An Entrenching Spade which can be Attached to the Muzzle End of a Rifle or other Small Arm by Means of a Socket or Handle.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Entrenching Spade which can be Attached to the Muzzle End of
a Rifle or other Small Arm by Means of a Socket or Handle.
I, Captain HERBERT MULLALY of the Corps of Royal Engineers at present on
leave from India and temporarily residing at No. 6, Ledbury Road Bayswater
London, W. 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 :-
A spade (A) of any suitable size, thickness, or shape, and made of any kind of
metal, is provided with a socket (B) by means of which it can be fixed to the
muzzle end of any rifle or other small arm.
The socket (B) is similar to that which is used for attaching bayonets to military
rifles & which is commonly known as a bayonet socket or handle.
The spade may be attached to the socket in any position so that when fixed to
the rifle (or other small arm) it may be either on the right, or left, or above, or
below the muzzle of the rifle (or other small arm) when the rifle (or other small
arm) is held as in aiming; or the spade may be attached to the end of the socket
(at C) as shewn in dotted lines in Figure II of the accompanying drawings; and in
this case also it may project either to the right, or to the left, or above, or below
the muzzle when the rifle (or other small arm) is held as in aiming-or it may be
in direct prolongation of the axis of the barrel of the rifle (or other small arm).
The point and edges of the spade may be sharpened to any extent that may be
considered necessary.
The socket will be closed at the end next to the spade (that is at C) in order
that mud or dirt may not enter the barrel of the rifle (or other small arm) when
the spade is attached and used for digging.
When the spade is fixed to the rifle by means of the socket, the foresight of the
weapon will become covered by a small case or sight protector (D) which forms
part of the socket.
The socket may be made of such dimensions as will enable it to fit on to the
barrel of any rifle (or other small arm).
In the accompanying drawings two alternative forms of sockets are shewn ;
Figures I, II, III, and IV shewing details of one form of socket; and Figures V,
VI, & VII shewing a second form of socket.
The first of these two forms of socket (viz. :-that shewn in Figures I, II, III,
and IV) has a slot N. O, to take the foresight of the rifle; and a locking-ring E.
The slot is so shaped that when the socket is being partly pushed home on to the
muzzle of the rifle the foresight of the weapon passes up the portion N of the slot ;
but until the socket is given a half turn to the right it cannot be pushed completely
home on to the muzzle of the rifle. When the socket is being so given a half turn
to the right the foresight of the rifle moves in the portion of the slot connecting
the two portions N, and O, and then when this half turn has been completed the
socket can be pushed right home on to the muzzle of the rifle, when the foresight
of the weapon becomes completely covered by the sight protector D.
When the socket has been thus completely pushed home on to the muzzle of the
rifle the locking ring E is then given a half turn to the right thus pressing
against the rear of the foresight and so preventing the withdrawal of the spade
from off the rifle.
The locking ring E is a band of steel or other metal, which has its two ends
fastened together by a small screw so that it fits closely to the socket, but is
capable of a half turn on the socket-further movement being prevented by a small

page_text: stop on the side of the socket opposite to the sight protector, which stop works in
a groove cut out from the front edge of the locking-ring.
When this locking ring is in the position shewn in Figure I (that is, when
the screw is immediately over the portion of the slot) the foresight of the rifle
can pass under the screw, and it is only when the locking ring is in this position
that the socket can be pushed completely home on to the muzzle of the rifle, or
withdrawn.
The second form of socket (viz. :-that shewn in Figures V, VI, and VII) is so
shaped that when it is attached to the rifle, the barrel of the rifle passes into the
portion CD of the socket which completely covers the end of the barrel as far as
to the back of the foresight of the weapon. At the same time the cleaning rod of
the rifle, and the metal projection on the stock of the rifle through which the
cleaning rod passes, pass into a recess or slot in the lower part of the socket; the
metal projection on the stock of the rifle going into the T shaped recess T shewn
in Figure VI, while the cleaning rod goes still further into the socket into the
cylindrical hole P.
Near the rear end of the socket (that is near the end which is furthest from the
spade) there is a catch X (see Figure V) which consists of three parts, namely
the bolt, the bolt-nut, and the spring, details of which are given in Figure VII.
The spring is a small spiral spring which fits into a hole in the socket, above
the Tshaped recess, T.
The shaft, S, of the bolt passes through this spring; the head, Q, of the bolt
at the same time fitting into a recess in the side of the socket; and the bolt
nut is then screwed on to the end of the shaft of the bolt.
When this catch is thus fixed, a part of the head of the bolt fills a portion of
the T shaped recess T; but when the bolt-nut is pressed, the catch spring becomes
compressed, and the bolt is pushed back so as to leave the whole of the T shaped
recess open and clear for the passage of the metal projection on the stock of
.the rifle.
The rear edge of that portion of the head of the bolt which projects into the
Tshaped recess (viz. -the portion R) is bevelled, so that when the socket is
pushed home on to the muzzle of the rifle the metal projection on the stock of the
rifle automatically pushes the head of the bolt aside, and when the socket has been
pushed completely home into its proper position on the muzzle end of the rifle the
bolt flies back and its head catches into a groove in the metal projection on the
stock of the rifle, and so prevents the withdrawal of the socket.
To withdraw the spade from off the muzzle of the rifle, the bolt nut has to be
pressed, when the bolt is pushed back leaving the whole of the T shaped recess
clear, when the spade can be drawn off the rifle.
The spade will be carried in a leathern case which will be attached to a man's
belt or accoutrements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
I. A light entrenching spade capable of being attached to the muzzle end of a
rifle or other small arm by means of a socket or handle similar to the sockets or
handles used for attaching bayonets to military rifles.
II. A socket or handle provided with a sight protector to protect the foresight
of the rifle or other small arm, the socket or handle being also closed at the end
next to the spade to prevent dirt from getting into the barrel of the rifle.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of September 1892.
HERBERT MULLALY,
Capt., R.E.