Pack frame suspension means

Claim 2

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps, said brace members being of substantially fixed dimensions between said couplings to said frame and said free ends; means connecting said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps; and a sway adjustment ring, secured to said frame, said second ends of said shoulder straps being joined together through said ring thereby permitting adjustment of the relative lengths of the shoulder straps during certain body movements.

Claim 3

The pack frame suspension means of claim 1 wherein said sway adjustment ring is a generally loop shaped member secured to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions, said shoulder straps forming a portion of strap length, at and near said joined second ends, which is freely slideable through said looped member.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein: said loop-shaped member is adjustably secured to said frame so as to be adjustable in normally upward and downward directions.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein: said first ends of said shoulder straps are adjustably connected to said frame for adjusting the free length thereof between said concavo, convex portions of said shoulder straps and respective lower ends of said frame.

Claim 6

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; a generally horizontal bar member forming a part of said frame and extending along at least a portion of a line between said opposite sides of said frame near the top end thereof; substantially rigid brace members pivotally connected to said generally horizontal member of said frame and extending from said frame, said brace members terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps, said brace members being of substantially fixed dimensions between said connections to said frame and said free ends; and means connecting said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps.

Claim 7

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; a generally horizontal bar member forming a part of said frame and extending along at least a portion of a line between said opposite sides of said frame near the top end thereof; substantially rigid brace members pivotally connected to said generally horizontal member of said frame and extending from said frame, said brace members terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps, said brace members being of substantially fixed dimensions between said connections to said frame and said free ends; and means connecting said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps.

Claim 8

The pacK frame suspension means of claim 5 wherein said pivot mountings of said brace members provide sufficient friction for holding said brace members in a generally horizontally extended position when said pack frame suspension means is being mounted on the shoulders of a backpacker.

Claim 9

The pack frame suspension means of claim 6 wherein said brace members are made of resilient material deflectable in up and down directions.

Claim 10

The pack frame suspension means of claim 7 wherein said connecting means provide a flexible connection between said shoulder braces and said straps.

Claim 11

The pack frame suspension means of claim 8 wherein said connecting means comprise pivot bearings.

Claim 12

The pack frame suspension means of claim 5, further including a sway adjustment ring secured to said frame, said second ends of said shoulder straps being joined together through said ring thereby permitting adjustment of the relative lengths of the shoulder straps during certain body movements.

Claim 13

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; means for rearwardly spacing the frame from said shoulder straps, and consequently from a wearer''s back, said means comprising substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending substantially horizontally forwardly from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps, said brace members being of substantially fixed dimensions between said couplings to said frame and said free ends, said brace members further being of resilient material deflectable in up and down directions; and means connecting said free ends of said brace members with the upper portion of the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps.

Claim 14

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; means for rearwardly spacing the frame from said shoulder straps, and consequently from a wearer''s back, said means comprising substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending substantially horizontally forwardly from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps, said brace members being of substantially fixed dimensions between said couplings to said frame and said free ends, said brace members further being of resilient material deflectable in up and down directions; and means connecting said free ends of said brace members with the upper portion of the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps.

Claim 15

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; means for rearwardly spacing the frame from said shoulder straps, and consequently from a wearer''s back, said means comprising substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending substantially horizontally forwardly from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps; and means providing flexible connection of said free ends of said brace members with the upper portion of the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps in a manner such that said brace members provide substantially fixed spacing of said frame from said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps while allowing some freedom of movement.

Claim 16

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; means for rearwardly spacing the frame from said shoulder straps, and consequently from a wearer''s back, said means comprising substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending substantially horizontally forwardly from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps; and means providing flexible connection of said free ends of said brace members with the upper portion of the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps in a manner such that said brace members provide substantially fixed spacing of said frame from said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps while allowing some freedom of movement.

Claim 17

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending from said fraMe, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps; and means providing flexible connection of said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps in a manner such that said brace members provide substantially fixed spacing of said frame from said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps while allowing some freedon of movement, said connecting means comprising pivot bearings.

Claim 18

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions and having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends secured with respect to said frame at a level below said shoulder-engaging portions; substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending from said fraMe, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps; and means providing flexible connection of said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps in a manner such that said brace members provide substantially fixed spacing of said frame from said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps while allowing some freedon of movement, said connecting means comprising pivot bearings.

Claim 19

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; a sway adjustment ring secured to said frame between said top and bottom ends and between said opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions between said top end and said sway adjustment ring, said shoulder straps having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends joined together through said sway adjustment ring thereby permitting self-adjustment of the relative lengths of the shoulder straps during certain body movements; substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps, said brace members being of substantially fixed dimensions between said couplings to said frame and said free ends, said brace members further being of resilient material deflectable in up and down directions; and means connecting said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps.

Claim 20

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; a sway adjustment ring secured to said frame between said top and bottom ends and between said opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions between said top end and said sway adjustment ring, said shoulder straps having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends joined together through said sway adjustment ring thereby permitting self-adjustment of the relative lengths of the shoulder straps during certain body movements; substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps, said brace members being of substantially fixed dimensions between said couplings to said frame and said free ends, said brace members further being of resilient material deflectable in up and down directions; and means connecting said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps.

Claim 21

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; a sway adjustment ring secured to said frame between said top and bottom ends and between said opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions between said top end and said sway adjustment ring, said shoulder straps having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends joined together through said sway adjustment ring thereby permitting self-adjustment of the relative lengths of the shoulder straps during certain body movements; substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps; and means providing flexible connection of said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps in a manner such that said brace members provide substantially fixed spacing of said frame from said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps while allowing some freedom of movement.

Claim 22

A pack frame suspension means comprising: a rigid frame having, when in worn position, top and bottom ends and opposite sides; a sway adjustment ring secured to said frame between said top and bottom ends and between said opposite sides; flexible shoulder straps adjacent to said frame between said top and bottom ends and said opposite sides, said straps including concavo-convex shoulder-engaging portions between said top end and said sway adjustment ring, said shoulder straps having first ends attached near said bottom end of said frame and second ends joined together through said sway adjustment ring thereby permitting self-adjustment of the relative lengths of the shoulder straps during certain body movements; substantially rigid brace members coupled to said frame near said top end, extending from said frame, and terminating in free ends generally aligned with said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps; and means providing flexible connection of said free ends of said brace members with the convex surfaces of said shoulder-engaging portions of said straps in a manner such that said brace members provide substantially fixed spacing of said frame from said shoulder-engaging portions of said shoulder straps while allowing some freedom of movement.