US911442A - Field-ration mess-kit. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2 G-bl'ommg 4 THE NORRIS PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, D c.

GUY H. PRESTON, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

' FIELD-RATION MESS-KIT.

' Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Application filed. February 3, 1908. Serial No. 414,149.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY H. PRESTON, ca tainUnited States Army, a citizen of t e United States, residing at Fort Myer, in the county of Alexandria and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in Field-Ration Mess-Kits; and

' do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7

My invention relates to field ration mess kits, and the object of m invention .is to make a field-ration mess- 't. of such form,

and relative dimensions that the individual receptacles shall have the greatest possible utility, strength, and simplicity when used separately, and at the same time occupy the smallest possible space when stowed for carriage. This object I attain, in part, by

extending the mouth of the canteen in'the' about it when packed. The said handlesbeing curved, or hollow, andmade integral with, or permanently V afiixed to, their respqective receptacles enable me to do away Wit the necessity for complicated folding devices heretofore used while at the same time making them strongenrmore durable, and cheaper of fabrication. This I regard as a most distinctive and novel fe'at'ureof this invention. The canteen proper is not covered, as is usual in militaryservices, with felt or canvas, experience having proven' that in the small air spaces bet-ween it and the articles nested upon'it there is provided an eficient non-conductor of heat .to insure the retentionof the liquid contents in a cool condition; and to accomplish this end, the pans and cups are made to embrace the entire surface'of the canteen, while breaking joints, so as to effect a complete inclosure, and at the same time shut out warmair.

The assembled kit is carried in a case of' canvas or other material, 'ada ted to be.

wetted for the evaporative 'coo ing of the contents of the canteen, ,all' as will morefully ap ear hereinafter. p r

eferring to the accompanying drawings forminga part of this specification and'in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views :Figure 1, is a perspective view of my field ration mess-kit when taken from its case, showing the parts in their nested condition. Fig. 2, a perspective view of the parts ready to be nested. Fig. 3 a view of the case adapted to receive the parts as shown in Fig. 1, and showing the disposition of the knife, fork and spoon.

Fig. 4, a detail showing how the knife, fork, or spoon may be used as a lifter to hold the hot cooking utensils, and Fig. 5, a detail of the neck of the canteen, showin how the neck of the case and the hand es of the utensilsnest there around. i

The individual arts may be made of any suitable shapeand of any suitable material, but I refer to make the canteen 1, of metal for so diers. use, and of glass for campers or sportsmens use, and to round all corners to such an extent as will facilitate the manu facture and nesting of the said parts.

2 represents the neck of the canteen, which is preferably made sufficiently long to afiord an easy grasp by the alm of the hand.

7 3, indicates a pan provi ed with a handle 4, and 5, another similar pan provided with a handle 6. made on their interior of dimensions one half the outside dimensions of the canteen, so that they snugly fit and cover the outside of body ortion 1, and the handles 5 and 6, are each ikewise made of one half the outside dimensions of the neck 2, so that they snugly fit and cover said neck.

7, designates a cup, and 8, its handle. The body portion of the cup 7, is made of such a shape and dimensions that it will snugly fit over the ends of and cover one half of each of the bodies of the pans 3 and 5, after they are nested on the canteen; and the handle 8, will likewise fit over and snugly cover one half of each of the handles 4 and 6, in their nested positions; thus covering the joints made by said pans and handles on one half of the canteen. I

9, represents a receptacle adapted to fit over the other'ends and tocover the other half of the pans 3 and 5, as well as the joint made by such pans on the other half of the canteen. This receptacle 9 ,is provided with a half round notch 10, intowhich one of the handles 4 or 6, 'fits'when in itsnested position. Over the receptacle 9, the receptacle 11 is adapted to fit, and I may provide as These pans are each preferably many receptacles 9 and 11, as is found desirable. These receptacles when taken in pairs mak a good lunch box for greasy food, since they can be telescoped the one into the other and carried in the saddle bag, haversack, pocket or other place if desired. These receptacles serve as extra receptacles at mess, and also to cool hot liquids.

When the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 1, the whole is slipped into the case 12, the neck 13, of which fits over the neck 2, and handles 6 and 8, in their nested position, and the hinged bottom 14, of which closes around the bottom portions of the nested kit, to be fastened by the buckle or other fastening means 15.

