US2814380A - Unitary combat mess-kit - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 26, 1957 T. R. THAx-roN, .JR

UNITARY COMBAT MEss-KIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1954 |||II|| .IJlllllllul ATTORNEY ,fore employed have not been of UNITARY COMBAT MESS-KIT rihomas Roy Thaxton, Jr., Miami, Fla. Application May 6, 1954, Serial No. 427,905 11 Claims. (Cl. 206-4) This invention relates to a unitary combat mess-kit which combines the conventional meat can or pan and meat can cover ordinarily carried in the pack on the back with the canteen and canteen cup ordinarily carried in a cover attachable to the web belts of troops so as to rest on the hip.

Heretofore, over a long period of years, members of the armed services, especially ground troops, have been equipped in the field with a pack in which a number of essential articles are carried, as on maneuvers and into combat. Considerations of weight and space limit the articles which can be carried in such pack, and also in combat, tactical and logistical considerations enter, as for instance, the amount of extra ammunition which may be carried in the pack along with items such as toilet articles and rations. Of necessity the meat can or pan heretofore used, together with its lid, and with the knife, fork, and spoon enclosed inside of the assembled can and lid, have had to be carried in the pack, as it has not heretofore been visualized to combine these items With the canteen and cup carried on the hip. When the assembled can and lid have been carried in the pack, the enclosed space Within such assembled can and lid has not well been utilized except for the small amount employed in storing the knife, fork, and spoon, and such unutilized space has been a dead loss in eiciency and has constituted a limitation upon otherdesired articles which might well and eciently have been stored in the pack.

Other objections to the pack carriage of the assembled meat can and lid with knife, fork, and spoon enclosed have been interposed of a more fatal nature in that troops in combat often discard these items to provide additional space for ammunition, and on occasion the sheen or glare of sunlight on such discarded items during daylight has given away troop positions to the enemy. Also, when not discarded, the rattle of the knife, fork, and spoon in the assembled can and lid has given away troop position at night.

At the same time, the canteen and canteen cup heretorectangular cross-section, but an indentation has been made in both articles presumably to it the curvature of the hip of the wearer.

The Conventional mess-kit has also included additional disadvantages in that the handle for the meat can cover is pivotally connected to the meat can to extend coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the can. In usage, the conventional lid has a ring therein which is inserted over the outer end of the handle so that the lid'rests upon the handle, `and thus the handle also extends co-axially with the longitudinal axis or" the lid. In this awkwardly arranged position men in the field bring their meat can and lid to vhave food served therein, with the result that frequent spillage occurs.

Also, the knife heretofore furnished has been of such a size and construction as to lit within the assembled meat can and lid and has lacked the length and temper to serve as a weapon or for any other purpose than for a ice s knife to be used in cutting food. Thus, it has been necessary to furnish on occasion additional knives and scabbards therefor to be carried separately on the web belt of the tighter as weapons.

This invention sets out to avoid the objections above enumerated and other objections which have been interposed against the mess-kit which has been employed since Worid War l, or theretofore, and has several objects by which denite improvements over such conventional messkits are accomplished.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a mess-kit which combines the canteen and canteen cup assembly within a hinged meat can section assembly which ysurrounds the canteen land cup in a manner to permit the assembled articles to be carried as a unit within a cover attachable to the web belt of the fighter to rest upon the hip.

It is another object of this invention to provide a handle for the meat can sections which is foldable in assembly and Which is latchable in usage to extend at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the meat can sections to thereby provide a rm handle therefor so that such sections may be held in usage in a manner to avoid spillage.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide ymeans for yclasping the outer ends of the meat can sections around the neck of the canteen in a manner to permit the removal of the assembled canteen cup and meat can sections together While the canteen top is removed to permit drinking from the canteen.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a icover for such assembly which may receive the spoon and fork in interior pockets while providing an exterior vscabbard to receive a knife serviceable to cut food and also serviceable as a combatknife.

