Pack Convertible To Stool

Abstract

A back-carried pack convertible into a four-legged stool includes a nonrigid sack element supported by a rigid frame. A cushioned surface is disposed on one side of the pack unit. Stool leg members are detachably mounted on opposed sides of the pack unit and are secured by fastening elements that also serve to secure the legs to the frame when the legs are in an extended position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a hunter's or woodsman's pack that can be converted to a camp stool.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It has been common, from the earliest days of recorded history, for persons traveling a distance from the environs of their homes to employ sacks, usually of a type carried on the back, to carry items needed on the journey. Today, there has been an increase in the amount of leisure time available to people and there has been a gradual reawakening to the natural beauties to be experienced when visiting wildlands and forests which have been undisturbed by man. These latter two factors have served to create a market for camping supplies and equipment which give to the hunter or hiker a modicum of comfort on his forays into uninhabited parks, forests and wildlands. The primary desirable attributes of such equipment are that it be light in weight so as not to unduly tire the camper who must carry such equipment, that it be comfortable to carry, that it be of simple and rugged construction so as not to break down in use and not to be subject to malfunctioning under adverse weather conditions. Additionally it is desirable that such equipment have multiple utility so as to reduce the amount of equipment that must be carried. Of particular use while camping or hunting is a stool. While one might think that seating surfaces are readily available in the wilds by reason of fallen trees and rocks, such surfaces are somewhat generally less than desirable as they are often damp, roughsurfaced, or are not situated in the best location. Therefore, it has become highly desirable for outdoorsmen such as campers and hunters to have a stool with them.

Prior to this time, several efforts have been made at providing a pack structure which is alternately usable as a pack to carry items or as a stool. These efforts have generally involved the use of a lightweight frame which is comprised of at least two elements which are suitably pivoted together so as to be collapsible when used in the pack mode. This type of pack structure has several drawbacks which result from the use of pivot structures to hinge the various elements together. When employing pivot structure, it is necessary to provide additional means for securing or locking the elements in relation to one another, particularly when the pack-stool unit is used in the stool mode. Further, such pivot structures are generally weak and unstable and are subject to wear or binding when exposed to such common outdoor environmental conditions as moisture, dirt and dust. This tends to make such units more difficult to set up, particularly when the user is wearing gloves as in cold weather, and seriously shortens their service life. Also, such units are not comfortable, especially for long periods of time, since the rigid frame structures in many instances bear directly on the back of the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a unit capable of being used as a pack and as a stool.

It is another object of this invention to provide a convertible pack-stool structure which is light in weight, rugged, easy to use, and of simple construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide a convertible pack-stool structure which is economical to manufacture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a convertible pack-stool structure which is comfortable to carry, especially for long periods of time.

These and other objects are accomplished by incorporating a rigid, lightweight frame, of sufficient strength to support a camper, within a conventional sack. The frame-sack unit, has disposed on one side thereof a cushioned seating surface. Detachable legs are alternately positionable on the exterior of the sack-frame unit to support the unit with the cushioned surface upward, or to be carried on the sides of the sack-frame unit when it is being carried by the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the convertible pack-stool unit of the invention in the pack mode.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pack-stool unit of the invention in the stool mode.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, the pack-stool unit 1 is shown assembled for use as a pack. The unit is comprised of a rigid frame 2 composed of four transverse members 2a, four side members 2b, and four upright members 2c. The like designated frame elements are of generally the same length and in the preferred embodiment are assembled so that the three intersecting elements at each corner are mutually orthogonal, thereby forming rectangular surfaces F, T, R, B, S.sub.1 and S.sub.2. The frame elements 2a through 2c in the preferred embodiment are constructed of aluminum angle stock of suitable strength. The frame elements are joined together, preferably by welding, although riveting or bolting procedures could equally well be employed.

The rigid frame 2 is disposed within a conventional sack 3 which is commonly made of canvas, heavy duck, or other weather-impervious materials. The sack 3 is fastened to the frame 2, preferably by means of rivets (not shown). The knapsack 3 includes a flap 5 for closing the opening in the top T of the sack and a fastening means 6 for securing the flap 5 closed while the sack is being carried. The fastening means can, of course, consist of such conventional means as ties, buckles or snaps. The knapsack also has attached thereto carrying straps 7 for slinging the sack on the back of the wearer.

