US993015A - Military intrenching-tool. - Google Patents

Description

E. B. BENGTSSON. MILITARY INTRBNCHING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1909.

Patented May 23, 1911.

wijn, es@ e.:

To all-whom 'it lrac/y concerm.

UNiTED STAWENT OFFICE.

ERNST BENKT'iaENGrssoN, oEsTocKHoL-M', SWEDEN.

MILITARY 'rNr'nnNcHINc-'roon Be it .known -that I, ERNST BliNK'r BENG'rssoN, a' subject of theKing of-Sweden,

residing at Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, have inventedY a new and useful -Military Intrenching-Tool, of whichA the following is aspecification, reference being had to the drawing accompanying and forming'a part hereof. A

This invent'on relates to military intrenching ,tools and particularly to spades for infantry.

f It is well known that the advancing of in- 'fantry against lan enemys lpositions is per intrenchments ar'e formed at the ystopping-v to decrease the losses, that each lizes, as muchas possible, the depressions in l formed at short intervals, and, if `posslble,

places, whereby it is of importance, in order soldier utithev ground, or, if' no depressionsarevto be found, producessuch depressions himself.'

The use of a commonspade` forintrenching purposes has, however, the drawback that the rifle`canno't be used simultaneously. It has proved itself that in the last wars the men used spoons, bayonets and even the hands in order toA obtain a cover. A spade such a spade which is simple and easily port-` able and .which may be used not only for in-v nal tubes of the cover. Fig. 13 is a plan view'of a-number of spade blades connected. 90

adapted to be used forintrenching purposes must therefore be so arranged 'that the spade and 'the-rifle may be used simultaneously.

The object of the invention is to provide trenching or digging purposes, with or without shaft, but also for various other purposes which may be required in a modern war, such asl for use as a body shield or as a head guard or cover, as a tent-pole, or for making frame-works etc.

- Thev lnventlon compr1ses a certain improved shaft-handle, said handle beingdetachably AAconnected to the shaft, in a posi-y tion at thev side thereof, so as to allowthe shaft to be extended 'past the handle for forming a pole or the like.

The Invention further comprises means attached to the back of the'spade-shield for catching the enemys weapon.

Suitably the-shaft is composed of one tube and -.two sleeves connected together by clamps 'and bolts'so `that the shaft may be easily taken intoparts adapted for use in formin frame-works of different kinds.

. The invention further comprises the conspecification of Letters Patent. Patented May 23, 1911.-` .Application led November 5, 1909. Serial No. 526,462. l

struction and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing, I have shown a preferred.

embodiment ofA my' invention and variousl employments of the same.

Figure 1 is a front view ofthe spadeshield with the shaft attached thereto. Fig.

2 is aside view of the same.V -Fig. 3 1s a frontv view of thedetached blade of the spade adapted for useas a shield or in di ging with one .hand only. Fig. 4 vis a side view of the same showing in dotted lines. the left hand seizing the short neck or shank of the blade.` Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional det-ail view showing the connection between the said neck and. the tubular shaft of the tool. Fig. 6 shows a number of shafts conv nected together to form a tent-pole.' Fig. 7 shows two tubular shafts connected. together by the sleevenormally forming theattachment for thel handle part of the tool. Fig.

8 shows a connection ofshafts and sleeves.

formingfpartof a framework. Fig. 9 shows a similar connection forming part .of a

,frame-work ofthree dimensions. Fig. 10 is a side view of the blade inserted in the ground in a position to serveas a head guard or cover in the prone position and as a support for the rifle. Fig. 11 is a front view. of a frame work forming' a cover against infantry lire. 12 is'a side view of a number of handle clamps connected together to form a support for the longituditogether to form the armor of the cover.

Referring to the drawing, the blade 1 (Figs. 1-4) ofthe spadesuitably consistsv of a curved sheet-iron plate having a num-v ber (suitably two pair) of eyes 2 secured .to its concave.side,said eyes 4forming fasteningsfor straps 3 or the like (Figs. 43 and 4) of leather or other suitable material. Riv;-

eted or otherwise attached to the said blade 1 is a short len .h of tubing 4 cut diametrically at one en and flattened out as shown at 5 so as to form a pair of clutches for firmly holding the interposed blade. The

.upper part of the tube 4 forms a short neck having means for attaching the blade toa longer tube or shaft 6. The connection suitioo ably consists of' two blade springs 7 (Figs.