It is yet a further object of this a mess-kit of this class in Whch the meat can sectons surround the canteen in a manner to insulate the contents of the canteen against theloss of heat or coolness.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a mess-kit assembly of this class in which the assembled units are of substantially rectangular cross-section while occupying substantially less space than the conventional, separately assembled meat can and canteen units, while at the same time providing more canteen capacity than is provided by the conventionally employed canteen.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the hereinbelow description is considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. l is an exploded elevational View, part-in-section, of cup, canteen, and meat can.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the canteen, and a sectional elevation of the cup, with the meat can assembled therearound.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the meat can.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the canteen cup, with the handle folded as when not extended for use.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the canteen cup shown in Fig. 4, with the handle shown extended in position for use.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the assembly of Fig. 2 enclosed in a cover, such elevational view being taken at from the position of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a plan view of Fig. 6 with the canteen top removed.

Fig. 8 is an elevation the cover opened.

Fig. 9 is `a perspective view of the assembly of Fig. 6, showing the knife and scabbard.

Fig. 10 is an elevation taken along line litlil of Fig.3.

The central items to be assembled in this invention are shown in Fig. 1 and include the food pan or can lil, the

invention to provide of the assembly of Fig. 6 with canteen 12, and the canteen cup 14 into which the lower part of the canteen 12 is inserted in assembly.

The canteen cup 14 has the brackets 15 thereon. When the handle 16 is extended as shown in Fig. 5, the extensions 17 of the cup handle latch 1S are received within the brackets 15, the latch 18 being slidably mounted on the cup handle 16 by means of the keeper wings 19 which are re-curved to extend around the handle to provide guide slots. The handle 16 is hinged at 20 and is of a shape to [it around the bottom of the `cup when folded as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The cup 14 is of rectangular cross-section and the lower part of the canteen 12 is of rectangular cross-section to tit therein. Above the cup 14 the canteen 12 is tapered to a smaller rectangular cross-section at 21 and has a neck 22 thereabove which is threaded to receive a threaded cap 23 thereon. A chain 24 is connected to the top of the cap 23 at one end and at the other end to a loop 25, and the chain is of a length to permit the cap 23 to be unthreaded from the neck 22 without interference.

The can or pan 11 is comprised of two trough sections 26 which are hinge connected at adjacent ends 27 by means of the hinge 28. Theopposite ends 29 of the trough sections are arched and centrally thereof have indented ilanges 30 of arcuate or semi-cylindrical shape to tit around the neck 22 of the canteen 12 below the cap 23 where the trough sections 26 are folded into upper edge Contact at 31 as shown in Figs. l and 7. To latch the sections in this position, a spring or keeper band 32 is pivotally connected at one end to a trough section 26 and releasa-bly connected thereto at the other end and extends around the flanges 30 below the cap 23. As the chain 24 must extend through the trough sections 26 when they are in folded position, these sections are grooved at 26' to permit this clearance in assembly, as shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a handle portion 33 is rigidly connected to one trough section 26 and supports the hinge 34 outwardly of the sides 37 of the trough sections. The grip portion 36 of the handle 35 is connected to the portion 33 of the handle 35 and in folded position rests as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 against the side 37 of a trough section. A sleeve 38 is slidably mounted on the grip portion 36 `and has the hole 39 therein, while the grip portion 36 has the hole 40 therein. A latch pin 4l is provided in the side 37 of the trough section 26 and has the head 42 thereon and when the sleeve 38 is slid upon the grip portion 36 to bring the holes 39 and 40 in coincidence the grip portion 36 may be pivoted upon the hinge 34 against the side 37 so that the sleeve 38 and grip portion 36 may pass over the head 42 and around the pin 41. Then the sleeve 38 may be slid upon the grip portion 36 as the slot 43 slides around the pin 41, and in this position the head 42 bears upon the sleeve surface and the sleeve 38 and grip portion 36 are latched to the side 37 of the trough section 26.

