IMPROVEMENTS IN ENTRENCHING TOOLS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Upton Prior, of 97, Sydney Place, Bath, in the
County of Somerset, and Bt. Lt. Colonel, 100th Regiment, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENTRENCHING TOOLS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Upton Prior at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1880.
"
GEORGE UPTON PRIOR, of 97, Sydney Place, Bath, in the County of Somerset,
and Bt. Lt. Colonel, 100th Regiment. IMPROVEMENTS IN ENTRENCHING
TOOLS."
My Invention relates to a construction of entrenching tools whereby they are
rendered conveniently portable and readily available for use. The complete tool
according to my Invention consists of three parts, a spade blade of steel, a handle
about two feet long made of wood, and a steel pick-axo head having an axe blade
on one side and a pick tine on the other side. These three parts are separable, so
that each, which does not exceed a few pounds in weight, can. be carried by one
man in a case of leather or other suitable material strapped to 'bim or attached to
his belt.
The spade blade is made with a screwed stud at one side of its upper edge, which
stud is screwed into a metal socket at the end of the handle, and is prevented by a
The bandle is made of
retractile catch from unscrewing while the spade is in use.
oval section tapering to greater width at its upper end. When the tool is to be
used as a pick-axe, the handle is passed through the eye of the head, its taper
form preventing the head from coming off.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Upton Prior in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
October 1880.
GEORGE UPTON PRIOR, of 97, Sydney Place, Bath, in the County of Somerset,
and Bt. Lt. Colonel, 100th Regiment. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENTRENCHING TOOLS."
My Invention relates to a construction of entrenching tools whereby they are
rendered conveniently portable and readily available for use, as I will describe
referring to the accompanying Drawings.
There are three separable parts each weighing about 14 lbs.; a handle shewn at
Fig. 1; a head forming a combined axe and pick, shewn at Fig. 2; and a spade
blade shewn in front view, side view, and plan at Figs. 3, 3ª, and 3b respectively;
Fig. 4 shows the tool arranged for use as a spade; Fig. 5 shews it arranged for use
as an axe or pick; Fig. 6 shews all the parts put together.
The handle is a stem of hard wood A of oval section tapering to an increased size
at the top. At its lower end is fixed a socket B. of gun-metal having an internal
screw to receive the stem of the spade blade. There is also fitted to the socket B a
small sliding bolt b, which when the spado is attached, prevents it from becoming
unscrewed.
The head (Fig. 2) has at one end an axe blade C and at the other end a pick D.
It is formed with an eye E into which the handle is inserted, as shewn in Fig. 5,
the taper of the handle preventing the head from flying off. In order to prevent
the axe blade from being injured during the action of the pick, it may be formed
somewhat lower down on the head, as shewn at Fig, 2a; and in order to prevent
the projecting end of the stem A from becoming injured when the pick is being
used it may be protected on that side by a projection H formed on the head.
The spade (Figs. 3, 3, and 3b), consists of a steel blade F slightly hollowed and
made with a screwed stem G which stands at an angle to the blade. This stem is
screwed into the socket B of the handle, the whole forming a spade as shewn in
Fig. 4, and a sliding bolt at being pushed down either into a notch or in front
of a projection or stud on the blade prevents it from being unscrewed while
in use.
The handle, head, and blade may be all put together, as shewn in Fig. 6, and
used or carried in that form. For service in war, however, it is more convenient to
have the three parts carried separately, each of them being of moderate weight and
of such form as not to interfere with the action of the man who carries it. For:
carriage the handle (Fig. 1) may be thrust through a loop or frog of the soldier's
belt to hang at his side like the bayonet; the head (Fig. 2) is placed in a pouch of
leather or other suitable material which can be strapped to the belt or to the
valise or great-coat, and the spade blade (Fig. 3) is carried in a pouch in like
manner.
A number of each of the three parts made accurately to gauge so that any of the
heads or spade blades fit any of the handles may be distributed for carriage among
a body of men, each of whom is thus only slightly burdened by the part which he
carries. When the tools are required for use, as for clearing away obstructions or
for entrenching, there can be accessible so many of each of the separate parts that a
sufficient number of complete tools can at once be made ready for work.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim generally
the combination of a spado with a pick or other tool in one and the same instrument,
as I am aware that this has been before proposed, but I claim the herein described 5
construction of entrenching tools consisting of three separate parts, the handle, the

page_text: 5
combined axe and pick head, and the spade ¡blade, each of weight and form
convenient for carriage, and fitted so that they can be easily and rapidly put
together for use, or taken apart for transport.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Upton Prior, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
G. U. PRIOR. (L.S.)