung'on the back or the carrying-braces may be attached to the knapsack, and all put on together like a coat. They are taken olf in a similar manner. All are taken off toing the straps off the shoulders.

By the carrying-braces a man may carry orv drag a heavy load without the use of his arms, leaving his body unbound, without pressure on chest or around the waist. They are light and simple and easily repaired when broken. They set snugly on the person, yet comfortably, and can not fall off the shoulders, though worn without a waist-belt. Fromone to four cartridge-boxes may be worn on the waist-belt and supported on the back and shoulders.

Cartridge-boxes, or other articles attached to the waist-brace or the waist-belt, and carried behind the back, are supported by the back part of the hips, the shoulders, and back, and

tend to balance the weight of the pack attached to the back-pad. When applied to cavalry, these braces support on the back and shoulders the weight of the cavalryman s arms and ammunition, thus relieving the waist and hips of the weight of the saber, the pistol, and the cartridge-boxes. They are worn the same as the infantry braces, the carbine-sling taking the place of the knapsack on the back-pad. The carbine cartridge-box is carried behind the back, at the apex of the waist-brace, which supports it, the cartridgebox balancing the weight of the carbine. The soldier may ride or march with his belt unbuckled without having the equipment disarranged. If he is required to do duty on foot he can strap his clothing, &c., to the backpad of the braces. The carrying-braces tend to hold the body in an erect position, and prevent the shoulders drooping forward. The bars on the back-pad t may be dispensed with and the metal ring or book Q7 attached to the middle of the back-pad by a leather strap or loop. Near the upper corners of the backpad small metal rings a may be attached by leather straps, to receive straps to bind any load to the back-pad. The saber-sling may be dispensed with, and the carbine-slin g alone. attached to the back-pad, and the saber suspended on the waist-belt, so as to be supported on the shoulders and back by the carrying-braces, the strap 2', on the waist-brace, being buckled to the waist-belt and supporting waist-belt and saber. By drawing up or letting out the strap 9 in buckle o the weight of the knapsack is changed from the shoulders to the hips, or equally divided between shoulders. back, and hips, or all weight placed on the hips, or all on the shoulders. These changes are for the purpose of giving ease to the wearer.

I propose in practice to have the skeleton frame covered with heavy cotton or linen canvas with straps and buckles attached for closing its side flaps, so that when this canvas covering becomes soiled it can be removed from the frame and washed, and on this I will have an outside flap of vulcanized-rubber cloth, covering the top and one sideof the knapsack, but not attached to the canvas covering of the frame, but-to the top of the frame, by the same brass loops, Fig. 8, that hold the blanket-straps to the frame. It will be adjustableto either side of the knapsack,

and can be put on or off the knapsack without removing the canvas covering. The flap will be held down by straps attached to its lower edge, buckling into buckles attached by straps which will be attached to the bottom of the knapsack by the brass loops, Fig.

8. The suspending-straps b of the knapsack may, instead of terminating in the hook 0, be attached (at those ends) to a ring, and this ring hooked on the hook v on the back-pad.

The back-pad obviates the necessity of attaching straps supporting the knapsack directly to it; Its shape enables the straps for the shoulders to be attached in such a manner as to separate them on the back and shoulder, giving more bearing-surface It confines the straps so that they cannot slip off the shoulders. It gives additional bearing-surface for the weight carried. It prevents the load carried from pulling directly downward on the shoulders. It tends to pull toward the center of the back, which, by

'means of the pad, supports a portion of the weight. It obviates the necessity of having the straps which pass over the shoulders continue any further down the back than the back-pad. In other carrying-braces the straps pass down the back and under the arms, round the waist, and compress the chest.

The manner of connecting together the front ends of the shoulderstraps insures an equal bearing of each strap on the shoulder whena load is carried. If the ends were connected directly together without using the metal loop w, then, when a load was" carried, one

strap would sometimes sustain all the weight the strap would have too much play in the loop to which holds the buckle. The outside strap, being riveted to the inside strap 1' at its swell or widest part, separates the straps, giving more bearing-surface in front of the shoulders. The waist-brace, in combination the knapsack from falling back. By letting p out the strap 9 the whole weight may be brought to bear on the back and shoulders. The waist-brace supports the waist-belt, and whatever is slung to the waist-belt, at three points-the two straps t and the loop to. At the apex it supports-the waist-belt and a portion of the load carried on the backpad.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters I Patentl. The knapsack-frame of flexible wood sticks X, canvas corner-pieces b, leather stiffeners a a, connecting-straps. Z, and ties a, combined substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a knapsack-frame constructed as described, of cover A B detachably attached to said frame, substantially as specified.

3. The coat-straps a,blanket straps d, suspending-straps b, andloops e a, combined and arranged in detachable and adjustable connection with the knapsack, substantially as specified.

4:. The combination of the back-pad, double shoulder-straps, and waistbrace m, substantially as representedin Fig. 3.

5. The combination of the waist-belt p with the waist-brace n and shoulder-straps, substantially as specified. y

6. The combination of the saber and carbine slings, substantially as specified.

7 The combination of the saber and carbine slings with the back-pad and shoulderbraces, substantially as specified.

8. The detachable fastening-loop D and toggle-piece E, in combination with the knapsack and the straps attached thereto, substantially as specified. l

' GEORGE H. PALMER.

Witnesses:

J AMES VAN VOAST, W. V. RICHARDS.

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