When it is desired to unlatch the sleeve and grip portion, the sleeve 38 is slid to bring the hole 39 in coincidence with the grip portion hole 40 and the grip portion with sleeve thereon may be pivoted on the hinge 34 to the full line position shown in Fig. 3. When in such posi-` tion the adjacent ends of the handle portion 33 and grip portion 36 are aligned, and as the portions are of the same cross-section, the inner part of the sleeve 38 may be slid upon the handle portion 33 so that the handle 35 is latched in extended position to extend substantially per pendicular to the longitudinal axis of the trough sections and below and in substantial co-planar alignment with the axis of the hinge 28,

The cover or pouch 43 of `cloth or related non-rigid material has the pockets 44 and 45 on the inner surface of one side 46 thereof to receive the fork 47 and spoon 48, and preferably on this same side the connector 49 is attached to the outer surface by means of the attaching cloth keeper 50 sewed to such side 46 to provide a journal for such connector 49. In turn the connector, as is well known, may be attached to a web belt, as the conventional web belt worn by troops, by engagement of the connector ends in spaced apart eyelets in the web belt.

On the opposite side 51 from the side 46 a scabbard or pocket 52 is provided on the outer surface to receive the knife 53 therein, the strap 54 being provided to latch at 55 to retain the knife against being lost.

The flaps 56 are provided as extensions of the sides 57 and these flaps are folded over on the top of the canteen 11 before the top 57 is next folded over these llaps to be latched by means of the snaps 58, 58' to completely enclose the assembled mess-kit units to exclude substances as grit therefrom.

As shown in Figs. 3 and l0, there may be provided the additional feature of trough section separation into food compartments to receive dilerent kinds of foods. To this end the ends of a division strip 59 t between beads 60 at opposite ends of a trough section 26 and such strip 59 has a slot 61 therein centrally and upwardly to receive thereover a strip 62 which has a slot 63 therein centrally and downwardly to receive thereunder the strip 59. Lugs 64 disposed as shown in Fig. 3, are provided to retain the ends of the strip 62 against sideward displacement. When the meal is nished the strips are lifted from the trough section 26 and disconnected from each other and the strip 62 is placed flat in the trough with ends to extend below the lugs 64, and the strip 59 is placed flat in the trough across the strip 62 with ends to extend below the beads 60. In this manner the partition strips are retained against rattling when the can 11 is assembled about the canteen and cup.

In addition to the other advantages obtained by the construction of the items to be assembled as a unitary combat mess-kit, a distinct advantage of insulation is obtained through the enclosure of the canteen within the pan or can 11. Because `of the insulative air space between pan and canteen liquid as water in the canteen will be kept cooler, and liquid as coffee in the canteen will be kept warmer.

Having described the construction of the parts and their assembly into a unitary combat mess-kit, detail may be given to the obvious advantages of operation. The knife 53 is accessible as a weapon simply by unstrapping the keeper strap 54 and removing it from the scabbard 52. Such a knife may be constructed for employment as a weapon and is also employable to cut food and is far more accessible for this purpose than when carried in a pack inside the assembly of meat can and lid. The spoon 48 and knife 47 are also readily accessible by unsnapping the top 57 of the pouchaud removing these utensils. If it may be desirable to drink from the water in the canteen 12, it is only necessary to unsnap the pouch cover or top 57', lift the assembled canteen, cup, and meat pan from the pouch, and unscrew the cap 23, without disturbing the assembly surrounding the canteen. At meal time the meat pan 11 can be removed from around the canteen 12 simply by disconnecting the keeper band or spring 32 from its connection at one end to a trough section 26, and then extending the handle to the full line position shown at Fig. 3 as hereinabove described. There is thus provided a firmly held pair of trough sections for the receipt of food with greatly minimized chances of spillage. The strips 59 and 62 may then be raised when compartmentation of a trough section is desired.

Although the spoon 48 and fork 47 have been shown within the side 46, this is an optional construction, and a preference might exist whereby these articles may be in pockets 44 and 45l constructed on the inside of side 51.

