Improvements in Pioneering-implements.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1897—Accepted, 29th Jan., 1898
Communicated from abroad by ALFRED VON HELLFELD, OI IJA Tauenzienstrasse,
Berlin W., in the Empire of Germany, Retired Captain.]
Improvements in Pioneering-implements.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents, 45,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to improvements in pioneering implements; the special
object of the said invention being to reduce the weight of such implements, to
increase their durability and to ensure a more easy handling and portability of the
same.
The invention is represented in the accompanying drawing, in which :
Figures 1 to 3 show various kinds of pioneering-tools with simple metal tubular
handle, partly in sectional elevation ;
Figure 4 represents the detachable handle-knob in elevation;
Figure 5 represents a pioneering tool with metal-tubular handle adapted to be
extended by telescoping action shown partly in sectional elevation and
Figure 6 is a cross section of the handle of the tool on the line x, x, Figure 5.
As will be seen from Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, the handle respectively applied
to a spade (Figure 1), an axe (Figure 2) and a pickaxe (Figure 3), is formed by a
thin metal tube, which is rigidly connected with the implement.
This connection is obtained in such a manner, that the tube a is either flattened
out by forging and subsequently rivetted or soldered onto the tool as in the spade,
represented in Figure 1, or so that the tube is inserted into an opening, provided in
the tool proper and fixed therein by solder as in the case of the axe, shown in
Figure 2, and of the pickaxe, shown in Figure 3. The connection of the handle a
with the tool may, of course, also be effected by welding.
The knob c limiting the bottom end of the handle a may be detachably arranged
and may be connected to the handle for instance by means of a bayonet joint
(Figure 4).
In order that the handling of these pioneering implements may be facilitated by
the arrangement of a comparatively long handle, without at the same time the
portability of the same being impeded, the handles of these implements are
preferably constructed in the form of a metal tube adapted to be drawn out, this being
effected, according to Figure 5, by means of two telescoping metal tubes a and b, the
interior tube b of which closely fits into the outer tube a and is closed by the handle
knob c.
Upon the inside of the tube b a leaf spring d is rivetted, the free extremity
of which is provided with a nose f, which projects through slots, arranged in the
tubes a and b. If the handle is to be extended, either the nose f is so depressed by
means of the finger as to admit of the tube b being withdrawn from the tube a
through the medium of the knob c, or the power of the spring d is overcome by
simply pulling the knob c whereby the nose f is forcibly lifted out of the slots of the
tubes a and b. After the tube b has thus been withdrawn to its full extent its

page_text: spring d falls into the slot g of the tube a, thus preventing the tube b from being
entirely separated. In order to prevent the tubes a and b from being abnormally
displaced relatively to each other, a groove e is provided upon the outside of the
tube, in which engages a projection or a spring h of the tube a (Figure 6).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A pioneering implement (spade, axe, pickaxe or the like); its characteristic
feature consisting in the arrangement of a tubular metal handle a rigidly connected
to the tool proper, the object being to reduce the weight of the tool or implement
and to increase its durability.
2. A pioneering implement of the kind ascertained in the first claim; its
characteristic feature being that the handle of the implement consists of a metal
tube (a, b), adapted to be extended by a telescoping movement and rigidly
connected to the tool proper; the object being to facilitate the handling of the
implement without its portability being impeded.
3. A pioneering implement of the kind ascertained in the second claim; its
characteristic feature being that the extensible metal tubular-handle (a, b) can be
fixed in its extreme positions by a spring-actuated-joint (df).
4. A pioneering implement of the kind ascertained in the second and third claims;
the characteristic feature being that the outer tube (a) of the handle slides with a
projection or spring (h) in a groove (e) of the inner tube (b), the object being to
prevent the handle tubes from being abnormally displaced.
Dated this 10th day of December 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.