Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to an outer garment, such as a jacket or
coat, the garment having a pair of shoulder straps permanently affixed to
the outside of the garment and extending from the front to the rear. The
arrangement of parts and details of construction provide a decorative as
well as functional garment.
Outer garments with shoulder straps for supporting accessories or
attachments are known. Silin, in U.S. patent No. 2,970,316, shows a
removable school bag supportable at the back of a jacket by shoulder
straps attached to the jacket. Sherman, in U.S. patent No. 939,871?
discloses a coat supporting a pocket attachment by means of straps passing
over the shoulders of the coat and securing the attachment wrapped around
the wearer, the attachments passing over the shoulders of the garment and
securing the attachment at both the front and rear. Kirschenbaum, in
U.S. patent ~o. 2,304,574, shows a knapsack jacket with the knapsack built
into the back of the jacket.
All these garments fail to provide a garment for conveniently
attaching and removing a knapsack by means of a permanently attached
shoulder strap. Furthermore, many of the garments shown in the prior art
lack decorative appeal, or they fail to allow for comfortable support of a
detachable knapsack. In addition, none of the prior art references cited
above provides for a knapsack attachable and detachable either on the
back, front, or both the back and front of a garment, thereby obviating
the convenience obtainable from such an arrangement.
The present invention is constructed to fill the need for an outer
garment to be used in combination with a knapsack conveniently attachable
and removable from either the front or back of the garment. The invention
provides decorative, as well as functional, permanently attached shoulder
straps, and separate knapsacks that can be attached at both the front and back,
or a single knapsack attached at either the front or back.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide
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an outer garment having attaching means for supporting
a removably attachable knapsack at either the front or the
rear of the garment.
Another object of the invention is to provide an
outer garment with permanently affixed shoulder supporting
straps as attaching means for supporting a removably
attachable knapsack at either the front or the rear of the
garment.
Still another object of the invention is to provide
an outer garment with attaching means for supporting two
removably attachable knapsacks at both the front-and back
of the garmentO
Yet another object of the invention is.to provide
securing means for conveniently attaching the knapsacks to
the supporting straps.
Therefore, in accordance with the present
invention there is provided an outer garment having attaching
means affixed to the outside thereof for removabl~ securing
an attachable knapsack at an outside location on the garment
selectable from the front of the garment and the rear of
the garment. The garment has front closure means and
shouldersG The attaching means comprises a pair of
shoulder straps extending over the respective shoulders of
the garment from the front to the rear thereof. The
straps are sewn to the outside of the garment substantially
along the entire length of the straps, each of the straps
contai.ning a free end. The free end comprises a cloth loop
passing through a ring, which is capable of removably
securing the attachable knapsack. The cloth loop is affixed
to the strap by stitching the length of the straps
containing the respective free ends extending from the top
of the shoulder area of the garment to an area just below
the top of the chest at the front of the wearer and.to the
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shoulder blade area at the back. The placement of the free
ends at the front of the garment allows a knapsack to be
positioned above the waist and supported against the chest
of the wearer and the placement of the free ends at the
rear of the garment allows a knapsack to be positioned
above the waist and supported on the back of the wearer.
The attachment means produces both a decorative and a
functional effect~
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the outer
garment of the present invention in use when worn by a
wearer, with an attached knapsack at the front.
Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the garment
of the present invention in use when worn by a wearer, with
an attached knapsack at the rear of the garmentO
Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the garment
of the present invention without an attached knapsack.
Figure 4 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional
view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section
line 4--4 of Fig. 3, showing details of construction of the
permanently affixed shoulder strap.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, top sectional
view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section
line 5--5 of FigO 3, showing details of the manner of
attachment of the shoulder strap to the garment of the
present invention.
In Figs~ 1 and 2, wearer 10 is shown wearing
garment 12 with right shoulder strap 14 and left shoulder
strap 16 permanently attached to garment 12. Shoulder strap
14 has free end 18 at the front, and free end 20 at the rear.
Shoulder strap 16 has free end 22 at the front and free
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end 24 at the rear. Cloth loops 26, 28, 30 and 32 are respectively
affixed permanently to free ends 18, 20, 22 and 24 of shoulder straps 14
and 16. Each of the four cloth loops as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is stitched
or sewn at stitching 17 both to shoulder straps 14 and 16, and to garment
12. Shoulder straps 14 and 16 are stitched or sewn at stitching 19 along
substantially their entire length to garment 12. Each of the cloth loops
30, 32, 26 and 28 is looped around the straight portion of D-shaped rings
34, 36, 38 and 40, respectively. Each of the cloth loops and its associated
D-shaped ring comprises a free end; for example, free end 18 of right
shoulder strap 14 comprises cloth loop 26 and its associated D-shaped ring
38. Each free end of a shoulder strap represents a point of attachment
for a removably attachable knapsack. Fig. 1 shows an attached front
knapsack 42, and Fig. 2 shows shows an attached rear knapsack 44. As
shown in Figs. 1 and 2, straps 14 and 16 containing the respective free
ends extend from the top of the shoulder area to an area just below the
top of the chest at the front of the wearer and to the shoulder blade area
at the back of the wearer. The free ends at the front and back are in
substantial registration as shown in Fig. 4. The placement of free ends
13 and 22, and 20 and 24 allows knapsacks 42 and 44 to be positioned above
the waist when attached, whereby knapsack 42 rests upon the chest of the
wearer and knapsack 44 can be supported on the back of the wearer. In
use, garment 12 is adapted to comfortably support knapsack 42 at the
front, knapsack 44 at the rear, or both knapsacks 42 and 44. Although
forming no part of the present invention, garment 12 as illustrated in
Figs. 1 and 2 includes hood 47 with draw strings 49 for tightening hood
47 about the head of the wearer during inclement weather.
