US2008201A

US2008201A - Pack carrier

Info

Publication number: US2008201A
Application number: US616922A
Authority: US
Inventors: Chute Harold Gordon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-06-13
Filing date: 1932-06-13
Publication date: 1935-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 1952-07-16

Description

Juy 16, 1935. H. G. CHUTE @@y PACK CARRIER Filed June 13, 1952 `Patented July 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PACK CARRIER4 Harold Gordon Chute, Seattle, Wash.

Application June 13, 1932, Serial No. 616,922

5 Claims.

The invention relates to that class of pack carriers or frames consisting of a frame of rigid material with a harness attached of flexible material. The object of the invention is to provide 5 a deviceA of this class having a harness provided with means of adjusting the several parts thereof so that the straps may be adjusted in length and position and adjusted in such relation to each other as to suit the requirements of the user, and to provide means of carrying a pack upon the back a device which will transmit the load to the chest, sides and to the lower part of the back and to the waist line and hips, and to prevent and do away with backward strain and downward strain upon a persons back and shoulders, and in which the straps and harness are so adjustable as to afford means of placing the weight of the load upon the hips, back, shoulders, or chest, or of distributing the weight of the load over the persons hips, back, shoulders, and chest simultaneously, or as desired by the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means of carrying a pack upon the back in which the straps are provided with means for adjusting the length thereof so that the straps may be adjusted, and adjusted in such relation to each other, as to conform to the size and dimensions and contour and shape of the user, and so that all stretch, give, and slack may be taken up, and so the pack and frame is kept clear and away from a persons body, and so that a space is provided between the pack and person affording air circulation therethru, and so that the straps lie snugly upon and against the users body.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for carrying a pack upon the back so that the carrier and pack will be held rigid and not swing or slip or slide upward or downward or sideways or change its position upon a persons back, and in which the straps and particularly the shoulder straps are'held so that they will remain in place and not swing, slide, slip, or move backward or forward,` or from side to side, or

otherwise. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a pack carrier provided with means whereby the straps thereof may be easily and readily removed and replaced.

And still another object of the invention is to provide a pack carrier of simple and economical construction, and to provide a comfortable means of carrying a pack upon the back.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and specification of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:- j

VFigure 1 is a view showing the device in position upon a mans back.

Figure 2 is a front View of the device` l Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 4 is a detached fragmentary View of a part of the frame and a plate attached thereto.

Y Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional VView substantially on broken line 5 5 of Figure 3.

, This invention is in the nature of an improvement on the pack carrier disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,761,426, issued Jan. 30, l930,and,in a general way the present invention consists/in providing a slidable and adjustable connection between two main shoulder straps and a rigid pack-supporting frame at the location where said shoulder straps are crossed at the back of the user; and in providing an adjustable connection between the upper ends of two side members of the pack-supporting frame and the front portions of the two main shoulder straps; and in providing an adjustable waistband in connection with a substantially semi-circular ,base member of the pack-supporting frame, said three adjustable connecting vmeans cooperating with each other in such a manner as to make it possible to balance, distribute, and equalize Aloads and pressures in a manner which cannot be attained in practice by the use of nxed connecting means.

It is desirable Vthat a pack carrier of this type should be adjustable to the individual user, and should also be/adjustable to obtain a proper balance for loads of different weight and bulk and should further be adjustable to compensate for stretching or shrinkage in the harness portion of the pack carrier, said harness portion being made of exible material as of cotton or leather straps which may change their length under a load when they become wet or dry out. The present invention takes care of all of the difficulties above pointed out.

Referring to the drawing I show a pack carrier embodying a relatively rigid pack vsupporting frame and a suitable harness for mounting said pack supporting frame on the body of a person in such a manner that when a load is secured to the pack supporting frame said load will be properly balanced and will be supported in the vmost advantageous way on the body of the person; A, j,

The pack supporting frame is preferably formed of tubular metal and may comprise two` spaced apart upright

tubular side pieces

4 and 5 other by buckle means 3 I.

Vbandforrned by parts IS and 3c adjustable as to which are rigidly secured together by tubular cross members 6 and 'I and by a tubular curved base member 8. The

side members

4 and 5 may be curved to conform somewhat to the curvature of the body and the upper ends of said side members are curved forwardly to afford portions 22 which extend over the shoulders of the user. Loop or ring members 3 are secured to the ends of the curved portions 22. The base member of the pack supporting frame is curved to substantially a semi-circular shape so as to extend around the waist of the user and the ends of said base member 8 are xedly secured to plate elements s. These plate elementsv 9 are positioned at the sides of the user of the pack carrier and may be curved, as 'shown in Figure 5, to conform to the curvature of the body. A slot 29 is provided in the` rearwardly extending end of each plate element Vil for purposes hereinafter described.

