US3347429A

US3347429A - Contour shoulder pack

Info

Publication number: US3347429A
Application number: US592508A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Harold Stuart Ruth
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-11-07
Filing date: 1966-11-07
Publication date: 1967-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-17

Description

Oct. 17, 1967 RUTH, JR 3,347,429

' CONTOUR SHOULDER PACK Filed Nov. 7, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Oct. 17, H. s RUTH JR CONTOUR SHOULDER PACK- 2 Sheets-Sheet 23 Filed Nov. 7, 1965 INVENTOR. 1S. ZPUTHJR United States Patent 3,347,429 CONTOUR SHOULDER PACK Harold Stuart Ruth, Jr., 2784 Jackson St., San Francisco, Calif. 94115 Filed Nov. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 592,508 6 Claims. (Cl. 224-11) My present invention relates to packsa-cks, rucksacks and the like such as are used by hikers and more particularly to a lightweight packsack assembly of rugged takedown construction having individual rigid supporting members that are secured together in a novel manner without rivets or other securing means by flexible straps.

At the present time the practice is to provide a rigid framework as a separate unit of the assembly upon which the packsack is secured. As thus constructed in the past these packsack frames have not been too satisfactory for the reason that it is difficult to secure such a packsack supporting frame to the body of a user without exposing certain parts of the anatomy to excessive pressures when the packsack is in use. Another difficulty with these prior packsacks is that the frame is generally complex in structure and expensive to manufacture. Since these frames are generally constructed of metal or wooden units which are permanently secured together, the takedown aspect thereof except for the removal of the packsack therefrom is not practicable. It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a packsack with features forming a packsack supporting structure which may be easily assembled and disassembled in the field without special tools and which when applied to the back of a wearer will avoid any hard surface contact with the body, but at the same time secure the packsack in close fitting relation with the body of the user, with the result that there will be no appreciable relative movements of the packsack either laterally or vertically with respect to the wearer when properly positioned and finally cinched in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packsack of novel construction with adjustable shoulder straps which after positioning and securing the packsack at the hips of a wearer can be finally drawn into close fitting relation at the shoulders of the wearer in a novel and practical manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packsack assembly having rigid packsack extending stays with strap accommodating slots and shoulder strap accommodating means, all of which are secured in cooperating relation without rivets or other securing means simply by a lacing of packsack carrying straps through the slots of said stays in a novel manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rigid packsack supporting frame having two spaced vertically extending packsack stays with a transverse spacing stay at the lower ends thereof, all of which are secured together by the lacing of two packsack carrying straps through the complementary and spaced parallel slots formed at the ends of said spaced vertically extending stays and said transverse spacing stay.

Other objects and advantages wiil be in part evident to those skilled in the art, and in part pointed out whereinafter in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings "wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferred embodiment of the invention. a

In the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views- FIGURE 1 illustrates an initial step in the application of my packsack to the back of a wearer,

FIGURE 2. illustrates a final step in application of the packsack to the back of the wearer,

FIGURES 3 and '4 are perspective views showing the major frame forming stays of the packsack,

3,347,429 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the stays of FIGURES 3 and 4 are assembled,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the [back of the packsack, with the sack shown for clarity by dot and dash lines,

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing in detail the manner in which the packsack is secured at its top to the vertical stays of FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 8 is a similar view showing the vertical and horizontal stays as assembled at the bottom of the packsack.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings where in FIGURES l and 2 my improved packsack, designated by the numeral 10, is of substantially rectangular form. As here illustrated the packsack 10 has an outer closure flap 11 that is defined by a continuous zipper type fastening 12 which extends over the top and down both sides of the sack 10 so that when opened the packsack proper can be loaded in much the same manner as would be a suitcase or the like. This provides a very important feature as the various articles after being packed will be readily available, whereas if the packsack should be loaded from the top as is presently the practice the removal of any particular item located at the bottom of the sack 10 would require at least a partial unloading of the sack for this purpose. The packsack 10 is shown as having side pockets 13 which may take any particular shape or size depending upon the use to which the packsack is to be put. For example, in mountaineering the packsack may have loops for a pick and/or other devices common in various mountaineering equipment. The supporting harness for the packsack 10 is here shown with one of two spaced vertically extending sack supporting stays 14, each of which are secured to the packsack 10 by a continuous strap 15 that is sewed to the sack with extending ends that are threaded through

slots

16 and 17, shown in FIGURE 3, as respectively located at the upper and lower ends thereof with the extending ends secured to the top and bottom of the packsack by fastening buckles 18. It should be also noted in these figures of the drawings that the stays 14 are curved to conform with the curvature of the body of a wearer when the packsack is finally secured upon the back of a hiker. At the lower ends of the spaced vertically extending stays 14 there is a horizontally extending spacing stay 19 which, as shown in FIGURE 4, has a plurality of strap accommodating slots 20 that will be complementary to the slots 17 at the lower ends of the stays 14 through which the sack securing straps 15 are threaded. At its ends this spacing strap 19 also has right angled portions 21 with vertically extending slots 22 through which the reduced ends of a saddle forming member are threaded, as will hereinafter appear.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the horizontally extending spacing stay 19 is shown as secured to the spaced vertically extending stays 14 solely by a threading of the packsack securing straps 15 when the packsack is finally assembled thereupon. At this point, it will also be noted that the threading of the packsack securing straps 15 through the

slots

17 and 20 of the vertically spaced stays 14 and horizontal spacing stay 19 is also employed as a means for securing two D-rings 23 to which the crossed ends of two shoulder straps are secured, as will hereinafter appear.

