US41870A - Improvement in knapsack-hammock - Google Patents

Description

6,942 MMJ M I "-PETERS. PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. ,v

A. WILLIAM stis or NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN KNAPSACK-HAMMOCK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4 L870. dated March 8, 1861; antedated November 25,1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. WILLIAM Siis, of the city, county, and State of New York. have invented a new and Improved Army Knapsack and Hammock Combined; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view representing the apparatus rolled up in form of a knapsack for transportation. Fig. 2 is a top view representing it spread and hung as a hammock.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

The subject of my said invention is an article constructed of india-rubber cloth or analogous waterproof material provided at its corners with suitable cords or straps by which it may be suspended from stakes, trees, or within a building in the form of a hammock, or may be attached to the shoulders when rolled up in the form of a knapsack containing clothing or otherarticles. An interior pouch or pocket is employed to contain small articles, and serves the purposes of a pillow when the article is used as a hammock.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains maybe enabled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a webbing of india-rubber cloth or of cloth or canvas covered with india-rubber or other waterproof material. This webbing may be oblong or of other suitable form, and has cords B B B B securely attached to grommets at its corners, so that it may be suspended in the form of a hammock in the manner represented in Fig. 2. To the corners at one end are also attached straps O O, to pass over the shoulders when the apparatus is carried in the form of a knapsack, as illustrated in Fig. 1. At the same end, on the inside, is apouch or pocket, D, employed to contain clothing or other articles, and serving the purpose of a pillow when the apparatus is used as a hammock.

E E E represent strings passed through eyelets, and employed for tying the edges of the cloth together when it is used as a knapsack.

They may also assist in suspending and staying the hammock.

The webbing may be suspended as a hammock or supported on legs or laid upon the floor or ground. When it is to be used as a knapsack to carry clothing, any articles which the pouch D will not contain may be simply rolled up within the webbing and retained by tying the strings E E.

This apparatus is intended to take the place of theindia-rubber blanket and knapsack now in use, and to furnish the soldier with a bed above ground, either in tent or field, or, when necessary, on the ground, in place of the indiarubber blanket heretofore used. The soldier s overcoat, woolen blanket, 850., are-to be placed inside of the hammock to be protected from rain, and in being thus kept dry must considerably contribute to improve and preserve the soldiers health.

The knapsack-hammock, when divested of its contents, can be used on picket duty or wherever protection against the weather may be desirable.

The use of the hammock, instead of a bedv of straw or other material, must greatly add to the cleanliness of the soldier, and consequently to his comfort and health.

Thehammock-knapsack when snugly folded will, by placing the straps across the chest, throw its weight entirely upon the shoulders, relieving the rest of the body from all strain. Vhen not filled it can be rolled or folded in any shape to assist the soldier in carrying it. comfortably.

It is also claimed that the soldier will be more reluctant to part with the knapsack-hammock, its combinations being all to his conifort, whereas experience has proved that on a fatiguing march or battle-field they divest themselves of everything but their rubber blankets.

Ropes have been adopted in preference to leather straps to facilitate the arranging of the knapsack-hammock for a bed, and the facility of replacing a rope, whenever required, in comparison to the difficulty of repairing or replacing a leather strap. The numerous ropes will enable the soldier to fasten the hammock tightly around his body, and thus protect him from wet and even running waters.

Having thus described my invention, what The above specification of my improved army knapsack and hammock combined signed I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As a new article of manufacture, the army this l3thday of October, 1863.

knapsack-l1ammock hereinbefore described,

consisting of tlie Webbing A, pouch D, shouldenstraps B B, slinging-cords G C O G, and

ties E E, all constructed, combined, and arranged in the manner and for the purposes specified. i a

A. W. sUs.

Vvitnessesi QCTAVIUS KNIGHT, CHARLES DU BoIs.

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