The pack unit includes four leg members 8 which can readily be made from the same aluminum angle stock as the frame elements of frame 2. Each of the leg members 8 includes a foot portion 9 which is most suitably formed by bending an end portion of the leg at a 90.degree. angle to the remaining portion. The foot portion is designed to increase the bearing area of the leg to lessen the likelihood that the leg will sink into soft earth or similar supporting surfaces.

Each leg member 8 includes three slots 10a, 10b and 10c disposed in one web of the leg. The slots are angularly disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the leg. This is done to facilitate assembly of the legs to the pack-frame unit and to aid in retaining the legs to the unit, particularly when used in the stool mode. Threadedly received at each of the four corners of the opposed side surfaces S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 of the pack unit are screw threaded fasteners 11. The fasteners 11 have a knurled head to facilitate turning and tightening and are preferably made of nonrusting metals such as brass or aluminum or polymeric materials such as nylon. Preferably, means are employed for preventing the complete withdrawal of the fasteners 11 from the pack unit as by peening the threads at the ends of the fasteners or by providing a backing nut or other enlargement thereat. The fasteners 11 serve to hold the leg members to the sack-frame unit when it is used either in the pack mode or in the stool mode. To accomplish this, the slots 10a, 10b and 10c on the leg members 8 are so disposed that the distance between slots 10a and 10c is equal to the distance between the fastening members 11 disposed on upwardly directed frame members 2c, and the distance between slots 10b and 10c is equal to the spacing between fastener elements 11 measured along a line parallel to frame elements 2b.

As shown in FIG. 2, a cushioning element 12 is attached to the side of the pack unit opposite to the flap 5 and securing means 6. The cushioning element 12 may include a rigid sheet 14 of plywood or the like, a cushioning layer 15 such as an elastomeric foam or the like, and a covering material 16 of leather, synthetic plastic material, or other similar material. The cushioning element 12 is attached to the pack unit by any suitable means as, for example, blind threaded fasteners or adhesives.

Lashing elements such as conventional D-rings 17 are affixed to the pack-stool unit at various points and are used for lashing various items to the pack-stool unit.

In operation, the pack-stool unit is utilized in a pack mode in the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The pack-stool unit is slung on the back of the user and secured thereon by means of straps 7. It will be noted that the cushion structure 12 on side R will be disposed in engaging relationship with the back of the user and will serve to comfortably cushion the unit thereon. While the device is used in this mode, the leg elements are carried on the edges of opposed side edges S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 by means of fasteners 11 engaging slots 10a and 10c as shown in FIG. 1. When assembled in this mode, it can be seen that the pack structure is compact and has no projections likely to catch on trees or underbrush.

When used in the seat mode, the legs are demounted from the pack unit by loosening fasteners 11 and the pack-frame unit is oriented with the seat cushion facing upwardly. The legs are remounted on the pack seat unit as shown in FIG. 2 with the fasteners 11 engaging slots 10b and 10c. It can be seen that this construction affords a rigid, stable seat structure.

It can be seen, of course, that the preferred embodiment is capable of many modifications which remain within the scope of the disclosed invention. For instance, the open areas on each side of the frame structure could be closed by affixing a sheet of material, either flexible or rigid, between the opposed frame members. For heavy duty applications, the frame elements and legs could be made from steel, or, for lighter duty applications, from wood.

Claims

I claim:

1. A back pack convertible to a stool comprising,

a pack unit forming a hollow, rigid, generally rectangular enclosure having a front surface and a rear surface and two opposed side surfaces;

a plurality of leg members;

fastening elements disposed in aligned pairs on each opposed side surface of the pack unit; and

each leg member including means for alternately engaging a first aligned pair of the fastening elements when a leg is disposed parallel to a first edge of a side surface and a second pair of the fastening elements when the leg is disposed parallel to an edge of the side surface which is substantially orthogonal to the first edge.

2. A back pack according to claim 1 wherein the rear surface constitutes a seating surface.

3. A back pack according to claim 2 wherein the seat surface comprises a first substantially rigid layer, an intermediate layer of cushioning material disposed on the rigid layer, and an outer sheet of flexible material covering the intermediate layer.

4. A back pack according to claim 3 wherein at least one slinging strap is affixed to the pack unit adjacent the seating surface.

5. A back pack according to claim 1 wherein the means for engaging the pairs of fastening elements are a plurality of spaced slots disposed on each leg member.

6. A back pack according to claim 5 wherein each leg member includes three slots.

7. A back pack according to claim 1 wherein the first and second pairs of fastening elements have at least one fastening element common to both pairs.