For purposes of sanitation one of the pans 26 may be constructed, when in folded position, to extend slightly into, and wedge within the other pan 26. Optionally small upstanding anges may be provided within one arcuate pan section 29 to` extend above the top of the pan and iit within the other pan to provide a tightly wedged together interiitting of pan sections when the pans are folded to enclose thc canteen 12. In this manner any grit or foreign matter may be excluded from the space within the folded pans. Additionally, to exclude water from the canteen running down within the pan sections, rubber washer means may be provided for the iianges 30.

For further sanitation, a small can of soluble disinfectant tablets, as lysol, may be provided to tit within one of the article pockets, as the can 63 indicated in Fig. 8 within the spoon pocket 45. Just prior to -each use a tablet may be dissolved in water within the pans 26 and canteen cup i6 to sterilize these articles and also the utensil articles washed therein to avoid against dysentery, the scourge of troops in the iield.

Broadly this invention revolutionizes present combat mess-kit carriage and gains benefitsI of space saving, unitization, accessibility, utensil improvement, and volume increase thereby, without substantially increasing the bulk of the combat mess-kit now to be carried in a single package on the web belts of troops.

It is obvious that variations and modifications of structure will fall within the spirit of this invention and within the scope of the appended claims, and claim is made to such variations and modifications in accordance with the broad interpretation merited for such claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A unitary combat mess-kit including a canteen having a capped neck, a food pan comprising two trough sections hingedly connected at adjacent ends and receiving said canteen therein when folded with upper trough edges in contact and having arcuately indented flanges on the upper surfaces of the opposite ends complementarily fitting around said canteen neck below said cap, latch means extending around said tianges and releasably latching said trough sections about said neck, and a handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handle is not in use.

2. A unitary combat mess-kit comprising a canteen having a capped neck, a cup larger in each dimension in horizontal cross-section than the lower part of said canteen and at the bottom than the bottom of said canteen and having the lower part of said canteen disposed in said cup to bottom on said cup bottom, and a hinged sectioned food pan with the hinge and hinge connected portions thereof being disposed below said cup bottom and with said pan larger in each dimension in complementaryhorizontal cross-section of said sections than said cup and than said canteen thereabove including said neck and at the bottom than said cup bottom, said mess-kit including means releasably connecting said sections around said neck, and a handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handle is not in use.

3. A unitary combat mess-kit comprising a canteen having a capped neck, a cup larger in each dimension in horizontal cross-section than the lower part of said canteen and at the bottom than the bottom of said canteen and having the lower part of said canteen disposed in said cup to bottom on said cup bottom, and a food pan comprising two trough sections hingedly connected at adjacent ends and with the hinge and hinge connected portions thereof being disposed below said cup bottom and with said pan larger in each* dimension in complementary horizontal cross-section of said sections than said cup and than said canteen thereabove including said neck and at the bottom than said cup bottom, said mess-kit including means releasably connecting the opposite ends of said sections around said neck, with edges in contact and means connecting said cap to said canteen and extendable between said edges, and a (handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handle is not in use.

4. A unitary combat mess-kit including a canteen having a capped neck and a hinged section food pan with the hinge and hinge connected portions thereof being disposed below the bottom of said canteen and with said pan larger in each dimension in complementary horizontal cross-section of said sections than said canteen including said neck below said cap and at the bottom than Ithe bottom of said canteen, said mess-kit including means releasably connecting said sections around said neck, and a handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handle is not in use.

5. `A unitary combat mess-kit including a canteen having a capped neck and a hinged section food pan with the hinge andl hinge connected portions being disposed below the bottom of said canteen and with said pan larger in each Idimension in complementary horizontal crosssection of said sections than said canteen including said neck below said cap and at the bottom than the bottom of said canteen, said mess-kit including means releasably connecting said sections around said neck, a handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handie is not in use, and a utensil providing pouch latchably enclosing said canteen and means releasably connecting said pouch to a belt.

6. A unitary combat mess-kit including a canteen having a capped neck and a hinged section food pan with the hinge and hinge connected portions being disposed below the bottom of said canteen and larger in each dimension in complementary horizontal cross-section of said sections than said canteen including said neck below said cap and at the bottom than the bottom of said canteen, said mess-kit including means releasably connecting said sections around said neck, and a handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected -to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handle is not in use, and strips in at least one section and to upstand from the bottom thereof, said strips being substantially perpendicularly interiittable whereby said section is divided into compartments, said at least one section having means therein retaining said strips against movement.

