US1694753A - Portable guard fence - Google Patents

Description

' Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,753

J. PEPPIN PORTABLE GUARD FENCE Filed Nov. 11 1927 JOSL'P/f PEPP/ N.

Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

uNrrsn srarss JOSEPH PEPPER, OF :SGIOTA, NEW YORK.

PORTABLE GUARD FENCE.

Application filed November 11, 1927. Serial No. 232,565

My invention relates to a device intended for use as a defence against attacks by cavalry or infantry and may be used on open ground as well as in front of trenches.

In the recent great war, barbed wire fences and entanglements were used very extensively to guard against surprise attack. This was doubtless quite effective but very expensive, on account of it being a permanent fixture which could. not be removed when the troops changed positions. It also took a considerable time tolay the entanglements or set up the fences.

With the present device, on the other hand,

it is only a matter of a few seconds to position the bayonet guard, and with each man carrying one of them, a single or double defence line will immediately be provided in front of the troops, which then may retire into the trenches.

In hand to hand fights the bayonet may be detached from its stafi and used as a hand sword or as a lance or spear if kept in place on the staff.

It will be evident that the device may as easily be taken down as set up and carried along when the troops change their position.

In the accompanying drawing, one embodiment of the device is illustrated, and Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device set up in defence position; Figure 2 is top plan View of Figure 1 in smaller scale; Figure 3 is a plan view in partial section and larger scale; and Figure 4: a cross section on line 44 of Fig. 3.

The device consists of four main parts, namely a shaft or stafi 10), a sword-bayonet (11), stakes or legs (12 and flexible connections (13) such as chains or wire ropes.

The staif (10) which is about five feet long, if made in one piece, or longer if made in sections, has a sharp or pointed end, preferably reinforced by a ferrule (14:). It may be made of strong, light Wood or of bamboo. Its forward end fits snugly and permanently in a metal socket (15), which has a bored lug (18) on each side slightly inclined in a transverse plane, so that the stakes or legs (12), which are detachably held in the lugs, are spread apart at their lower ends. These stakes also have pointed ends and may be provided with ferrules (16) or other reinforcements.

The socket (15) has a forward extension in which the handle portion (17) of the bayonet (l1) fits, so as to be easily removed and suit able securing means (19) such as cotter pin or the like, is provided to retain the bayonet in place. The bayonet has preferably a thin broad blade (20), but any other suitable shape may be used. Between the blade and the handle (17) a collar or hand guard (21) is provided which also serves as a stop against the socket (15). On each side of the socket is to befound an ear (22) intended to receive the hook (23) on the end of the chain or wir rope (18). One such flexible member is carried with each staff and during the march the bayonet may be carried in a Scabbard, like side-arms, while the stakes or le s are strapped to the staff and carried on the soldiers back using the wirerope as a sling The use of this defence weapon is indicated in Figures 1 and 2. With the bayonet (11) secured in its socket (15) at the front end of the staff (10) and the stakes (12) in position in their lugs (18), the lower, sharp end or ferrule (14) of the staff (10) is driven securely into the ground at an inclination of about thirty degrees and so that the raised end with the bayonet (11) faces in the direction of the enemy with the point about three feet above the ground. The stakes (12) are also driven in the ground, thus forming a tripod with the staff (10) and finally the wire-ropes (13) are hooked into the ears of two adjacent tripods. In this manner a continuous fence is formed in front of the troops, which may be squatting on the ground or concealed in trenches, some distance back of the bayonet guard or defence line, in readiness to receive an attacking force which will be halted by this guard fence in the same manner as by barbed wire entanglements.

It will be evident that the bayonet guards may be set up close together or further apart as desired and that more than one line may be formed, one behind the other. One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a sure means of retarding the attacking movement of an enemy, such means being as easily removed and transported as set up in defence line.

With the chains or wires unhooked and the legs detached, the weapon may be used as a lance or spear in close fighting, when the staff constitutes the handle and the bayonet the spear head. When detached from the staff,

the bayonet may be used as a sword, as its handle is of a size and shape that fits a mans hand.

It is to be understood that my invention, as here disclosed, is not limited to the details of construction shown and described, and that these may be varied widely, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A weapon of defence, comprising a staff, a socket provided at one end of the staff, a bayonet having a handle and a hand guard, the handle being adapted to fit detachably in the socket, thehand guard forming a stop, means for securing the handle in the socket, bored lugs on the stall, and legs detachably mounted in the bores of said lugs in such a manner that a tripod is formed of the staff and legs.

2. A weapon of defence, comprising a staff, a socket provided at one end of the stati, a bayonet having a handle and a hand guard, the handle being adapted to lit dctachably in the socket, the hand guard formin a stop, means for securing the handle in the socket, bored lugs on the staff, and legs detachably mounted in the bores of said lugs in such a manner that a tripod is formed of the staff and legs, an ear adjacent each of said lugs and flexible members adapted to be attached to said ears.

A portable guard, comprising a plurality of bayonet tripods as described in claim 2, set up on the ground in spaced relation to face substantially in the same direction.

a. A portable guard, comprising a plurality of bayonet tripods as described in claim 2, set up on the ground in spaced relation to face substantially in the same direction, said tripods being interconnected by the flexible members.

5. A portable guard, comprising a plurality of bayonet tripods as described in claim 2, set up on the ground in spaced relation to face substantially in the same direction, the flexible member on one of Said tripods con necting with an car on an adjacent tripod, thereby forming a continuous fence.

6. A portable guard, comprising a plurality of bayonet tripods as described in claim :2, set up on the ground in spaced relation to face substantially in the same direction, the flexible members having their ends secured to adjacent tripods, thereby forming a continuous fence.

T. A weapon of defence, comprising a staff, a bayonet having a handle and a hand guard, the handle being adapted to fit detacliably in the staff, while the hand guard forms a stop, means for securing the handle in the staff, bored lugs on the staff, legs detachably mounted in the bores of said lugs in such a manner that a tripod is formed of the staff and legs, and a flexible member adapted to have its ends secured to the tripod.

8. A portable guard, comprising a plurality of bayonet tripods as described in claim 1, set up on the ground in spaced relation to face substantially in the same direction, and flexible means adapted to be secured with the ends to adjacent tripods respectively, in order to support the tripods and form a continuous fence therewith.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

his JOSEPH (x) PEPPIN.

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