Back pack

Nov. 23, 1965

R. G. MACK

BACK PACK

3,219,243

Filed Jan. 29, 1964

Sheets-Sheet 1

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RICHARD G. MACK

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ATTORNEY

R. G. MACK

BACK PACK

Nov. 23, 1965

Filed Jan. 29, 1964

3,219,243

Sheets-Sheet 2

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ATTORNEY

3,219,243

Patented Nov. 23, 1965

United States Patent Office

3,219,243

BACK PACK

Richard G. Mack, Dolores St. and Franciscan Way, Carmel, Calif.

Filed Jan. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 340,999

Claims. (Cl. 224—5)

The invention relates to pack frames and particularly to contour pack frames suitable for use by experienced and inexperienced wearers. It relates to a back pack which provides both comfort and security to any user because it is immediately adjustable and convertible to custom fit the figure and individual body structure of the user, as well as the specific requirements of the material to be carried.

There is such a wide variety of individuals as to physical form and structure that heretofore it was impossible to provide a back pack frame which had sufficient adjustments to fit any great number of users. Comfort is of such high priority that a back pack was selected by a user solely on the basis of comfort rather than its effectiveness and efficiency as a pack frame.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an efficient and effective contour pack frame which is quickly and easily adjusted to the comfort and needs of any user.

So many things are carried by back pack, such as motors, outboard motors, boxes, duffle, oil and gasoline cans, radio, telephone and radar equipment, firefighting equipment, to name but a few of the specific uses, in addition to the general uses with which everyone is familiar, that some provision must be made to accommodate the various loads. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pack frame with carrying platforms at one or more levels to adapt the frame to all varieties of pack loads from ten-pound day packs to twohundred-pound hunting trophies and even emergency man-carrying.

Another object is to provide a pack frame to place the weight where the user wants it, i.e., on the shoulders, on the hips and legs, on the back, or evenly distributed over these areas.

Another object is to provide a frame which has a main frame of an unbroken tubing system for carrying fuel or other liquid ration and even gas under pressure.

Still another object is to provide for the location of one or more pack platforms which may be placed in various positions along the unbroken tubular frame.

Another object is to provide a dorsal bow or rib resiliently holding the duffle from striking the back of the wearer, which also reduces the pack wear, and further controls and holds the cross bars in the adjusted positions.

Still another object is to provide hip and back supports of separated strip webbing which allows cool air circulation and gives wide support without the wide webbing.

Another object is to provide a solid frame to support any load without projecting “horns” or ends to hang up and catch on brush, snag on overhanging rocks and cornices, and still provide more tying and lashing points for securing the load.

A further object is to provide a fitting which makes all of these adjustments and lashing points possible.

A further object is to provide a fitting which when connected to the opposite fitting on the other side of the pack frame by means of a cross piece, will bind itself on the pack frame when upward or downward pressure is applied to the cross piece and which will also fix itself on the body of the pack frame when tension is applied to the webbing.

A further object is to provide a fitting which makes quick universal adjustment possible on the frame without boring holes in the continuous contour pack frame.

Another object is to provide a fitting which will bind itself onto the pack frame.

Another object is to provide a fitting which when rotated to receive the carrying platforms, will not, because of its angular direction, place its lashing stud in a position which will interfere with the wearer’s comfort.

Another object is to provide a fitting which makes custom use of the pack frame possible by a simple movement on the tubular pack frame.

Still another object is to provide tension strings for quickly adjusting the tension on the webbing which contacts the person of the user, which strings are laced over the dorsal rib or bow to provide, in addition, a better support for the duffle.

Still another object is to provide a contour pack frame with a platform which provides outer securing studs for the harness to obtain second degree leverage to help in the carrying of the load.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, economy and ease of assembly and disassembly, and also such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will fully appear and as are inherently possessed by the device and the invention described herein.

The invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the same are illustrative of the invention and that the invention is capable of modification and change, and comprehends other details of construction without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the pack frame of the present invention with the platforms indicated at one side at three different levels, but separated from the frame;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the fitting providing both an adjustable coupling structure for the frame and a solid lashing stud;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the fitting shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the stud shown in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the pack frame of FIGURE 1 with the platform located adjacent the bottom of the pack frame in lieu of the lower horizontal brace.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar parts in the several views, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a contour pack frame which is immediately and simply converted to a custom fit for each user with particular reference to the body structure of the individual and his packing needs at the time. It consists fundamentally of a U-shaped frame 10 of tubular material with the legs at the open end downward. Each of the legs of the U-shaped frame 10 is capped with a removable plug 11. The closed end 12 of the U-shaped frame 10 is bowed horizontally away from the wearer with the top portions 14 adjacent the bowed end 12 bent inwardly parallel. The legs adjacent the caps 11, the portions 15, are preferably bent outwardly parallel away from the wearer.