1,52 and O diame 'cally oppositeV pomts and havlng 5) attached to the neck 4 at two l y` `i at ktheir free ends inwardly projecting pins l holes in the neck 4.

When the shaft is to be connected to the blade, it is inserted with its lower end into- 8 adapted to engage correspondlng holes in the up er part of the neck' 4 and the lower part of) have va. tendency to take -up the position shown at the llefthand side of Fig. 5, and 1n order to keep the s ame' in locking positions. the upper'palrtof the neck 4 is screwthread ed to recelve aninteriorly threaded cap 9 adapted to be screwed down upon the upper ends of the springs 7. In order that a slight turning of the cap 9 may suffice for locking or releasing the springs 7 the, cap 9 may be provided with one or more slits 10 through which the springs may pass. For enabling the cap 9 to be conveniently handledit may suitably be milled, at its circumference, as shown in Figs. 1-4. In order to prevent the cap from unscrewing itself from the neck 4 the latter may suitably be somewhat widened at its -upperend, as shown atll, Fig. 5. The lower end of the shaft 6 is suitably provided. with two diametrically opposite slits 12'adapted to engage a bolt 13 ins.

serted through two diametrieally opposite the neck 4 o'f the4 blade, until its lower edge meets the b olt13, and then turned, while being pressed inward, so' that lthe slits 12 engage thel said bolt. lThe sprin s 7 are then grasped withthe 'left hand an pressed closeup to the outer'side of the neck so that *the pins- 8 engage the coinciding holes in the neckk and the shaft, whereupon the cap 9 is .screwed down' upon the ends `of the springs for locking same in position.

Attached bya bolt 14 totheupper part of the shaft 6 is a short socket or sleeve 15,

and attached to the said sleeve, preferably i by the bolt .14 and a second bolt 1'6 are, two

clamps 17 each forming at its upper end a r1ngv18. Inserted into the. rings 18 and firmly secured thereto by through-going bolts 19 is a second socket or sleeve 20,-

preferably of the same dimensions4 as the sleeve 15 and having the holes for the bolts placed at the same distances from the ends as in the said 'latter sleeve, so that the one sleevemay be replaced by the other one, if

.of the bo desired. TheV holes inthe shaft 6 for the -bolt'14 are preferablyfat such a distance lhom the end of the shaft that, when the sleeve 15 is secured to the shaft, the end of the latter will be at the middle of the sleeve.

The clamps 17 arebent laterally, as shown the shaft 6, as clearly shown at the right hand side of Fig. 5. The springs 7 '16, ashaft 6 may be lnserted into shown in'Figs. 1 and 2.

'so that the sleeve 15 may be secured to the shaft 6 in a position at right' angles to that.

` All the parts of the implement described are preferably made of steel by which the tool will be more effective in digging in hard and vstony ground.

-fWhen the implement is lto be used as a i "spade for digging with one hand, the blade 1 is detached rom the shaft 6 and the stra s Sattached by spring-hooks or the like to t e Ieyes2, as shown in Figs. 3 and-'4. The blade 1s hung by a sword-.knot or strap 21 enga ing the upper strap 3 to the wrist of the le hand, which may either be inserted between the two straps 3 at one side and the blade 1 at the other side, 'as shown in Fig. 3, or placed about the. neck of the blade, as shown in Fig. 4.A In the former case the riie may be handled by both hands due tothe flexibility of the straps 3 while during the pauses in firing the blade may be used by the operator lying prone for throwing up an intrenchment to provide cover from the lire o he enemy. The blade may also be used as a shield in fighting with saber's' or bayonets, in which case L.the blade may be held as shown in Fig. 3. A metal strip 22 secured to-the lower partof the neck '4 and to the lower part of the blade 1 serves. as a means for catching and retainirlllg the point of the enemys bayonet or the l'A e so as to Vexpose him. n

In camping it may be desired to l connect a number of shafts toa tent-pole. 'To this end a suitable number of shafts are detached from the blades, and the lower end of one shaft is inserted into the upper end of another shaft in such a manner that the slit 12 at the lower end of 4the first shaft will engage the screw-bolt 16 at the upper end ofthe other shaft. Fig. 6 shows four shafts thus' connected together .to form a tent-pole. The ring at the apex of the tent will bear on a small flange or ring 23 near the upper (normally lower) end of the uppermost shaft (see Figs. 1, ,2 and 5).' The ring 23 may be attached to the shaft by small screws 424 so that it may be removed, when desired.

