US797667A - Ration-pack. - Google Patents

Description

auuenfoc N0- 79'7,667. PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905- A. M. DAVIS; RATION PACK APPLICATION FILED OUT. 27, 1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

wiiiwmawo @wfl No. 797,667. PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905.

A. M. DAVIS.

RATION PACK.

APPLIOATION rum 00127, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2'.

n m mg m m c a w a n M ALEXANDER M. DAVIS, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

RATlON-PACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22. 1905.

Application filed October 27, 1904:. Serial No. 230,250.

To ctZZ whom it ntrty concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER M. DAVIS, major commissary United States Army, now stationed at the city of St. Louis, in the State of'Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ration-Packs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.reference,being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention relates to equipment for use in the field by infantrymen and others whose occupation makes it desirable to carry subsistence on the person, and while in the form to be hereinafter described the equipment is especially designed for use in the military service it is well adapted for use by prospectors, campers, or foot travelers generally.

The objects of the invention are to so construct, assemble, and dispose the components forming the equipment on the person of the user that the movements of the body, arms, and limbs will not be hindered or interfered with and the load will be distributed on those parts of the body best calculated to withstand the strain.

A further object of the invention is to provide an equipment the component parts of which are capable of separate or collective use, but with the capacity of being nested or packed into each other to reduce bulk and facilitate transportation when not filled with subsistence.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view illustrating the pack disposed upon the person of a soldier. Fig. 2 is a similar view, but with the soldier facing the observer. Fig. 3 is a view of the central pocket detached from the side pockets and open to show the manner of packing. Fig. L is a view showing the contents of the central pocket, the cover of the mess-pan and breadreceptacle being shown assembled with its handle to form an intrenching-tool. Fig. 5 is a sectional view through one side pocket with the canteen therein. Fig. 6 is a section through the other side pocket with the sugar and coffee receptacle therein.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate like parts.

In campaign \vorkit is of prime importance that a soldiers equipment shall be such that he can personally carry sufficient subsistence to support him in full vigor for a reasonable time and that this subsistence shall be so carried as to conserve as far as practicable his vital force and strength. It is further desirable that the equipment shall be such that it may be quickly and certainly positioned, have the capacity for carrying reasonable toilet articles, &c., and be easily nested or compactly assembled to reduce bulk to the minimum when no subsistence is carried. It is further desirable that the pockets forming a part of the pack shall be individually small and adjustable with relation to each other to suit diflerent persons or be separable for storage or to adapt the kit for the use of mounted men.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the entire ration-pack is hung preferably by hooks (b from the belt and harness B, the latter being of the usual or any preferred type. The belt shown is that adopted for the United States Army and adapted to carry clips of ammunition for small-caliber guns. The pack embodies a central pocket A and side pockets B B, said pockets being provided with scams or flaps down their inner adjacent edges for the accommodation of adjustable fastening means, such as laces or thongs C. With this construction the pockets naturally form a curve about the back of the body at the hips and may be adjusted to comfortably lit indi viduals of any size or shape. Each pocket is provided along the top of its inner edge with a series of hooks a for engagement with the belt, and the pockets A and B are provided with cover-flaps a. and 7/, adapted to be socured in closed position by buttons or other suitable fasteners I). There are two sets of such fasteners on the pocket A to permit the same to be reduced in size when not filled by its contents for instance, when the subsistence-receptacles are nested one within the other. Pocket B is adapted to receive a combined canteen and tin cup I) D, respectively, the cup being made to telescope onto the bottom of the canteen and being provided with a folding handle cZ. Both the canteen and cup are preferably made kidney shape in horizontal section, the hollow side conforming to the body of the soldier. Pocket B is adapted to contain a double-end sugar and cofiee receptacle B, the compartments being of proper size to hold the exact number of rations of these commodities it is desired to carry-say three rations of each. This pocket may also contain a couple of emergency-rations and, if desired, a razor.

The rear pocket A is adapted to contain three utensils of general rectangular form and two of which will nest in the third when the latter is not filled with subsistence. The utensils referred to are best shown in Fig. A of the accompanping drawings, and by reference to this figure it will be seen that a rectangular mess-pan H is provided, said pan having handles h hinged to one end and adapted to fold around flat against the sides, with their upper bars close to and beneath the flanges 70, forming the edges of the pan. They are adapted to be held in this position by the flanged edges 6 of the cover I when the cover is slipped into position to close the pan. The pan may be utilized in a variety of ways. For instance, it is of proper size to hold three half-rations of hard bread. It forms an efficient cooking utensil, being readily handled by means of the hinged handles, and when the cover is applied it forms a very efficient Dutch oven, in which cooking may be done. The coverI is made of heavy sheetsteel,flanged at the side and back edges, so as to fit snugly and be retained in place by the edge flanges of the pan. In addition the cover is provided with two eyes or loops and t", the former serving as a handle by which the cover may be opened or closed and together forming a socket for a staff or elongated handle K, preferably having a threaded ferrule 70, adapted to screw into the eye or loop 2' thus forming an efiicient spade orintrenching-tool. The handle K may well also form the handle for a pick and hatchet K. The pocket A is also adapted to contain a rectangular receptacle M for three rations of bacon and a satchel N for a knife, fork, spoon, tooth-brush, 620. These two receptacles M and N are of such size as to lit into the mess-pan when no bread is to be carried, thus reducing the bulk of the pocket and permitting the latter to be closed by fastening the cover with the second line of buttons or fasteners. The pocket A is preferably also formed with a subpocket A for the reception of a towel or other soft article which may be folded flat, the location of the subpocket being next the inner side of the main pocket, so that its contents will form a pad next the body to distribute the pressure and enable the weight to be carried more comfortably.

It will be observed that with the pack as described the pack is distributed evenly and its weight is carried at the two proper points of support -i. 0., shoulders and hips. The limbs are left perfectly free, and the receptacles provide for the issue to each man of exact quantities of the ration and their preservation in cleanly and hygienic condition until required for use. Marks, such as at O, are preferably provided on each receptacle to indicate each days quantity of ration, thus serving as a guide to both the commissary and to the soldier. The canteen, it will be noted,nests in the cup and cannot act as aheliograph and is noiseless.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. A ration-pack such as described embodying a rear and two side pockets connected by lacing along their adjacent edges and a harness adapted to extend over the shoulders and from which each of said pockets is suspended; substantially as described. I

2-. A ration-pack of the character specified embodying a central pocket having a subpocket on its inner side and having project ingseams along its inner side edges, side pockets having projecting seams along their inner side edges and means for separably connect ing the seams of adjacent pockets; substantially as described.

8. A ration-pack of the character specified formed of a series of separate pockets having suspension means at their upper edges and projecting seams along their side edges and lacing connecting the seams of adjacent pockets; substantially as described.

A. In a ration-pack, the combination with a waist-belt having a series of ammunition-holders and means for supporting the belt from the shoulders,of pockets for rations and equipment connected together at their proximate edges and suspended from the belt below the ammunition-holders and supported through said belt from the belt-supporting means; sub stantially as described.

5. In a ration-pack, the combination with a waist-belt having a series of separate ammunition-pockets formed thereon and shoulderstraps connected with said belt, of pockets of textile material connected together at their proximate edges, individually connected at their upper edges to the lower edge of the belt and suspended therefrom below the ammunition-pockets; substantially as described.

ALEXANDER M. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

HENRY KIRBY, F. N. KILIAN.

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