All of the bracing members except the dorsal rib or bow 16 are positioned and spaced laterally or horizontally along the two legs of the U-shaped frame 10 by means of special fittings 20 which are shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. The upper cross brace 17 is ordinarily straight and is a transverse piece of tubing of uniform size with the frame 10. One fitting 20 is slipped over the tubing

3,219,243 of one leg and a similar fitting 20 is placed on the other leg and both are adjusted vertically to exactly the altitude or vertical position required by the wearer, which normally would be along about the top of the shoulders and just below the back of the neck. The straight trans- 5 verse brace 17 is positioned by the fitting 20 to be inward of the U-shaped frame 10, toward the wearer.

They are normally two other cross braces 18 which are bowed outwardly from the wearer for reasons which will become apparent during this description. In this instance, the fittings 20 are slipped over the legs and adjusted to the proper vertical height so that the bow is outward of the wearer and the stud 25 is on a plane outward of the plane of the two legs of the frame and outward of the wearer. In other words, in the position 15 shown in FIGURE 1 the bowed tubing 18 is fitted over the stud ends 25 and snapped into position. The upper bowed cross brace 18 is a spacer between the two bands of webbing 19 so that the webbing 19 fits against the small of the back of the wearer with resilient cushioning. 20 It is apparent that the precise positioning is accomplished by the positioning of the upper cross brace 18 along the U-shaped frame 10. The outer ends 30 of the webbing 19 are brought around the outside of the frame tubing 10 and are laced together with the lacing 31 which is brought 25 up and over the dorsal rib or bow 16. The dorsal rib or bow 16 is secured to the outer surface of the upper bow brace 18 by a screw 32. Additional holes 33 are provided for the various adjustments in this area.

In the same manner the upper straight cross brace 17 30 is secured to the dorsal rib or bow 16 by screw 36 and additional holes for the vertical adjustments in this area are numbered 35.

It is apparent that the lacing 31 can be pulled up as hard and tight or as loose as desired by the wearer to 35 provide the amount of resiliency and comfort required by the wearer for the contact of the webbing 19 against the back of the user. It is important to note that the spacing provided by the fittings 20 and the bowed cross brace 18 leaves an air vent between the two pieces of webbing 40 19. The importance of this air vent can hardly be stressed too much because of the comfort and ventilation provided to the wearer. The lower bow brace 18 is adjusted in vertical position by the same means with the fittings 20 positioned as shown in FIGURE 1 and 45 secured to the dorsal rib or bow by screw 36. Screw holes 37 are provided for vertical adjustments in this area. The lower pair of webs 19 are placed about at the top of the buttocks and are tensioned by the lacings 31 in the same manner as described above. Here again 50 the spacing provided by the bow brace 18 and the fittings 20 gives a ventilating area which is most important to the wearer.

The wide portion of the shoulder straps 40 loop around the straight cross brace 17 and are secured loosely there- 55 on, one at either side of the dorsal rib or bow 16. Thus, the loops provide free transverse sliding of the straps between the fittings 20 and the center of the brace defined by the dorsal rib or bow 16 which provides a stop. It may be advisable to further restrain the sliding of the 60 loops 41 of the upper shoulder straps 40 and the width apart may be controlled by adjustment of the string 42 or they may be restrained by restraining buttons (not shown) removably placed in holes along the top of the transverse brace 17. In other words, any conventional 65 means for suitably controlling the sliding of the loops 41 along the horizontal brace 17 is intended to be included.

At the free end of the wide shoulder straps 4ft are joined the narrower straps 43 which terminate in safety 70 clasps 44 for engaging the lashing stud 21 on the fitting 20 which hold the lower cross brace 18 in position. The smaller strap 43 is adjustable as to length, by the conventional slip grip 45 to make the shoulder straps comfortable and fit the wearer in the proper position. 75

The dorsal rib or bow 16 is secured to the top of the frame by a loop which passes around the center portion of the closed end 12 and fastened without piercing the tubing of the frame or obstructing the free passage within the tubing. It is apparent that the dorsal rib or bow 16 not only performs the function of holding the transverse bracing bars 17 and 18 in the adjusted position vertically and is in turn held in position by the lacings 31, but that the dorsal rib or bow 16 keeps the duffle away from the back of the wearer and properly positioned on the rack. Also, it will be observed that the fitting 20 provides at least six lacing studs 21 along the vertical frame. The resilience of the dorsal rib or bow 16 greatly reduces the wear of a pack bag secured thereto.