In the bottom 14, are accommodated a knife, a fork and a spoon 16, as shown, each of which is provided with a handle having a bent projection, or lug 17 adapted to fit into the holes 18, made in each of the handles 4, 6 and 8, as shown, very much like a stove lifter fits into the lid of a stove; and they thereby afford a means of readily handling each of the cooking utensils 3, 5 and 7, while hot.

The neck 2, of the canteen is preferably provided with a bead 19, having a ilat undersurface, against which the to edges 20, of the handles 1, 6 and 8 fit, anc thereby prevents liquid from running down between the cooking utensils and the canteen when drip ping from the mouth of the said neck 2.

The neck 13, of the cover is provided with a ring 21, to aiford a stiffening means to aid in pulling the cover oil and on the kit proper. 22, is one of two rings to afford means for suspending the kit, from the person or from the saddle as desired.

It will thus be observed that I have produced a mess-kit having handled cooking utensils, as in my former patent No. 555,882, March 3, 1896, but that I do not have to employ the hinges that have been found to be so objectionable in that patent. Furthermore, I provide a suitable handle by which both the canteen and the nested utensils may be readily grasped at all times, which desirable feature is not present in my former patent.

The peculiar tapered shape of the handles 1, 6 and 8, serves to greatly strengthen the same, and when the parts are pressed out of sheet steel the utensil and handle make an exceedingly rigid and stiff structure capable of standing any amount of rough usage.

It is quite easy for the soldier to overlap two handles 4 and 6, or 1 and 8, hold them in one hand, and thereby present two receptacles at the serving out place, instead of one.

I may employ any suitable stoppering means for my canteen, the cork 12, being merely shown as a conventional means.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the exact details of construction and arrangement of parts above set forth, since it is evident that both may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Ti hat l claim is 1. In a field ration mess-kit, the combination of a receptacle having a neck, and a second receptacle suitable for cooking food adapted to closely fit the outside of said first receptacle and having a handle adapted to closely fit said neck, substantially as described.

2. In a field ration mess-kit, the combiimtion of a receptacle, having a neck, and a plurality of other receptacles suitable for cooking purposes adapted to closely lit and completely cover the outside of said first mentioned receptacle and each of said other rcceptacles provided with a handle adapted to snugly fit and cover said neck, substantially as described.

3. In a field ration mess-kit, the combination of a canteen having a neck adapted to be used as a handle; a plurality of cooking receptacles provided with handles adapted to snugly fit and cover the outside of said can teen and neck; and a third receptacle adapted to slip over a portion of said other receptacles when in their nested position, substantially as described.

1. In a field ration 1nesskit, the combination of a canteen having a neck adapted to be used as a handle; a plurality of receptacles provided with handles adapted to snugly lit and cover the outside of said canteen and neck, and a third receptacle provided with a handle adapted to slip over a portion of said other receptacles when in their nested position, and the handle of said third receptacle also adapted to fit over a portion of the handies of each of said other receptacles, substantially as described.

5. In a field ration mess-kit, the combination of a canteen having a neck adapted to be used as a handle a plurality of receptacles provided with handles adapted to snugly fit and cover the outside of said canteen and neck; a third receptacle adapted to slip over a portion of said other receptacles when in their nested position, and a fourth receptacle adapted to fit over said third receptacle, said third and fourth receptacles adapted to telescope into each other to form a lunch box, substantially as described.

6. In a field ration mess-kit, the conibination of a receptacle having a neck and a second cooking receptacle adapted to closely lit the outside of said first receptacle, and hav ing a handle adapted to closely fit the outside of said neck, and said handle having a hole adapted to receive a suitable lifting instrument, substantially as described.

7. In a field ration mess-kit, the combination of a canteen having a neck; a plurality of cooking receptacles provided with handles rigid therewith adapted to nest about the outside of saidcanteen and its neck; said handles provided with h0les,,and a casing adapted to inclose and sus end said canteen and nested receptacles, an to accommodate av spoon provided with a handle having a lug ada ted to enter each of said holes, substantial y as described.

8. In a field ration mess-kit, the combination of a canteen having a neck provided with a li a plurality of cooking receptacles provided? with handles rigid therewith adapted to nest about the outside of said canteen and neck and under said lip, and a casing adapted to absorb water when wetted, having means to suspend said canteen and receptacles, and also adapted to store a fork, a spoon and a knife, substantially as described.

9. In a field rationmesskit, the combinaalso adapted to store a fork, a spoon and a knife, su stantially as described.

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

. GUY H. PRESTON. Witnesses:

JAMES E. DODGE, A. W. NEALE, Jr.

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