Improved Squadron Drill Blocks for Teaching Military Tactics.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th May, 1892-Accepted, 2nd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Squadron Drill Blocks for Teaching Military Tactics.
RAMSAY VAN CORTLANDT Capt. 3rd Hussars Penrith Cumberland do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Plan "A" shews 4 wooden blocks A² A² A* A* representing a 4 troop squadron,
each troop consisting of 12 front rank and 10 rear rank men, the spaces between
the vertical lines shew position of men. The shaded parts in the front shew
position of guides. The blocks are joined together by a short brass bar or bars G.
& 1 long sliding bar F. At the end of each bar is a screw and nut sliding in a
slotted brass plate H on the top of cach block. Also by detaching the 4th or
last block & marking 16 instead of 12 men on the other 3 blocks they will then
represent a 3 troop squadron.
Plans B. C & D represent same blocks shewing movements required by the new
regulations. Plan E represents a single block or hoop.
Dated this 8th day of April 1892
JOSEPH BOWERBANK,
3, Market Square, Penrith, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Squadron Drill Blocks for Teaching Military Tactics.
I, RAMSAY VAN CORTLANDT, Capt. 3rd Hussars Penrith, Cumberland, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention consists in blocks made of wood or other suitable material
connected by bars having screws arranged to slide in a slotted plate, in order to
illustrate and teach military tactics in accordance with the new regulations. For
the purpose of explaining my said invention I will suppose in squadron drill that
four blocks of wood represent four troops. As seen in Fig. A. of the drawings
accompanying my Provisional Specification herein also referred to the troops are
marching in column, as seen in Fig. B. they are marching to the front into line,
in Fig. C. preparing to wheel into line by the right and in Fig. D wheeled into
line.
Now in order to facilitate the correct movement of the blocks without dis-
connecting them in any way I employ two short bars and one long bar.
In Fig. B. block B³ is fastened to block B' by a short bar G. having a screw
or pin at each end with a nut. This bar runs in slotted brass plates H screwed by
countersunk screws at each end upon the two blocks BS and B. Similarly
block B is fastened to block B2. But block B2 is fastened to block B' by means
of a long sliding bar F. which is secured at one end to block B by a nut and
screw through the slotted plate and to block B' by a screw passed through a long
slide in this end of the bar and through the slotted brass plate on block B' then
fastened with a nut. Of course on blocks B' and B³ the same screw and nut may
be used to fasten the ends of both the short bar G. and the sliding bar F. The
screws to fasten the slotted brass plates should be as near the ends of the block as
possible and in blocks B and B countersunk so as to pass under the long slide
when necessary. The slotted brass plate upon all the blocks has three equidistant
holes one on each side as near the screws as possible and one in the centre joined
by the slot-the object of the holes being to allow the screw to rest or work much.
Pil

page_text: more easily when in them. The short bars are secured to the plates on B' and B
by the screw passing through the slot and screwing on to a nut the top of the
screw being flat and countersunk flush with the bar. The long bar and other ends
of the short bars are secured to plates on B2 and B³ in the reverse way i.e. nuts on
the top.
A trench is cut out in all the blocks under the plate just large enough to allow
the two nuts and two heads of the screws in the four blocks to pass freely back-
wards and forwards between the holes.
It is most important that all the bars and slots should be the right length, viz.:
so as to place the blocks (see Fig. C) exactly the length of a block apart which is
the regulation distance. It will be seen that when pushing the bars to the right
(Figs. C and D) so as to use that as the pivot the blocks can only wheel into line
(Fig. D) by all wheeling together, for if only one block wheeled the blocks would
clash.
The front rank men can be distinguished upon each block by painting them red,
the guides black, and the rear rank men green, or any suitable colours can be used.
Fig. E. represents a single block or troop; the position of the guides is denoted
by the shading.
In the accompanying drawings blocks A¹ B'C' and D¹: A B C and D':
A³ B³ C and D³: A B C and D are really respectively the same blocks but are
shown under different letters in the different movements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
For illustrating or teaching military tactics blocks of wood or other suitable
material connected together by bars sliding in slots substantially as above
described.
Dated this 4th day of May 1805
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.