The harness portion of the pack carrier is constructed' so that it will comfortably t the back and chest and'waist and hips of a wearer and said harness portionis arranged so that it will always support the rigid parts of therframe clear of the body. This harness portion preferably consists ofY a waistband having a wider inner portion it, which Yextends around the back of the user at the location of the waist or hips and is passed thru the slots 2s in the plate elements E, and an outer portion which terminates in two narrower ends`3ll which are adjustably connected with each This makes the Waistlength. By adjustingthe length of this waistband it will be apparent that the bottom member 8. of the pack-supporting franie can be positioned closer to or farther away from the users back and in this way the center of gravity of any load which is secured to the pack supporting frame may be Varied to secure the most comfortable and least fatiguing distribution of the load.

The harness portion of the pack carrier also embodies two main shoulder straps I2 and I3 which rest on the shoulders of the user and are crossed in the back after the fashion common to aV pair of Suspenders and which extend from the back around tothe sides and have their lower ends secured preferably by removable means, as by suitable bolts, see Figure 5, to the respective side plates il. The front sides of the main shoulder straps I2 .and I3 extend downwardly from the shoulders over the chest of the user andare adjustably and detachably connected, as by buckle means I, strap means i -l and snap means I8 with rings II]` which are secured by fastening means II to the side plates il. This provides for adjustmenty as to length and for quick attachment and detachment of the Vshoulder straps.

' The rear portionsof the main shoulderstraps I2 and I3 are crossed just forwardly of the horizontal frame bar 6 and are loosely connected with said frame bar Ei by adjustable tie straps ffl. being crossed at the rear'of the frame bar This affords a slidable and an adjustable connection between-the main shoulder straps l2 and i3 and the rear portion of the frame, the slidable feaframe,` including the frame bar S to bemoved outwardly away from the back of the user without exerting an outward pull on the shoulder straps,

when the pack supporting frame is adjusted by varying therlength of waistband I9 tonproperly balance up a pack. This permits the shoulder straps always to lie snugly against the back. Buckle means 25 may be used to detachably connect the straps 2li to the straps I2 and I3.

The front portions of the main shoulder straps i2 and I3 are adjustably connected with the rings 3 at the upper ends of the pack supporting frame, as by straps Ml, buckle means 2Q, and straps 2l. This affords an adjustment by which the curved upper ends 22 of the pack frame bars Il and 5 may always be kept clear of the shoulders of the user irrespective of changes in length of the main shoulder straps. Rivets 2l secure the straps 29 to the main shoulder straps I2 and I 3.

The rear loops of the rings 3 afford convenient means to which the upper portion of a pack or a sack or a load of any form, not shown, may be Vattached and' other rings 3 are connected by der straps including the parts iii, I8, i6, Il, 2G,

25 and 2l are preferably adjusted so that there is not much slack between the rings 3 and the rings ill, thus causing the said front strap portions to draw tightly against the chest when there is a load on the pack carrier. This relieves the shoulders and back of weight and pressure.

When the device is in use the weight of the pack or load will be supported chiefly by the waistband le and main shoulder straps i2 and i3 and any tendency of the upper portion of the load to tilt rearwardly will be borne as a pressure on the chest thru tie connections with the front portions of the main shoulder straps. The upper curved portions 22 ofthe pack frame are not allowed to rest on the users shoulders. If the main shoulder straps i?. and I3ystretch enough to permit the frame ends 22 to touch the shoulders Said shoulder straps may be shortened by first loosening the straps 2d in buckles 25 and thenv tightening up the straps I5 and i6 in the buckle members Il, thus elevating the frame ends 22. When an adjustment of kthis nature is made thestraps 20 are preferably adjusted to maintain the desired tightness of the front portions of the main shoulder straps. These two adjusting means thus cooperate with each other to maintain a desired relation between the several parts of the pack carrier. Adjustments of this nature are frequently desirable when the straps become wet or when they dry out after having been wet.

The slidable connection between the frame bar and the crossed shoulder straps i2 and i3 allows automatic adjustment at this point in response to take up or stretching of the several straps and in response to adjustments of the nature describedk in the preceding paragraph. The adjustable feature of the straps- 24 has a cooperation with the adjustable waistband and makes it possible to move the pack frame farther away from the back without pulling the straps I2 and I 3 outwardly away from the back. y

Adjustment of the waistband I9 may be desirable for the purpose of balancing up a load so that the center of gravity of the load may be caused to fall in the best possible location and any tendency of the upper portion of the load to tilt rearwardly may be overcome. Tightening of the waistbandIS-3Il will obviously cause the lower end of the pack frame to stand away from the back of the user. By adjustment of the shoulder straps I2 and i3 it is possible to vary the relative proportion of weight which will be carried on said shoulder straps and on the waistband.

