US613241A

US613241A - Bethel burton

Info

Publication number: US613241A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1898-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1915-11-01

Description

N0. 6I3,24l. Patented Nov. 1, I898. B. BURTON.

comsmao BAYONET AND sun REST.

tNo Model.)

NrrEn STATES I PATENT ()FFICE.

BETHEL BURTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINED BAYONET AND GUN-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,241, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed December 10, 1897. Serial No. 661,343. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BETHEL BURTON, resid ing at New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bayonets and Gun-Rests, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a combined gunrest and bayonet.

The object of the invention is to produce a bayonet attachment for a gun which shall be swiveled or pivoted near the muzzle of the gun, so as to be turned down alongside the fore-stock and there secured, or which can be turned forward and there fixed as a bayonet, or which can be swung down with its point on the ground, and thus used as a gun-rest while firing at an elevation from a prone position.

A bayonet is not much used with arms of modern construction except for guard duty. I have found a bayonet of from four to six ounces in weight and of a length of eight or ten inches projection from the gun-muzzle to be quite a formidable weapon and amply sufficient for ordinary use of a military guard. Such a bayonet pivoted near the muzzle of a gun and allowed to swing so that its point rests on the ground furnishes a very serviceable rest when the marksman is lying down and the gun aimed at an elevation, as it must be in firing one thousand to two thousand yards and upward.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the muzzle portion of a gun, showing bayonet-rest turned back. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation,partly in-section, showing bayonet fixed. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the point-catch Fig. 4, a cross-section, and Fig. 5 an elevation, of a knife-bayonet blade. Fig. 6 is a section at the front band; Fig. 7, a diagrammatic View showing manner of using the bayonet as a rest.

The gun-barrel 1 and fore-stock 2 may be of approved construction. Preferably the front band 3 will be near the muzzle or front sight of the gun and besides clasping the front stock to the barrel will also hold the combined bayonet and rest.

The bayonet 4 is of such length as may be desired. The blade may be round, triangular, or fiat, the form shown in Figs. 2, 4, and

5 being a good form for a weapon. The shank of the bayonet is slotted, as at 5, and a notch 6 is formed in one side or edge of the shank. The retaining screw, rivet, or swivel 7 of the front band passes-through the slot 5 'of the bayonet, and the front stock or its end cap is formed to afford a rest for the side of the bayonet-shank in either of the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bayonet being reversible on this pin 7 when the shank is drawn so that the pin 7 is at the end of the slot farthest from the point of the bayonet. When turned back, as in Fig. 2, the point of the bayonet is held by a spring-catch or push-piece 10, having a recess in its face and mounted in a socket 11, which socket is preferably held by the middle band 13 of the gun. The push or catch piece 10 is pressed outwardly from its socket by a spring 14 and is held bya pin 15, passing through a notch in the side, so as to permit a limited sliding movement of the catch 10 in its socket. The band 13 may be in recesses in the sides of the socket 11, so that the socket is firmly held. The catchpiece 10 is recessed, so as to receive the point of the bayonet when swung back and hold it by spring-pressure. The bayonet-point will thus be held firmly when in the recess; but when swung out the catch 10 will no longer hold the bayonet. The end of the notch 5 toward the bayonet-point is so far from the point as to just permit the spring engagement of the catch 10 with the bayonet-point, as in Fig. 1. When the bayonet is swung or sprung down free from the catch 10, the bayonet is then slid along on the screw 7 (dotted lines, Fig. 1) until the other end of the slot strikes the screw or pin 7, when the bayonet can be dropped down to serve as a rest, as in Fig. 7, or it can be reversed ready to be fixed, as in Fig. 2. In .fixing the bayonet the'point is turned forward and the slot then slid back to the position of Fig. 2. At this position the notch 6 in the bayonet is caught by the spring-hook 16', and as the side of the shank lies between the ends of the band 3 and close to the stockor in a groove in a reinforce-piece 17 of the stock the shank and bayonet will be held very firmly, the bayonet point projecting to the front. To unfix bayonet, the button 18, attached to the spring of the hook 16, may be pressed in by the finger, when the hook 16 will be released, the bayonet may be moved forward the length of the slot 5, and will then drop down, pivoting on the pin or screw 7, so as to be in position to serve as a rest in sighting, Fig. 7, or be turned back, as in Fig. 1.

The edge of the bayonet is preferably not sharp; but, if desirable, an inch or so of the point of the blade may be sharpened, as indicated in Fig. 5, and the point itself may be at one side of the center. To prevent aberration in firing when the bayonet is fixed, it is desirable that the edge of the bayonet be turned toward the axis of the gun, so as to interfere as little as may be with the escape of the gases from the muzzle.

In using the bayonet as a rest the point can be placed on the ground. If the ground is soft, a button may be applied to the point; but the soldier can usually find a cartridgeshell, a chip, or some other thing which may be used to prevent the entrance of the rest into the ground in the few cases Where such a support is desirable. The bayonet or rest being loosely pivoted on pin 7, the rounded end of the shank will support the gun by hearing against the stock or reinforce 1'7. The gun may be carried forward or back, so as to bring the rest out of perpendicular, to change the elevation of the muzzle.

By actual trial on the target-ground this rest has been found very efficient to support the gun in longe-range firing.

WVhat I claim isl. The combination with a gun, of a bayonet pivotally connected thereto and catches by which the bayonet may be fixed with point projecting forward, or secured with point to the rear, or swung from the pivot with point downward to serve as a gun-rest, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a gun, of a bayonet having longitudinally-slotted shank, a pivot extending through the slot, and a retaining-catch engaging the shank by which the bayonet may be fixed with the pivot resting at the front end of the slot, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the front of a gun, of a bayonet having a slotted shank, a pivot passing through said slot, and a point-catch on the stock in position to embrace the bayonet when swung backward with pivot lying in front end of slot.

4. The combination with a gunhaving a pivot thereon, of the slotted bayonet-shank, movable and reversible on said pivot, and means for holding the bayonetin fixed and reverse position, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a gun of a bayonet-rest connected thereto by a pivot-and-slot connection, the end of the shank being rounded and bearing against the lower part of the gun to relieve strain on the pivot when the bayonet is used as a rest,- substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BETHEL BURTON.-

\Vitnessesi W. A. BARTLETT, CHAS. K. DAVIES.