In FIGURE 6 of the drawings there is shown a coinplete assembly of my packsack supporting assembly with the packsack 10 shown by dot and dash lines. In this showing and supplemental to what has been previously described, the D-rings 23 secured at the lower ends of the spaced vertically extending stays 14 by the packsack securing straps 15, serve as fixed terminal points for two

crossed shoulder straps

24 and 25 that are adapted and arranged to extend over the right and left shoulders of a hiker. At their other ends the shoulder encircling portions of the

straps

24 and 25 pass freely and respectively through loops 26 and 27 carried by snap fasteners 28 and form terminal points for the shoulder straps. After passing freely through the loops 26 and 27 of the snap fasteners 28, these

shoulder straps

24 and 25 extend upwardly respectively as portions of 29 and 30 which are looped at their upper ends through two

cinching Drings

30 and 31 to form what may properly be called rip-cords 32 which, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, will operate to cinch and secure the packsack firmly against the back of a user. As in the case of the D-rings 23, the cinching D-

rings

30 and 31 at the upper ends of the spaced vertical stays 14 are also held by the threading of the packsack securing straps through the slots 16 at the upper ends of the spaced stays 14.

With particular reference to FIGURE 6, it will be noted that the right angle extensions 21 at the ends of the horizontal spacing stay 19 with their spaced vertically extending slots 22 provide a means for securing a flexible non-metallic saddle forming member 33 in cooperating relation with the stays 14. The member 33 may be formed of webbing or other material similar to that employed for the bag securing and

shoulder encircling straps

15, 24 and 25. This saddle forming member 33 as here shown is of a width substantially corresponding to that of the horizontal spacing stay 19 and at its ends there are extending

portions

34 and 35 of reduced width so that they may be threaded through the spaced slots 22. In this manner the body engaging portion of the saddle 33 may be provided with suflicient slackness to afford a comfortable fit with the body of the wearer. Included in this lacing as in the case of the D-

rings

23, 30 and 31, these

extensions

34 and 35 of the saddle member 33 are also employed in the manner to secure rings 36 by which the snap fasteners 28 of the shoulder straps 24 and are secured when the packsack is in use. As is also shown the reduced ends 34 of 35 are provided of sufficient length so that with a buckle 37 these portions will form a waist encircling belt for securing the lower end of the pack frame to the back of the wearer. In FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawings there is shown, in substantially full size dimensions, the lacings of the pack securing strap 15 at the upper and lower ends of the vertically extending pack supporting stays 14. These straps 15, as noted above, are sewed throughout a major portion of their length by a stitching 38 and they are preferably of a belt-type woven webbing.

Referring back to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the mounting of the pack on the back of a wearer is a comparatively simple operation. With the

shoulder straps

24 and 25 in a slack condition, the user will first position the horizontal stay 19 with the saddle forming member 33 at a point just above the hips of the body and after placing his arms through the shoulder straps while in a rather slack condition as shown in FIG- URE 1, he can as a final operation draw the packsack into a form fitting contour by pulling on the rip cord portion 29. This will operate to not only tighten the

shoulder straps

24 and 25 over the shoulders but will also draw the top of the packsack 10 into substantial conformity with the back of a wearer. With the packsack 10 thus secured there will be no hard or solid body engaging frame portions such as make the compacts of the prior art so uncomfortable to wear. In other words, the packsack 10 proper will be held firmly against the body of the wearer with substantially no relative movement resulting from the normal movements of the body in walking. As indicated in these figures of the drawings the shoulder straps '24 and 25 may if desired to provided with slidable shoulder pads 39.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose my invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific forms and arrangements, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific forms disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a packsack for campers, hikers and the like, the combination of a packsack for containing articles to be carried, two packsack securing straps sewed in spaced parallel relation to the back of said packsack with free ends extending, a vertically extending rigid stay overlaying each of said straps having a plurality of transverse slots at their ends through which the free ends of said straps are laced to secure said stays to the packsack, said packsack securing straps after lacing through the transversely extending lots at the upper and lower ends of said stays being secured by buckles to the top and bottom of said packsack, a D-ring secured at the lower ends of each of said vertically extending rigid stays by said strap lacing, a shoulder strap extending upwardly from each of said D-rings and crossed to pass over an opposite shoulder of a user, snap hooks each having a strap accommodating loop through which said shoulder straps may pass from the D-rings at the lower ends of said vertically extending rigid stays, a pair of strap-cinching D-rings secured at the upper ends of said stays by said strap lacing, and characterized by the fact that said shoulder straps after passing over the shoulders of a user are doubled back through the loops of said snap hooks to said strap-cinching D-rings, whereby said pack may be drawn into firm contact with the back of a user while held extended by said vertically extending stays.