The versatility of the adjustments of the contour pack frame described above is made possible through the use of the universal fitting 20 shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. The fitting 20 primarily is a barrel 22 with an offset or angular and tapered through bore 23 which grips the tubular frame when off angular stress is applied. The bore 23 is just large enough to slide on the tubular frame 10 when correct angular pressure is applied. Radially extending from the barrel is the collar button-like lashing stud 21. It will be observed that the center line represented by the broken line a-b in FIGURE 2, passes through as a diameter of the bore 23 and is perpendicular to the longitudinal through axis of the barrel 22. The barrel 22 has a radial offset boss 26 having a face 24 which is tangential to the outer surface of the barrel. Extending from the face 24 is the stud 25 which is of a diameter which fits with a friction fit within the tubing of the cross braces 17 and 18 and in general, the internal diameter of the tubing for the parts, which will be described later. While the stud 25 and the collar buttonlike lashing stud 21 lie in the same plane e-f (see FIGURE 3), transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bore 23, it is axially offset with respect to the radius of the bore 23 and angularly disposed with relation to the radial placement of the collar button-like lashing stud 21. As shown in FIGURE 2, the lonigtudinal axis of the stud 25 is represented by the line c-d. It will be observed that this line is substantially tangent to the bore 23 but angularly out of phase and not parallel to the line a-b. This angularity gives additional holding strength for the fitting, and in the event any line or clip is secured around any lashing stud 21, there will be an angular pull which will tend to hold the fitting in place and to exert a lateral pressure on the tubing fitted over the stud to make the fit more secure.

The angularity and tapering of the through bore 23, which need be only slight, provides a fitting which when properly moved along the frame into position, will hold its adjusted position and will bind itself to the frame when either upward or downward pressures are applied to the cross-piece which it connects. The same kind of pressure to cause the fitting to bind itself into position occurs when tension is applied to the webbing 19.

There are other adjustments which can be made readily on this contour pack frame, for example, the addition of one or more platforms generally designated 50. The platforms 50 are shallow U-shaped tubings 51 with the closed end 52 outward. The leg ends 53 are open. Spaced from the leg ends 53 are fittings 20 with the lashing studs 21 outwardly and the stud 25 secured within a transverse tube 54 which is located above the plane of the platform 50. Platforms 50 may be installed at any place on the frame where there is a cross member which can be removed or where there are additional fittings 20 located anywhere along the vertical height of the tubing 10. Normally the platform 50 takes the place of a transverse brace either 17 or 18. Accordingly, the following description, although made with respect to the lower brace 18, is the same for any other brace or pair of fittings along the frame 10. The lacings 31 on the lower webbing 19 are

3,219,243 released and the screw attachment 36 is removed from the lower bow brace 18. It is now possible to spread the legs 10 apart a sufficient distance to release the stud 25 of the fitting 20 at one side from the contact on the interior of tube 18. This having been done, the lower bow brace 18 is removed entirely. The lower pair of fittings 20 are then rotated approximately 85° outwardly from the wearer so that the studs project parallel to each other at either side. The platform 50 is then fitted on to the studs 25 by placing the open ends 53 over them and then pushed into secure position. The dorsal bow or rib 16 is in the space between the closed end 52 and the cross brace 54 of the platform and is secured by the screw 36 to the center portion of the transverse brace 54. Tension is then cinched on the cords 31 which not only tighten up the webbing 19, but hold the dorsal rib or bow 16 in position, thus all of the parts are held securely. When the lower bow rib 18 is in use, the safety clips of the adjustable straps 43 are secured to the lashing studs 25 at either end on the fittings 20. However, when the platform is positioned in place of the lower bow rib 18, then the studs 21 on the fittings 20 of the platform 50 become the attaching point for the safety clips of the harness attaching providing second-class leverage for the load carrying, thus relieving much of the strain and weight required to carry substantial loads with the pack frame.

It is apparent that additional platforms 50 may be placed either in lieu of transverse brace 17 and lower bow brace 18 and also at any place where additional pairs of fittings 20 may be supplied along the tubing of frame 10.

As has been stated earlier, the interior of the tubing 10 which forms the U-shaped frame, is continuous and unbroken. Its length is such that it can carry a liquid, whether it be water or fuel or any other liquid or even a gas under pressure, and it is held therein by the caps 11. Suitable conventional screw caps 11 can be provided so that either one or both can be dispensing caps as well. The webbing 19 per se, although not forming a part of the invention herein, is preferably nylon treated webbing of military specification, tested to 4,000 pounds and similar to that used in seat belts. Nylon webbing is lightweight and durable.

It will be seen from the foregoing that all of the advantages claimed for this invention are attained, in addition to many more which the expert pack carrier will readily understand and experience.