Members A and 5 and cross

members

6 and 1 should not be in contact with the users body. Should the waistband I9 or the main shoulder straps i2 and i3, cr both, stretch enough to permit the said rigid members to touch the wearers back the waistband ifi and the main shoulder straps i2 and i3 may be shortened by the adjustment means provided thus positioning the said rigid members away from the users body. This adjustment of said waistband and shoulder straps may be made in such relation to each other as not to vary the relative proportion of the weight of the load which will be carried on said shoulder straps and on the waistband.

The several straps are readily removable and may be easily replaced.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a pack carrier of the class described, a harness adapted to be placed on the body of a person, said harness having two main shoulder straps crossed at the back, a substantially rigid pack frame connected with said harness, said pack frame having a substantially rigid cross bar extending over the crossed portions of said main shoulder straps, and two tie straps connected at spaced apart points with said two main shoulder straps and extending loosely over said cross bar on the sideV of the cross bar opposite from the main Y'shoulder straps allowing said cross bar to occupy a position in spaced relation to said main shoulder straps clear of the back of a wearer and allowing relative movement between the shoulder straps and the cross bar. k

2. In a pack carrier of the class described, a pack frame embodying two side bars connected together by substantially rigid cross bars and having a substantially semi-circular base member secured thereto; a iiexible waistband connected with the forward end portions of said semi-circular base member and positioned within said base member in spaced relation from the base member in normal operation and Yarranged to engage with the back of a person at the location of the waist, means for adjusting the length of said waist band whereby the distance of said pack frame from the back of a person may be varied, two main shoulder straps connected with the ends of said pack frame base member and adapted to extend over the shoulders of a person, said main shoulder straps being crossed at the back, the crossed portions of said straps being positioned under one of said cross bars and resting against the wearers back, two tie straps connected at spaced apart intervals with said two main shoulder straps and extending over said cross bar and means for adjusting the length of said tie straps.

3. In a pack carrier for the use of a person, a pack Vframe embodying two side bars having curved portions adapted to extend up over the shoulders of a person to a point near the front of the body, a base portion of substantially semi-circular shape secured 'to said side bars, two main shoulder straps having their lower rear ends connected respectively with the ends of said semicircular base portion and extending upwardly in crossed relation and thence forwardly and thence downwardly and having their lower forward ends connected respectively with the ends of said semicircular base, other strap members having their upper ends connected with the forward ends of the side frame members and having their lower ends connected with the front portions of said shoulder straps at a substantial distance below the ends of said side frame members, and means for adjusting the length of said last named strap members to thereby vary the relative slackness between the front portions and the shoulder and rear portions of said main shoulder straps. i

4. In a pack carrier for the use of a person, a pack frame embodying two side bars having curved portions adapted to extend up over the shoulders of a person to a point near the front of the body, a base portion of substantially semicircular shape secured to said side bars, two main shoulder straps having their lower rear ends connected respectively with the ends of. said semicircular base portion and extending upwardly in crossed relation and thence forwardly and thence downwardly, adjustable means connecting the forward ends` of said main shoulder straps with the respective ends of said semicircular base portion, other strap members having their upper ends connected with the forward ends of the side frame members and having their lower ends connected with the front portions of said main shoulder straps at a substantial distance below the ends of said side' frame members, and means for adjusting the lengths of said other strap members.

5. In a pack carrier for the use of a person, a pack frame embodying two side bars having curved top portions extending upwardly and forwardly, a base portion of substantially semicircular shape secured to the lower ends of said side bars, a cross bar extending between said two side bars, side plates Vsecured to the respective ends of said semicircular base portion, a flexible waistband connected with said side plates and extending across said base member on the concave side thereof, means for adjusting the length of said waistband, two main shoulder straps having their lower rear ends connected with the respective side plates and extending upwardly in crossed relation and thence forwardly and thence downwardly, two tie straps of adjustable length connected at spaced apart intervals with the back portions of said two shoulder straps and extending over said cross bar of said pack frame whereby said shoulder straps are loosely connected with said cross bar, adjustable means connecting the forward ends of said shoulder strapswith the respective side plates, other strap members having their upper ends connected with the forward ends of the side frame members and having their lower ends connected with the front portions of said shoulder straps at a substantial distance below the ends of said side frame members and means for adjustingthe length of said otherk strap members.

HAROLD GORDON CHUTE.