2. In a packsack for campers, hikers and the like, the combination of a packsack for containing articles to be carried, two packsack securing straps sewed in spaced parallel relation to the back of said packsack with free ends extending, a vertically extending rigid stay overlaying each of said straps having a plurality of transverse slots at their ends through which the free ends of said straps are laced to secure said stays to the packsack, a horizontally extending spacing stay at the lower ends of said vertical stays having matching slots through which the extending ends of said spaced vertically extending straps are also threaded, said packsack securing straps after lacing through the transversely extending slots at the upper and lower ends of said stays being secured by buckles to the top and bottom of said packsack, a D-ring secured at the lower ends of each of said vertically extending rigid stays by said strap lacing, a shoulder strap extending upwardly from each of said D-rings and crossed to pass over an opposite shoulder of a user, snap hooks each having a strap accommodating loop through which said shoulder straps may pass from the D-rings at the lower ends of said vertically extending rigid stays, a pair of strap-cinching D-rings secured at the upper ends of said stays by said strap lacing, and characterized by the fact that said shoulder straps after passing over the shoulders of a user are doubled back through the loops of said snap hooks to said strap-cinching D-rings, whereby said pack may be drawn into firm contact with the back of a user while held extended by said verticaly extending stays.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the fact that the horizontally extending spacing stay when secured at the lower ends of said vertical stays has outwardly extending right angled portions with spaced vertically extending slots, and a saddle forming member of flexible material having strap like ends secured over said extending right-angled portions by a threading of the strap like ends thereof through the spaced vertically extending slots of said right-angled portions.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3, characterized by the fact that said horizontally extending spacing stay has right angled extensions with strap accommodating slots, and a flexible saddle forming band extending between said right angled extensions with the ends thereof laced through said slots, and characterized further by the fact that the lacing at the ends of said saddle forming band also secures D-rings to which snap hooks at the front ends of said shoulder straps are attached when the packsack is in use.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the fact that said vertically extending stays and said horizontally extending spacing stay and the packsack are all secured together solely by a lacing of the packsack securing straps through the spaced and matching slots of said stays.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 1, characterizec by the fact that the outer wall of said sack is defined by a zipper extending around three sides thereof, whereby the packsack may be completely opened throughout one side for packing.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 908,270 8/1945 (France. 979,142 12/ 1950 France.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. R. J. SPAR, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

2. IN A PACKSACK FOR CAMPERS, HIKERS AND THE LIKE, THE COMBINATION OF A PACKSACK FOR CONTAINING ARTICLES TO BE CARRIED, TWO PACKSACK SECURING STRAPS SEWED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO THE BACK OF SAID PACKSACK WITH FREE ENDS EXTENDING, A VERTICALLY EXTENDING RIGID STAY OVERLAYING EACH OF SAID STRAPS HAVING A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE SLOTS AT THEIR ENDS THROUGH WHICH THE FREE ENDS OF SAID STRAPS ARE LACED TO SECURE SAID STAYS TO THE PACKSACK, A HORIZONTALLT EXTENDING SPACING STAY FAT THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID VERTICAL STAYS HAVING MATCHING SLOTS THROUGH WHICH THE EXTENDING ENDS OF SAID SPACED VERTICALLY EXTENDING STRAPS ARE ALSO THREADED, SAID PACKSACK SECURING STRAPS AFTER LACING THROUGH THE TRANSVERSING EXTENDING SLOTS AT THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF SAID STAYS BEING SECURED BY BUCKLES TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF SAID PACKSACK, A D-RING SECURED AT THE LOWER ENDS OF EACH OF SAID VERTICALLY EXTENDING RIGID STAYS BY SAID STRAP LACING, A SHOULDER STRAP EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM EACH OF SAID D-RINGS AND CROSSED TO PASS OVER AND OPPOSITE SHOULDER OF A USER, SNAP HOOKS EACH HAVING A STRAP ACCOMMODATING LOOP THROUGH WHICH SAID SHOULDER STRAP MAY PASS FROM THE D-RINGS AT THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID VERTICALLY EXTENDING RIGID STAYS, A PAIR OF STRAP-CINCHING D-RINGS SECURED AT THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID STAYS BY SAID STRAP LACING, AND CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT SAID SHOULDER STRAPS AFTER PASSING OVER THE SHOULDERS OF A USER ARE DOUBLED BACK THROUGH THE LOOPS OF SAID SNAP HOOKS TO SAID STRAP-CINCHING D-RINGS, WHEREBY SAID PACK MAY BE DRAWN INTO FIRM CONTACT WITH THE BACK OF A USER WHILE HELD EXTENDED BY SAID VERTICALLY EXTENDING STAYS.