As is easily understood, the shaft may be readilytaken into pieces, and it will be seen that each shaft furnishes one longer tube,

two shorter sleeves 15 and 20, two clamps 17, -v

and four screw-bolts with nuts. These parts may be used in constructing frame-works for various purposes.

In Fig. 7 two tubes 6 are shown firmly connected by a sleeve 15 and two bolts. Fig. 8 shows a similar connection forming .two

lengths of tubing crossing each other at- .right angles. Fig. 9 shows in what manner the 'parts may be connected in order to obtain q =framework of three dimensions. In such q manner several structures may be formed, auch as scales, bridges, fences, etc.

Fig. 10 shows in what manner the 'blade may be used as a cover in the prone position and as a support for the rifle 25 which is suitably' placed in a position with the trigger-guard 26 close up to the blade.

Figs. 11-13 show in what mannerv the parts of a number of spades .may be connected for the purpose of constructing an improvised safeguard. The clamps are connected by small bolts in the manner shown in the drawing. To this end the clamps 17 are provided just between the holes for the bolts 14.- and 16 with a third bolt-hole 27 (Figs. 2 and 12) The tubes 6 are connected in the manner shown in Fig. 7 and supported in the rings 18 of theclamps. The blades 1, which are suitably provided at the edges with small bolt-holes 28 (Fig. 1), ma .be

' hand.

I am aware that spades are before known in which the handle is placed at the -side of the shaft, but in such spades the handle is firmly attached to the shaft, Whereas, Vaccording'to the present invention, the handle is 4detachably connected thereto. I, therefore, do not broadly claim shafts having the handle attached at the side of it but I only claim such shafts having the handle detachably connected to the shaft at the side thereof. v

'I claim:

1. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaft detachably connected to the said spade-blade, and a handle the side t ereof, so as to allow anadditional shaft toJoe a. plied to the former in a position in -whic it extends axially past the said handle.- l

2. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaft detachably connected connected to the said shaft, at

to the said spade-blade, a sleeve connected to the upper enel of the said shaft, and' a handle detachably connected to the said sleeve insuch a position as toallow the v lower end of a second shaft .to be inserted into the said sleeve. l

3. A military intrenching tool comprisin a spade-blade, a neck attached to the sai spade-blade, a shaft adapted to be inserted into the said neck, springs attached to the said neck in positions to engage corresponding holes inthe said neck and shaft, and a cap placed on the upper end of the neck and adapted to keep thesprings in locking positions. v

4. A military spade-shield comprising means forl applying same to one hand of the operator, and a metal strip attached to the back of the shield for catching the point of the enemys weapon.

5. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaft detachably connected `to the said spade-blade, a sleeve attached to the upper end of the. said shaft, clampsv attached to the said sleeve, and a second sleeve attached to the said clamps in a ldirection at right angles -to the rst to form a convenient handle.

' 6. A military intrenching tool comprising la spade-blade, a shaft detachably connected to the said spade-blade, a sleeve attached to the upper end of the said shaftl and adapted to be used -as a socket-joint for connecting two shafts together, and a hansaid dle detachably connected to the said sleeve.

` 7. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaft detachably .connected to the said spade-blade, a sleeve detachabl connected to the upper end of the said sha t and adapted to be used as a, socket-joint for 'connecting two shafts together,` and a handle attached to the said sleeve. 1 .l

8. A military intrenching tool comprising a spade-blade, a shaft detachably connected to the said spade-blade, a sleeve detachablfygj l connected to theupper end of the said sha and adapted to be used as a socket-joint for connecting two shafts together, and a handle detachably connected to the said'sleeve.

ERNST BENKT BENGTSSON. Witnesses: j

Aue. SnENsEN, KARL RUNcsKoe.

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