Pack frame with rigid link suspension

Claim 1

An improved pack frame assembly for movable suspension of a pack load carried on the back of a walking person, said assembly comprising: a pack frame comprising: substantially vertical right and left side bars disposed behind the shoulders of said person and extending vertically from the region of the shoulders downwards to the hip region of said person; a plurality of transverse members between said side bars, including a lowermost hip-level member, and a shoulder-level member; and side bar ends projecting downwardly and rearwardly from said hip-level member; an upper suspension comprising a pair of shoulder straps for suspending said pack frame from the shoulders of said person, each of said straps extending from said shoulder-level member to the lower outside of one of said side bar ends; a lower suspension comprising: a waist belt encircling the waist of said person; a pair of rigid links, one near each side of said person, for suspending the lower end of said pack frame from said waist belt, each of said links being provided with an upper pivot attachment pivotally attaching the upper end of said link to said waist belt at one side of said person; and a lower pivot attachment for pivotally attaching the lower end of said link to the lower inside surface of the adjacent one of said side bar ends at an elevation below said waist belt, to permit restricted swinging of said pack with respect to said person, during walking.