7. A unitary combat mess-kit comprising a canteen having a capped neck, a cup larger in each dimension in horizontal cross-section than the lower part of said canteen and at the bottom than the bottom of said canteen and having the lower part of said canteen disposed in said cup to bottom on said cup bottom, and a food pan comprising two trough sections hingedly connected at adjacent ends with the hinge and hinge connected portions thereof disposed below said cup bottom and with said pan larger in each dimension in complementary horizontal cross-section of said sections than said cup and than said canteen thereabove including said neck and at the bottom than said cup bottom, said mess-kit including means releasably connecting the opposite ends of said sections around said neck, with a close edge contact tit and bearing against sai-d opposite ends and also means tightly surrounding said neck whereby water is excluded from the interior of said sections, and a handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handle is not in use.

8. A unitary combat mess-'kit including a canteen having a capped neck and a food pan comprising two trough sections hingedly connected at adjacent ends with hinge below the bottom of said canteen and larger in each dimension in complementary horizontal cross-section of said trough sections than said canteen including said neck below said cap and at the bottom than the bottom of said canteen, said mess-kit including means releasably connecting said trough sections around said neck, a handle including a portion rigidly connected to the adjacent end of one trough section, a grip portion pivotally connected thereto and foldable along a side of a trough section, and a sleeve slidable over said pivot and the adjacent ends of said portions to latch said portions together with grip extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means latching said sleeve and said grip portion when folded to the side of at least one of said trough sections.

9. A unitary combat mess-kit including a canteen having a capped neck and a food pan comprising two trough sections hingedly `connected at adjacent ends with hinge below the bottom of said canteen and larger in each dimension in complementary horizontal cross-section of said trough sections than said canteen including said neck below said cap and at the bottom than the bottom of said canteen, the opposite ends of said trough sections having indented anges on the inner surfaces thereof complementarily fitting around said canteen neck below said cap and said mess-kit providing latch means extending around said flanges and releasably latching said trough sections together about said neck there being a handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position sub- 55 stantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handle is not in use.

10. A unitary combat mess-kit including a canteen having a capped neck, a food pan comprising two trough sections hingedly connected at adjacent ends and at opposite ends complementarily and releasably fitted around the neck of said canteen below said cap, a handle including a portion rigidly connected to the adjacent end of one trough section, a grip portion pivotally foldable against the side of said trough section when said handle is not in use and latch means on said grip portion when it is thus folded and engageable with said trough connected portion to latch said portions to extend coaxially and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections when the handle is in use.

11. A unitary combat mess-kit comprising a canteen having a capped neck, a cup larger in each dimension `in horizontal cross-section than the lower part of said canteen and larger at the bottom than the bottom of said canteen and having the lower part of said canteen disposed in said cup to bottom on the bottom of said cup, and a food pan comprising two trough sections hingedly connected at adjacent ends with the hinge and hinge connected portions thereof disposed below said cup bottom and with said pan larger in complementary horizontal cross-section of said sections than said cup and than said canteen thereabove including said neck and at the bottom than said cup bottom, said mess-kit including means releasably connecting the opposite ends of said sections around said neck, and a -handle including a part connected to a trough section and another part pivotally connected to said trough connected part, means latching said handle for use in extended position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said trough sections, and means including said extended position latching means to latch said other part in folded position against a side of a trough section when said handle is not in use.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 163,359 Chambers May 18, 1875 366,907 Williams July 19, 1887 555,882 Preston Mar. 3, 1896 655,530 Vossbeck Aug. 7, 1900 699,697 Missotten May 13, 1902 715,399 Low Dec. 9, 1902 1,373,155 Tebbetts Mar. 29, 1921 1,458,679 Bishop June 12, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS 417,403 France Aug, 30, 1910 224,413 Great Britain Nov. 13, 1924

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