As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, hook-shaped snap fasteners are
attached to the knapsacks carried upon outer garment 12, for attachment to
the free ends 18, 20, 22 and 24 of shoulder straps 14 and 1~. Although
such an arrangement is preferred, it is also contemplated within the scope
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of the present invention to provide other forms of easily removable
fastening mechanisms, and it is further contemplated to provide the free
ends with the fastening mechanism. Such an arrangement with the fastening
mechanism on the jacket is less pre~erred because when garment 12 is worn
without a knapsack at either the front, the rear, or both locations, such
unused fasteners would represent unutilized equipment free to generate
distracting noises and free to snag on vegetation if, for example, garment
12 is used by a hunter. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, hook-
shaped fasteners 46 and 48 are attached to front knapsack 42 through
10 respective D-shaped rings 50 and 52, which are attached to knapsack 42
through cloth loops 54 and 56, stitched or sewn to knapsack 42.
Alternatively, knapsack 42 could be reversed, with fastener 46 attached to
free end 22 of shoulder strap 16, and fastener 48 attached to free end 18
of shoulder strap 14. ~ear knapsack 44 is attached by means similar to
that of front knapsack 42, with snap fasteners 58 and 60 respectively
attached to free ends 24 and 20 of shoulder straps 16 and 14. Snaps 58
and 60 are attached to D-shaped rings 62 an 64, which are attached through
cloth loops 66 and 68 to knapsack 44. Alternatively, knapsack 44 could be
reversed, with snap 58 attached to free end 20, and snap 60 attached to
free end 24~
Although forming no part of the present invention, knapsacks
42 and 44 are provided with pouches, respectively numbered 70 and 72, with
tabs respectively numbered 74 and 76 adapted to close pouches 72 and 74
through fasteners respectively numbered 78 and 80. Access to the interior
of knapsacks 42 and 44 is obtained through closure means, such as a
zipper, respectively nulnbered 82 and 84. Also forming no part of the
present invention but illustrated for convenience is garment closure means
86, which can be a zipper-type fas~ener. It is to be understood that
garment 12 can take many forms of conventional construction and design,
including jackets and coats made from light, medium and heavy weight
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materials, lined or unlined garments, waist length or longer garments,
coats, jackets, sweaters, shirts, and other forms of outer garment.
Garment 12 can contain pockets 90 and 92, or pockets can be absent.
Alternative closure means, such as buttons, snaps, hooks, or other suitable
closure means can be used instead of closure means 86, illustrated as a
zipper-type closure. Garment 12 can be constructed of any conventional
material or blend of materials, and can be waterproofed or made water
resistant for outdoor use.
Many alternative removably attachable fastening means between
free ends of shoulder straps 14 and 16 can be substituted for the arrange-
ment shown in Figs. 1 to 5. For example, connection can be made by
tying with cord, by pressure-engaging metal snap fasteners, by roughened
synthetic fiber surfaces constructed to removably adhere upon application
of pressure, by a buttoning arrangement through a cloth slit, and by many
alternatives and equivalents. The arrangement illustrated in the drawings
is, however, the preferred mode of attachment.
The shoulder straps 14 and 16 of the present invention can be
made of material of a different color from that of the outside surface of
garment 12. Although a stitching pattern in the shape of a square and
cross are shown at the ends of straps 14 and 16, other decorative stitching
patterns can be used. Straps 14 and 16 can be printed with identifying
trademarks, decorative patterns, personalized embellishments, and the
like. For military use, straps 14 and 16 can be provided to receive
insignia of rank. Garment 12 is most conveniently constructed by sewing
along seam 94 passing from the neck toward the arm, and seam 96 beneath
the arm portion of the Jacket. Reinforcement 98 along the shoulder is
also provided.
When loads of light weight or medium weight are carried, garment 12
is most easily utilized with a single knapsack 42 or 44 attached at either
the front or rear, and will be attached at the front for convenience of
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access, or at the rear for convenience in opening of jacket 12 at closure
86, depending upon the pre~erence of the user. For heavier weight loads,
use of both knapsacks 42 and 44 provides for balance in carrying such
heavier weights. If use is contemplated with variable weight loads, it is
possible to fold one of the two knapsacks for storage and transporting in
the other, so as to wear only one knapsack when transporting a light weight
load, but to then attach both knapsacks for use in carrying heavier
weights. This capability of adapting the garment of the present invention
to varying requirements provides both comfort to the user, as well as
safety -From physical injury possible from carrying an unbalanced load,
particularly for long periods of time, such as commonly i5 encountered
during use by hunters, hikers, fishermen, and the like.
